Not just her body, but everything that went with it.
All her life she’d been afraid of being exposed as a fraud, and she’d shunned Bear to save herself the shame of having to be honest with him about who she was. She measured her worth by achievements, not relationships, and if she hadn’t crashed in that helo, she might have never gotten to this point with him. Back in Bolivia, she’d found the thread of her heritage, and she wanted to pull it. Wanted to delve, dig, and discover who she really was without shame or fear. She wanted to explore what it would mean to be with Bear.
When they parted, his forehead rested against hers, breath warm against her skin.
“I’m not used to all this,” he whispered.
“Which part?”
“Wanting someone like this, allowing myself to want you. Wanting you here when I come home.”
Her throat tightened.
“Yeah,” she murmured. “Me too.”
“Bear…” Her voice was soft, caught somewhere between hesitation and need. “There are things bogging me down. Tying me up.”
She drew in a shaky breath, her eyes lifting to meet his. “I want to share them with you. Just…let me. When we have time to speak.”
He exhaled slowly, like she’d cracked something open in his chest.
“Speak,” he repeated, voice rough, almost reverent. He brushed a thumb along her cheek. “I’ve been thinking about that word since I thought you wanted me gone.” His eyes didn’t leave hers, steady, dark, quietly undone. “How I didn’t speak,” he said, his voice lower now. “Now, yeah, I want to talk, too.” A pause. His breath brushed her skin. Then, softly, but with weight. “Silence is good sometimes. But sometimes…it’s just a convenient place to hide.”
She didn’t say anything right away. Just nodded, slow and full of feeling, like the truth in his words had taken root somewhere deep. As she looked at him. really looked at him, she realized something that left her breathless.
She wasn’t just falling for him. She was finally ready to let herself be found.
13
Bailee was still leaning against the wall, both of them fully dressed again, her heartbeat slowing, her skin humming in the aftermath, when she heard the front door open.
Voices filtered in first, low, joking, familiar.
Then footsteps. Laughter.
That very specific tone of bickering that could only mean one thing. Bear’s baby SEALs were back.
Bear pulled away from her slowly, like he didn’t want to, brushing his knuckles along her cheek before he stepped back and adjusted his shirt.
“You okay?” he asked, voice low and thick with everything they’d just shared.
She nodded, lips still tingling. “Yeah. But I think your tribe is home.”
A crash sounded from the kitchen, followed by a loud, exasperated groan.
“Goddammit, Kavanaugh.” That was definitely Fly.
Bailee smiled. Bear shook his head.
They moved toward the kitchen together, Bear’s hand at the small of her back, grounding and protective.
As they rounded the corner, Fly was standing at the island, arms crossed, scowling at the growing mountain of chips and dip Than was unloading from a reusable grocery bag like it was a tactical violation.
“Eight bags,” Fly muttered. “Eight. Plus three dips. None of them are even the good kind.”
Than was biting back laughter as he placed a bundle of cilantro and a lot of steaks on the counter like a peace offering.
Shamrock, on the other hand, looked entirely unrepentant.
