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He groans. “Yeah. They had my whole life planned, and I hated it. It made me rebel. It made me hate them. It made me hate everything. That’s why I enlisted. And I didn’t want to be that person to Charlie. I didn’t want to tell him that the woman he’d fallen for was using him for papers and money. I didn’t want to tell him I saw signs she wasn’t really into him because maybe I was wrong. Maybe he’d figure it out on his own. But I should have told him.” His voice sounds pained. “If I’d told him, maybe he’d still be here.”

“You don’t know that. You really don’t know that, Brett.”

“I know, but I like to think that if I’d told him, he’d still be here. He had a hard life, growing up, and I had everything, and all he wanted was a family and kids. How can I have love? How can I have a family? How can I have any of those things when he’s got nothing? He’s dead in a grave somewhere, and the woman he loved, the woman he wanted to share his life with, didn’t even care.”

I reach out, take his hand, and squeeze. “I’m so sorry. He didn’t deserve that. But that doesn’t mean you don’t deserve love, Brett.”

“I don’t know whether it means I don’t deserve love, but I do know my heart doesn’t work the way it used to. Anyway, that’s why I want the money. I want to start a nonprofit, a veterans’ home in Charlie’s name, for mental health and substance abuse and to help veterans start businesses. I don’t want the money for myself. I want to put it to good use. I want veterans who came from backgrounds like Charlie’s to know we’re grateful for their service.”

“And to know there’s still laughter in life,” I say. “Maybe the home could have comedians. They could help make people laugh.”

“Yeah, maybe. If I can get it off the ground. But I don’t know that I can do this anymore.” He takes my chin and looks into my eyes. “You’re such a good woman, Rosie, and I don’t want you to have to lie for me. I don’t want to earn this money by being deceitful. Charlie wouldn’t want that. I can figure out another way.”

“I want to do this for you,” I say, lifting my chin. “I’m doing it for you, and I’m doing it for Charlie, and I’m doing it because I know how important this is to you. And don’t worry about me. I don’t care what your mom or your dad say to me. It’s not going to hurt me.” I lightly touch his chest. “I joked about us being best friends, but I really do care about you, Brett. You’re my friend, and I really trust you, and I really like you, and I really want to do this for you.”

“If I wasn’t so frozen inside, you’d be exactly the sort of woman I’d fall for,” he says, pulling me into his arms and stroking the side of my face.

My heart races as he gazes at me.

“If my heart wasn’t locked, it would be only for you.” He kisses my forehead, then my nose, then my cheeks. He takes my hand and kisses my wrist. “If I were a different sort of man, this would be real.”

I lean forward and kiss him lightly on the lips. “If you were a different sort of man, this would be real for me too,” I say.

Though the truth is, he doesn’t have to be a different sort of man.

We stare at each other for a few seconds, and then he runs his fingers across my trembling lips.

“Rosie, Rosie, my sweet Rosie,” he whispers into the wind, but I don’t say anything. “I can’t believe we spent a whole night together not touching,” he says as he runs his finger down my arm.

“Neither can I.” I lie back and stare up at the sky. “It kind of feels like we’re the only two people left on earth right now.”

“If we were the only two people left on earth, I wouldn’t be able to resist you,” he says, and I feel his fingers running down the valley between my breasts.

“And if we were the only two people left on earth, I wouldn’t be able to resist you either,” I say, turning to see him staring at me. He grabs my hands and we both stand up, studying each other for a few moments silently. My heart pounds as he gives me a lazy smile.

I watch as he pulls off his shirt, unbuttons his pants, and pulls them off, so he’s standing there in nothing but his briefs and the breeze. He gives me a sexy look. I nod slowly and lift my arms. He pulls my dress off so I’m standing there in my bra and panties.

“If we were the only two people left on earth, this would feel right,” he says.

I nod.

He pulls me into his arms, and I feel his hands running down my back, warm and gentle, as he unclasps my bra. He slides the straps to the sides, and it falls to the sand. I press my breasts against his chest, and he pulls me into him, kissing me hard, trailing his fingers up and down my skin before running them down to my panties. I reach down, grab his ass, and moan as he grinds against me. I pull his head back down to mine, kissing him hard. His tongue slips into my mouth, and before I know what’s happening, we’re collapsing down onto the sand, his fingers desperately pulling my panties off while I pull off his briefs.

He rolls me onto my back and kisses me softly, running his fingers down my naked body and parting my legs before settling slowly over me. I reach down and touch his cock, and he grunts as it hardens in my hand, and I giggle. I guide it between my legs and rub it gently against my clit. Our eyes lock as we both breathe deeply.

“Are you sure? I don’t have a condom,” he says.

I nod. “I’m on the pill.”

I move my hand aside, and he reaches down and rubs my clit, gently at first and then faster, until I’m almost gushing. He positions himself at my entrance and then thrusts inside me. I cry out. He feels amazing. His lips fall to mine, and I wrap my legs around his hips as he thrusts faster and faster. Our bodies move against each other, his chest pressing against my breasts.

“Fuck, this feels so good,” he grunts against my lips.

Then I push him back onto the sand and roll on top of him. He looks up at me and grins.

“I forgot you love being on top.”

“I do,” I say as I position him between my legs and slide down onto him.