He set the suitcases in front of the two side-by-side bedroom doors and joined her in front of the wall of glass. “What do you want to do first? Swimming? Veg on the verandah and read for a bit? Explore?”
She twirled around. Her lower lip was caught between her teeth and her eyes were bright. She shrugged. “I don’t know. Yes. All of that.”
But Logan knew better than to expect this happy high to last very long. It wouldn’t take long for her sadness to cycle back. This entire week had to be about maintaining a steady, level support for Tori. Whatever she needed, he’d be there for her.
“How about we settle into our rooms, then go for a walk down the beach? And then come back here to regroup before we go find some dinner. Maybe take a nap.”
She squared her shoulders and frowned gently. “You want to take a nap?”
“Uh… Sure.”
“Or are you treating me with kid gloves?”
He laughed. “Well, yeah. That, too.” He paused. “That entirely. No, I don’t need a nap. But at some point, you’re going to crash, and that’s okay.”
“At some point, I’m also going to want to go dancing and get drunk. You’re not going to stop me, are you?”
“Hell, no.” Maybe stand in front of her so no drunken tourists could get too close… “I’m not going to stop you from doing anything you want to do. But I am going to encourage you gently to take a knee from time to time.”
“Is that football? You know I don’t do football references.”
“One of the many things I love about you—zero competition for what we watch on Sundays.” He winked at her. “Yes, it’s a football reference. I’ve never used that on you before? I use it on my troops all the time. It means—”
“Take a break. I get it.” She crossed her arms, clearly offended—albeit not very seriously—by the suggestion that she wasn’t capable of rolling with the punches.
No, he wouldn’t have used it on her before. She was always a force of nature, her energy levels rivaling his even after a hundred-hour work week. But this was an exceptional circumstance.
He held up his hand and wiggled his pinky finger at her. “I promise you, no excessive coddling. Let’s unpack, then hit the beach.”
She held her hand up, her fingers sliding against his before her baby finger twisted around his pinky and they shook on it. He ignored the electric spark he always felt when she touched him. He’d given up the right to indulge in that sensation when he joined the Navy and moved across the country.
“You swear?” she asked softly, her eyes extra-big and extra-blue.
In that moment, he’d have promised her absolutely anything she wanted. So that made it just like every other moment together. He nodded. “I swear.”
