Page 30 of Fake Dating My Valentine

“Yes.” Her lips quirked into a teasing grin. “She is my best friend, and I want the best for her, and believe it or not, I think you could be that.”

“But?” I knew my baby sister well and I knew she had more to say.

“But I think if you make this move prematurely, you might grow to resent her or, worse, hate her.”

Shit. That was a good point. “Chances are good I’m not going back in the field.”

“Maybe. Maybe not, but you want to go back into the field. You think pulling the trigger early is going to be some grand gesture, and I promise you, it won’t.”

“So what should I do?” Nix was right; I wasn’t ready to end my time in the field, but wouldn’t it be better if I made the choice instead of letting the Army make yet another decision for me?

“Tell Torey why being with you is worth those times when you’re halfway around the world and in danger. Show her. Give her a reason and give her the truth.”

The truth. Those two words stayed with me for the rest of the day. Nix’s words forced me to spend some time alone and think about the truth, and when it was time to pick up Torey for the Holiday Grove Valentine’s Day Dance Competition, I had some answers.

The first was that Nix was right—I wasn’t ready to leave the Army, so I’d called my Captain and canceled my appointment. The second? Well, I knew how I felt; it was just a matter of my delivery.

“Well, what do you think?” Torey revealed her dress to me once we reached the community center.

“I think you are the most stunning woman in all of Holiday Grove.” The burgundy dress hugged her curves in all the right places. Hell, who was I kidding? There were no wrong places. “We can skip the dance and let this dress rest on the floor.”

She chuckled and placed one hand right over my chest. “Or we can have fun on the dance floor, and maybe tonight, I’ll let you get me out of this dress.”

“Deal.” I took the hand she offered and pulled her against my chest. “Let’s get dancing then.” We spent hours on the dance floor, laughing and talking, bodies pressed tightly together like we were a real couple.

“This is the best dance I’ve ever attended.” Torey’s blood-red lips parted into a sincere smile.

“I was thinking the same thing, not that I attended many, but still.” My arm hooked around her waist. “None of the girls back then ever captivated me the way you do, Tor.”

“And none of the boys made my heart race and my senses tingle the way you do, soldier.”

“That’s Sergeant to you.” Torey’s laughter was full-bodied and magnificent.

And she was mine.

Mine. Shit, this was the moment Nix was talking about.

“Uh oh, what’s wrong? Is it your leg?” Wide blue eyes looked at me with concern.

“No, I’m good. Great, actually. I just realized something really important.” My heart banged around in my chest like a bunch of little munchkins were playing percussions inside it.

“Yeah, what did you realize?”

“That I’m not just crazy about you, Torey. I’m in love with you. The thought of not seeing your beautiful blue eyes or hearing your lyrical laughter, the husky groan you let out right before you come. All of it is what I want in my life, every day.”

“Ryan,” she sighed and placed her palm on the side of my face.

“I’m serious. I love you, and whatever it takes to make you happy, I’ll do.”

She shook her head and my heart sank. “I don’t want this to be about you making me happy. It has to be about us making each other happy, supporting each other to fulfill our hopes and dreams, and building a life together.”

I relaxed at her words. “That sounds pretty good too.”

“I’m glad you agree, Sergeant, because I love you and I want us to make this work. No matter what.”

“So do I.” Our lips brushed in a gentle kiss in deference to our audience. “The last thing I wanted this bad was to become Special Forces, and I went through hell to make it happen.”

She chuckled again and kissed me just as gently, but with a lot more heat. “Well, I won’t make you go through hell to make us happen, but I do love a man who isn’t afraid of a little hard work.”

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