His dad shrugged. “I don’t know. Hopefully, not. But Kyle’s company has a lot of military connections. Maybe he can find something out.”

Nodding, Linc blew out a breath. “If there is something to find out.”

His brother could’ve been in some backwoods country with no cell reception. Although, the more time that went by without word, the more if felt wrong.

Still, Mac was well trained. The elite of the elite. Delta Force. Linc found it hard to visualize his resourceful, lethal sibling needing to be rescued. He may be the younger brother, but the guy could probably kick his and Logan’s asses…at the same time.

“I need to thank you,” Hick said out of the blue.

Linc reeled back. “For what?”

“For putting the light back in Ashley’s eyes, and helping her find her smile again.”

Well hell, if that didn’t kick up his pulse a few beats. He wasn’t exactly sure how much the men knew about what was going on between him and Ashley, but considering he wasn’t sure either, he’d never brought it up. They weren’t sneaking around like in their youth, but they hadn’t really been in front of anyone other than Logan, Chloe, and Stef. And Joseph and Cady, when the couple had invited them over for supper last week.

“I think it’s safe to say it isn’t just from working on your house.” His dad smiled. “I’d say it’s you. You’re good for her.”

“She’s good for me,” he said without thinking.

The men exchanged a pleased look, but he ignored it. Didn’t really care what they had on their agenda. It was the truth. Ashley was good for him. She made him happy. Put the smile on his face. A genuine one he felt clear to his chest. 

“He’s not lying,” Logan said, finally removing his mouth from his wife long enough to speak a sentence.

“It’s nice to see them both happy and…real,” Chloe added as she and his brother walked further into the room with their arms still around each other.

Logan sat on a chair and pulled Chloe onto his lap. “They’re just what each other needs.”

Christ. Linc lifted his can and waved it. “I’m right here, you know.”

His father chuckled. “We’re just happy to see you happy.”

Hick nodded. “You’ve both been through hell. You deserve to be happy.”

He stiffened, and suffered through the accompanying grip of his gut whenever he thought about the men who had died instead of him. Sure, Linc knew it wasn’t his fault, and there wasn’t a damn thing he could’ve done, but the survivor’s guilt crippled him just the same. Funny thing was, now that he thought about it, he hadn’t had the nightmare in days. Ever since…

Ashley.

“Just, do me a favor, would you, Linc?” Hick turned to him, his blue gaze earnest.

“If I can.”

“Don’t hurt her. I know you wouldn’t intentionally,” the guy rushed to say. “But she’s fragile right now, so if you could take it slow, I’d sure appreciate it.”

Hurt her? Hell, he’d never do that. He loved her…

His heart dropped to his ribs at the unexpected admission. Although, it shouldn’t be unexpected. She was the first girl to touch his heart. Maybe it wasn’t just his close calls on deployment that kept him from wanting a relationship. Maybe deep down, he wanted one, but only with her.

“I care about you, too,” Hick rushed to say.

Linc nodded. “It’s okay. I get it. She’s your niece. And just so you know, so you all know,” he emphasized, meeting all their gazes. “Ashley’s the one calling the shots. She’s in the driver’s seat of this…whatever this is we’re in.”

Hick blew out a breath and smiled, slapping his shoulder. “You’re a good man.”

“That’s my boy.” His dad lifted his beer in a salute. “A good man treats his woman with care and respect.”

Was Ashley his woman?

God, he hoped so.

Although he had no idea what to do about it.

“Then Logan is a very good man,” Chloe stated, receiving a heated kiss from his brother before she glanced at his dad. “You’ve raised good sons, Mr…AJ…Dad,” she stuttered.

“Why thank you, Chloe. Their mom and I think so.”

And Linc was thinking he had somewhere much more important to be. He set his half-empty can on the coffee table and rose to his feet. “If you’ll excuse me, I have someone I’d like to go see.”

Chloe’s earlier enthusiasm started to make sense. Two and a half days were much too long to be separated from the woman he loved.

There was no denying it. Linc might as well face it. He loved Ashley. Always had. Ever since their very first encounter on that porch swing, decades ago.

Of course, he was clueless as to what the hell to do about it. What to say. How to act. It was new territory for him. But he had enough sense to know to play it cool with Ashley. He didn’t want to spook her, so he was going to keep it close to the vest and hope he could figure out a way to convince her to stay in Texas.

Valentine’s Day was a good start. It was only a few days away. He had no idea if Ashley was dreading it, or looking forward to it. Just in case, he was going to do something special for her.

A plan was already forming in his head.

***

Ashley was shocked at what she saw when she accidentally glanced in her bathroom mirror. The old Ashley. The one with a smile on her face and in her eyes, and no lines in her forehead from a constant frown. Somehow, since the start of the new year, she’d changed. And she knew why.

Linc.

For some reason, he approached her at Chloe’s wedding with his old friendly, non-threatening manner, and she was honestly surprised at how little she’d resisted against picking up their friendship. But, damn, she was so glad she had, because the past few weeks had been incredible. She’d slowly shed her lingering grief and guilt, and found her footing, and her wings again.

Then things got even better. The parts where they got naked. Linc had a gorgeous body and was a considerate, unselfish friend, which carried over into his lovemaking. He took her out of herself and that’s when she really learned to fly, and heaven help her, she didn’t want to come down

Didn’t want to leave.

She sighed at her reflection before returning to her room to get dressed. Leaving was the last thing she wanted to think about, especially today.

Valentine’s Day.

The others in her past were nice. Most were spent alone, due to Neil’s deployments, and the times he was home, they usually exchanged cards over a nice dinner out and celebrated the rest in bed. All in all, though, they’d been pretty good.

Memories washed over her of those times and warmed her heart, instead of ripping it out. God, she was grateful to be able to finally look back fondly on her time with her Neil without sinking further into herself.

This Valentine’s Day…today, she was with Linc.

Was she with Linc?

Yes. She nodded. She was with Linc and wanted to make the day special for him and have the memory to cherish, too. They agreed to take the day off and meet up later. Apparently he had a surprise for her. A smile tugged her lips.

Well, she had one for him as well.

He was going to love his. She hoped. Smile still in place, she opened the top drawer of her dresser and removed the red satin and lace teddy from between the tissue paper the sales clerk wrapped it in at the specialty store where she shopped with Chloe yesterday. The two of them had snuck off while the guys were busy repairing a fence in the corral out behind her uncle’s cabin.

She picked out something with Linc in mind, knowing he liked to use his hands and teeth on her…a lot. Warmth funneled into her belly as remembered incidences of just that flashed through her mind. She eyed the sexy garment. Yes, ribbons he could easily untie were definitely the way to go.

Pulse kicking up, she shimmied into the teddy, then covered it with a simple wrap-around red dress she’d also purchased for today. She was just double-checking her reflection when a knock sounded on her door.

Linc. He was early.

She didn’t care. With anticipation bubbling inside, she answered the door and frowned. No one was there. “Hello? Linc?” She stepped onto the porch to glance up and down the road, but it was empty too. Not even a speck of dirt in the air from a recent vehicle.

Odd.

She turned to go inside and that’s when she saw it. A big red heart stuck to her door. Her grin returned, along with a warm tightening in her chest. Ashley tugged the heart free and turned it over.

A is for Amity. The place we first met.

The swing. Grinning, she rushed back into the cabin to slip on the red stilettos she’d borrowed from Stef. Thankfully, they wore the same size, because otherwise she would’ve had to buy some since Chloe wouldn’t have any. According to Stef, insurance companies banned her sister from even looking at a pair.

Taking one last, quick glance in the mirror, she stared at her old teenage, exuberant self. It was weird, especially since she felt like her old teenage, exuberant self, too.

A feeling of fun, carefree excitement washed over her. Laughing, she grabbed her purse and headed for her car, glancing around one last time to see if Linc was lingering in the bushes or behind a tree. Satisfied she was alone, she headed for the first place they met.

The porch swing at his house.

The smile was still on her face when she parked next to his truck in his driveway. Anticipation kicked up a few notches when she spotted another big red heart on the swing. She was out of the car and onto the porch as fast as her high-heels would allow, their staccato on the floor boards following her to the swing. She sat down and picked up her second heart.

S is for sink where you sat your sweet ass.

Laughter bubbled up her throat as she rose to her feet. First A, and now S. Was he spelling out ASS?

Seemed like something he’d do, considering he had a fixation for her ass. And boobs. And legs. And other parts that he loved to take in his big fixation. She opened the door, but didn’t bother to call out. He went through the trouble to set this up, whatever it was, and she was going to see it through to the end.

Heading up the stairs, her shoes clapped off each step, mimicking her heartbeats as she rushed to find the next heart. On her way, she glanced into the empty room where she’d painted his nose and smiled at the memory. Who would’ve thought that fun impulse would play a part today?

Linc was as cute as he was clever, and she couldn’t wait to see what was next. Stepping into the bathroom, she spotted her third red heart propped up in the sink. She kind of hoped this was the last one, because she just wanted to get to him. Still smiling, a normal occurrence thanks to Linc, Ashley picked up the third heart.

H is for heart—the keeper holds the key.

Hers rocked hard in her chest. Was he saying she held his heart?

That thought thrilled her more than it should, considering their time was almost up. It doesn’t have to be, her mind whispered. Ashley knew this. Lately, she’d been kicking ideas around, trying to come up with a solution to continue seeing Linc. She got the impression he didn’t want it to end, either. Perhaps today was a good day to bring it up.

Grasping at the positive, she walked out of the bathroom, trying to determine where she was supposed to head next, when the flickering candlelight behind a half-opened door caught her eye.

The master bedroom.

With her heart thudding up in her throat, she lifted a shaky hand and pushed the door open to find the room fully furnished. How? When? There were gorgeous mahogany dressers and matching king-size bed, and even a table in the corner with a white tablecloth, two place settings, and single rose, all cast in the romantic glow of a dozen candles.

It took her breath.

So did Linc.

Dressed in a white button-down shirt and black pants, he inhaled when he saw her, his gaze full of affection that stole her breath.

When had he done all this? Then she remembered he’d left her cabin right after breakfast that morning, under the guise of work. She’d thought he’d meant for the company. The sneak must’ve been here most of the day to get it ready, because as of last night, this room hadn’t been painted yet.

Her heart was bursting from his thoughtfulness. His playfulness. His selflessness.

“Linc…” was all she could manage with the thick lump stuck in her throat. Her eyes burned, too.

Dammit.

She blinked them clear as she stepped to where he stood in the middle of the room, holding another heart. A bigger one.

It matched the size of his grin, and as she drew closer, a flash of anxiety flickered through his warm gaze. She hated that she made him anxious.

“I love it.” She touched his face and brushed his cheek with her thumb. “I can’t believe you did all this for me.”

He kissed her palm. “There’s more,” he said, setting the big heart in her hands.

Inhaling a deep breath, she turned the heart around and gasped.