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When we broke apart, I rested my forehead against his. “Take me for a ride.”

“What?”

“On your bike. I need to feel the wind and freedom. I want to forget about everything for a while.”

Graham studied my face, then nodded. “Let me get you a helmet.”

Twenty minutes later, I was wrapped around Graham's back as his Harley roared to life beneath us. The vibration of the engine, the power between my legs, and the solid warmth of the man in front of me combined to chase away every worry in my head.

We rode through the Tennessee hills, and for the first time in days, I felt truly free.

Whatever was coming, whatever my stalker had planned, whatever chaos my brothers would bring, I could handle it.

As long as I had Graham.

Chapter Twenty-Four

The rumble of my Harley beneath us and Joy's arms wrapped tight around my waist should have been enough to chase away every worry in my head. Should have been. Instead, my mind kept circling back to that meeting. Joy's brothers were going to be a problem. But finally, after a couple of miles on the road, my mind began to ease.

Joy's grip tightened around my waist as I leaned into a curve, her body moving with mine like she'd been riding with me for years instead of weeks. The trust in that simple gesture hit me square in the chest. This woman had been through hell, had every reason to be afraid, and yet she held onto me without hesitation.

I knew a place about fifteen miles out of town where we could watch the sunset. A little overlook that most tourists never found, tucked away on a winding road that led to nowhere important. Right now, that sounded perfect. Joy needed peace, and God knew I could use some, too.

The sun was already starting its descent when I pulled off the main road onto the gravel path that led to the grassy overlook, which was secluded by a grove of maple trees. Joy lifted her head from my shoulder, looking around as I killed the engine.

“Where are we?”

“Somewhere quiet.” I swung my leg over the bike and helped her down. “Thought you might want to see the sunset without worrying about stalkers or overprotective brothers for a few minutes.”

The overlook was nothing fancy, but the view stretched for miles across the Tennessee hills, all rolling green and dotted with farmhouses and winding creeks that caught the late afternoon light.

Joy walked close to the edge as I watched her every step, her long blonde hair catching the breeze. When she turned back to me, her expression was heavy with guilt.

“Graham, I'm so sorry about Seth and Randy. They were awful to you.”

I crossed the space between us in three strides and caught her hands in mine. “Stop right there.”

“But they were so rude, and after everything you've done for me…”

“Joy.” I waited until her blue eyes met mine. “If someone who left the Navy and roamed the country on his bike for two years before settling down showed up claiming to be in love with my imaginary younger sister, I'd probably shoot first and ask questions later. Your brothers love you. They're scared for you. In their shoes, I'd be doing the exact same thing.”

She bit her bottom lip, a habit I'd learned meant she was thinking hard about something. “You really don't hate them?”

“Baby, I respect the hell out of them. Any man who'd drop everything and do everything he could to protect his sister is good people in my book.”

The tension in her shoulders eased, and she leaned into me. “How did I get so lucky to get such a wise and understanding man?”

“I'm the lucky one.” I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “You could have any man you wanted, and you picked the broken-down ex-SEAL with emotional baggage and no furniture.”

She laughed, the sound washing over me like warm honey. “You're not broken down. You're just… weathered. Like good leather.”

“Did you just compare me to a leather jacket?”

Her eyes sparkled with mischief. “No, I compared you to a really comfortable recliner.”

I was about to respond when her expression shifted, becoming soft and vulnerable in a way that made my chest tight.

“Graham.” Her voice was barely above a whisper. “I need to tell you something.”