move before my head caught up. I swung open the door and ran down the stairs when I heard him speak behind me.
“For the first time in five years, I had a moment where things felt normal, and that happened because of you.” He stepped down a stair, and his broad shoulders blocked some of the sunlight. “For the first time in fifteen years, I had a moment where I didn’t want to leave on a mission, because of you.” He joined me on the ground. “For the first time in my entire life, I don’t know what I’m doing.”
“Because of me?”
He reached out and tugged me to him then leaned down and stared intently into my eyes. I could barely think, he was so close. My hands landed on the sides of his shoulders, and they flexed under my hold. His was strong—country strong. Lean and cut in all the right places.
“Yes, because of you.” His fingers wove into my hair, then he dipped lower and caught my lips. He was warm, and his mouth tasted like he had just eaten something sweet. I allowed my body to relax against him, and I fell into step with his rhythm. I mirrored his movements with my tongue. Never had I ever felt such sweet warmth burst through my entire body during a kiss. It was as if fate was saying, “See! He’s the right one to take a chance on.”
His free hand slid down my back and under my jacket to my bare skin. I jumped at the sudden rush of cold. I giggled at my reaction and felt his smile against my lips.
He broke the kiss and closed his eyes like he was drinking me in. So many things at once.
“I have to go.”
“Now?” I felt the excitement plummet.
A wicked grin made the lines of stress around his eyes fade away.
“Welcome to Blackstone, baby.”
My hands went to my hips, and I lifted an eyebrow at him.
“That’s a little unfair.”
“Trust me,” he brushed a finger down my cheek as I’d once seen him do to Olivia, “nothing about this is fair.”
“John…” My words caught in my throat.
“Be here when I get back, okay.” He wasn’t asking, and I oddly liked it.
“Okay.”
He squeezed my hand, took one last look into my soul, and left.
My fingers brushed my bottom lip, wanting to savor his kiss.
“Be careful,” I whispered into the chilly air.
I watched the team head up the mountain to catch the chopper. I decided to go for a walk to clear my head and ran into Savannah in one of the cabins next to Mark’s. I saw her through the window as she draped a blanket over the coach.
“Knock, knock.” I stepped into the cabin that mirrored mine.
“Oh, hey, Sloane,” Savi greeted me with a smile. Her eyes narrowed in on my face, and I could swear she knew what just happened with John and me.
“What are you doing?” I noticed some boxes marked “living room” in the corner.
“I’m just getting ready for some company.”
I picked up a glass ornament that sat in the window and rolled it around my palm, not sure what to do.
“I spoke to Brick,” I blurted for something to say.
“Oh, yeah?” She laughed. “Was Rail there? Because the two of them are incredibly entertaining.”
“No, but I was able to talk to him a little. He didn’t have much to say, but he did give me a small lead.”
“Well, that’s something.” She smiled, and I could tell she was waiting for me to go on. Dammit. I wasn’t even sure where to begin. My head was swimming.
“It’s strange at first, but the feeling becomes normal.”
My gaze moved to hers. “Is it really that obvious?”
“No,” she chuckled lightly, “I just recognize that look, and I know how you feel.”
I sank into the chair, oddly relieved that I had someone to talk to about it. “Honestly, Savi, I don’t know where to go from here.”
“What do you mean?”
“John seems to be a troubled soul. One moment he’s great, but the next his walls shoot up, and he shuts me out.”
Savannah pulled some green pillows from the box and set them neatly on the couch, then took a seat and faced me.
“Ah, yes, our Blackstone boys. They’re complex men with complex jobs who got into it thinking they would always just be married to their career. Each one carries their own personal demons, some big, some small. John has always kept us at arm’s length, and according to Cole, he