Finding You (Chikalu Falls, #1)

by Lena Hendrix

In Norse mythology, Valkyrie were female goddesses who spread their wings and flew over the battlefield, choosing who lived and who died in battle. Warriors chosen by the Valkyrie died with honor and were then taken to the hall of Valhalla in the afterlife. Their souls could finally rest.

At my next leave, I’d gotten a tattoo of the Valkyrie wings spread across my right forearm so I could have a visual reminder of her. I could always keep her with me.

“Hey,” I said. Real fucking smooth.

I’d spent days, sometimes a week or more, writing the letters. I didn’t want them to be a standard “Dear Marine” letter—I hoped to inspire him, uplift him, share a piece of home with him.

“Not hanging with the boys tonight?” I called. “Not tonight. The view is better up here.” Oh, shit. Did he smirk? Was he talking about me? No fucking way.

Being able to take care of yourself and wanting someone to want to take care of you were two very different things.

“But you are my Joanna, aren’t you?” he said, his voice gravely with desire, searching my face for some answer.

Looking at her was like seeing a piece of my soul walking around outside my body.

I swear to god that man could incinerate every set of panties within a hundred-mile radius with that smile.

All morning, I couldn’t get out of my own head and had struggled to focus on providing high-quality customer service. You got some high-quality customer service last night . . . Oh my god, that was exactly what I meant. Focus.