Page 95 of Simply Yours

She tilted her head, pretending innocence even as warmth pooled in her stomach. “Hi.”

Jason swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “Are you hot… or did you change your mind?”

“I changed my…” she began.

The teacup—tea bag and all—went flying over his shoulder with one smooth move as Jason flung it haphazardly behind him, landing somewhere in the entryway of the house with a muted thud. He didn’t seem to notice or care.

His fingers curled around the hem of his shirt, and in one swift motion, he yanked it over his head, tossing it aside. That smile—crooked, dangerous, and utterly besotted—was one she would never forget for as long as she lived.

Caitlin exhaled a shaky breath, her heartbeat drumming in her ears.

“…Mind,” she finally finished, her voice barely more than a whisper as he drew her into his arm.

This moment—this man—was hers.

* * *

Jason’s warm breath stirred against her shoulder sometime later, a deep, satisfied chuckle rumbling from his chest. Caitlin turned, her gaze locking onto his—only to find him grinning with an almost boyish delight, his giddy joy too big to contain. It was rare to see him like this, so open, so unguarded. The sight of it stole her breath.

“I can honestly say I never expected that,” he murmured, his voice rich with amusement. “Feel free to surprise me like that again.”

She arched a brow, her lips curving mischievously. “It was our wedding night.”

He let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. “Yeah, but you just got out of the hospital.” He tilted his head slightly, studying her like she was some beautiful, impossible mystery. “I never anticipated any of this.”

Caitlin softened, reaching up to trace the strong line of his jaw with her fingers. “I never anticipated us getting married - ever.”

His eyes darkened with something unreadable, something that made her heart ache in the best way. Before she could pull away, he caught her hand, pressing her fingertip to his lips. A slow, teasing smile ghosted across his face as he nipped at it playfully, his expression light, almost boyish, a glimpse of the man he had been before life weighed so heavily on his shoulders.

“Why not?” he asked, his voice gentle but laced with curiosity.

She hesitated, not out of fear, but because the truth had always been a quiet ache inside her. “Because you never looked my way—ever.”

His smile faded, his expression shifting to something far more serious. “Oh, I looked,” he admitted, his voice low and rough with regret. “I looked a lot. But I was drowning, Cait. I had so many responsibilities, and I was afraid that if I looked too long, I’d drag you down with me.” His gaze flickered with old pain. “And then you were gone. One day, Matthew told me you’d joined the Navy, and just like that, you weren’t here anymore. You were living a life out of sight, away from me.”

She could hear the weight of it, the years of loss packed into those few words.

“At the funeral, when you returned, I was so hurt, so bitter…” He exhaled slowly, his eyes holding hers with quiet intensity. “There’s a lot I would change if I could.”

She swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded, brushing her fingers lightly over his temple, feeling the faint lines of worry etched into his skin. “Same,” she whispered. “Which is why you never have to explain.”

His hand came up to cradle her face, his thumb tracing the curve of her cheek. “You were the first person who really saw me. Not the weight I carried, not the name or the obligations—just me. You never asked me to sacrifice some part of my soul to be worthy of you.” His voice grew hoarse. “You were safe to me, Cait. And I can’t tell you how beautiful a feeling that was.”

Tears burned the back of her eyes, but she smiled through them, her heart stretching wide with something bigger than words.

“You were always the one,” she whispered, her voice breaking with emotion. “Even when I was away, you were home. No matter where I was, I could close my eyes and picture you here—on the farm, standing in the sunlight, smiling.”

Jason huffed a quiet laugh. “I never smiled.”

She giggled softly, tilting her head as if to study him. “No, you didn’t,” she admitted, watching his lips part in playful offense before he mock-bit her shoulder in retaliation. She shrieked out a laugh, swatting at him, but he only grinned wider, his blue eyes dancing with rare amusement.

“Those smiles were rare,” she murmured, her voice turning softer, more reverent. “And so beautiful.” She traced her fingers over his mouth, memorizing the warmth of it. “I’m glad you smile more lately.”

His gaze darkened with something deeper, something infinite. “I’m glad I have a reason to.”

Jason cupped her face and turned her fully to him, pressing his forehead to hers, their breaths mingling, their hearts beating in time. “I plan on smiling a lot more,” he promised, his voice rough with emotion. “For a very, very long time—with you at my side.”

Her heart clenched, full to bursting.

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