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“Yeah, that’s something I’ve never understood either. How come it’s okay for your brother to put his life in danger but not me?”
“I never said it was okay, Chace. Or that it didn’t keep me and the rest of my family awake at night whenever he’s on assignment. Or that every time the phone rings, we wonder if one of the Steele brothers is calling to say my parents have lost another son.” Her voice cracked on the last few words.
“Have you ever told Alex how you feel?”
She whirled on him. “Of course I’ve told him. So has everyone in my family, except for Nick, who seems to be just as much of an adrenaline junkie by running into burning buildings for a living.”
“What was Alex’s response when you told him how you feel?”
“The same as yours.” She shook her head. “But it doesn’t make the worry any less. The only difference is that I can’t break up with my brother, but I can and do distance myself.” Holly raised her eyes to meet his. “And so does he whenever possible.”
Chace sat forward on the sofa, his elbows resting on his muscled thighs. “I’m sorry, Holly.”
“Yeah. Me too.”
“Does it make any difference that I came home as soon as my sister needed me?”
“But you still went, Chace. During the holidays.”
“Because I’m a single man, Holly.” He plowed his fingers through his hair, disheveling it more than it already was. “With our parents taking a Mediterranean cruise and Sean deployed, Lyss had already made plans to spend Christmas in Florida with her in-laws. So I accepted the assignment to allow my colleagues to spend the holidays with their families. Figured I’d get together with Lyss and the girls when I got back since, as military brats, she and I are accustomed to celebrating special occasions at odd times.” He laughed. “One year when we were kids, we even combined Christmas and Easter in February when our dad was between naval deployments.”
Holly felt like the scum of the earth. How could she fault Chace for considering others? With his parents out of the country and Lyss in Florida, what reason would Chace have to come back to Hickory Ridge for Christmas? Certainly not to be with her, since she’d sealed that deal the day she’d given him back his ring.
What if she hadn’t? What if they had gotten married and started a family? Would Chace still have chosen the assignment, leaving her and their children behind? Or would he have chosen differently?
He’s here now, isn’t he?
Yes, he was. And when he’d asked her to give them until New Year’s as a couple, he’d also promised he wouldn’t accept any assignments during that same time frame. Though she believed he would try to keep his promise, one question dogged her. “What happens in January, Chace? Or if Sean is released at the end of the week and Lyss comes home?”
Holly knew exactly how she wanted Chace to answer. What she hoped in her heart of hearts he would say because God help her, she wanted a second chance with this man more than she’d ever wanted anything in her life.
“If Sean gets sent home, he’ll likely be sent to Walter Reed or another facility for additional treatment and rehab. Lyss will want to spend as much time as she can with him, so she’ll still need help with the twins.”
That made sense.
Chace pushed himself off the sofa and bridged the gap between them. “As for what happens in January? That pretty much depends on what happens between you and me in the next three weeks.” He stopped when they were toe to toe. “And I already told you what I wanted.”
Tingles spread like wildfire all over her entire body. And in that moment, despite all her fears and concerns, Holly also knew what she wanted. Or at least where she wanted this new journey with him to start.
Besides, hadn’t her sister told her to go big or go home?
Looking up at him with her heart pounding in her ears, Holly stood and placed her hands on his rock-solid chest. “You know what I want right now?”
Chace rested his knuckles under her jaw and brushed the rough pad of his thumb ever-so-softly across Holly’s cheek. “Tell me.”
“You.” Rising on her tippy toes, Holly wound her arms around his neck, her fingers threading through his thick hair. “In bed.” She touched her lips to his. “But without our clothes on this time.” Smiling, she kissed him again. “That is if you don’t mind.”
18
Mind? Hell no, Chace didn’t mind.
How could he when he wanted the same damned thing? But that wasn’t all he wanted. Not by a long shot.
But there was something he needed to know before any of this went any further. Cupping her face between his palms, Chace forced her to meet his eyes. “Are you absolutely sure?”
“You really have to ask?”
“Yes.”
