Page 40 of Sweet Devotion

“A really great team,” she managed to utter.

A lazy smile made his eyes twinkle. “Better than great.”

If she kept looking at him like this, she was going to do something foolish, like kiss him again in front of half the county. Not that she was entirely opposed to the idea. It was only the little bit of sense left in her head that kept her from rising up on her toes and doing exactly that.

His hand remained steady at her waist, hers still curled over his shoulder. For Colleen, the whole room had narrowed to just the man in front of her and the sweet certainty settling somewhere deep inside her chest. She had known for a while that she was falling in love with him. Maybe more than falling. Maybe already landed and too far gone to do anything but enjoy the ride. But standing here, in the middle of the high school gym with a slow song playing and her lips still warm from kissing him, this felt solid. Steady. Like the man himself.

Around them the dance floor was still moving, still warm and soft under the twinkle lights, still full of people she’d known her whole life doing what Honeysuckle people did at the end of a long and eventful day—staying. Lingering. Not quite ready to let go of something good. She understood the feeling completely.

“Aiden.”

His gaze held hers. “Yeah?”

She had no idea how to say what she wanted to say without sounding like an idiot. “You keep surprising me.”

“Was the kiss that bad?”

She couldn’t tell if he was teasing or worried. “It was that good.”

Now that smile that did funny things to her insides was back.

The jazz group played a soulfully slow song and Colleen leaned impossibly closer to Aiden. So close she thought she could feel his heart pounding beneath her fingertips.

“Colleen?”

She didn’t want to lift her head, step back so she could see him better. Close to him like this was too perfect. “Yes?”

“I meant it when I said we make a very good team.”

She nodded into his shoulder.

“Not just finding Romeo and Cauliflower at the field today, or fixing your new therapy workroom, or comforting Romeo. The list can be long, but I do believe that there isn’t anyone at all like you anywhere on this planet, and I’m damn lucky to have found you.”

Her mouth suddenly went dry and she took a half step in retreat so she could read his eyes.

“I love you.”

She blinked, staring into his eyes. Her mouth wouldn’t open, her tongue seemed to be glued to the roof of her mouth like a tablespoon of peanut butter. And then she saw it, hope turn to panic. Words wouldn’t be enough. Her arms curled around his neck and she gently pulled him closer and pressing her lips against his, her fingers drawing lazy circles at the back of his neck, she showed him everything she couldn’t find the words for. When she stepped back and came up for air, she sucked in a deep breath. “If you don’t speak kissing, that meant I love you too.”

Chapter Seventeen – Epilogue

Did there have to be so much blasted sunshine? Squinting at the bright outdoors beaming through the kitchen windows, Hanson could not help but think this wasn’t Kansas. Okay, so maybe he was born and raised in California and had never set foot anywhere near Kansas, but the reference to the Wizard of Oz sounded better than declaring he wasn’t in San Jose anymore.

“Enjoying your pie?” Alice Sweet shared a smile that suited her name.

“Very much. Thank you.”

Kade Sweet came through the back door brushing his boots clean. That was another thing that reminded him this wasn’t boot camp. Cowboy boots. And the strangest part, they suited the staff sergeant, as much if not more than his combat boots.

The back door blew open again and laughter entered the kitchen a full minute before Aiden and Colleen.

He’d only met his buddy’s new girl this morning before his equine therapy, but it was clear from the twinkle in both their eyes that the two had found their soul mates.

“Hungry?” Alice Sweet asked the new arrivals.

“Famished,” Kade answered, his arms already around his wife who’d come down the stairs only moments ago, his intentions written all over his face.

“For lunch,” his mother teased, shaking her head.