Kyle quickly changed and rushed to the kitchen and prepped two Ziploc bags full of ice. It was almost eleven. It’d been a long day, packed with lots of things. Funnily enough, he wasn’t tired at all. All he was worried about was Kennedy. He hated that she had hurt her ankle.

He thought about being here with her, and certainty surged inside of him. He wanted to be here, with her, forever.

It was strange. The last woman he’d wanted to marry was Cassidy. Tonight had been so ridiculous, but kind of nice too. It’d given him some closure.

The incident had made Cassidy and Anthony and their relationship real to him. They were just people, living life, having their own challenges.

Rushing up the stairs, to her room, he knocked at the door.

“Come in,” he heard her say. As he walked in, he saw she had changed into sweats and a T-shirt. She was lying on top of her bed, her foot propped up on a pillow, her hair wet. She looked so young right now.

He went to the bathroom and got a hand towel, then came back and situated the ice on the towel.

A look of pain flickered her face as she leaned back. “I hate it when I sprain my ankle. I’ve done a few times since moving to Miami. The first time I did it, I was in the ocean after I came off my board the wrong way and tweaked it. Now, it feels like it turns pretty easily.”

Kyle stood next to her, thinking about how they could apply direct pressure. “Can I have one of your socks?”

Looking surprised, she said, “Okay.”

He tugged off her sock, then used it as a wrap to keep the ice against her foot and tied it off. “There, that should help. We’ll keep ice on it today and tomorrow. I’ll help you start a strengthening regimen when it gets better to prevent a severe injury.” He wagged a finger at her. “You should have been doing a regimen of strengthening and stretching since you initially hurt it.”

Giving him a salute, she smiled at him. “Yes, sir.”

Finding it cute and a bit annoying at the same time, he backed off. “I know I can be a drill sergeant about it, but you have to take care of little injuries like these so they don’t lead to bigger ones.” The way she looked so fresh, so innocent, it hit him again how much he wanted to protect her and care for her. “Now, it’s late, and I want you to get some rest. I’ll set an alarm on my phone and be back to get the ice in half an hour.”

She took his hand. “Don’t leave. If you’re going to wait, just stay.”

The woman didn’t know what kind of predicament she was putting him in. He wanted to keep their relationship innocent, and being with her so late at night wasn’t helping. But he didn’t want to deny her, so he sat on the floor and propped his back against the night table.

She let out a light laugh. “I’m sorry. You’re still in your swimsuit.”

“It’s dried, pretty much.”

“You can sit on the bed, silly.”

“No, I can’t if we’re just kissing friends.” He kissed the back of her hand. “But wait.” He stood and dashed to the lights to turn them off. Settling on the floor, he kept his hand in hers.

“I don’t want you to be uncomfortable,” she said, but her voice sounded sleepy.

“I’m fine.”

Neither of them spoke. The moonlight filled the room, and her hand was warm.

Without thinking, he put it against his cheek and held it there. “I can’t tell you how many nights I spent in Afghanistan, on nights with bright moons like tonight, in much worse circumstances. Believe me, I’ll survive the floor for a bit.”

Trying to turn as much as she could onto her side and keep her ankle propped, she looked down at him. “Were you scared?”

“It was more like lots of boredom mixed with moments of sheer terror.” He shivered, thinking about one of the nights an explosion had gone off and he’d lost one of his guys.

She moved her hand to his head and pushed her fingers through his hair. “You still haven’t told me anything about you.”

He knew what she meant, but he didn’t want to get into it. “I think we’ve had a big enough night.”

She sighed. “Maybe, but you’re not off the hook, Bones.”

It made him smile that she was trying to sound all authoritative. “Okay.”

Silence fell between them. Even though he was propped up, he felt himself beginning to relax and get tired. He didn’t like talking about his childhood, and he never did, but maybe he would with Kennedy.

After waiting a half hour, he took the ice off and then tucked a blanket around her. She was fast asleep. He watched her for a moment and smiled. She really would call him a stalker if she could see him now.