She cupped his jaw and when she opened her eyes, their gazes locked.
After so long of being afraid and alone, she felt loved and safe.
But it didn’t erase everything. There was still the package and whatever answers it held about the break-ins. A shadow that had followed her from place to place.
It wasn’t over yet. Maybe she was waiting for a bigger shadow to fall over her, but for the first time she wasn’t waiting alone.
She had Church. And whatever came next…they would face it together.
Chapter Fourteen
Church had seen a lot of sunsets. Over deserts, in battlefields, from the air and by sea. But the ones in Wyoming had to be the most striking.
Now they were special because, he had someone he wanted to share them with.
He gripped the steering wheel with one hand and held Zee’s hand with the other. As usual, she had her head turned slightly to look out the side window as they drove away from the movie set. She loved one view in particular, but they hadn’t caught another sunrise there since she started her yoga classes.
On impulse, Church slowed the truck.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“You’ll see.” He rolled to a stop off the side of the road and put the truck in park.
A confused smile lit her beautiful eyes. “Church?”
“C’mon.” He jumped out and circled the vehicle to lower the tailgate. When she joined him, he lifted her onto the metal. They sat side by side, legs dangling. She didn’t speak, only put her arms around his waist and leaned into him.
His heart was so damn full. Fuller than he ever thought it could be. Fuller than he deserved.
Insects hummed and birds soared through the sky, on their way home to their own nests.
Zee let out a sigh. “It’s beautiful.”
He took in the view—sunset and sky over thick grass. The land had a gentle rise, and in the distance it faded to deeper green as it sprawled toward the mountain.
Then he turned his head and studied the woman beside him. She was as much of a work of art as the scenery, her skin glowing in the final golden rays, hair turned to copper where the sun hit it. Her eyes, her full lips…
He kissed them, just a soft brush that left him burning for more.
“It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.” He stroked a lock of hair off her face.
She dipped her eyes, a smile toying around her lips and a faint flush on her cheeks.
“Sweet talker.”
“You like it.”
“No—I love it.” She flashed a smile at him.
They sat there watching the sky change from gold and orange streaked with pink to the deep gray-blue that washed out the horizon.
He caught Zee’s hand and threaded their fingers. “Ready to head home?”
She blinked up at him. “Home,” she repeated as if testing the way it sounded. She nodded. “Home.”
He slid off the tailgate and turned to stand between her knees, unable to resist cupping her face and kissing her long and deep. When they pulled apart, his chest worked like he’d just run a mile instead of tasted her sweet mouth.
For a second all he could do was look at her, memorizing her in the fading light.
