Page 18 of Her Secret Wish

After paying the bill, they wandered through the trendy area around the restaurant, going from shop to shop and talking about the things they observed. Dean would hold her hand as they crossed intersections, then he wouldn’t let go unless she made a move to pull away. He made it a point to be affectionate without being clingy.

Rachel found she was the one wanting to be clingy. As they wandered through a tiny little artisan shop, she had to force herself to give him space as they shuffled through the narrow aisles. When they stepped back out into the cool night, Dean tugged her to the edge of the walk and kissed her. Rachel let her hands settle on his hips, her heart racing. Dean was the only man in a long time who didn’t make her feel awkward as hell. At five ten, she stood as tall as, or taller than, many men she knew. She’d been taller than most of her flight crew, which had been a point in her favor, actually. Height coupled with strong personality very often correlated to being the person in charge, which completely worked for her.

Dean, on the other hand, she did not need to manage, and she thoroughly enjoyed the fact that he was several inches taller than her. As they walked along the street now, he rested his left arm along her shoulders, then seemed to think better of the movement and pulled away. “Sorry, did that hurt?”

Rachel shook her head. “No, not at all. I just feel a little strain down through there right now.”

“What happened? Do you mind me asking?”

“I took heavy fire over Afghanistan and it was all I could do to get back to the forward operating base in Jalalabad. We landed hard enough that we wrecked our landing gear and hit dirt. Thirty-three thousand pounds in the sand. It could have been worse, but several of us were injured pretty seriously. I broke several vertebrae from the force of the hit. We had lots of broken bones and strains. Funny thing was they had to fly us out on a helicopter because of our injuries. Talk about getting right back on the horse that bucked you off!”

Dean winced and shook his hand. “Damn. You’ve survived a lot. Do you miss it?”

Rachel grinned softly. “I do, in spite of all of the hardships we had over there. In spite of being swiss-cheesed, I got all my guys home safe and mostly in one piece. I’m held together by plates and screws but it could have been so much worse.”

She leaned into his strong shoulder. “Yes, I miss it all the time, but not enough to go back to it.”

Dean pulled her close, pressing a kiss to her unbruised temple.

They walked in silence for a good while, just enjoying the night and being together. Dean fit to her side like they’d been made for each other.

Eventually they circled back to his truck. He unlocked it and held the door for her while she slid inside. But he didn’t pull away. Instead he leaned in close, his eyes parallel to her own. “I want you to know what an incredible night I’ve had, better than any other date I’ve ever had.”

As she looked at the sincerity in his face, she knew he meant every word. “I did too, Dean. Thank you for a lovely evening. I haven’t…” She looked away for a minute to order her words. “I am not a typical woman. I’m too strong, too independent, not what most guys go for.”

Dean lifted his brows and leaned in to drop a kiss on her nose. “It’s a good thing I’m not like most guys, then, huh?”

A soft smile lifted her lips and her eyes actually moistened. “Yes, it is,” she agreed. “Take me home, Dean.”

With a final lingering kiss, he pulled away and carefully shut the door, but his eyes stayed locked on hers. Rachel felt exposed but somehow liberated as well. Was this what it was like to be in love? Having all your secrets exposed, yet accepted?

When he climbed into the cab she smiled at him. “Drive me home, Officer West.”

One side of his mouth lifting in a cocky grin, he winked at her. “Yes, ma’am.”

Dean drove north then hopped on the interstate to take her home. Once they were cruising at a good speed he reached out to tangle his fingers with hers. Once again, Rachel’s heart leapt in her chest and she shook her head, unable to believe how much her normally calm, steady body reacted to his.

Dean had caught the slight movement. “What’s wrong?”

She sighed in the darkness, wondering how much to tell him. Everything, if she planned on having a future with him. “I’m just amazed at the reaction you provoke in me.”

“Good, I hope,” he told her around a toothy grin.

Rachel laughed. “Excellent, actually. I’m not normally the touchy, feely type but you make me not mind it.”

His attention had returned to the road, but he shot her a considering look. “Maybe you just haven’t been touched and felt the right way?”

“Perhaps,” she agreed. “Maybe you can remedy that?”

Dean’s eyes widened and they jerked back to hers. He stared at her a long moment before focusing back on the road. His right hand tightened on hers and he didn’t release her all the way back to her building.

The curtains twitched next door. Rachel knew Mrs. Lightner would be jotting down in her journal that Rachel had been dropped off by a big, strapping man but that man had stayed hours longer than was proper for an unmarried couple.

Rachel led Dean into her home, helicopters doing aerial maneuvers in her stomach. As she started to lead him to her bedroom, Dean slowed her in the hallway.

“Rachel, I won’t hold you to this. I don’t want to rush you into anything.”

“You’re not rushing me into anything,” she told him firmly.

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