Former Army Ranger Matt Saunders knows all about nightmares. He’s spent the last year recovering from an injury he sustained during his last tour and the hellish events that caused it. Anxious to prove that he is fit to go back overseas, he accepts the bodyguard job. The resort is everything they imagined - tranquil, safe, and a place to heal. Gradually, they open up to each other and realize they have a lot in common – except their future plans. When a resort video goes viral, Lanie's stalker knows just where to find her.
Matt couldn’t help himself. He kissed the top of Lanie’s head again and inhaled the citrus-and-floral scent that was now a familiar comfort to him.
She tilted her head up to him, a lazy smile on her lips. “This is heaven. Let’s forget the rest of the world and just be.” Her eyes pleaded with his for understanding. “Like the song.”
He touched his lips to her forehead. “I’d like that.” He pulled back to look at her. “But I don’t know how.” He closed his eyes and leaned his forehead on hers.
Lanie reached out her hand and placed it on his cheek. She turned his face back to her. “I do. Even if only for a moment.”
Matt froze as she pulled his head down toward hers and gently kissed his lips. Shocks he could only describe as lightning shot through his every nerve. He sat still, stiff as the igneous rock beneath him, paralyzed with awe and fear. How could such a soft touch electrify him from head to toe?
Lanie was so beautiful, and so trusting. She was facing her fears head on and working through her pain in her effort to return to normal. He knew that was a myth. You couldn’t go back, only create a new normal. Why couldn’t he push past his barriers like she was doing? Why was he so messed up he couldn’t enjoy a kiss from a woman like Lanie? Why couldn’t he even kiss her back? He wanted to, more than anything. What was wrong with him? Why couldn’t he trust himself? She drew back and searched his eyes.
“Lanie.” He pulled away. He hoped she couldn’t hear the anguish in his voice. “We can’t—”
“I know. I got caught up in the moment. But what if we could get lost here?” She turned and scooted away from him. She pulled her knees up to her chin and hugged them. “Just disappear.”
She tilted her head up to him, a lazy smile on her lips. “This is heaven. Let’s forget the rest of the world and just be.” Her eyes pleaded with his for understanding. “Like the song.”
He touched his lips to her forehead. “I’d like that.” He pulled back to look at her. “But I don’t know how.” He closed his eyes and leaned his forehead on hers.
Lanie reached out her hand and placed it on his cheek. She turned his face back to her. “I do. Even if only for a moment.”
Matt froze as she pulled his head down toward hers and gently kissed his lips. Shocks he could only describe as lightning shot through his every nerve. He sat still, stiff as the igneous rock beneath him, paralyzed with awe and fear. How could such a soft touch electrify him from head to toe?
Lanie was so beautiful, and so trusting. She was facing her fears head on and working through her pain in her effort to return to normal. He knew that was a myth. You couldn’t go back, only create a new normal. Why couldn’t he push past his barriers like she was doing? Why was he so messed up he couldn’t enjoy a kiss from a woman like Lanie? Why couldn’t he even kiss her back? He wanted to, more than anything. What was wrong with him? Why couldn’t he trust himself? She drew back and searched his eyes.
“Lanie.” He pulled away. He hoped she couldn’t hear the anguish in his voice. “We can’t—”
“I know. I got caught up in the moment. But what if we could get lost here?” She turned and scooted away from him. She pulled her knees up to her chin and hugged them. “Just disappear.”
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