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“Good idea,” he smiled, not looking upset in the slightest – and she sagged in relief as he kissed her gently. “We’ve got all the time in the world, and I’m kinda happy existing in this ‘comfy’ mental space of yours.”
“You don’t mind?”
“Nope,” he said tenderly. “I want you here with me and in the same place mentally. If you are scared or feeling pressured, we take a step back together because I think I’ve found my person, and I’m happy to let you set the pace for us.”
“Oh, Max…” she breathed and watched him close his eyes. The joy that flitted across his face was easy to see.
“I adore the way you say my name,” he admitted softly, opening his eyes to look at her. “I will never forget this night, this moment, and the way you look right now, as long as I live.”
“Same,” she confessed.
“We can check ‘Blizzard in Wyoming’off our list,” he chuckled, teasing her tenderly, and smiled. “How about ‘under the stars in a tent’or ‘near a Bedouin fire’… maybe ‘among the mangroves’?”
“Maybe a private Japanese onsen?”
“Ohhh I like the way you think, wife…” he smiled, leaning forward to kiss her. “But aren’t those awfully hot?”
“Kinda like someone I know?” she taunted intimately.
12
COLLINS
It was three days before they were able to venture out – not that Max was in any hurry at all. Here, in their cabin, had been the most wonderful time of his life. Daphne might not be in any hurry to say the ‘L’ word, but he sure didn’t have a problem with it.
He loved that woman more and more with every breath he took. Every smile she gave him, every time she rolled her eyes or laughed at him, and every single time she would run her fingers down his shoulders as if she was tracing his muscles when they were intimate…
Max shivered in delight at the memory and couldn’t wipe that besotted grin off his face if he tried to and heard a knock at the door.
“I’ve got it,” Max hollered, hearing the water running in the distance as Daphne showered. Grabbing his crutches, he opened the front door expecting Houghton and came face to face with Ortega instead.
“Hey…”
“Hey,” Max replied and hesitated. He knew this man, had a bunk near him in Ghazni, and something was up. That thought alone immediately caused him to take a step back. “If you are gonna hit me again…”
“No,” Ortega interrupted and hesitated. “I know you are mad at me, but dang-it, Collins… I love you like my own brother – and I don’t do stupid, sappy stuff and we both know it, but today is different. I’m getting married to Lena at the courthouse in just a bit,” and his friend looked at him – and smiled.
Ortega actually looked relaxed, happy, and was smiling.
“I want my family there… and that’s you, Knucklehead. I want you there as my best man, Collins. My parents are in Honduras, and we aren’t exactly close anymore. Everyone we know is in Afghanistan, and well, Gideon’s a prick…”
Max couldn’t help but chuckle at the man’s foul mouth because it was so typically Ortega – despite the fact that he only knew the name and didn’t really know Gideon Beck in the slightest.
“Think if I let you punch me as hard as you can, that maybe you could forgive me… and be my best man?”
“I know why you did it, Ortega,” Max said quietly and hesitated. “Jake,” he corrected, using his friend's first name instead.
They weren’t military anymore – both having suffered injuries and ended up being discharged. Muldoon had died that day, and it could have very well been either of them. It was dumb to hold a grudge when Jake had saved his life by doing something difficult, something he wasn’t sure he could have done.
“I didn’t want to,” Jake whispered, looking at him. “I just couldn’t bury you either – it would kill me to see you die. I would rather you hated me than…”
“I don’t hate you,” Max interrupted. “I didn’t like you very much at the time,” he admitted, chuckling and seeing Jake’s nervous smile, “… But you saved my life, brother. I would be honored to be your best man.”
Jake let out a curse and stepped forward, causing Max to chuckle.
“Are we hugging?” Max grinned.
“Shut up and just do it, okay?” Jake retorted, laughing. “I love you, dork, and will deny it until my last days – got it? We’ll blame it on the moment.”
