The Nurse's Bodyguard. Melanie Mitchell

order before he left. Following Korean customs, Claire slipped off her shoes and placed them on a small rack in the entry.

      Jessica practically pounced on Claire as she closed and locked the door. “Okay, who was that and why are you home already? And where is Lieutenant Luke?”

      “That was Mr. Kim. He’s one of the local men who work on the Army base. He helps with translation and transportation—that sort of thing. Anyway, Luke was called in to take care of an emergency and he pretty much conscripted Mr. Kim to bring me home.

      “What happened?” Jessica persisted.

      “Let’s go to the kitchen,” she replied. “Dinner was interrupted, and I’m starved.”

      In the small kitchen, Claire pulled some crackers and peanut butter out of the pantry, grabbed a plate and sat down at the table with her friend. Between bites, she ran though the events of the evening, explaining how Luke had stopped by the hospital, ostensibly to warn her of a possible threat but also to ask her to dinner. She grinned when she recounted his shy hesitance. Claire described their walk down Itaewon to the Italian restaurant and how he’d been called just as they were about to order pizza. “When he drove us onto the base, the guard waited with me at the car while Luke disappeared into one of the buildings and came back with Mr. Kim.”

      “And then....” Jessica prompted.

      “And then, what?”

      “So Luke just waved goodbye and walked away with a ‘see you later, baby’?”

      “Not exactly.” Claire grinned.

      “Well, what exactly? I want details.”

      “He was very gentlemanly.” Claire smiled as she took a bite of a peanut butter covered cracker. “He took my hand and asked what time I wanted to try dinner again.”