Page 15 of Burly and Honorable

“Hanna?” he asks, his voice low.

“I’m okay,” I say quickly, trying to make sense of my revelation.

But as I stand, brushing off my jeans, one thing is clear.

I don’t just need him. Iwanthim.

Jordan presses his hand against my back, and I lean into it, my body moving before my mind can protest. I let myself give into the wild emotions that have been building in me, especially after the night at the motel.

When I finally glance at him, his brown eyes meet mine, intense and unwavering. The way he’s looking at me…it makes me feel like I’ve found a new home.

His thumb lingers on my cheek, and I lean into his touch, my body betraying the chaos in my mind. Right now, nothing else exists in the world but us. I’m keenly aware that I want and need Jordan in ways I never expected.

“Jordan…” I whisper, my voice breaking on his name. I don’t know what I’m trying to say. I only know I don’t want him to stop looking at me like this. I want to see what could be with us.

The way he looks at me makes my chest ache.

I don’t what it means to love Jordan. But I’m determined to find out.

CHAPTER 10

JORDAN

We’re finally back at the cabin, and my emotions are ready to explode. We have to talk.

I drop my truck keys on the table as we walk into my cabin. Hanna stands near the door, one hand resting on the strap of her bag, the other brushing the edge of the frame like she’s done it a thousand times before.

“Hanna,” I say, my voice tight. “We should talk.”

She looks at me, her wide eyes betraying a mix of hesitation and hope. She nods slowly, then crosses the room, each step careful, deliberate. She sits on the edge of the couch, her hands clasped in her lap.

I move toward her, lowering myself to one knee in front of her. It’s not planned, but it feels right. My palms press into my thighs as I try to slow the pounding of my heart.

“I’ve been holding this in for years,” I say quietly. My heart thunders so loudly in my chest that I can’t believe it hasn’t exploded.

Hanna watches me, her gaze piercing through the walls I’ve spent so long building.

“I’ve loved you since the day we met,” I add, my voice hot. Talking about my feelings is foreign to me, but I know it’s time to tell Hanna how much I love her—how much I’ve always loved her.

Her breath quickens, and she leans back slightly, her eyes softening. “Jordan…”

Her voice barely reaches me, but it’s enough to make my chest ache. I shift back slightly, running a hand through my hair as I try to find the right words.

“I didn’t mean for it to happen,” I admit, forcing myself to hold her eyes. “But the moment I saw you—God, Hanna, you took my breath away.”

Her lips tremble, her eyes wide and uncertain as she grips the edge of the couch.

“I knew you were the woman of my dreams the moment you approached Keenan and me on the trail. I didn’t even know how I knew, but I did. And every time I’ve seen you since then has only confirmed what my heart recognized before I knew why I was drawn to you,” I continue, my voice breaking slightly. “But I couldn’t tell you. Keenan asked you out when we finished that hike...”

I let out a bitter laugh, shaking my head. “And as time went on, I never told him how I felt about you. I wasn’t going to dishonor him by telling him I loved his girlfriend. Then you became his wife, and I…” The words are thick in my throat.

“I thought I could bury it,” I say finally. “That I could push it down and just be his friend. Your friend. But it never went away, Hanna. It only got worse.”

“I think I always knew.” She swallows, her hand rising to cover her mouth. “Why didn’t you ever say anything?” she whispers, her voice trembling. “After…”

Her words falter, but I know what she means. After Keenan was KIA.

I look down at the floor, my emotions overwhelming me. “After he was gone, I didn’t know how to reconcile what I felt for you with what I felt for him. I thought staying away was the honorable thing to do for you. That giving you space to grieve was what you needed.”

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