Page 54 of Casey's Hero

“Oh, please,” Casey pressed a hand to her chest, “don’t jinx us.”

Kalea laughed. “Sorry. I’ll be ready for the wedding. I don’t suppose Hawk’s tuxedo is salvageable.”

“I have a suitable outfit I can wear,” Hawk said. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be there. Wild horses and drug cartels couldn’t keep me away.”

“I love you, Jace Hawkins,” Kalea whispered in the back seat.

Casey’s heart swelled for the couple. She cast a glance in Jacob’s direction, surprised to see him looking at her.

Heat rose up her neck and filled her cheeks. He couldn’t possibly be thinking the same thing she’d been thinking.

And what would those thoughts be?

That she could see herself telling Jacob that she loved him. It was too soon. They barely knew each other, but in that short amount of time, they’d been through so much. Jacob was a true hero who’d come to her rescue and to Hawk’s and Kalea’s. Yes, he was active duty military like her father had been. Yes, a relationship with him would be foolish and filled with many lonely days and nights.

But when they were together, it would be amazing. She knew that from the one night they’d been together. He was a gentle and thoughtful lover. He wanted to make certain she was as satisfied as he was.

And Casey was strong enough to be on her own. She’d done it for years. Why not give it a shot? Why not give them a chance?

Her heart blossomed with hope.

She was ready for when he’d ask her to go out on a date.

That was…if he would.

Dear Lord. Her heart fluttered against her ribs.

After all the years of telling herself she’d never date or marry a military man, she’d finally let herself move past that personal roadblock. What if Jacob didn’t want more than todate? He understood the downfalls of being in the military. As a Navy SEAL, he knew how often he’d be gone from home. He’d probably watched his buddies marry and divorce often enough to make him gun-shy of long-term relationships.

They dropped Kalea and Hawk at the hotel. Some of Hawk’s team met them at the entrance, promising to position themselves outside Hawk’s room. They would stand guard through the remainder of the night and make sure the bride and groom made it to their wedding.

When they arrived at Casey’s apartment, her stomach knotted, and she couldn’t think of anything to say. What did one say after being rescued from a drug cartel?

He parked in front of her building and got out.

Casey’s fingers fumbled with the seatbelt. By the time she released it, Jacob was holding her door open. He held out his hands to help her down.

She started to put her hands in his, but he bypassed her fingers and reached for her waist. Jacob lifted her out of the seat and let her slide slowly down his body until her feet touched the ground.

She was on fire with need.

The hard contours of his chest felt good against her palms, and her hips pressed against his. Oh, yeah. He was as aware of her as she was of him if the ridge beneath his jeans was anything to go by.

“I’ll walk you up to your apartment,” he said, his voice gruff. Yet, he didn’t seem in too much of a hurry to move.

Casey tried to say something, but she couldn’t push words past the tightness in her throat. She swallowed hard. “Thank you for coming to our rescue.”

He shook his head. “I can’t believe you threw yourself at a man with a loaded gun.” He cupped both sides of her cheeks with his palms and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I’m glad youweren’t hurt any worse than you were.” He brushed his thumb across the bandage the doctor had applied to her temple at the urgent care clinic. His lips replaced his thumb, and he kissed the bandage.

Casey closed her eyes, leaning into him.

Jacob dragged his lips along her jawline to finally claim her mouth with his.

Opening to him, she met his tongue with the urgency of her own.

The kiss deepened as they stood beside his truck in the apartment complex’s parking lot.

Yeah, Casey could like kissing this man, again and again.

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