Page 56 of Jay Bird

Willow stared at his hand. It was large, rough, and open.

Her heartbeat quickened, but it wasn’t fear. At least not the fear of taking a man’s hand.

Slowly, she lifted her hand and placed it in his.

Jay Bird’s fingers closed gently around hers. He didn’t pull her closer. There was no suggestive brush of his thumb over her skin. He just held her hand like it was something worth taking his time with.

Willow breathed through the strange tightness in her chest. Baby steps, she thought to herself.

After a moment, Jay Bird said, “I have to go into work tomorrow.”

“Mia is going to come by.”

“Mia’s coming over?”

He nodded. “She texted earlier and said she would come hang out with you and Lily.”

Willow smiled. “I’d like that.”

“I figured you would.”

She yawned before she could stop herself, and Jay Bird chuckled.

Willow carefully slipped her hand from his and stood. “I should go to bed.”

He looked up at her. “Good night.”

Suddenly, her body acted before her brain did, and she bent down and lightly pressed her lips against his cheek.

The contact lasted barely a second, but the moment she pulled away, heat rushed straight to her face.

Jay Bird looked stunned.

“Thank you,” she whispered. “For everything.”

His eyebrows rose, and Willow immediately backed toward the house.

“Don’t you dare count that one.”

The corner of his mouth lifted. “Twenty-three.”

She shook her head. “Good night, Jay Bird.” Then she hurried inside before he could see how hard she was smiling.

Only after the patio door closed behind her did Willow stop and touch her fingers to her lips.

She had kissed him. Sure, it was just a peck on the cheek, but it had been her choice, and that alone made it feel like something far bigger than the moment itself.

She had wanted to touch him, and for the first time in years, she had acted on that want without fear of what someone expected in return.

Willow glanced through the glass, watching Jay Bird sitting in the chair, one hand rubbing absently over the cheek she had kissed.

Her smile softened. She knew she wasn’t going to get her life back in one sweeping moment. But maybe it would happen exactly like this, one choice at a time.

CHAPTER NINE

The gear room was filled with the familiar sounds of the team wrapping up for the day, metal locker doors opening and closing, equipment hitting benches, Velcro ripping apart, and the occasional curse from someone trying to shove something into a bag that clearly didn’t want to fit.

Normally, Jay Bird liked this part of the day. There was something almost mindless about breaking down his gear, checking everything, and putting it back exactly where it belonged. After hours of training, it gave his brain time to come down from the constant focus required on the range and during tactical exercises.