Chapter 21
Charlotte stood with the others in a hallway far from the theater, telling herself Cowboy knew what he was doing. She knew that was true, but she still wanted to bite her fingernails to the quick like she used to when she was younger, and she crossed her arms over her chest to keep from doing it.
“He’s going to be okay,” said Abby. “He does this for a living. He knows what he’s doing.”
Charlotte nodded noncommittally. She and Harrison exchanged a knowing look. Cowboy was an expert, but even that provided little comfort. At this very moment, Leo was defusing a bomb that had the power to kill him.
She felt the urge to cry and bit down on her lip to stifle it. He was such a great guy. The world needed him to be okay. She needed him to be okay.
He’s fine. He knows what he’s doing. He’s a Navy SEAL, for God’s sake.
Her eyes closed. She willed him to walk around the corner so she could throw her arms around him and squeeze him tightly.
How she loved their night of passion and the easy comfort between them.
He felt good by her side, as if he was meant to be there and had always been so.
Already she knew her bed would feel empty without him, the nights both longer and cold.
Maybe we can see each other after this cruise.
That was not part of the plan, but hope lit in her chest like a distant candle, small and far away but visible in the darkness. Wasn’t he enjoying their time together, too? Surely it was possible he would want it to continue.
She wanted it more than she had any right to want anything, and the intensity of her longing frightened her.
Since her divorce, she’d tried to embrace being alone.
She’d never done that before, hopping from one boyfriend to another until she’d married Rick her senior year of high school, and she didn’t expect to want another man in her life so soon.
But I do.
Cowboy's voice startled her. “Piece of cake.”
Charlotte’s eyes flew open and she ran to him, her arms open wide. Then he was against her, his body solid and whole, and the tears she had been struggling to contain stung her eyes. “You stupid shit,” she said, punching his arm. “I thought you could be dead.”
Cowboy chuckled. “Don’t mince words, Charlotte. Tell me what you really think.”
Abby thumped Cowboy on the back. “Great job, Leo.”
Charlotte smiled against Cowboy’s neck. “You’re all sweaty.”
“That happens when your life flashes before your eyes.”
She let him go and looked into his smiling face. He was beautiful, and he was alive. She took a deep breath and exhaled with relief. “You should take me to dinner after all of this is over.”
“Should I?”
Oh, fuck.
She’d crossed the line, stepped out of the box, violated their unspoken agreement.
She had offered him a fling — sex, and only sex — not a relationship and certainly not a commitment.
Although she wanted to tell herself it was just dinner, she knew she was asking for more than that and it was clear as day to both of them.
Who could blame Cowboy for feeling blindsided?
“Never mind. You don’t have to,” she said.
“Relax.” He smiled. “I was thinking the same thing.”
“You were?”
“Yep.”
Between him being alive and him wanting to date her, Charlotte thought her heart might burst.
A quick, rhythmic thump reverberated through the ship, slowly getting louder. “What is that?” asked Harrison.
Cowboy’s eyes went wide. “Helicopter.” He ran down the hallway, calling over his shoulder, “HERO Force is here.”