Page 43 of Stolen Hearts

He slanted a glance her way. “This is just the beginning of your birthday celebration, Rhae.”

She straightened. “What do you mean?”

“When I was in the military, we never got to do this. We had to keep things quiet. No dinners, no date nights. No birthdays. I’m allowed to now, and I’m going to do it right.”

“Oh, Denver.” She leaned in and kissed him, a brushing of lips that made her toes curl in her boots. Navy shrieked again, breaking the moment, and they sat back, laughing at their daughter’s demand to be the center of attention.

She reached for a piece of cheddar. “So what’s the plan?”

“You, me, dinner out tonight. Just us.”

Her mind spun, her heart already picking up an extra beat of worry.

Denver continued, “I already talked to Willow. She insisted on watching Navy. She has a whole lineup of baby activities—block towers, movies, dance parties. You won’t have to worry about a thing.”

The cheese seemed lodged in her throat. “You want to…leave the ranch?”

He nodded. “Just for the evening. I made a reservation. There’s a little place in town—quiet, candlelit. You’ll love it.”

The ranch. Leaving.

She hadn’t done that in…months. Six of them, to be exact, if Oaks was keeping track—and he probably was.

“I don’t know,” she said slowly. “It sounds amazing, but…”

“But?”

“I don’t know if I can.” Her voice was a whisper, even though no one but him could hear. “I’ve gotten so used to staying here. It feels…safe. Like a shield.”

He gave her a direct look. “I know. But Rhae, you’re not hiding anymore. And you’re not alone. I’m here. I’ve got this handled.”

She shook her head. She wasn’t hiding, not exactly. Not from the world, anyway. But the more she thought, she realized maybe she had become tethered to the ranch in an unhealthy way.

What kind of therapist told her clients to face fear, build strength, then turned around and hid behind locked doors?

He brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “Look, I know you’re worried about leaving the ranch, leaving Navy. You’ve done what you had to do to protect your daughter at all costs. But I want to give you time away. The town is small. No one is going to see us, not the way I plan to do things.”

That settled her nerves a little bit. Her eyes burned, but she blinked the sting away and forced a smile. “Okay. Dinner tonight.”

He grinned. “Damn right. It’s a date.”

They shared the rest of the snack, laughing while Navy smeared banana across her face. Then Rhae kissed Denver and took the baby out of her chair.

“Thank you for this, Denver. Really. It meant a lot to me.”

He stood, hovering over her, all man and muscle and protectiveness. “Back to work?”

“Yes. A couple more sessions this afternoon. You?”

“Heading to the security office. Carson’s got some light assignments for me.”

Her brows lifted. “So…you’re working for Black Heart Security?”

“Helping out a little. Nothing dangerous.”

She nodded, reassured. The old Denver—the always on alert, waiting for the phone call from his commanding officer Denver—would have jumped at any assignment. This version, the man who brought her charcuterie and wanted to take her to dinner, was different.

He was hers.

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