“I’ve never had anyone defend me before.”
“Well, just so you know, I’ll always be in your corner, fists up and prepared to fight for you,” Jaci told him, ignoring the sheen of emotion in his eyes. Her big, tough warrior-like man...emotional? He’d hate her to comment on it so she moved the conversation along briskly. “What else did Chad have to say?”
“That he would narrate the documentary on Ben if I ever chose to do it. For free this time. But I don’t know if I can make that film.”
“You’ll know when you’re ready.”
Ryan’s hand gripped her thigh. “It’s not because I care about their affair or care about her anymore, Jace. You understand that, don’t you? It feels like another life, another time, and I’m ready to move on, with you. It’s just that he was...”
“Your hero. Your brother, your best friend.” Jaci touched his cheek with her fingertips. “Honey, there is no rule that you have to make a movie on him. Maybe you should remember him like you’d like to remember him and let everyone else do the same.”
Ryan placed his hand on top of hers and held it to his cheek. He closed his eyes and Jaci looked at him, her masculine, strong, flawed man. God, she loved him. She saw his Adam’s apple bob and knew that he was fighting to keep his emotions from bubbling up and over.
“Don’t, Ry, don’t hide what you’re feeling from me,” she told him, her voice low. “I know talking about Ben hurts. I’m sorry.”
Ryan jerked his head up and his eyes blazed with heat, and hope, and love. “I’m not thinking about him. I’m thinking about you and us and this bright new life we have in front of us. I’m so damn happy, Jace. You make me.”
Jaci cocked her head. “You make me...what?”
“That’s all. You just make me.”
Jaci sighed as he kissed the center of her palm and placed her hand on his heart. “I never realized how alone I was until you hurtled into my life. You’ve put color into my world, and I promise I’ll make you happy, Jace.”
Jaci blinked away her happy tears. “For how long?” she whispered.
Ryan pushed her long bangs out of her eyes and tucked them behind her ear. “Forever...if you’ll let me.”
Jaci leaned in for a kiss and smiled against his mouth. “Oh, Ry, I think we can do better than that. Amazing love stories last longer than that.”