Ultimate Courage (True Heroes #2)(81)

She looked askance at him. “Does that mean you’re taking back your invitation?”

His eyes widened. “No. I just don’t want you to feel trapped.”

And she knew he’d fight to make sure she could go out on her own if she wanted.

She smiled, suddenly calm. “I don’t.” But she might be enjoying Alex’s discomfiture a little too much.

She returned her attention to Captain Jones. “I would be happy to help, sir.”

It took a few more minutes to work out the next steps, but eventually they had a plan and a timeline, starting first thing in the morning. Apparently, more organizations than Hope’s Crossing Kennels worked seven days a week.

With a nod, Captain Jones let himself out of the room.

Boom entered before Elisa had a chance to ask Lyn anything additional, and the tiny whirlwind chased any serious thoughts to the back of Elisa’s mind. “You’re okay!”

She gave Elisa a hug as best she could from the side of the hospital bed, careful not to jostle the arm with the IV still installed.

It didn’t stop her from poking it, though. “Aren’t these cool? They’ve got a bendy tube inside the vein so you can flex your elbow if you have to.”

“It’s definitely cool,” Elisa agreed.

Boom looked from Elisa to her dad and back to Elisa. “Did he ask you?”

Elisa smiled. “Yes, he asked me.”

“And he showed you the picture?”

“He showed me the picture.” Wow, this girl had made her way into Elisa’s heart and lit it up from the inside out.

Boom gave her dad a shrewd look. Before meeting Boom, Elisa wouldn’t have known nine-year-olds could manage those looks.

“You didn’t answer him yet, did you?” Boom looked around the room. “We all need to leave so Elisa can answer my dad’s question. Somebody find an oxygen tank in case he passes out from holding his breath so long.”

There were grins all around but Alex looked like he’d swallowed something large and maybe sour. Everyone shuffled out. Brandon called over his shoulder even as Boom planted her hands on his behind and shoved him out the door. “We’ll be in the waiting room. Whenever you’re ready to go home.”

It took a minute to get used to the suddenly not-crowded space. Souze popped up at the side of the hospital bed, and she wondered if he’d hidden underneath it the entire time everyone else had been in the room. Very likely, actually. It’d been the only floor space available.

Alex resumed his seat, looking worn out. “So.”

“So.” It was her turn to hold out her hand for his.

He gave it to her with no hesitation.

“Either of us is completely capable of going on all on our own. We could do everything we need to and manage just fine.” She sighed. “But it’d be lonely. And there wouldn’t be any energy left to actually enjoy life. There’d be no one to share the pleasure or pride of what we’ve accomplished at the end of each day.”

She intertwined her fingers with his. “I want to build a life for myself, but I don’t want to build one alone. And I don’t want to be with just anybody. I love you.”

He let out the air in his lungs in a whoosh and squeezed her hand. Rising out of the chair, he leaned over her. She happily let her eyes fall closed as he kissed her, long and slow, until her pulse quickened, and she nipped at the corner of his mouth, hungry for him.

Then he grinned at her. “So that’s a yes.”

She laughed. “That’s a yes. Now get me out of here and let’s go home.”





Years ago, Sophie gave up any hope that her crush on Brandon Forte would turn into the real thing. But now he’s back from active duty, and the girl-next-door he left behind has grown into his every waking dream…



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Absolute Trust





Chapter One




It was a quiet Tuesday afternoon in New Hope. Few people were out and about on the main street, which was perfect for Brandon Forte. The jet black German Shepherd Dog (GSD) walking just ahead of him needed space for this excursion, a couple of things to look at, but not too much to excite him. A few people to see was good for both of them, too, as long as they weren’t going to be overwhelmed with requests to pet or take pictures.

Besides, the bake shop all the way down at this end of town tended to have day-old baked goods at a discount and the shop owner occasionally gave Forte a cupcake or cookie on the house along with the special home-baked dog treats he bought for whichever dog was with him. It gave the dogs, and him, something to look forward to on the walk.

Today it was Haydn. Haydn was a seasoned veteran and one of the dogs Forte had trained on active duty for the Air Force. Haydn had come to Hope’s Crossing Kennels now for a new kind of training. The black GSD had a lot of physical therapy ahead of him. He’d been fitted with a prosthetic to replace his front left leg prior to arriving, but it was up to Forte to help Haydn figure out how to use it. The big dog had walked the kennel grounds fine, but was obviously getting bored. It happened with intelligent animals, same way it could with people. The two of them were more than ready for a change of scenery and terrain.

Thus the outing and the very slow walking.