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Thirty-Eight
DAKOTA
As incredible as the views from the top of the mountain were, even more amazing was walking through Lionshead village. The three and four-story buildings that made up its quaint, cobbled streets were beautifully painted and immaculately kept, not to mention still decorated in more than a few places with leftover holiday lights.
Aurelius and I decided to choose with our noses, and we ended up at an Italian restaurant that smelled like heaven. We were seated in a booth near the wood-burning stove, which was nice enough. But we also were provided a beautiful, frost-coated window with a full view of the outdoor ice-skating rink, which at the moment swirled with dozens of happy people.
The boys caught me up on everything as we ate, including the construction schedule as well as the transition from their military careers to civilian life. I reminded them they were also going from a nomadic existence to one where they were actually locked down and settled in, all together beneath the same roof, to boot. None of them seemed to mind, though. In fact, they appeared more eager than ever to be granted this new sense of normalcy.
“People tied down to the same place always dream of wandering, right?” Merrick pointed out.
“Sure,” I agreed, spearing one of my stuffed mini-shells.
“Well by the same token, when you’re on the road and relocated as much as we’ve been over the years?” He shrugged, as the others nodded. “Sitting in one place starts to sound very, very appealing.”
I smiled, feeling lucky and blessed. I couldn’t imagine being a part of their lives while they were circling the globe and constantly in danger, wondering if and when they’d ever come back. I’d gotten these men at the perfect time in their lives, really. When they’d already served with honor, and were ready to settle down and start something new and exciting together.
Gotten them, Dakota?
My stomach did a flip-flop. I guess I hadn’t really ‘gotten’ anything. Not yet, anyway.
But I was pretty damned sure I’d captured their hearts.
And what aboutyourheart?
I scanned them as they ate, watching each of their rugged jaw-lines moving in turn. They had my heart already, I was sure of that now. I had love for each of them, for all of them. And it was a full gamut of emotions that ran deeper than simple infatuation or attraction, or even pure sexual lust.
So you love them…
That one undeniable realization was both exciting and terrifying. It meant I was opening myself up to all new incredible possibilities, if everything worked out the way I dreamed it could. But in doing so, I was also opening myself up to the possibility of getting seriously hurt.
After dinner we finished nursing our final drinks, while relaxing by the warmth of the fire. The guys had been looking at me all day, but now those stares had become long and lingering. Aurelius ogled me shamelessly, unapologetically. And I could feel Merrick’s sexy caramel eyes crawling my body, his expression one of deep satisfaction as if he were already plundering me in his mind.
“We’re skipping dessert, right?” I chuckled, playing a slow finger over the rim of my glass. “We’re all on the same page with that?”
All three men nodded, silently.
“Good answer,” I murmured, throwing back the last dregs of my wine.
