Page 98 of Tate
So he said it for her. “Protectme?”
She looked away.
He wrapped a hand around his neck. Shook his head.
“It’s not crazy?—”
“It is crazy. It’s…” He rounded on her. Held up his hand. “Listen, I know that plenty of female sailors are rescue swimmers. And yeah, you could do it but…” His mouth opened. Closed. And then he looked away.
“What?”
“I don’t want you to!”
He looked at her, his eyes fierce. “It’s a dangerous job?—”
“You have a dangerous job.”
“I’m a SEAL!”
She recoiled. “No, what you mean is that you’re a man. And I’m a woman. And women shouldn’t have dangerous jobs.”
He tightened his lips. Shook his head ever so slightly.
She didn’t believe him. And maybe he didn’t believe himself either, because he closed his eyes and walked away from her.
Overhead, the stars spilled out, a brilliant cascade across the velvety night. He was right. This was a beautiful place to watch the stars. To hope in dreams and a future.
To find herself in the arms of a man she…okay, yes, cared about.
But not enough to lose herself.
Not enough to become her mother.
Although, maybe she didn’t have to give her heart away to find happiness.
He stood there, his wide back to her, his arms folded, and she couldn’t stop herself from walking up to him. Putting her hand on his back.
He didn’t look at her. Finally, he said into the darkness, “Never mind how I feel about this. What do you want, Red?”
She looked up at him, and her breath caught with the answer.You. I want you.
In fact, she wanted the whole darn package. She wanted to be the teammate, the warrior, the protector, and the pretty girl who just wanted a hero. And to be one back, perhaps.
Maybe in the end, she was a romantic dreamer, just like her mother.
I want the happy ending.
She even wanted the sappy wedding.
If she were to face the truth, people like her never got the happy ending.
Prudence said she should probably disentangle herself from his arms, ask him to take her back to the ranch before she did something stupid like fall in love with Ford Marshall.
Whatdidshe want? Right now, right here? “I want this. Just this, right now.”
He glanced at her, closed his eyes. “I’m not that guy, Red.” Then he opened his eyes. “But, let’s go back before I turn into him.”
Oh. Her throat tightened.
