Choosing Hearts - The Fighter's Passion (Gritty, Explicit Romance Novel) (A Lusty Stand Alone Story) by Diana Quippley
Authors: Diana Quippley
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surprised looks from the other men and women in
uniform. They stepped out into the morning sunshine and Rogan enjoyed the
warmth for the first time since he found himself in this predicament.
“Don’t worry about
the big guy. He’s been acquitted... unwitting accomplice and all that.”
Foster’s loud voice drifted out as Julia beckoned him to follow her into
another building.
“This is Wendy’s
Diner.” Julia gestured at him to take a seat inside a booth. “The best food
you’d have eaten outside your home. We eat here all the time.”
“This tavern is
quite clean.” Rogan replied, sitting down and marveling at the soft leather
seating.
“Yeah, I suppose
your old friends from the underground would only take you to seedy little
joints.” Julia said ruefully. “How did you get mixed up with them? Not that I’m
being judgmental without knowing anything about you at all?”
“O’Malley was
helpful to me in my time of need.” Rogan took a deep breath. “He was the only
one I could call friend when I needed one.”
“Yes, I understand
absolutely.” She blushed again. “And I’m sorry if I came across as…”
“No need for an
apology, fair Julia.” He beamed at her. “Your kindness to me now is more than I
can ever repay. This life that I see now here is a far better one than what
O’Malley presented.”
“Well, if you see
beyond the initial help he gave you, he was kind of using you to his
advantage.” She said cautiously, eyeing his reaction.
“Indeed he was,
yet I too was in need,” Rogan replied grimly and the suddenly smiled. “But let
bygones be so.”
“Yes, let’s… and
sorry again for rambling on,” She waved her hands to change the subject. “You
must be starving. What would you like to have? The onion and beef stew is to
die for here and so are the cinnamon rolls.”
“Then I shall have
what you’re having - perhaps three times as much.” Rogan laughed, his weariness
seemingly drifting off him.
He felt strangely
comfortable with this young woman, barely moments after he had met her. She
didn’t look anything like his beloved Alicia, but there was something similar.
Her spirit, perhaps, and even the way she seemed to be very positive about
everything. Alicia was just the same in that way and he began to miss her even
more. Looking at Julia, he realized that his need for Alicia was making him
feel the way he was about this woman he had met less than an hour ago.
“Ah, here we are,”
Julia grinned, stirring him from his thoughts as their order arrived. “Onion
and beef stew, fresh garlic bread and lettuce.”
Rogan nodded
appreciatively as he fell upon the food with gusto. He found the food more
pleasant than he had done ever since he had been in this future. Perhaps, he
mused, it was the company of a friendly, pleasant person like Julia that made
him feel that way. But he also realized that he should not let his focus fall
short, lest he got himself lost even further than he already was.
“This is a fine
repast, indeed.” He smiled at Julia. “It may serve me well to take all my meals
here.”
“Yeah, Wendy’s is
the best.” She gave him a wide smile. “But tell me, Rogan… why do you speak
like people did, I don’t know, maybe a few centuries ago… almost as if
Shakespeare wrote your lines.”
“Pardon me, I am
unaware of the customary speech of this ti… er… place.” He shrugged. “Perhaps
under your tutelage I may learn the local nuances here.”
“Er, yeah…” She
almost blushed again. “Now that you’re going to basically be my partner, I
suppose I could teach you a little more than what the standard manual offers.”
“Ah, yes.” Rogan
nodded. “Pray tell me, what manner of patronage does your sire, Foster, bestow
upon me?”
“Um, if I
understood all that correctly… Captain Foster agreed to appoint you as a
trainee on the force, under my
uniform. They stepped out into the morning sunshine and Rogan enjoyed the
warmth for the first time since he found himself in this predicament.
“Don’t worry about
the big guy. He’s been acquitted... unwitting accomplice and all that.”
Foster’s loud voice drifted out as Julia beckoned him to follow her into
another building.
“This is Wendy’s
Diner.” Julia gestured at him to take a seat inside a booth. “The best food
you’d have eaten outside your home. We eat here all the time.”
“This tavern is
quite clean.” Rogan replied, sitting down and marveling at the soft leather
seating.
“Yeah, I suppose
your old friends from the underground would only take you to seedy little
joints.” Julia said ruefully. “How did you get mixed up with them? Not that I’m
being judgmental without knowing anything about you at all?”
“O’Malley was
helpful to me in my time of need.” Rogan took a deep breath. “He was the only
one I could call friend when I needed one.”
“Yes, I understand
absolutely.” She blushed again. “And I’m sorry if I came across as…”
“No need for an
apology, fair Julia.” He beamed at her. “Your kindness to me now is more than I
can ever repay. This life that I see now here is a far better one than what
O’Malley presented.”
“Well, if you see
beyond the initial help he gave you, he was kind of using you to his
advantage.” She said cautiously, eyeing his reaction.
“Indeed he was,
yet I too was in need,” Rogan replied grimly and the suddenly smiled. “But let
bygones be so.”
“Yes, let’s… and
sorry again for rambling on,” She waved her hands to change the subject. “You
must be starving. What would you like to have? The onion and beef stew is to
die for here and so are the cinnamon rolls.”
“Then I shall have
what you’re having - perhaps three times as much.” Rogan laughed, his weariness
seemingly drifting off him.
He felt strangely
comfortable with this young woman, barely moments after he had met her. She
didn’t look anything like his beloved Alicia, but there was something similar.
Her spirit, perhaps, and even the way she seemed to be very positive about
everything. Alicia was just the same in that way and he began to miss her even
more. Looking at Julia, he realized that his need for Alicia was making him
feel the way he was about this woman he had met less than an hour ago.
“Ah, here we are,”
Julia grinned, stirring him from his thoughts as their order arrived. “Onion
and beef stew, fresh garlic bread and lettuce.”
Rogan nodded
appreciatively as he fell upon the food with gusto. He found the food more
pleasant than he had done ever since he had been in this future. Perhaps, he
mused, it was the company of a friendly, pleasant person like Julia that made
him feel that way. But he also realized that he should not let his focus fall
short, lest he got himself lost even further than he already was.
“This is a fine
repast, indeed.” He smiled at Julia. “It may serve me well to take all my meals
here.”
“Yeah, Wendy’s is
the best.” She gave him a wide smile. “But tell me, Rogan… why do you speak
like people did, I don’t know, maybe a few centuries ago… almost as if
Shakespeare wrote your lines.”
“Pardon me, I am
unaware of the customary speech of this ti… er… place.” He shrugged. “Perhaps
under your tutelage I may learn the local nuances here.”
“Er, yeah…” She
almost blushed again. “Now that you’re going to basically be my partner, I
suppose I could teach you a little more than what the standard manual offers.”
“Ah, yes.” Rogan
nodded. “Pray tell me, what manner of patronage does your sire, Foster, bestow
upon me?”
“Um, if I
understood all that correctly… Captain Foster agreed to appoint you as a
trainee on the force, under my
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