Chapter Eighteen #2
Zee didn’t detect any stress in the muscled frame of his body, but she felt a subtle change in him.
When Gabe jogged off to talk to one of the vets, Zee caught Church’s gaze. “You nervous?”
“A little.”
“That’s what makes you a great commander. You are humble enough to know what’s at stake.”
He held her gaze for several heartbeats. “Humble enough to know what I have right here.” He flexed his arms around her and kissed her softly.
Laughter broke through their moment as Decker made a comment that had Willow swatting his arm. Navy darted past them with a piece of cornbread in hand, Pope calling after her in mock protest.
The energy closed around Zee like the land itself had decided to bind them all in this special place.
When the sun dipped lower, the crackle of the bonfire carried on the breeze. Someone turned up the music a notch and Church took her hand. “Come on.”
He led her out into the center of the dance area. Surrounded by the music and people, he rested his hands on her hips and she let herself fall into the rhythm with him. They bumped into someone, and they all laughed and kept going.
He pulled her closer until there was no space left between them, and she stopped thinking about what came next. Stopped worrying about what might go wrong.
Instead, she just let herself live in the moment, here in her lover’s arms with the people and place she loved around them.
“Church.”
“Yeah, honey?”
She met his gaze. “This is home.”
His voice came out thick. “Yeah. It is.”
She’d found everything she needed right here.
In his arms.
Her home.