Chapter 8
CHAPTER 8
DANE
A fter gathering our backpacks, I bring Cece back to my cabin. Thankfully, it’s not a long walk because I can see that she’s worn out from all the hiking yesterday and today.
“Welcome to my home,” I say, pushing open the door. I don’t have much of my stuff here, but I figured it’s a work in progress.
“This is cozy,” Cece says, shrugging off her backpack by the door and rolling her shoulders.
I move behind her, massaging her tight muscles.
She sighs. “That feels divine.”
“Come, let’s sit,” I say, gesturing toward my couch. We sit, and I take her hands in mine.
“Is everything okay?” Cece asks, her green eyes filled with concern.
“What? No. I mean, yes, everything’s fine.” Good grief. I’m stumbling over my words like a teenager. “I just…” I sigh. Staring down two mountain lions? Scary but doable. Wanting to open my heart to Cece? Fucking terrifying.
“Hey, it’s okay.” Cece gives me that dazzling smile, and I instantly know everything will work out.
“Look. I’m not great at this kind of thing.” I look at Cece, my heart pounding in my chest like it’ll explode if I don’t say what’s in my heart. “I’d like to invite you to stay here. With me.”
I watch as Cece shakes her head, turning to face me. Her eyes hold an intensity that makes my heart race. “Dane, I...I’d like that.”
For a moment, I’m frozen, unable to believe what I’m hearing. Then, I can’t stop the smile from spreading across my face. “Really?” I ask, my voice rough with emotion.
“Really,” she confirms, taking a step closer to me. Her nearness is intoxicating, and I can feel the warmth radiating from her body. “I know it might seem fast, but—”
“No,” I interrupt, closing the distance between us. I cup her face, touching her gently but firmly. “It feels right. You being here is just...right. You’re the partner I didn’t realize I was looking for.”
Cece leans into me, and I love the softness of her curves against my body. “I feel the same way.”
I wrap my arms around her, holding her close, her heart beating against my chest. “I was hoping you’d stay,” I murmur into her hair. “I know I don’t have much to offer, but—”
“Stop,” she says firmly, pulling back to look at me. I know she can see the insecurity in my eyes. “You have everything to offer. You’re kind, honest, and—”
“There’s something I need to tell you. I was discharged from the military,” I cut in, my voice tight. “Dishonorably.”
Cece blinks, caught off guard. “What? Why are you bringing that up?”
I pull back, running a hand through my hair. Tension firms my jaw as worry gnaws at me. “If you want to be with me, you need to know who I am. What I’ve done.”
Cece’s green eyes widen in surprise. Conflict mars her expression as if this revelation doesn’t match what she knows of me. “What happened?”
I take a deep breath, steeling myself to share this part of my past. “We were on a mission. I was given an order that would have resulted in civilian casualties. Children.” I look at her, the familiar mix of pain and resolve welling up inside me. “I couldn’t do it. I refused the order.”
I watch a range of emotions flicker across Cece’s face—respect, admiration, and something deeper that I can’t quite place. “Dane, that’s... I can’t imagine how difficult that must have been,” she says softly.
I shrug, trying to downplay it even as tension tightens my shoulders. “It was the right thing to do. But my CO and the Army didn’t see it that way.”
“So they discharged you for refusing to kill innocent people?” Cece asks, her voice filled with disbelief.
“That’s the simplified version, yeah,” I say with a wry smile. “There were other factors, but that was the catalyst.”
Cece touches my arm, surprising both of us. The warmth of her hand sends a jolt through me. “I think what you did was incredibly courageous.”
Our eyes meet, and the air between us is charged with the electricity of desire.
“Thanks,” I say softly, feeling oddly vulnerable. “It’s not something I talk about much.”
“I’m glad you told me,” Cece replies. “It helps me understand you better. There’s something I should tell you, too.”
I look at her, surprised. “Oh?”
Cece takes a deep breath. “I come from money. Like old money.”
It takes me a minute to process what she’s saying. “You’re…rich?”
“My family is, yes.” Cece goes on to tell me about how she came camping to figure out what to do with her life. How she wanted something different from her parents but couldn’t figure out what she should do. “But meeting you, and then Waylon? If Waylon will let me, I want to help with Creek Ravine. I have the means and contacts to provide significant assistance. I want to help.”
“That’s…I’m not sure what to say.”
Cece shrugs, and there’s so much emotion in it. “It’s not something I talk about, though everyone back home knows my family. It’s one thing I love about being with you—you didn’t know who I was, and I could tell you liked me for me. Everyone at home? They have some kind of agenda, so I always have walls up. With you,” she says, placing a hand against my jaw, “I can be me.”
“Oh, Cece.” I pull her into my arms. “You’re perfect exactly as you are. I don’t care who your family is or how much money they have. I care about you . I always will.”
“You know,” she says, “what you said about doing the right thing, even when it’s hard...that’s exactly the kind of integrity I want to bring to my work.”
I nod, understanding her sentiment. “It’s not always easy, but at the end of the day, you have to be able to live with yourself.”
“Exactly,” Cece agrees. “I want to use my resources to make a real difference, not throw money at problems from a safe distance like my parents. They go to fancy galas and write checks and believe that’s enough. I want to do more.”
“That’s admirable,” I say, genuinely impressed. “A lot of people in your position wouldn’t bother.”
Warmth spreads across Cece’s face at my words. “Thanks. It means a lot to hear you say that,” she replies. “I also need you to know that what you did in the Army doesn’t change how I feel about you. If anything, it makes me admire you more.”
I look at her, torn between hope and disbelief. “You mean that?”
“Of course I do,” she insists, cupping my face. She traces the line of my jaw, and I shiver. “You stood up for what you believed in, even when it cost you everything. I admire your strength and integrity in standing up for your beliefs.”
I let out a shaky breath, pulling her into my arms. She melts against me, her heart beating in time with mine. “I love you, Cece,” I whisper, my voice thick with emotion.
“I love you too.”
Then we’re kissing, deep and passionate. My hands roam her body, exploring every curve. She responds in kind, her fingers working their way under my shirt to trace the planes of my chest. The kiss deepens, our tongues exploring, tasting. It’s like we’re trying to pour every ounce of love and desire into this one moment.
We stumble toward the bedroom, shedding clothes as we go.
Cece chuckles against my lips as I fumble with the buttons of her shirt. “Impatient?” she teases.
“You have no idea,” I growl, the sound coming from deep in my chest.
“Cece,” I begin, my voice rough with emotion, “I want you to know... I believe in you. I will support you in whatever you want to do.”
She meets my gaze, her eyes soft. “I believe in you, too, Dane. In us.”
The last of my restraint crumbles at her words. I close the distance between us, cupping her face in my hands. Our lips meet in a kiss that’s both tender and passionate, filled with all the longing and hope I’ve been holding back.
When we finally break apart, breathless, I rest my forehead against hers. “I want to build a life with you, Cece,” I whisper. “Forever.”
Her answer is another kiss, deeper this time. Without breaking contact, we continue moving toward my bedroom.
Cece freezes at the sharp shrill of her cell phone. She pulls back, her eyes wild and her cheeks flushed. “I’m sorry. It’s my sister—she’ll keep calling until I answer. I have to take this.”