Free Always My Hero by Jennifer Decuir Page A

won’t ever give up. Your time will come.”
    Ryan waited to see where Bree would settle, hoping she’d choose the couch where he could sit beside her. She looked at it, then perched herself in the overstuffed chair in the corner. He didn’t realize his sigh was audible until she looked up sharply and raised one brow, quizzically. Whoops.
    “Can I ask you a question?” He sat down in the center of the couch, cupping his mug in his palms.
    “Fire away.”
    “Why didn’t you become a teacher? You used to talk about it all the time. It was why you began tutoring. My mom said you quit school to help your mom. But surely you could have just taken a little time off?”
    Bree glanced away.
    “It didn’t fit in with my plans anymore. My mom needed me. My stepdad was gone. The boys needed me. I had to find a job where I could get all my training online.”
    “While still being able to work with kids,” he added.
    “A happy coincidence.”
    “You would have made an excellent teacher. You still could.”
    “I like where I am now. It’s satisfying.”
    “Recruiting men to pose for your calendar—shirtless,” Ryan teased.
    “Never a dull moment, huh?” She took a sip of coffee and leaned back into the cushions.
    “I’ve missed you, Bree.”
    Huh. It would appear that something as simple as decaf coffee had the power to loosen his tongue tonight.
    “My turn. Can I ask you a question?”
    “Don’t hold back.” He watched her over the rim of his mug.
    “Why numbers? Why accounting? As I recall, you and numbers didn’t get along.”
    Because it reminded him of her. He couldn’t tell her that, though.
    “People change, I guess. And as far as a backup career, it seemed as good as any.”
    “I suppose. But you didn’t have to abandon sports altogether. You could have become a coach. Or gone into sports medicine. Or announcing.” Oh, she was just getting warmed up. He could tell.
    “After my accident, I felt like a fraud just thinking about anything sports related, you know?” He had never admitted that to anyone.
    “Never too late to change your mind.”
    “Fair enough, Ms. Librarian. Fair enough.” He drained the last of his coffee and set the mug on the coffee table. “It’s late. I should let you get some sleep.”
    “Can I stop by the store in the next couple of days? You said you had some names of other guys that might want to help with the calendar?” She stood up from her chair, looked as though she might sit back down again and then thought better of it. Though she acted twitchy because she was anxious for him to leave or because she wished he would stay, Ryan couldn’t be certain.
    “I open at nine. Stop in any time after that. We’ll put our heads together and come up with some detailed lists to get us started.”
    “Great. I’ll make up for the lack of cookies tonight and bring you something from Cady’s Dream. What do you like?”
    Oh, there was a loaded question, if ever he’d heard one. He shook the naughty thoughts that were beginning to form from his head.
    “I’m not picky. Anything you bring, I’ll love.”
    They stood at the front door. Ryan put one hand on the doorknob but turned back to say one last goodnight.
    “I meant what I said before. I’ve missed you.”
    She was so close. If he leaned in just a little ...
    “I’ve missed you too, Ryan.”
    His name on her lips was all the encouragement he needed. He let go of the doorknob to cup a hand behind the back of her head. If she told him no, he’d stop. Instead, her eyelids fluttered shut and her head angled just enough to show him she had no intention of stopping him.
    A low groan rumbling deep in his throat, he captured her mouth in a soul-stealing kiss. Shocked that he could still remember how she tasted after all this time, Ryan held on tight. Feelings he’d denied for thirteen years came flooding back. Love. Pain. Guilt. Regret. So much regret. He crushed her to him, wishing like hell that he could go back and