Page 127 of Better Late Than Never

I had to work to swallow past the lump in my throat. “How long do you think it’ll be worth it, though?” I didn’t want to talk him out of this, but I also didn’t want to set myself up for heartache. Well,moreheartache.

“You’re going to get your retirement rolling soon. In a bit over a year, you’ll be done with the Navy.” He shrugged. “It isn’t like we have to wait very long before we can be out, you know?”

“A… A year isn’t very long?”

His smile warmed me more than the Spanish sun. “Baby, I spent a lot of years that I’m never getting back in an unhappy marriage. A year and a half or so is nothing.” He sobered a little. “And even if it was more than that, I’m still in. I’m not giving this up.”

I couldn’t fucking breathe. Since when did anyone not only take risks for me, but face down the possibility of laying low for any length of time? Especially after our CO had caught enough wind that if we got busted again, we were fucked? Anyone else would’ve taken one look at the situation and said,“Nah, I can just beat off.”

I finally managed to push out a breath and draw another. “I’m in for as long as you want me. I don’t know how we’re going to do it, but…” I thought about it, then half-shrugged. “There are seedy motels and stuff around here. We can make it work.”

Connor’s smile held more relief than I thought anyone could have in the face of realizing they could make it work with me. He drew me in and kissed me again, quickly this time, before murmuring, “We can definitely make it work.” As he pulled back, he added with a chuckle, “And there’s always FaceTime for those nights we can’t be together.”

“That’s true.” I paused, and I cringed as I said, “I, um… I can almost guarantee it was Tobias. The person who ratted us out.”

Connor’s eyebrows rose. “How do you figure?”

I sighed, then told him about my encounter with Tobias.

“Jesus Christ,” Connor muttered, rolling his eyes. “Does this guy have no life at all? No hobbies besides fucking with you?”

I laughed bitterly. “I think he’s just not over the fact that I had the audacity to break up with him.”

“Ugh, I’ve met that type. You’re supposed to stay until he’s done with you, and then he’ll dump you. Not the other way around.”

“Yeah, exactly.”

“One of my ex-wife’s friends was married to someone like that. Getting out was not pretty, let me tell you, and her ex-husband still gives her shit. She sort of joked once that she was tempted to take him back, be a horrible partner, and get him to dump her just so he’d finally ‘win’ and leave her alone.”

I grimaced. “I… hate how much sense that approach actually makes.”

Connor nodded, squeezing my hand. “Yeah. I figured it would. And with the way he acts, I’m not surprised he found out about us. I also wouldn’t be surprised if he’s the one who ratted us out.”

I groaned. “Fuck. I’m sorry. I should’ve known he?—”

“Alex. Don’t.” Connor shook his head. “This isn’t on you. Your ex is a dickhead. We’ll just keep a lower profile so he doesn’t have any reason to go tattling to the captain again.”

I laughed humorlessly. “I’m sure he’ll dream something up.”

“Probably, but let’s not hand him anything.”

I chewed my lip, uneasiness creeping in where relief had set up shop earlier.

“Hey.” Connor drew me in close as if we weren’t out in public. “It’s not on you. And we’ll just be careful going forward. It’s going to be tough for a while. I know it will be.” He touched my face and pressed the softest, gentlest kiss to my lips. “But I’m not giving up on us.”

For all I’d told my young patient earlier that there was no shame in crying, I fought like hell to keep my own emotions under the surface. This thing with Connor still felt tenuous, as if he weren’t willing to give up on usnow, but that thread might snap if I showed him what a complete mess I was.

Somehow, I kept my emotions out of my voice. Wrapping my arms around his waist, I whispered, “I’m not giving up on us either.”

He kissed me again, and his lips curved into a grin. “Just, um, let me know if you seek treatment for tennis elbow. If we both show up for it at the same time, people might talk.”

I burst out laughing, which mercifully chased away the threat of tears. “Okay, duly noted.” I brushed my lips across his. “We’ll just have to take another trip soon. So our elbows aren’t doing all the work.”

Connor didn’t say anything.

But his kiss said that we were absolutely on the same page.

CHAPTER37

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