Page 62 of Crazy for You

It was a pretty kick-ass feeling. He knew. It still took his breath away every time he reached a summit, no matter how small. He boosted himself over the top, and they sat side by side, their legs dangling over the edge. “Nothing beats this feeling. Am I right?”

She nodded, staring out over the hill they’d just hiked. “It’s pretty sweet. I never thought I could climb something like this.”

“I knew you could. It’s not that hard once you know how, and you’ve never shied away from a little hard work.”

She turned to give him a sweet smile. “We have that in common.”

“Comes from being on our own, I guess.”

“Do you think you’ll ever have a family of your own?” she asked, again looking out at the landscape before them.

He’d asked himself this question before, and more often recently. “Maybe,” he answered honestly. Sometimes he wanted it more than anything. But he also knew the chances were high he’d screw it up. “You?”

“Yes,” she answered without hesitation, and the wistful note in her tone tugged uncomfortably at his chest. “I want a family. I’m tired of being alone.”

Alone. It was hard to think of her that way. Emma was always surrounded by friends. But friends weren’t the same as family, no matter how much you loved them. He knew that as well as she did. Already the bond he shared with Trent was different from anything he’d ever experienced.

Family was a pretty awesome thing, maybe something he wanted more of. He was quiet while he let that thought sink in.

Emma looked over at him, her peaceful expression replaced now with a scowl. “You don’t have to get all broody on me. I wasn’t trying to sneak in a request for a commitment from you.”

“What?” Somehow she’d gotten pissed off, and he had no idea how.

“I want a family someday, Ryan.”

“And I hope you have one.” It was true, even if right now the thought of her with any other man made him see red as a fucking lunatic.

She let it drop then, and they sat there on top of the rock for a few minutes in silence.

“So tell me about the memorial,” he said, partly to fill the silence but also out of genuine curiosity. He’d been eager to hear more since she’d told him about it the other night at Gabby’s house.

Her expression brightened. “It’s going to be a semicircular cut of granite with all the service members’ names carved into it, facing a reflecting pool. I’m still fleshing out the gardens around it, but I see a lot of brightly colored flowers…and flags. Flags for all the divisions of the military.”

“Sounds perfect.”

“You inspired me that morning in Charlotte.” She slipped her hand into his. “I loved the way Metalmorphosis reflected in the water, and it got me thinking about seeing the names on the memorial reflected like that, surrounded by flowers. And the bottom of the memorial will appear as if it continues into the ground, like the cow statues you showed me. It kind of symbolizes how we all return to the earth after we die. Traditional but unique; that’s what Lucas and Mary told me the Planning Committee wanted.”

“I’d say you nailed it.” He wasn’t much for architecture, but he really liked what she’d described. And now he couldn’t wait to see the finished product. It was going to be fucking fantastic.

They sat together on top of the rock until it was time for him to head back to Off-the-Grid to get ready for afternoon appointments. He started down first so that he could coach her if she got stuck, but she handled her descent like a pro.

“Thanks for bringing me out here,” she said when they’d reached the bottom.

“You bet. So what’s next?” he asked.

“Next?”

“You know, on your list of conquests. You’ve ridden on my bike, bested the rock, gotten your tattoo…”

“Oh.” She nibbled her bottom lip. “I don’t know. What do you think I should try next?”

“I’ll give it some thought because I do love seeing you all shook up.” He said it with a wink, and she laughed, but there was a bit of an edge in her tone, and he had a feeling she was still pissed about that moment up there on the rock, talking about families.

Had she been fishing for a commitment from him? Christ, he hoped not. He liked Emma, liked her a hell of a lot. Liked her way too fucking much to tie her down with his sorry ass.

“Moving to Georgia, I guess.” She dropped that little bombshell with a casual shrug.

He stopped in his tracks, turning to face her. “Say what now?”

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