Page 62 of Iron Heart

For a moment, there’s silence.Then I feel his lips gently kiss my forehead.“Never,” he

whispers, but I’m already slipping into sleep, comforted by the sound of his voice and the realization that my heart has found its home.

* * *

As I wake to the soft morning light filtering through the curtains, I’m momentarily disoriented.Ah, my room.The events of last night—the panic attack—flood back.Oddly, I don’t feel as bad about it as I usually would.Rising from the bed, the aroma of breakfast lures me toward the kitchen, and I’m ready to start a new day, especially with him.

There he is, Kingsley, standing at the stove, flipping pancakes.It’s a domestic scene, so at odds with the trained soldier of yesterday, but it’s also reassuring in its normalcy and couldn’t be more perfect.

“Morning,” he says, not taking his eyes off the skillet.“Hope you’re hungry.”

I hesitate, feeling the weight of last night’s emotional upheaval between us.“Kingsley, about last night… thank you—”

He sets the spatula down and turns to look at me.“You don’t have to thank me, Victoria.We all have our demons, our moments.What’s important is how we face them and who we choose to face them with.You chose me, and I feel forever grateful for your trust.”

The sincerity in his eyes disarms me, and he offers me a slight smile that weakens my knees.

“Thank you,” I manage to say, my voice barely above a whisper.

He picks up the spatula again, flips a golden pancake onto a plate, and sets it in front of me.“Eat up.We’ve got a new day ahead of us.”

Sitting at the kitchen island, I take another bite of the delicious pancake, feeling a warmth spread through me that has nothing to do with the food.My eyes drift over to Kingsley, who’s meticulously cleaning the skillet.

“You know, Mr.Disciplined, I’m surprised to see you flipping pancakes.No kale smoothies and raw eggs?”

He chuckles, turning off the stove and coming over to join me at the kitchen counter.“Ah, you’ve caught me.I do usually keep it pretty strict, but I figured today called for something special.”

“Special?Really?”I arch an eyebrow, genuinely intrigued.

He slides into the chair beside me, our knees lightly touching.“Yeah.I’ve learned that sometimes you have to make exceptions for exceptional people.”

His eyes meet mine, and the electricity between us is palpable.For a guy who’s usually all steel and edges, Kingsley sure knows how to turn on the charm when he wants to.And right now, I’m definitely not immune.

“So, what’s the plan?”I ask, soaking my pancake into the sticky maple syrup.

“We’re commandeering a boat for the day.”Kingsley grins, his eyes sparkling with a secret he’s been eager to reveal.

My fork hits the table with a clang.“Wow, really?Where to?”

“A secluded cove.You’ll see.You’ll love it,” he says with a sly wink, making my heart boom.

21

Kingsley

The boat cuts through the open water, wind rustling our hair and salt clinging to our skin.I navigate us into the hidden cove, drop the anchor, and watch her reaction.The place is otherworldly with azure water so clear it’s like a window to the coral world below.

“This is surreal, Kingsley.I never knew places like this existed,” she says, awe filling her voice.”How did you find it?”

“I’ll be honest, I looked up Trip Advisor and, after scouring page after page, saw someone recommend this cove.”

She laughs, her eyes twinkling.“Trip Advisor?”Unbuttoning her shirt and slipping off her skirt, she reveals a polka-dot bikini that instantly ramps up the temperature.“Let’s swim,” she suggests, and honestly, I can’t think of a better idea.

We spend the day swimming, snorkeling, sunbathing, and eating a delicious picnic lunch of fresh fruits and salad.And as we head back to the marina, our eyes lock, and she gently squeezes my hand.The simple touch sends a wave of emotion through me, and I understand I’m not just falling for her.I’m already head over heels in love.The realization both thrills and terrifies me because I’m too damn scared I’ll lose her.

She catches me staring and grins.“This is the best day, Kingsley.Thank you for this.”

The sun is setting as I dock the boat and secure it.“Feel like some lobster?”I ask Victoria, pointing to the many chalkboard menus of the restaurants dotted along the jetty.

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