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No way would he ask that. Him pathetic, lying in a hospital bed, a catheter and IVs in, Brylee watching him with pity.
No.
Right now, her blue eyes twinkled so happily she should be on some commercial for the most beautiful eyes in the world. What would they sell, though? She didn’t have any eye-enhancing makeup junk on those eyes. They were a hundred percent natural and a hundred percent his Brylee. They couldn’t sell his Brylee.
He might be getting heat exhaustion. He was having crazy thoughts. Miracles. Asking her to stay with him. His Brylee? Nobody was selling her. He was going nuts.
“Of course. This is your big moment.” He put on a happy smile, handed over the shovel, stepped out of the hole, and moved a couple feet away.
Brylee hopped down into the hole and brushed some dirt off with her hand, revealing a gray metal box. Digging carefully around it, she pried the box up.
Her entire body trembled as she set the shovel to the side and lifted the box free from the dirt. “Cash?” she whispered, blinking up at him.
What was she asking him to do? She stared at him, clinging to the box, and uncharacteristically said nothing.
Cash squatted down, wrapped his arms around her waist, and lifted her up to solid ground and close to his side. He straightened and steadied her with an arm around her waist.At least he hoped he steadied her, because she was shaking horribly.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
“It feels too light. Shouldn’t a million dollars be heavier?”
He smiled. “Maybe it’s a check.”
“Oh … Cash?”
“Yes?”
“I’m scared.”
“To win the money?” It was a big responsibility. He could understand that with contemplating how to best distribute and invest his five million.
She set the box on the ground and straightened, meeting his gaze, her own eyes determined. “After I open that box, we have to call Shawn and then it’s all over.”
“Oh. Yeah.” He folded his arms across his chest, needing to protect and defend his own heart.
All over. He’d already gone there a minute ago and now she’d arrived. Their time here was done.
“I’m scared to lose you,” she rushed out. Her lip trembled now too, and her blue eyes were bright and beguiling.
“Ah, Bry.” He gathered her close, but he couldn’t lie to her. Shewouldlose him. They’d both go back to their lives. He was hiding a huge and awful secret from her, trying so diligently not to hurt her, but maybe not sharing was hurting her worse. What did he know? All he knew was he would never ask this bright light to sit by his bedside while he died. The very thought made him want to puke.
She looked up. “How about we don’t open it yet? Let’s go back to camp, make dinner, float in our pool.” She licked her lips. “Sleep in the tent, talk all night long. Maybe kiss just a little.” She licked her beautiful lips, and she knew how bad she was tempting him.
“No kissing in the tent,” he reminded her. “It’s a rule. We don’t break rules.”
“You don’t. I break them all the time.” But she grinned. “All right, Mr. Green Beret who I fancy but who drives me crazy making unreasonable rules I never agreed to and expects me to barmily keep them. Let’s just be us tonight.” Her voice and gaze pleaded with him to agree. “We can open the box in the morning. Shawn won’t want to fly out here in the dark anyway.”
Last time he’d looked, it was only about two in the afternoon, but he loved that she wanted to extend their time together. “There was no stipulation we had to call the moment you find the money.” He was being selfish right now, but she wanted more memories and kisses and time just like he did. “Open the box. We’ll celebrate you finding the money and have one last evening and night together. We won’t call until the morning.”
“Really?” Her lips curved in the most enticing smile.
“Really.”
“I love you!” she shouted.
Cash’s eyes widened. She couldn’t. She shouldn’t. He’d thought the same thing a few times, but he would never verbalize it.
She didn’t wait for his response. She planted a kiss on him.
