Page 296 of Her Reluctant Hero
He couldn’t meet her eyes after a declaration like that. “She loved an ideal.”
“You accused me of the same thing.”
He grinned and looked at her. “I stand by it.”
She didn’t say anything for a long time, and he wondered if she believed him. He couldn’t convince her if she didn’t.
“Gabe, I’ve been thinking about this whole hero thing. I get it now.”
“What do you get?”
“It’s not the danger giving you the rush, bringing you back. It’s this.”
He was afraid to ask. “What’s this?” he asked anyway. Hell, he was Gabe Cooper, and according to Peyton, not afraid of anything. Except losing her.
“Knowing you did the right thing, you were brave enough to make a difference. It’s the greatest feeling in the world.”
He chuckled and kissed her fingertips. “Damn, Peyton, you’re bit.”
“How can I have written about people who were so committed to their jobs they put their lives on the line without understanding that? How can I have learned all this about heroes without wanting to be one? I want to be the best I can be. I had two wonderful teachers, you and Dan. It just took me awhile to learn the lesson.”
He kissed her forehead. “If you want to be a Hot Shot, I know a good teacher.”
