Page 50 of Defiant Hearts

They shared a laugh, and she studied his face in the fading light instead of the sunset. This was all so different from what she’d had with Lance.

She’d once believed she was falling for him too. Looking back now, with distance and clarity, she could see how that relationship had just been passing time. She’d filled space between hospital shifts and empty apartments and hotels with someone who said the right things and showed up when it was convenient.

They never once discussed dreams, much less anything beyond the next week.

She’d never watched a sunset with him and wanted to remember it for the rest of her life.

“Can I ask you something?” She needed to shift the weight of her realization before Wyatt read it on her face.

He nodded.

“You mentioned that Gabe is helping you with reading. How is it going?”

“Slow.” He picked at the edge of the blanket. “Some days I feel like I’m getting somewhere. Other days I’m seven years old again, staring at a page that won’t hold still and looks like a jumble of shapes tossed in a box. Gabe said his friend told him the same thing and swears this stuff isn’t a straight line.”

“That makes sense.”

“Still don’t know why he’s doing it.”

Her brows pulled together. “Helping you?”

“Yeah.” He shrugged, but the motion felt stiff. “The guy spent his whole career around people who were the best at what they did. Hell, everybody here has done something. SEALs. Special Forces. Guys with medals and ranks and stories they don’t even talk about.” He looked down at the blanket again. “Then there’s me. I couldn’t even get into the military, and Gabe’s spending his time making flash cards for me.”

Her fingers closed over his, stopping him from picking at the blanket.

“Wyatt.”

He looked at her.

“Has it ever occurred to you that Gabe helps you because he thinks you’re worth helping?”

He didn’t answer.

“You keep looking at these men and seeing all the things they’ve done that you haven’t.” She laced her fingers through his. “I don’t think they look at you and see what’s missing.”

Something tightened in his chest.

She leaned in and kissed him, tasting like the chocolate-covered strawberries they’d been sharing.

“I can see why he’d bet on you,” she whispered against his lips.

He gathered her into his arms and kissed her again and again, and she tasted more than juice on his tongue. She tasted promises of what would come later, when they returned to their hallway.

When they finally broke apart, stars had started to pop through the canvas of dark blue sky.

And neither of them moved to leave.

Chapter Eleven

They walked back to the lodge by the light of the moon, the picnic basket dangling loose from Wyatt’s grip. Whitley’s hand was warm in his, and occasionally she would stroke her thumb over his.

Neither of them said much. They didn’t need to.

He used his keycode to open the door and held it for her. As she edged around him, he caught the sweet scent of her shampoo and his body stirred with want.

Ever since he had her in his bed, writhing beneath his tongue, he couldn’t get her out of his head.

And he would never work her out of his system.