Page 103 of Gorgeous

“That’s great, Cade. I’m so proud of you.”

And I mean it.

Cade flashes me an annoyed look, his frown looking extremely kissable. “Be quiet and listen,” he scolds me. “What I’m trying to say is that I’m asking for a do-over. A clean slate. I’ll be real with you and you be real with me. No more lying. No more hiding.”

I swallow, blinking back at the face that has come to mean so much to me.

“Are you saying you forgive me? For not being honest with you about Bennett?”

Cade unbuckles my seatbelt and slides me to him. “I’m saying I love you, Brecklyn Brannon, and I’m asking if you can give me another chance to be the man your brother knew.”

I kiss his lips, the wetness of my tears smearing his face. “I don’t want the man my brother knew. I want the man who brushes marshmallows out of my hair. The man who walks on the outside of me so I don’t get hit by oncoming traffic. I want the stubborn pain in the ass that asks me to talk dirty to him.” I push at his chest, wanting him to lay back. I’m about to blow this man in Sue’s driveway. Yeah, shit is about to get classy in here. But Cade hisses as if he’s in pain, and I stop my near assault. “Oh my gosh. Did I hurt you?”

Cade grimaces, tugging his shirt up for me to see. Half of his chest is covered in a tattoo, covering his scars. The other half is bare, his scars evident in the sunlight. I trace the angry skin, irritated by the new ink.

“I didn’t want to look like the old Cade,” he mumbles, watching my face for a reaction. Gently, my fingertips graze his skin, over the burning tree, tracing the wings of the fleeing birds.

“It’s beautiful,” I tell him before placing a kiss on the bare scars on his chest, making sure this side of him doesn’t get forgotten in the newness of the ink. He is who he is because of what he endured.

“Let me take you home, B.” His question is hesitant like he’s scared I might turn him down. I drag his shirt back down, kissing him lightly along his stubbled jaw.

“Okay, Major Jameson. Let’s go home.”

This isn’t a movie and therefore we didn’t drive off with the wind in our hair and smiles on our faces. I went back inside and cried and snotted in Sue’s shirt while Cade stood awkwardly off to the side. He then had the pleasure of mercilessly teasing me while he helped me pack up my room.

Everyone has period panties, okay? Do not lie and say you don’t.

“Those are Sue’s. Put them down,” I say flatly.

Cade laughs, holding the worst pair of panties up for me to see. “These are not Sue’s,” the idiot argues.

I snatch them from his shaking hands and shove him toward the closet. “How about you carry the boxes out to the truck so I can give these panties back to Sue?”

He doesn’t buy it, but he picks up two boxes and carries them outside, his laughter carrying down the hallway.

Men.

A few hours later, all I could pack up is loaded in the back of Cade’s truck. I kiss Sue goodbye and tell her I’ll be back Monday morning.

Homegirl still needs a day job.

And besides, Sue is like family, and baking with her has become a constant in my life. Cade said Anniston offered me a job at the Foundation, cooking for the house since they anticipate more veterans, but I told her I would do that for free. Cooking is something I enjoy doing for my family.

Twenty minutes later,as the truck pulls into the driveway, all five guys and their commander stand on the porch holdingWelcome Homesigns and smiles.

It’s then that I know exactly what Bennett was feeling in his letter to me.

I’ve finally found my place.

I’m finally home.

“Rise and shine, Jameson! It’s moving day.”

Theo seems obnoxiously loud this morning. I have no idea what time it is, and I refuse to look. Exhaustion is real. Groaning, I roll over, feeling for the warm body next to me, and hook an arm around her naked torso, pulling her into me. My cock greets her first, jumping against her ass with the mere possibility of being inside her again. Granted, this is why I’m so tired in the first place.

I realized right off the bat that sleeping next to Breck was a far better solution than sleeping pills. It’s not often that the nightmares strike anymore. Talking to the therapist, and to the families of my fallen team, has brought me some peace, at least where their deaths are concerned.

I still suffer from flashbacks, but instead of Drew standing there accusing me, I see him next to me, in the trenches, both of us fighting alongside each other. I still wake up sweating and needing to run out the memories, but instead, Breck holds my face and counts down from ten, pushes me back down, and then loves me until the last thing that’s on my mind is leaving the bed.

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