Page 16 of Burly and Honorable

Hanna nods as if she understands but is sad about it. “Jordan…”

“I wanted to come to you. I did,” I stress, my voice breaking. “Every single damn day. But I thought I’d ruin everything if I did. I thought I’d lose you if I told you how I felt. Who was I to proclaim my love for you the moment your husband—my best friend—died? That seemed inconceivably wrong.”

Her eyes fill with tears, and she shakes her head. “You wouldn’t have lost me,” she says softly.

I shift closer, my knees brushing hers as I reach for her hands. She doesn’t pull away. The warmth of her skin stokes the fire burning in my soul.

“I love you, Hanna,” I say, my voice raw with emotion. “I’ve loved you for years. I can’t keep pretending I don’t.”

Her breath catches, and a single tear slides down her cheek.

“I want a lifetime with you,” I continue. “I want to be the one who makes you laugh, holds you when you cry, and gives you every piece of happiness I can find. I don’t care how long it takes—I’ll spend the rest of my life proving to you that this, us, is what we’re meant for.”

The silence between us stretches, heavy with big emotions. She looks at me, her lips parting as if to speak, but the words don’t come. Instead, she leans forward, her forehead resting against mine.

“I’m scared,” she whispers, her voice shaking.

“So am I,” I admit. “But I’d rather be scared with you than spend another second without you.”

Her hands tighten around mine, and when she finally looks at me, her eyes are filled with tenderness.

Tears spill over her cheeks, and she squeezes my hands tightly, like she’s afraid to break the connection between us. “It’s real, Jordan,” she says, her voice trembling. “I didn’t expect this—I didn’t expect us—but I’ve fallen for you. That night at the motel, it was real—it wasn’t a random night of giving in to confusing emotions. Since we started this trip, I’ve seen you in a new light—and I don’t want to say goodbye to you. Not ever.”

Her words hit me like a wave, and the relief coursing through me makes me dizzy.

She shakes her head slightly, her voice breaking. “I don’t know what Keenan would say. I don’t know what he’d think about this—about us.”

I cup her face gently, my thumbs brushing away her tears. Her skin is soft and warm, and the feel of her beneath my hands sends a surge of tenderness through me.

“He loved you, Hanna,” I say, my voice soft but certain. “More than anything in this world. And I know he’d want you to be happy. I don’t think there’s anyone else he’d trust more than me to give you that.”

Her lips part, and all I see is her—the woman I’ve loved for years, the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with.

“I love you,” I repeat, the words easier now. God, it feels so good to say these words to her, the ones I’ve kept secret and in my heart for so, so long.

Her lips meet mine, soft and hesitant at first, but then the kiss deepens, and everything else falls away. My hands slide to her waist, pulling her to me, and she melts against me, her fingers tangling in my hair.

She’s mine. After all this time, Hanna is finally mine.

The kiss breaks, but neither of us moves far. I rest my forehead against hers, my hands still cradling her waist as her fingers trace patterns on my shoulders.

“I love you, too,” she whispers, a bright smile spreading across her face.

Joy and relief rush through me. “Say it again,” I murmur, my lips brushing hers.

“I love you, Jordan,” she says, louder now.

I pull her to her feet, guiding her toward the bedroom. She’s here, finally in my arms.

And I’ll never let her go.

CHAPTER 11

HANNA

My heart races as Jordan leads me to his bedroom. He pulls me into his arms and gives me a long, slow kiss. His tongue probes mine, and waves of deep passion build inside me. I never thought I’d feel this way about anyone again, but life sure has surprised me these last few days.

“Hold on,” I say, breathless.

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