The sound of Scar’s voice broke the spell of Jason. Shayla’s heart skipped a beat as she turned to see Scar coming toward them like he would slay the dragon and fight off the opposing forces if necessary.

“What the—?” Jason looked back and undoubtedly was a bit intimidated by the former Navy SEAL trudging toward them with the ferocity of a lion.

“What the … ?” Scar stopped in her yard, broaching the deck.

“Scar?” she said, touching her mouth where Jason had just kissed her.

It would have been slightly amusing to her to see a scene like this in a romantic comedy movie. It would have been hilarious if it weren’t her life.

She moved away from Jason out onto the deck. “This is Jason,” she said, all her thoughts scrambling. “This …” She turned to Scar’s scary-looking face. A face she’d seen him wear during wrestling season before a match. She wanted to veer him away from this opponent, because it would not go well for Jason.

Scar way outmatched him.

Scar’s eyes flashed back and forth between them. “You’re the ex-boyfriend?”

“Yeah, I am.” Jason’s jaw tightened, and he glared at Scar. “Who are you?”

Shayla fumbled to explain to Scar. “He just showed up, and …” Her mouth felt dry. She felt like she was in front of judge and jury. She turned to Jason. “Jason, would you please just …” She didn’t know what to do. He didn’t have anywhere to go, he’d been living out of his truck, and there were still some things to sort out. “Go in my house for a second. I need to talk to Scar.”

Jason flicked his glare to her. “Shay?” he demanded.

Scar’s glare was on him. “Wait a second,” he said, seeming to be processing his profile. “This was the guy who ran the other night.” He pointed an accusing finger at Jason. “You were running.”

“You were chasing me?” Jason asked just as harshly, pointing back at Scar. “Jerk!”

“Why don’t you come down here and tell me about it!” Scar’s voice bordered on thundering as he took a step forward.

She put up both hands like she was blocking her brothers from a fight. “Stop!” She looked at Jason. “Go inside, please. I want to talk to you about everything, but I need to talk to Scar first.”

Sucking in a ragged breath, she saw the most ferocious look on Jason’s face. But he nodded, giving Scar a triumphant look. “I will go into your house,” he said, like he was throwing it in Scar’s face.

He shut the door, and Shayla turned to Scar. Already, his eyes were on hers. They were intense, fiery, every bit the SEAL she knew he was. She felt herself start to tremble. “Scar, I didn’t know he would show up here.”

“Uh-huh,” he said, the cynicism back in full force. “So the boyfriend shows up, and I find you in a lip-lock?” He sputtered. “Really, Shay?”

It took her off guard that he called her Shay instead of using one of her nicknames. It felt impersonal. Especially after everything that had been happening between them the past couple of days.

“Look,” she said, her mind racing. “Give me a chance to talk to Jason. I need to sort some things out.”

He scoffed. “Right. That means my time is done. Thank you for your service.” He said it like an officer would thank a soldier.

“Scar.” She couldn’t believe he was acting so rashly. “I spent most of my day making dinner for you. I went up to Loma Point and missed you. All I wanted was for you to get back here, okay? Because …” Did she have to say it? She couldn’t stop herself. “I’ve fallen in love with you.”

Now, his face hardened even more, and his lips twitched back to the sardonic smile. “So you fall in love with me, then you kiss your boyfriend when he shows up.”

Every part of her wanted to deny that she’d kissed Jason, but she had. “I did not kiss him, and it’s not that simple.”

“Isn’t it?” His face fell, looking ragged and vulnerable. “Are you really in love with me or not? Is it him or me?” The words were quiet and sharp.

Her mind raced. She needed to talk to Jason. He had been the one for her whole life. This thing with Scar felt huge, life-changing, but she just needed a minute.

Shaking his head at the silence, he shook his head and grunted. “Awesome. I know how to pick ’em.”

She felt shell-shocked and out of sorts. “You’re comparing me to one of those big-boobed bimbos that have everything fake about them?” She raised her voice. “Really, Scar?”

He shook his head and then swallowed and looked away from her, squeezing his eyes closed. He tugged a box out of his pocket.

Her heart hammered inside her chest. She didn’t know what was happening. He couldn’t be doing this.

Closing the gap between them, he popped open the lid. “I came here tonight to start something new with you.” His eyes looked vulnerable and stormy and confused, exactly the way she felt. He frowned, holding the ring suspended in the box in the air. “So I’m—” He broke off, then sucked in a breath. “I can’t believe I’m doing this, but …” He dropped to his knee.

Her hands reflexively went to her mouth, and tears were in her eyes.

“Will you marry me?” He blinked. “I don’t know what’s going on, but I do know that the only thing I care about is you and me. I’m throwing caution to the wind. I’m trusting and having faith. I love you, Kansas. I want it all with you. Our dreams. Our hopes. A future. In San Diego. Right now. I want to start. I want it right now with you.”

A thrill ran up her spine, and she reached for the ring with shaky fingers. “I want … Scar …” Her hand flattened. As she thought of Jason, uncertainty dampened her mood. “I—” Tears fell down her cheeks. “I …”

She thought of how she’d always seen herself married to Jason. Of how she’d only known Scar for such a short time.

At her silence, his face drained of all emotion. He stood, pulling the ring back and pushing it into his pocket. He shook his head.

“Scar, it’s not—I can’t just—would you give me a minute?” Oh, she was not explaining this well at all!

He scowled at her. “Carpe diem,” he said simply. “I wasn’t doing that until I met you, so thank you for that.” He barked out a laugh. “Man.”

Wanting to fix all this, but not knowing how, she just stood there.

His eyes met hers. “You fell in love with me, ya know?”

It made her half laugh, his cockiness, his arrogance, but it was true. “I know.” It was undeniable, so why deny it? She had fallen in love with him.

For a second, he hesitated. Then he gently took her hand, and she marveled at his warmth, the way her body felt on fire when she was next to him came to life. “Hey,” he said.

She blinked, and tears fell down her cheeks. This felt like the end. She hated it. She couldn’t stop herself. “Hey.”

His lips were on hers, and she felt his desire and his pain and all of her own feelings wrapped up in this kiss. In this time. In this moment.

It ended before she wanted it to.

Pulling back, he cocked an eyebrow at her. “Thank you for giving me back San Diego. I needed that.” He looked down. “Goodbye.” Then he left.