Page 4 of Healing Bonds

I was desperate to finally see Ryan—to see my man—afterso fucking longapart.

My eyes darted around crazily as I sought out his buzzed, brown hair and his military uniform amongst the sea of people. Standing on my tiptoes, I angrily snapped at people when they blocked my view. With each minute that passed, my fear spiked, and soon, it was lodged in my throat, and I could barely fucking breathe.

Where was he?

Celine stood beside me, clasping my hand in hers as she whispered to Ace, “Do you see him? I can’t see anything!” she complained.

“Be patient, baby girl. He’s coming,” his quiet, steady voice reassured her, but it didn’t reassure me. I wouldn’t feel okay until I could see his face, until his arms were wrapped around me, holding me together again.

Where the fuck was he?

A large lump grew in my throat as the minutes continued to tick by with no sign of him. “Maybe I have the days mixed up?” I whispered, looking at Celine, tears brimming in my eyes. I couldn’t take this. Ineededhim to be here.

She shook her head at me, squeezing my hand. “He’s coming home today. He’ll be here. Just wait for him.”

Rain suddenly pounded down on the roof of the airport, and lightning and thunder struck the air, lighting up the sky outside. Looking up at the glass ceiling, I saw the rain hitting the glass, and a shiver crawled down my spine.

Oh, God, please don’t let this be a message.

I’m not ready to say goodbye to him.Don’t take him from me, I begged.

“There!” Ace’s loud voice boomed near my ear. My head snapped to where his finger was pointing, and finally, I sawhim.

My handsome Ryan, looking like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. His gaze was focused on the crowd ahead of him, his eyes scanning it, looking for us.

“Ryan! Here! Ryan, over here!” Celine had dropped my hand and was jumping up and down, waving her hands in the air to catch his attention. I was sort of frozen, unable to believe that I was truly looking at him—that he was reallyhere—that our wait wasfinallyover.

His head turned, and then his steady, unwavering gaze was locked on me.

On shaky legs, feet sore from the heels I strapped on my feet that morning, I took a step in his direction, my whole body trembling in anticipation. I’d waited an entire year for that moment, a whole twelve months, and it wasfinallyhere.

Celine’s small hand on my back steadied me. “He’s here, Ames. He’s home.”

Pushing past people, his tan combat boots hit the ground in a sprint, his big backpack jostling, the duffle in his arms bouncing with each step he took in my direction.

With adrenaline I didn’t know I had, I rushed forward, my heels hitting the tile with loud clicks as I raced toward him.

With a whoosh, I collided with his chest. His duffle dropped, forgotten on the ground, and Ryan’s big, strong arms wrapped tightly around my smaller frame. His smell engulfed me, and I sighed with relief right before hot tears began to slide down my cheeks.

Our wait was finally over.

My knees buckled, and we crumpled to the ground, completely tangled around each other in the middle of Miami International Airport. With a sob, I cried into his neck, and his hands began to run all over my body, like he was trying to memorize me all over again. He eventually slid one into my hair, and the other crushed me against his solid body. He could have broken every bone in my body, and I wouldn’t have cared as long as he still continued to hold me.

“I’m home, baby.” His lips pressed tenderly against my forehead before he pulled back. My blurry eyes settled on his face, desperately searching for the boy I fell in love with. Day-old stubble decorated his jaw, and a new scar sliced through the skin right above his eyebrow. Lines of stress lingered on his forehead and under his eyes, but the love shining in his blue eyes hadn’t changed, and it made my world collapse with relief.

“Are you gonna kiss me or not?” I asked bluntly.

His eyes swept over my face, memorizing every detail before they zoned in on my lips. Then, he slowly leaned in, his soft lips brushing against mine in a whisper of a kiss.

A moan escaped my lips before I could stop it, and his tongue slid along my bottom lip, seeking permission to deepen the kiss. I was ready. I was his for the taking. I’d been his since the moment we laid eyes on each other.

His lips slanted across mine, and our tongues tangled together in a dance as old as time. Then, with the vengeance of a starved man, he kissed me until I was breathless and soft pants escaped my swollen lips. My hands gripped his short, soft, buzzed hair, holding him close and dragging us together until I couldn’t tell where my body ended and his began.

He grinned against my lips, and I opened my eyes to see him already staring down at me. “We’ve got an audience, baby.” Pulling away from him, my senses finally returned to me, and I heard people cheering. Looking around, I saw a circle of strangers watching, women with tears in their eyes, men clapping, and I blushed, burrowing my face in his neck to hide from everyone’s stares. I felt rather than heard his laughter vibrate through my entire body that was pressed tightly against his.

“I don’t want this moment to end,” I whispered against his neck, placing a soft kiss on the exposed skin, enjoying his quiet groan in response.

“Come on. Let’s go home, so I can kiss you all night in privacy.” He wiggled his eyebrows at me, and I threw my head back in laughter. I loved this man so damn much.

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