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Damon wanted to go home. He did not want to be here without his angel. Even with her, a crowd this size was a struggle for him. What if there were a shooter? There wasn’t enough cover for everyone to hide.

Before he turned to get back to his truck, a hand slid into his. When delicate fingers twined with his, he knew the owner.

“It’s all right, Damon. I’m here. I’ve got you.” Nicole squeezed his hand and directed his gaze to hers with a palm on his cheek. “Breathe for me, okay?”

One look at her, and his heart slowed down. The panic attack halted in its tracks. He needed to be strong for her. Keeping his angel safe allowed his brain to focus on a single point, not run away with the anxiety.

Another squeeze of his hand, and Damon was grounded. Her warm palm on his cheek, fingertips smoothing the lines at the corner of his eyes, brought him back to the present.

“You back with me, solider?”

“Yeah, angel. I am.” His free hand settled at her waist. “I’m glad you’re here.” For so many reasons.

“I missed you after I woke from my nap. I was hoping to find you in my bed, but you were gone.” Her bottom lip pouted at him. So he nibbled it.

“Mmm,” he moaned into her mouth. “If this is the result, I’ll make sure you miss me more often.” But not too often. I need you, angel.

She rubbed the tip of her nose against his. “Maybe. I’ll consider the request.” Humor twinkled in her eyes. “Will you walk with me through the festival? I was too new last year to really enjoy it.”

He lifted her hand to kiss her knuckles. “My pleasure.”

“Pretty sure that’s my line.” She smiled at him, and the last of the tension from a moment ago disappeared. “There’s a bachelor auction about to start. Want to check it out?”

“Sure. Lead the way. But don’t get any ideas. You only get to bid on me.” Leaning down as they walked, he added, “and I’m a sure bet.”

Chapter Eight

They moseyed through the festival hand in hand. Damon always had a lock on the perimeter, scanning the horizon back and forth, but he was somehow also present in the moment. He probably struggled with large crowds like this, and Nicole made a mental note to check with him first before they went to a big event. When she caught up with him, he was on the edge of panic. She knew firsthand how awful that feels.

After the events of the day, she didn’t want to walk away from him anymore. She didn’t have a plan, but maybe that would be okay. Maybe they could figure it out together.

If he kept giving her orgasms like the one from today, then she could make that work, too.

Their encounter on the deck earlier released tension so deep, she’d forgotten how great it feels to truly relax. Her intuition said she could trust him. She would be smart, would always give herself a way out in case she was wrong. She wouldn’t do anything without a Plan B and even a Plan C, but she felt ready to take a leap. She wanted to move forward with her life and get past the constant fear and vigilance.

Her handsome neighbor-landlord-lover would be there to keep her demons at bay, too.

Damon growled, “I like the way you keep squeezing my bicep.” He dropped a peck on the top of her head.

“I like the feeling of walking alongside you.” She snuggled closer. “You doing okay?”

Before he answered, a trio of young kids darted in front of them, the trill of happy screeching piercing the air. Damon’s eyes scanned the direction the kids came from. He only resumed walking once a parent started chasing after the kids.

“You like apples? There’s some hot cider over there.” Nicole wanted to redirect his attention. He held tension in his shoulders that she only noticed because they were so close.

A grunt, but she could tell it was a grunt of agreement. She looked forward to learning the nuances of all his grunts. “Are you a cider guy or a pumpkin guy?”

He thought hard before he answered. “Apples. I missed those the most when I was deployed. Nice, big, crunchy ones with juice and flavor. Not mealy ones that are all sad and bland. How about you?”

“I’m a huge fan of cinnamon, so the question for me is always, how much cinnamon is in it?” She accepted the paper cup of hot cider as he paid, and they continued their stroll towards the auction tent. “What are your plans for the duplex? Now that you’ve seen the place for itself, you planning to sell?” It was his inheritance, and what bachelor would want to live in a small town like this. Would he be willing to keep up the relationship long distance?

His finger curved under her chin, lifting her face to his. “I’m not leaving you, Angel. Put that thought out of your mind.” He kissed her chastely, as they were surrounded by families. “I needed a fresh start. I separated from the Army this summer, and I’ve been trying to figure out what’s next. I find myself wanting to make plans with a certain sexy neighbor I know.”

Nicole gasped in mock horror, clutching her chest. “You’re having an affair with your neighbor? How scandalous!”

He growled and draped his arm across her shoulders, tucking her into his side. “First, I’m going to make all the repairs you requested. The empty unit needs a reno to update it, and I assume yours is the same. You and I can figure out what we want to do while I do the work. I need a project. Maybe a little time, too, to decide on a civilian career.”

A weight lifted from Nicole’s chest. He was giving her time. Giving them time.