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He was feeling very grateful for his highly attuned observation skills, because he could keep an eye on everyone around them, and also be focused on Bella.

Her hair was blowing in the light breeze, and her sunglasses hid her gorgeous blue eyes. She looked relaxed and happy, like a woman without a care in the world.

He knew some of what she hid beneath that smile, but at the same time, he could sense the lightness in her spirit.

Jumping out of the plane had healed something inside her, and he knew it.

“Falcon? What are you thinking?” she asked as she raised her glass of water to take a sip.

He spoke without realizing what he was saying. “That jump healed something inside you. A past trauma, maybe. Or an old identity. I can’t tell what it is exactly, but I can tell that it has healed.”

She paused, the water glass halfway to her mouth. “What?”

He waved his hand toward her heart. “There’s gold in your heart now that wasn’t there before. Some of the shadows are gone.”

She put her glass down. “Gold? In my heart?”

“Gold light.” He moved his fingers in an instinctive design, tracking the shape of the gold he could see in her heart chakra. “It’s—” He froze suddenly, his fingers in midair, aware of Bella staring at him like he was crazy.

Son of a bitch.He dropped his hand, picked up his drink, and looked away. “I wonder when our food is going to get here.”

Bella leaned forward. “Falcon. What’s going on?”

He looked across the beach. “Nothing. I don’t see any threats.”

She touched his arm, making him jump. “Talk to me, Falcon.”

He ground his jaw. Hell, he liked it when she touched him. “No.” He knew damn well that any chance he had with Bella would end if she knew the truth about him. “It’s nothing.” He turned to face her. “Do you have the address to the event tonight? I’d like to drive by after lunch and check it out so I can figure out the best way to keep you safe.”

Bella sat back in her chair and folded her arms over her chest. “Well, this will take care of that great kiss. Thanks.”

He raised his brows. “What will?”

“You shutting me out. I mean, the kiss was amazing, and I was thinking I wanted to do it again, but then you became an uncommunicative oaf, and it reminded me of why I will never date again, so I appreciate it.” She stood up. “In fact, I think I’m going to go do something in a big crowd right now. I’ll see you.”

He started laughing. “Hell, Bella. You think you’re weak?”

She tossed him a look. “No. I jumped out of a plane. Now I think I’m a badass. Honestly, I wouldn’t even have cared aboutyour gold light thing, but you got so weird about it that now I want to know.”

Falcon clasped his hands behind his head and swore.

Bella sat back down and put her purse on the table.

He studied her.

She waited.

Weirdly, a part of him wanted to tell her what was going on with him. A part of him wanted some help. Someone to tell him he wasn’t crazy. But… “I’m fucking terrified that if I tell you, you’ll walk away and I’ll never see you again. And you’ll ban the rest of the Harts from me.”

Her eyes widened. “I’d never do that.”

He let out his breath. “I have so little to count on, Bella. I can’t lose what I have.”

She leaned forward, her arms stretched out toward him. “We’ll always be there for each other, Falcon. Always. Our past holds us linked.”

“The past you want to walk away from?”

She nodded. “Yep, that very past.”