Page 79 of Hard to Lose

Gunner gives me a glance and a soft smile, before he’s pulled away to another kid, to the start of a practice, to being just the incredible guy that he is.

It’s not until I’m sorting through the new registrants and putting the last ones in the computer system when I see him again.

“You’re still not feeling good, are you?” He rests his butt on the desk in front of me, putting his hand on my forehead to check my temperature.

“I’m fine. I told you, it’s just a little cold.”

“A little cold while you’re staying in a hotel, living out of a tiny refrigerator and having to go down to the lobby to put something in the microwave if you want warm food.” He tucks a piece of hair behind my ear and meets my eyes. “You’re staying at my place.”

“Gunner—”

“Argue all you want but I’m going to win in the end.” He presses a kiss to my forehead. “I’m not beneath throwing a tantrum to get what I want.”

“Good to know,” I say as he pulls me against him. I revel in the feel of his arms around me.

Truth be told, all of his points are valid. I’m sick of reheated takeout food and grab-and-go snacks. I’d kill to have decent Wi-Fi and to not wonder how many germs still live on the comforter I sleep under.

Or if there are any bed bugs lurking, despite checking before I lie down and after I get up.

And a selling point he’s not even privy to? I want to soak up more time with him. As much as I can get, if I’m honest. I know how bleak life will be as soon as I cross the border out of Destiny Falls on the way back home.

I don’t like that it means deliberately hiding anything KSM from him, which might make it difficult to take phone calls, but I can make it work.

I know I can.

I don’t want him to be hurt, thinking I was only here to deceive him. This kindhearted man does not deserve that. So, I’ll hide anything I can to avoid that.

And besides, who in their right mind would turn down an incredibly sexy man telling them that he wants to take care of them when they’re sick?

Not this girl.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Chase

“Are you sure I can’t get you anything else?” Gunner asks. He tucks me under his arm and adjusts our position so I can rest my head on his chest.

“Let’s see. You’ve made me homemade chicken noodle soup—something I don’t even know how to make myself—set me up in your spare bedroom so I have my own space, and then built a fire because I said how much I miss real fires in fireplaces.” I snuggle in harder against him. “Oh, and now you’re snuggling with me and rubbing my back simultaneously. I think you pretty much nailed every damn thing, Gunner, so much so that you’re going to have a hard time getting rid of me.”

“No complaints with that here,” he says into the crown of my head. We’re on his couch in front of a whitewashed brick fireplace. Flames crackle and snap. I can’t believe he built me a fire simply because I said I missed having one in my New York apartment. “Are you tired? Do you want to sleep or catch a movie or—”

“I want to know more about you,” I say.

“Me?” He laughs the word out.

“Yep. Tell me about your childhood. Where you grew up. Were you a pain in the ass who caused your parents headaches or were you a perfect angel?” He snorts and I laugh. “Did you always want to enter the service or was that a decision made later in life?” I ask leading questions, because I genuinely want to know. And I refuse to rely on Kelly’s information as my source.

“Why all the focus on me? Don’t I get to know more about you?”

“You’re the mysterious one,” I counter. “I don’t even know your last name.”

“Camden,” he says without hesitation. I don’t know why I expected him not to. It’s not like he was hiding it on purpose or even knew that I was looking for him. But it just feels weird to have him offer it up so easily.

“Camden,” I murmur, getting used to the feel of it rolling off my tongue.

“Ryan Camden to be precise, but ever since my first tour in Afghanistan, I’ve gone by Gunner.”

“I’m sure there’s a story there. But see? I told you that you were mysterious.”