Page 84 of Wyatt

She laughed as he did just that, tucking her close to him, her head on one of his arms, the other around her waist, warm, heavy. Solid.

“Go to sleep, Cookie. You’re safe now.”

So, maybe there were such things as happily ever afters.

9

If Wyatt didn’t move, he couldn’t destroy anything.

Every morning should start like this. The sun cast in around the drawn shade of the train compartment in streams of gold and red, and theclack-clackof the tracks as the train moved was already coaxing him back into sleep.

Wyatt couldn’t remember when he’d slept so well. Maybe it was the way Coco was tucked into his arms, small and perfect, her head below his as he lay on his side. Her legs were trapped inside his, his arms around her body, and she too slept, her breaths deep and peaceful.

Maybe because they didn’t have anything to regret.

No.He’d held on to that word as kisses deepened last night, as he’d moved up to draw her into his arms, curling onto the couch with her. But the no in his heart had risen, instead of a warning, to a sweet, perfect line of protection.

As if he’d nabbed a puck in the crease, stopping the sirens of failure.

No. Because his words had thundered in his head like a voice.If I could, I’d start all over with you. Do things right. Honor us both.

She smelled good, and he drank it in without guilt. That, and the feel of her skin against his lips as he pressed them to the side of her neck.

She roused, glanced over her shoulder at him. “Hey.”

“Hey,” he whispered and let a grin slide up his face. “We’re almost to Vladivostok.”

She reached out and lifted the shade, wincing as the sun crested into the room. “Yeah. I can see buildings—looks like we’re getting close. What’s your plan?”

His plan. He liked that she asked that—as if she were depending on him. As if she trusted him.

Maybe that’s what happened when a guy said No for the both of them.

“I remember from our itinerary that our flight leaves pretty early. I think we’re on a charter, but I don’t know for sure. I’m going to catch the team at the airport and make sure you get on that flight.”

She said nothing, just curled her hands around his arm. Her thumb moved in small circles, tiny eddies of warmth.

He refused to let his mind travel anywhere but right now, right here. Her, fitting perfectly in his embrace, their tomorrows unblemished. “You’re so small. I was always worried I’d crush you.”

“I’m pretty durable,” she said.

“Yes, you are.” He kissed her behind her ear. “I have some time off before the season starts back up. Maybe we could go to Montana. I’d love for Mikka to see the ranch.”

She drew in a long breath.

“He’s going to be okay. I’ll get him the best medical treatment, whatever it costs.” It hadn’t occurred to him that Mikka didn’t have medical insurance. But it didn’t matter. Money was the least of his worries.

“I wish I could believe that. It just feels like, well, good things don’t happen to me.”

He was about to argue with her, however, when—

“I wanted to be a Marshall with everything inside me.”

Really? He must have made a noise that accompanied his surprise because she nodded.

“I looked at your lives, compared them to my broken one, and did everything I could to belong to your family.”

That thought took a swipe out of him. Because sometimes he felt he’d spent his life trying to run from his overachieving family. “Why?”

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