Page 70 of The Hero
“Kendric,” Marlowe said, bringing a hand up to rest on his cheek. “You alreadyarethe husband I’ve always dreamed about.”
He turned his head and kissed her palm.
“And I’m okay with you being protective, as long as it goes both ways. When you’re on a job, I’ll probably text incessantly to make sure you haven’t been crushed under a huge tree. When you go on your hikes, your clients will thinkI’mthe psycho for always checking up on you.”
She smiled. “Lord, we’re sappy,” she finished with a shake of her head. “The Army’s gonna take away your Special Forces patch.”
He chuckled, and Marlowe felt it from the inside out since they were still connected in the most intimate way a man and woman could be. “They can have it. I don’t care.”
“Did you ... are things okay with you and JJ?”
“Yeah. Did you think they wouldn’t be?”
“Neither of you were happy when he went out to talk to you. Was he really mad that you were doing the rescue missions?”
“He wasn’t thrilled,” Kendric admitted. “But we talked, and I told him about how I’d been feeling ... and about my nightmares.”
“And?”
“He admitted he has them sometimes too. Said the four of us probably should talk more about what we went through on that last mission, and the stuff we’re going through now. And he’s not wrong.”
Marlowe loved that for him. “Good.”
“Although I haven’t had any nightmares since I’ve been home.”
“I know,” Marlowe said calmly. They’d had that discussion earlier, and she was thrilled and relieved that he’d been sleeping so well. She’d expected his bad dreams to continue, at least occasionally.
“You can’t ever leave me,” Kendric said seriously. “I think you’re a blocker or something. Having you in my arms keeps the demons at bay.”
Marlowe wasn’t sure about that, but if he wanted to think so, she wouldn’t argue again. “Okay.”
He smiled. “That was easy.”
She shrugged. “I’m right where I want to be. Why would I protest?”
“I love you,” he said.
“And I love you back,” she returned immediately.
Kendric palmed the back of her head and gently pushed her down, so her cheek was resting on his chest once more. “Sleep, Punky.”
“What if I’m not tired?”
“You’ll need your strength.”
“For what?”
“For later when I want you again.”
“Is this normal? I mean, I didn’t think most guys could go more than once a night.”
He laughed. “It’s not nighttime. And I don’t know about most men, but for me, withyou? It’s completely normal. I would live inside you if I could.”
Marlowe snorted. “Not sure that’s practical.”
One of Kendric’s hands moved down her back and squeezed her ass. “Don’t care.”
She giggled with a small shake of her head, then snuggled deeper into him.
