Trusting a Warrior (Loving a Warrior #3) - Melanie Hansen Page 0,58

for giving her a chance.”

“I like her. I enjoyed myself tonight.”

Rhys’s voice was a little rueful. “You’re being a thousand times more mature than I’d be if the situations were reversed. It’s—”

When he broke off, she touched his shoulder. “I’m not about to cut my nose off to spite my face, and believe it or not, it makes me happy to see you happy.”

“Ah, Lee-Lee.” He opened his arms and she went into them, choking back a tiny sob. She clung to him as he hugged her tight. “I don’t think I’d be truly happy unless you’re a part of my life. I hope you believe that.”

“I do. And same.”

With a brush of his lips over the top of her head, Rhys let her go. He waited until she was safely in the car, engine started, before he lifted his hand in a final wave and turned to jog eagerly back toward the house.

All the way home, she let the memories flood her, both the good and the bad, as she closed the Lani-and-Rhys chapter of her life once and for all. Whatever memories they made from here would include Devon, and Lani’s child, fresh new pages of a book yet to be written. Instead of scaring her, the thought sent anticipation tingling through her.

I think maybe, just maybe, I got this.

Once inside her apartment, she tossed her keys into the basket by the door and hung up her purse. As she did, her phone buzzed, and pulse kicking into a sudden gallop, she fished it out. The picture that greeted her made her laugh out loud.

In it, Bosch sprawled on his back, paws in the air, sound asleep.

Still giggling, she texted, Someone’s tired, huh?

Someone’s very tired. TWO someones, actually.

I bet. She paused, then said, Thanks for this morning. It means a lot that you remembered.

You’re welcome.

And thank Bosch for me, too.

I will.

With a wicked grin, she typed, Don’t tell him, but I just enlarged the pic and kissed his nose.

What?? Now I’m jealous of him! But I won’t tell.

Lani’s tummy gave a flutter, even as she rolled her eyes. I’d be happy to kiss your nose, too, if it’s that important to you, geez.

After a delay of several seconds that felt like hours, the phone buzzed, and quivering, she opened the selfie. In it, Geo looked tired, and stubbly, his hair overly long, but his incredible eyes glowed with warmth. He pointed not to his nose, but to his slightly parted lips. The text read, Suggested kiss target.

Her own lips started to tingle. Kissing her finger, she pressed it lightly to the screen, then typed, Done.

Mmm, that was nice. A pause. Call me?

Her breath caught. She wanted to, but the emotions of the day had left her raw, her vulnerability dangerously close to the surface. In her current state, it’d be so easy to take Geo’s light flirting as more than he intended it to be, and the last thing she wanted to do was risk their as-yet delicate friendship, a friendship she sensed they both needed right now.

Talking to him would be a big mistake.

She was just about to hit Reply and make up some excuse when the phone vibrated again.

You know what? I’m sorry. You’ve had a long day. Another time?

His perception warmed her, even as she sighed in a combination of relief and disappointment. Yes, please.

You got it, beautiful. Until next time.

A couple of heart emojis followed that, and groaning, Lani pressed the phone to her chest.

Fate, you’re such a fucking bitch. I hate you. Why does he have to be a SEAL?

Chapter Twelve

“She likes you better than me.”

Bosch cracked an eye open at Geo’s disgruntled tone, then went right back to sleep.

“No comment? Thanks,” Geo grumbled. “Lazy dog.” On impulse he aimed his phone and snapped another pic of him, anticipating maybe texting it to Lani at some point with the caption, “Exhausted from pile-driving SEALs all day. How about you?”

That led to thoughts of her tackling some dude from behind in order to wrest his beef jerky from his hand, and the visual made him cackle all over again.

He flopped to his back on the bed, and idly scrolled through his photo album to the one of her on the beach. Oh, yeah, those gold-flecked eyes, that sexy half-smile. He traced his finger over her lips, aching with something he couldn’t define.

He sighed. The sharpness of his disappointment over not getting to talk to her surprised him a bit, even as he sensed that