Page 91 of Catch Me When I Fall

“He’s the one who saved me, two other soldiers, and twelve hostages,” I explained. “He got them for me.”

She nodded. “Good. He’s a good man, then.”

She had no idea.

I pressed my lips to her forehead, closing my eyes for moment, knowing damn well I needed to call Mags and thank the bastard one more time for saving my life. If it hadn’t been for him and his bravery, I wouldn’t be here, in this girly kitchen, holding the most beautiful woman in the world.

Yeah, I needed to fucking thank him again.

“Ask me something else,” I ordered against her skin before I stepped away, searching for the pasta.

“How old are you?”

“Thirty-six.”

“Do you have a last name?” she continued.

I looked at her. “Grayson is my last name, baby.”

She blinked. “What’s your first?”

“Joseph.”

“And I take it you don’t like to be called that?” she guessed.

My lips twitched. “No, I don’t.”

“Why?”

“I was named after one of my ancestors. Plus, I just don’t like that name.”

“So you’re okay with me calling you Grayson?”

I swallowed, forcing my eyes to stay on her face and not trail down her curves. “Yeah,” I said, my voice deeper than I expected it to be. “I’m fucking okay with it.”

Her cheeks flushed, and she looked away, clearing her throat. “What about your family?”

I located a box of pasta and dumped it into the now-boiling water. “What about them?”

“Are you…Are they…Do you talk to them?” she asked, fumbling with the words.

“Mom, yes. My father died serving our country shortly after I was born.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“It’s not a big deal, Carrie. I never knew him,” I assured her.

“Where is she? Your mom?”

“She has a small home just outside of Charlotte,” I told her, moving around her kitchen from cabinet to cabinet.

Carrie hummed. “Is that where you’re from?”

“No, I was born in the Midwest,” I said, meeting her eyes. “Indiana. Mom moved us to Charlotte after my father’s death. She raised me on her own.”

“She must be one hell of a woman, raising a man like you.”

I ticked my head to the side. “A man like me?” I parroted.

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