Page 36 of Sean

“I can’t imagine how beautiful this must be in the fall with the colors. And winter, too. Snowy scenes can be tricky to shoot because the light can vary so much. Here, though, on a snowy, sunny day in January has got to be amazing.” She started walking again.

It was. He could attest to that. He’d hiked this trail in every season, starting when he was not much bigger than Amos. His family’s ranch was adjacent to a national forest, making it possible to wander for miles. He, his parents, and siblings had done just that countless times. Joe had used those treks to teach about nature and survival. Lessons that Sean had used as a SEAL. It hadn’t helped keep JP safe, but nothing could have. Sean was slowly coming to terms with that. But he couldn’t shake the idea that he’d influenced his brother’s choices despite what Tara had said about that.

“Which way do we go?” Julia came to a stop at a fork in the trail.

“Either way.” When she turned to the right, though, he felt a rush of unwelcome emotions. She was ten paces down the trail already, but he couldn’t follow her. “Wait. Let’s take the other way.”

She came back to where he stood. “Is this way more dangerous? I’m pretty sure-footed if that’s what you’re worried about.”

Part of him wanted to lie to her. He could claim there was a raging river crossing or a sheer drop-off they needed to avoid. But she’d been open with him, and he owed it to her to be honest. “That’s not it. My brother and I used to go that way. I guess, I’m not…ready.”

She studied his face for a second and then slipped her hand in his, giving it a squeeze. He appreciated that she didn’t tell him it would get easier or that he was being silly. She just accepted what he couldn’t say. That he missed his brother every damn day.

They took the other trail and descended into the valley before either of them spoke again. She’d stopped to take more pictures, and that made him wonder something.

“How will you return to work when this is over?”

“You mean because of the kids? I don’t know.” Her expression went serious. “I guess, I can’t do the kind of work I was doing before. I’ll need to find something local to wherever we settle. There’s always wedding photography and family portraits. I don’t mind doing those.”

“You like adventuring.”

“I do. I’ll admit that but the kids have to be my priority while they’re so young. It’ll work out, but it’s hard to let the other go. A client that I’ve worked with several times reached out to me two weeks ago about an assignment in New Zealand. I’d love to do it, but I’d be away for nearly a month. I can’t be on the other side of the globe when the kids need me.”

“Have you told the client yet that you’re turning it down?” he asked.

She paused on the trail, put her hands on her hips, and turned in a slow circle. “I should,” she said a moment later. “I just can’t seem to make myself do it. Sending my refusal is like closing a door on my old life. But that’s okay. I’m embarking on something different, but just as wonderful.”

“You have an amazing attitude.” He’d gone into his post-JP life with sullen determination. She was looking to the future with a kind of joy that he was only beginning to imagine possible.

“I don’t know about that. I’m filled with doubt at times. Not now, though. Today is too perfect for that.” The smile she turned on him made him hope that part of that perfection came from spending time with him.

They walked on, climbing out of the valley on the other side and reaching one of his favorite spots—a place where the view opened up and you could see for miles.

“Oh.” She stumbled to a stop, bringing her camera to her face. The shutter clicked continuously. “I’ve seen some stunning places, and this ranks at the top. I don’t have the right equipment to capture this scene. I’d need…” She broke off, laughing. “I’m sure you don’t care about the details.”

“I care about what’s important to you.” It was more than he should tell her. It took effort to keep his other thoughts to himself. The key one was that he liked his life much better now that she was in it.

“Do you?” Without warning, she snapped a picture of him. “Hold still.”

“Julia…I don’t…” He wasn’t one for having his picture taken.

“Let me,” she said simply. How could he say no to that? He held still while she took perhaps ten shots, moving around him to capture different angles. Even worse than posing was when she viewed the images on the LCD screen while only the whisper of the breeze moved past them.

“Did my ugly mug break your camera?” he asked when he couldn’t take it anymore.

“Hardly. You’re very photogenic. Handsome in a rugged way. There’s more, though. Look.” She came to stand close to him and held the camera so he could see the display. “This is what people see in you. It’s what I see.”

“It’s just me.” He tried to shrug it off.

“No, it’s more complicated than that. I see a man who is powerful in his own way, strong, safe, caring, a protector, and more than that—”

Sean pulled her close, cutting her off with a gentle kiss. Julia’s little squeak of surprise turned into a sigh as they embraced.

“See? More,” she murmured against his lips. She lowered the camera and stepped into him, their bodies coming together, meshing like they had in the garage. It all felt so right to him to be with her out in the open air. The word more got stuck in his head. He wanted more with her, and that shocked and thrilled him.

He managed to pull slightly away from her gorgeous mouth. “There’s an old cabin not far from here if you want…more.” He couldn’t promise her anything beyond the present, but, god, how he hoped she’d take that.

“Tell me about this cabin,” Julia murmured. Her arm was looped around his neck as she gave a little tug so that he lowered to kiss her again.

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