Finding You (Chikalu Falls, #1)

by Lena Hendrix

But in one package in November, I got the letter that saved my life.

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.

My thighs squeezed together as I thought about how good he smelled when I sat next to him—clean, like pine and campfire and musk only a man could make smell good.

I knew that opening up to his brother and telling him that he was gay was something he’d struggled with for a really long time. I wrapped my arm around his waist and squeezed.

Being blessed with a big dick wasn’t always a good thing when just the smell of her skin got my blood pumping.

We needed to have a serious talk about whether or not he was going to pursue Jo—because if he wasn’t, game on.

If he didn’t lean forward and kiss me, I was going to dissolve in this pool of water.

“No one calls me Joanna,” I said breathlessly as my heart pounded in my chest. “But you are my Joanna, aren’t you?” he said, his voice gravely with desire, searching my face for some answer.

My stomach grumbled at the thought. I giggled. “Sorry.” He smiled and looked right at me. “I’ll take care of you, Joanna.”

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

Still looking up at him, he pulled me in close to his side, outstretched his arm, and snapped a picture. He looked down at my phone for a second, tapped a few buttons, and handed it back to me with a simple, “There you go.”

“Just sending her a status update,” he confidently answered, and with that, he walked away, me still gaping after him.

hoped she liked it. It was rugged and simple, but it matched the bracelet I always wore.

She had no fucking clue that the curve of her ass down to her strong legs made me want to burn every bridge I had, throw away any relationship, just to be with her.

If she were any other woman, I could walk away. But with Joanna, whatever this was, it was cellular—not a choice I could make.

“Fuck, Joanna. You taste so fucking good,” I ground out between long, soft drags of my tongue.

lied to you,” he said again. “When you asked me if any of my tattoos meant anything.”

“And the letters meant so much to you that you got a tattoo of Valkyrie wings?” “Joanna, those letters meant everything.”

“Lincoln, I have to tell you something.” Her voice was breathy and soft. “I’ve never been with anyone like you. It feels so good to feel you against me right now.”

He leaned down—arms at each side, caging me in—his delicious, masculine scent wafting over me. “I’m not sure you’ll get a whole lot of use out of that cottage, but it’s there if you need it.”

“I only need to know what you want to share.” He exhaled deeply. “That’s the problem,” he said. “You make me want to tell you everything.”

“Joanna,” he continued, “I kept every letter that you wrote to me.”

We both avoided that conversation completely, pretending everything was normal. She stole the breath out of my lungs without even trying, and I walked around with a hole in my chest, pretending it wasn’t there.

“Let me taste this pretty pussy, baby. You have no idea how badly I want you.”

I love you. I love you. I love you. Over and over, the words tumbled through my mind. I would never be the same without Joanna.

“Well, we’re lucky this town loves him.” He jerked his head in my direction. “No one in that bar is talking…at all. You beat the shit out of two people in the middle of the day with a dozen witnesses, but when I came in to ask questions, most people acted like they didn’t know what I was talking about.”

Apparently, being a successful adult male didn’t make you need your mom any less.

I wanted to tell her everything—that I fucked up, that I loved her, that I wanted to marry her, have babies with her, and do anything in my power to make her happy—but I froze.

“What the fuck, dude? I’m gay.”

She loved all of me and I had pushed her away—not because I was protecting her, but because I was protecting myself.

Joanna, my heart beats to the rhythm of yours and the best thing to ever happen to me was finding you. All my love, Lincoln

When her head snapped up, our eyes met through the window glass. Tears shone in her green-gray eyes, and I knew. My girl had come home.

never meant to disappoint you, and there’s a chance I’m going to again. But I need you to know.” I looked at Joanna and my heart tripped in my chest. “I love you. I have always loved you.”

The diamond was probably a little big, but I was going to marry the fuck out of that girl and everyone was going to know it.