I’m done fighting it.
Done pretending this is temporary.
My hand lifts slowly to her face.
Enough time to stop me.
Enough time to pull away.
She doesn’t.
Her breath catches softly as my fingers brush her cheek.
The valley.
The convoy.
The mission.
All of it disappears.
There’s just her.
Her eyes drop briefly to my mouth.
That tiny movement almost wrecks my self-control completely.
I lean closer.
Slow.
Certain.
“Convoy’s splitting.”
Lucas’s voice cuts through the ridge like a gunshot.
I close my eyes briefly.
Seriously?
A quiet breath leaves Olivia that sounds dangerously close to disappointment.
Same.
I force myself back before I do something reckless in front of the entire team.
“Later,” I mutter roughly.
Her breathing’s uneven when she answers.
“…yeah.”
Later.
Not denial.
Not avoidance.
