Scar wasn’t sure what time he’d woken up the next morning. Sunlight was filtering into the room, and his hand was still interlaced with hers even though both of them had snuggled into their separate pillows. Not wanting to unwind his fingers from hers, he took this opportunity to look at her. Her red hair fell in gentle waves around her face, all messy and a bit ratty. Her pale skin and freckles made him smile. Her skin was perfect, and he resisted the urge to reach over and move the hair on her cheek. Loving this freedom he had to really, unabashedly, study her, his eyes trailed her neck and down to the tank top she wore. She wasn’t overly curvy, just perfect. A yoga body, he decided.

He thought of the guy last night and the same desire to kill the guy pulsed through him. He hated freaks like that. Who thought they could just do whatever they wanted to whatever woman they wanted to torture.

Sucking in a breath, he refocused on her. His thoughts drifted to always wanting to protect her. To be there for her. Marriage. It hit the center of his chest. Was he really thinking that? He sighed and knew he was, which was so weird and not him. His brother would laugh his butt off. His eyes trailed lower, from her lips down to her legs. She wore shorts and her legs were long and lean. Down to her feet. He suddenly realized her toenails had pink glitter polish on them. It was strange, but he thought about how he’d never really noticed that before, even though she’d been in flip-flops last night.

It made him smile. He liked the sparkles. She was girlish in a sweet, innocent way. The way she’d kicked that guy last night had proven … she learned quickly. He thought about the fact that he would keep teaching her ways to defend and protect herself.

He liked the idea of that.

Checking the time on his watch, he realized they needed to get up. It was past six-thirty and they needed to get on the road to Oceanside by seven, especially considering traffic. He squeezed her hand a bit, finally allowing himself to push the hair out of her face. “Time to get up, sleepyhead.”

Her eyes popped open, and she sat up. “Oh my gosh.”

He laughed and put a gentle hand on her hand. “Do you still want to go today?”

She blinked and nodded, a smile stretching across her face. “Yeah.”

“Great.” He winked at her and got up. “We have to leave in thirty minutes, so let’s grab some breakfast quickly and go. No need for a shower. We’re going to the ocean!”

A bit later, when he came out of the bathroom, she was standing at the window, staring out. He moved next to her, unable to resist putting an arm around her waist and pulling her into him. Loving that she relaxed against him like she belonged there, he stroked a hand down her arm and laced his fingers with hers.

She sighed. “It’s so beautiful. Sometimes, I just feel like I’m in a movie or something, like this can’t be my life.”

Taking notice of the ocean and the surfers out there already, he smiled, thinking she’d changed the way he looked at San Diego. “Yeah. It is beautiful.”

She looked up at him and frowned. “Are you talking about the ocean or me?”

He kissed her cheek. “Both.”

She laughed.

“Hey,” he said, asking it like a question.

“Hey.” The way she looked a bit shy in the morning light drove him mad for her. As if he wasn’t mad enough.

He took her into a kiss and deepened it, wishing he hadn’t promised himself or her he would obey boundaries.

She laughed through the kiss. “How did we happen?”

He was wondering the same thing. “I don’t know, but I’m glad we did.”

Their eyes held. He thought he would never get tired of gazing into hers.

Her lip turned up. “Hey.”

He laughed, already seeking her lips. “Hey.”

* * *

As they drove to Oceanside, Scar was anxious for her to see what they were doing before surfing. When he took a turn for the airport hangar, she sputtered. “Wait, the beach exit is up further.”

“I know,” he said, smiling at her.

“O-kay, so where are we going?”

“You’ll see.” He grinned.

She let out a happy laugh and smacked his arm, which she had a habit of doing when she was excited. He liked her touching him in any way. “What’s going on?”

He pulled off the exit and turned right. The airport hangar wasn’t far. When they parked and got out, she was almost yipping like a Chihuahua because she was so excited. “Scar, tell me!” she begged.

It made him smile as he opened her door and took her hand to walk toward the gate. He spotted his friend already waiting for them. “You’ll see.”

She did a little jump, and he laughed, thinking how young she seemed. She was. The reality of that age difference hit him in the gut. He wasn’t sure if her parents would like him or not, since he was roughly seven years older than her. Well, maybe they would work it out.

Scar knuckle-bumped his friend through the gate. “Lollipop, this is Kansas. Kansas, Lollipop.”

Lollipop turned to her and opened the gate. “You already got a nickname from the lieutenant, I see.”

The gate opened, and she and Scar walked through. She narrowed her eyes at both of them. “I guess you served together.”

Scar smiled and jerked a thumb at Lollipop. “Joe Saunders, but Lollipop to me.”

Lollipop waved them forward, and they fell into step with him. He turned to Shayla. “Don’t even tell me where you got your nickname. Lieutenant isn’t that creative.”

She laughed. Scar could tell she felt comfortable, but she still gave him a crazy look like she was about to explode. “What are we doing?”

Lollipop raised an eyebrow at Scar. “You haven’t told her?”

Scar loved this. They got to the tarmac, where a helicopter awaited. “Helicopter ride over Oceanside.” He presented the copter to her like Bob Barker would show a special piece of gold jewelry.

Her hand flew to her mouth. “Oh my gosh.” She stared at the helicopter, tears swimming in her eyes. “No way.” She shook her head back and forth, then grabbed his arm and jerked him closer, murmuring, “Way more than fifty dollars.”

He shook his head and turned to Lollipop, who was busy doing a safety check. “Nope, not for friends.”

An amazed look, filled with gratitude and humility, washed over her face. She blinked and wiped at her nose as she sniffed. “Scar.”

Scar knew, as his heart froze, that he wanted to see that look of love and hero-worship on her face for the rest of his life. He grinned and pulled her roughly into a hug. “You’re fine, Kansas.”

She hugged him, but blinked and pulled away. He could see she was getting herself under control as Lollipop moved back to them.

Lollipop took in the scene and gave Scar a look like, What the …?

Scar shook his head and let her go, keeping her hand. “We’re ready for the big tour.”

Lollipop went over safety concerns and directions with the headphones and how you had to speak into the microphone. He explained they were on a special frequency so no one could hear them talk, even though they would hear some air traffic.

She shook her head. “I cannot believe you did this.”

“It’s only a twenty-minute ride,” Scar said. “It’s not like I gave you the moon.”

“No,” she said. “This is over the moon.”

As they got in, Scar insisted she sit in front. This was for her. He’d been in plenty of helicopters.

Lollipop took them up and headed straight for the ocean.

She turned back and grinned at Scar. “I had no idea the freeway was so close.”

He nodded, loving her excitement.

The helicopter got to the ocean, and he saw her pull out her phone and start recording. Lollipop was the perfect tour guide, explaining all the tourist spots. “Over there is where the best whale watching is.” He took them back toward the coastline and pointed. “There is Camp Pendleton.” He looked back at Scar. “That’s where Scar and I were tortured for a couple of months while going through training.”

Scar thought of the waterlogged days and endless nights they’d spent on the beach doing drills, all to push them to their limit and test their mental stability. Hell Week with Lollipop had been brutal.

Lollipop turned to him. “Bet you’re glad you’re with a pretty girl today and not doing drills.”

Scar laughed. “Ah, yeah.”

She kept the camera on and turned to record him. “He is my hero. He talked his buddy into giving us a tour.”

Scar waved at the camera and pointed back to the ocean, trying to distract her from recording him. Hero? Hmm, he didn’t like that word. He pointed. “There’s the house that was in the movie Top Gun.”

Distracted, she turned, still recording.

Lollipop continued. “Yep, Top Gun was recorded at Pendleton. That’s the famous house of the girlfriend.” Lollipop pointed farther down. “That’s the street the famous motorcycle scene from the movie was filmed on.”

She kept recording and turned to look back at Scar.

Unable to resist, he pulled his own phone out and snapped a picture of her in the headgear, gazing out. She looked ecstatic. Seeing through her eyes, he shared the joy of the moment. It was awesome.

Lollipop continued down the coastline. “There’s Oceanside Beach, best surfing anywhere in Cali.” He smiled at her. “I hear you’re giving it a shot today.”

Shayla shifted in her seat. “I’m nervous.”

Lollipop winked at her. “Don’t be. Lieutenant’s a great teacher. He taught me.”

Scar nodded.

Lollipop pointed to the pier. “If you go on that pier, you’ll run into Ruby’s. It’s a great diner. Have Scar take you.”

Scar didn’t want to tell Lollipop he had plans for that already.

It wasn’t long before Lollipop turned around and headed back. Shayla asked Lollipop questions about himself and found out he was from Louisville, Kentucky. They shared some midwestern jokes for the rest of the return.

After they landed and waited for the helicopter to stop, Scar asked Lollipop to take some pics of them in front of the helicopter.

When Scar ran over to give him the phone and position him, Lollipop said, “She’s a keeper.”

Scar turned, surprised he’d said that. “You think?”

“Never seen you look so whipped before.”

Scar slugged him in the arm.

Lollipop just laughed.

As Scar posed with Shayla for the picture, he thought about how he would remember this day forever.