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He couldn’t move. He couldn’t breathe.
“You are my hero in every which way, Cash,” she said sweetly.
She blinked up at him, those dark lashes framing her sapphire eyes. Was this love?
That very word should’ve terrified him, but there was nothing to be afraid of with her close. Ever. Even death would be fine because she’d laugh and tease and stay close to him and it would all work out.
Cash should’ve pushed her away as he selfishly imagined her being by his side through the rest of his short life. Instead, heneeded her even closer. He easily swept her off her feet, slid one hand under her legs, and cradled her against his chest. Her eyes widened. Before he could second guess it, or she could say anything, he started walking toward the waterfall.
He wasn’t himself around her, not the tough, impenetrable, no-quit Green Beret captain. With Brylee he still felt brave and strong, but he also felt fun, impulsive, happy.
Was it possible he was more himself than he’d ever been? He felt like the child he’d never been able to be, and at the same time the strongest, bravest, luckiest man in the entire world.
“You’rewild,” she said, wrapping her arms tight around his neck, those sapphire jewels glimmering at him.
“You make me wild,” he said, then grimaced. What kind of weird line was that? How could he explain that she made him fun and happy? He shouldn’t admit to that or any of the emotions she drew out of him. Unfamiliar and exciting emotions.
She played with the hair at the nape of his neck as he easily carried her up the side of the stream. The lights from camp were behind them, and he focused on not stumbling in the dark. He was distracted and stirred up. Especially with her hands in his hair. His scalp tingled, and he was afraid he let out a moan. It felt better than he’d envisioned.
They reached the edge of the waterfall pool where a light mist sprayed from the waterfall. He let her feet slide to the ground and then realized they didn’t have any swimwear.
She blinked prettily up at him. Even in the semi-dark, he could swear he saw trust and appreciation in her gaze.
He hadn’t thought this swimming expedition through. If he was with his buddies, they’d just strip down to their underwear and plunge in.
With her looking at him so sweetly and expectantly, he wasn’t thinking clearly at all.
“I guess we just … um … swim in our clothes?”
“Whatever you say, Captain.”
“There were extra clothes,” he managed.
“I trust you.”
She trusted him. Ah, man. That was almost as bad as her liking him.
Cash released her and stepped back. Without touching her, his head cleared a bit. Turning away, he stripped off his shirt and dropped it on the rocks. As he turned back, he could see her gaze sliding over his shoulders, chest, and abs. That glance made him far too hot. Could she see the scarring from his surgery on his abdomen? He had other scars, battle wounds. Those he was proud of. The surgery scars he hated.
He had to get in the water—now. He slid out of his flip-flops and walked across the rocks into the cool, shallow water, then glanced back at her. Would the rocks hurt her feet?
She was looking at him like that again … like he was her hero, her protector, her everything.
Ah, crap.
Cash hurried back to her, swept her off her feet and against his chest, and carried her into the water. She sweetly sighed and leaned against him, her arms wrapping around his shoulders.
“Thank you, Cash,” she said softly.
“Yep,” he managed, about ready to jump out of his own skin … or kiss her for a very long time.
As soon as he reached waist deep in the refreshing water, he forced himself to gently set her on her feet and back away. She stood in the pool; the water came up to her chest. Staring at his chest again, she made him so warm from a simple look he knew he had to move.
He did a shallow dive and swam to the waterfall. Standing under the flow, he let it pound against his head, neck, and back.Maybe it would pound some sense into him. Nothing else was working.
Chapter
Eight
