Risking It All
Page 21
Stella had rubbed her shoulders last night, comforted her until Rina cried herself to sleep. She’d thought she’d been working herself too hard to think, but obviously, this thing with Cash was bigger than she thought. More distracting. More impossible. Having Justin here had helped—the link to Cash had made everything bearable.
She was about to call out. I thought you left last night, but something made her breath hitch. The man walking toward her was definitely not Justin. There was no lighting trick.
It was Cash.
She became dizzy and energized at the same time, and she managed to step off the porch but went no farther. Her feet remained glued to the red dust. He wasn’t smiling, but he was completely focused on her, didn’t stop walking until he was inches from her. Then he dropped his bag and finally he gave her a half smile.
“You’re here,” she whispered, and reached out to touch him, his cheek, his shoulder, chest, to make sure she really wasn’t seeing things.
“Yeah. Guess I am.”
“But I thought…Justin said…You said…”
“I wasn’t sure if I could do it,” he interrupted. “I knew I wanted to—needed to see you. I knew I had to come and tell you that I love you, but it was something I had to do on my own. A decision I had to make for myself. I hope you can understand that.”
Her heart soared. Because Johnny Cashman loved her. “I get it, Cash.”
“I guess you always have,” he said. “The tape you left behind proved that.”
“Did I do my job in convincing young men everywhere that being a Navy SEAL isn’t all about the thrill and the adrenaline rush?” she asked. He tilted his head, and his eyes caught the sunlight.
“You made us proud. You made me proud. And you gave me the kick in the ass that I needed.”
She couldn’t help it, stood on tiptoes and kissed him, a slow, lingering kiss. She’d missed that—the feel of his mouth, the rough scrape of his cheek against hers. The safety of his arms.
She didn’t want to be without that indefinitely, ever again. And when he broke the kiss, he gave her a bigger smile.
“Is she treating you right?” He motioned around him toward the quiet of the sunrise, and she understood he was talking about the country. It was a place she could tell he had a lot of love and respect for, even though he’d been hurt deeply by what happened here.
“Better, now that you’re in it. I think you can make anyone behave,” she said.
“Except you, which is pretty much the way I’ve come to like it.” He paused. “I can only stay a week. This time.”
“Then we’ll make the most of what we’ve got,” she said. “As long as you don’t mind visiting me on location.”
“I don’t even want to know where you’re thinking about going next,” he murmured against her cheek.
“Right back at you. You know, I think it’s sexy that you can’t tell me where you are half the time.”
He chuckled, pulled her close to him. “I’ll show you sexy, Rina, because I plan on not being able to tell you where I am for a long, long time.”
“How long?”
“As long as you’ll have me,” he said, and swallowed hard before he spoke again. When he did, his voice was clear and firm. “I do love you, Rina.”
She reached up to caress his cheek, the rough stubble tickling her palm, and she looked into those bluer-than-blue eyes and told him that she loved him, too.
This incredible man had come full circle, right back to where he’d started. And nothing had ever felt more right than Rina being in Africa, and in Cash’s arms.
ISBN: 978-1-4268-0189-1RISKING IT ALL
Copyright © 2007 by Stephanie Tyler.
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