One Night with her Bachelor(50)



Dumbfounded, he glanced between her and the log. She was right. “It’s a big branch. How were you going to get it off the log?”

She picked something up from the snow next to her hip. A big, serrated hunting knife. “Would’ve taken me some time, and I probably would’ve gotten blisters, so I’m glad to see you.”

The surge of adrenaline seeped out of him. She hadn’t needed him.

But he sure as hell needed her. He wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in the crook of her neck. His body shook as the terror and adrenaline left. “You scared the shit out of me.”

“And you angered the crap out of me. How dare you just dump me the way you did? I kept thinking you might come to me. I looked for a letter every morning, but you never came and there’s no way I’m giving you up without a fight. So sit back, be quiet, and listen up, pal.” She dropped the knife, pushed him back and knelt in the snow before him. He sucked in a breath at the erotic sight of her. Wild hair, out-of-control emotions and ferocious determination—she was his hottest fantasies come to life.

Tapping her finger against his prosthetic leg, she said, “You insult me if you think I can’t handle this. You insult yourself if you act like your life is over because of it.”

“I know my life isn’t over. But my career is, and that’s what I’ve always lived for.” He hadn’t said the words out loud before. They came more easily now that he’d started contemplating careers outside the Air Force.

“You can do other things.”

“What would you think about me becoming a flight nurse?”

She opened her mouth and promptly closed it. When she opened it again, all that came out was a confused noise. “Huh?”

“I spent the past few days researching different careers. That one sounds the most like what I used to do, flying around to help trauma patients.”

She shook her head as if she needed to clear it. “I—what?”

Taking her hands in his, he pressed a kiss against her knuckles. “I want to be part of your life so bad, sweetheart. I know you have a lot of shit going on, and I can’t stand the thought of being an extra burden. I’m working on becoming the kind of man you deserve.”

Her eyes shimmered. “You still don’t get it, do you?”

His hope stuttered. “Get what?”

She let out a sound of exasperation. “It’s wonderful you want to be my port in a storm, but you have to let me be yours, too. That’s how relationships work, and I’d really like to have a relationship with you. Tell me now if you don’t want that, and I’ll try my best not to think about all the good things we could be together.”

“I want that.” He sucked in a deep breath. “All of that.”

“Good. Sometimes I need to feel needed too, you know.”

“Jesus, never worry about that. I need you so bad it terrifies me.”

She grinned, and he couldn’t hold back. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her to show just how badly he needed her. Pulling back and laying his forehead against hers, he asked, “Why did you come up here?”

“I missed you,” she whispered.

Such a simple answer, yet it pulled together the broken pieces that he hadn’t been able to heal on his own. “I missed you, too.”

Her eyes closed, and her shoulders relaxed as if the words had eased something painful inside her, too. “Gabriel, I understand you’ve needed time to heal and adjust mentally as much as physically, and I’m so happy you’re looking into other careers. I don’t expect any of this to be easy for us, but it’ll be a million times harder if we can’t talk to each other.”

“I know, sweetheart. Talking’s not easy for me, but I’m trying to get better at it.” He shored up his courage and poured his heart out. “The first time you came up here, you said people thought you were too nice to have any fun. Those people are idiots. You’re sexy, strong, sweet, and sassy, and I want to have a hell of a lot of fun with you—and other things starting with F.”

A huge smile stretched across her face, and she looped her arms around his neck. “Actually, when I said it would be harder if we can’t talk to each other, I meant because you live somewhere with no cell coverage.”

His mouth fell open. “Oh shit. You better forget all that lovey stuff I just said. And the F-word.”

She laughed. “Never. Never ever, ever. In fact, I’m going to have it tattooed on my right wrist.”

His brows drew together. “Why your right wrist?”

“Because my left one is reserved.”

His brows shot up. “You… you got a tattoo?”

“Not yet. I asked my friend Claudine to take me, but the tattoo artist just drew the design in temporary ink on my skin so I can get used to it before having it done for real. I’ve always wanted one but never had the guts to go through with it. I thought people might judge me for it, but I realized how stupid that is—though I might have to wear wristbands at work.” She held her hand up and slid her jacket down to her elbow.

He held her hand and laughed when he saw the words inked into her skin. “Never quit.”

“Sometimes I need a reminder.” She gave him an irresistible lopsided grin. “I thought maybe you could come with me and hold my other hand while I have it done.”

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