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“You had my girl pinned. I don’t like that.”
Ike nodded. “I understand, sir, but last time we fought I let her win. She didn’t like that very much.”
Her dad cracked a smile and said, “Have you met your match?”
“Yes,” they both said at the same time.
Ike looked to Myra. He squeezed her and then released her, stepping forward and extending his hand to her dad. Very brave, considering her dad still had the shotgun aimed at his chest. But then Ike could dismantle her dad and the shotgun before anyone realized he’d moved. Maybe he was her match.
But what about him needing a sweetheart who would let him defend her? What about him not letting her step up and be the warrior she’d been trained to be?
She pushed all that away. For a minute.
“Ike Porter. It’s nice to meet you, Sheriff Tueller.”
Her dad finally lowered the shotgun and shook Ike’s hand. He squeezed with all his grip strength. Ike could take it.
When Ike held the handshake but didn’t reciprocate the strongest grip contest, her dad looked him over. “Hmm. You might be tough enough for my girl.”
“I hope so, sir.”
Her dad released him and backed away. “Since I’ve never even heard your name before today, I’m assuming you two have crap to work out.”
“Yes, sir.” Ike nodded.
“All right. Get to it. We’ll chat later. If you pass muster with Myra.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Her dad finally walked away. Myra faced Ike. Her heart picked up its beat again and her stomach squirmed. Could they work out all the issues between them? Not easily or quickly.
“I made a mistake, not trusting your skills at the wrong moment,” he admitted before she had to say anything.
She nodded.
“I have a lot of work to do, training with you and learning to trust you like I did the men in my Rangers unit so we can fight side by side.”
Her eyes widened. They weren’t ready for that, but she still loved the vision. Could he really do it? Let her fight with him, not leap in front of her and take the criminal off her hands?
“Myra.” His gaze was sincere and direct. “You were the one who said our relationship was going to be messy and take a lot of work. You said you were willing to try.”
“We did try.” She lifted her hands. “It didn’t work. You didn’t trust me.” She started to turn away.
Ike grasped her shoulders and turned her back to face him. Fire filled her from his touch and the intense look in his eyes.
“I am an infant with relationships,” he said. “Sadie doesn’t count; that was easy and simple and I felt nothing like the connection and depth I feel for you.”
Her eyes widened.
“You know my upbringing is borderline insane. I’m going to have to learn to trust that I can make a relationship work, that I can trust you in a battle, that you aren’t going to die. Okay, maybe you or I will die, but I can’t be paralyzed by that and make mistakes or tick you off. If something happens to one of us, we’ll have to deal with that, but it’s worth it for me to try. To be with you, it’s worth it.”
She studied him. Was it worth it? She’d missed him. She had loved the time they’d had together. She wanted to try.
“My given name is Eisenhower Porter the Fourth,” he said.
“What? Eisenhower?”
“Nobody in my adult world knows that. Except Aiden. I changed it to Ike before I walked into the Army and enlisted.”
