Page 49 of Beautifully Broken

Talon

"Ash, I'm home." I'll never get tired of saying that as I walk into Ashley's—now our—apartment. He officially asked me to move in the day I came home from rescuing the stranded hikers after the bad storms, and my answer was a “fuck yes”.

Both of us realized our love was a once-in-a-lifetime kind and didn't want to be apart any longer.

Not that what I shared with Declan wasn't love, but something about loving Ashley feels right deep in my bones.

If there's one thing I learned from being a SEAL, it's to trust your gut, and mine knew Ash and I were meant to be.

At first, I felt as if I had all to gain and nothing to give, but Ashley reassured me that the way I care for him is more than enough for him. He knows my heart is true, and I'm all in because of the person he is. Not only that, but apparently, I'm a secret horse whisperer.

It was during one of my now-rare PTSD nightmare nights that I found myself out of the apartment and down in the barn.

I could hear a horse was restless, so I decided to make sure everything was okay.

I found the pretty mustang agitated, but after a minute of talking to her, she started to calm.

Growing tired, I turned to go back to bed, but the horse started to get worked up again.

Not wanting her to wake the other animals and Ashley, I joined her in her stall.

She calmed down enough that we both lay down and were able to get some shuteye.

When Ashley found us the next morning, he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Apparently, my girl was not fond of humans and hardly anyone has been able to touch her, let alone in the capacity I was.

Ashley had a theory that our souls had wounds the other recognized.

We knew the other's hurt and vowed not to do any more harm to each other. It seemed a little hokey to me until the next human-shy horse and I hit it off like we’d been the best of buds our whole lives.

Now, not only do I spend my days in the woods I love protecting, along with the land and the animals, but I get to spend my free time with my love, taking care of the animals he loves.

We're growing together and building something more beautiful every day, and I wouldn't want it any other way.

Well, maybe a ring on his finger, but I plan on taking care of that soon enough.

Until the day he says I do, I'll treat Ashley like the queen he is, and love and care for him like nobody has before.