Page 11 of Burly and Honorable

The warm glowof the festival lights casts long shadows as we sit on a bench overlooking a baseball field. A food truck taco plate rests in my hands, but my focus isn’t on the food—it’s on her.

Hanna picks at her plate, a thoughtful look on her face. “It’s been a long time since I’ve felt this free,” she says softly, her voice carrying a mix of wonder and sadness.

I set my plate aside, leaning forward so I’m closer to her. “You deserve it, Hanna. More than anyone I know. It’s good to see you happy and enjoying yourself. I’m glad I could share this with you.”

She glances at me, her eyes searching mine. “Is it wrong for the sadness to fade and my life to move on? It’s weird to feel happy again.”

“Absolutely not,” I say emphatically, staring into her blue eyes. “Keenan wouldn’t want you to stop living. You think he’d want you to be sad forever? Hanna, no,” I say, softening my voice. “He’d want you to be happy again. I know he would.”

Her lips part slightly, and I wonder if she’ll say something. Instead, she ducks her head, her hair falling like a curtain around her face.

“You always know what to say, don’t you?” she says, fixing me with a long look. Her voice is almost shy, but the look in her eyes is more confident and curious than it’s been so far on this trip.

“Not always,” I admit. “Talking to you is easy.”

Hanna’s breath catches, and her eyes flick to my mouth before darting away. She doesn’t pull back. Instead, her fingers curl, brushing mine.

My heart kicks hard against my ribs.

“Thanks for tonight,” she whispers.

“We needed a break like this, didn’t we?”

Hanna nods. “That we did. This was a perfect detour. Thank you.”

“Always,” I say quickly. I’d give Hanna everything in the world if she’d let me.

She doesn’t move right away, and for a heartbeat, we stand too close, the air between us charged. She looks at my mouth, then back to my eyes, and every instinct I have screams at me to close the distance.

“You’re staring again,” she says, a slow smile tugging at her lips.

I ache to claim her lips, her body, and her heart. Everything in my soul wants to wrap her in my arms and never, ever let go.

“Can’t help it,” I admit, my voice low. It’s been so long since we spent time together that I can’t stop drinking in her beauty and presence.

Her cheeks flush, but she doesn’t look away.

What happens when I can no longer hold my feelings back?

CHAPTER 7

HANNA

You’re in luck!” the motel clerk says. “We had a last-minute cancellation. Everything else in town is booked up because of the festival. You’d have to drive at least an hour to find another place with an open room.”

“Wonderful,” I say. “We’ll take it.”

We fill out the forms and pay, chatting as we head to the room. When we get there, the blood drains from my face.

The room is plain and clean—beige walls, a scuffed dresser, random landscape painting on the wall.

Then I see the bed.Onebed.

I swallow hard, my heart racing like I’ve mainlined an entire pot of coffee.Of course, there’s only one bed. Why didn’t I ask?

“I’ll sleep on the floor,” Jordan says quickly.

I glance at him and force a smile, hoping it hides the heat creeping up my neck. “Nonsense. We’re adults. We can handle this.”

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