Page 52 of Trigger Discipline

Victoria didn’t want to ask Judd anything about himself. Content to hate the rowdy soldier on principle. Blake fought a grin.

“Sure did,” Judd sucked his teeth. “1stArmored Division. Did three tours.”

“Why did you get out?”

Judd was quiet for the first time—ever. He shrugged under his plate carrier. “My dad died. Ma and Nana couldn’t run the farm themselves. My sisters already had families of their own.”

Blake knew Judd was Southern. Everyone in a ten-mile radius knew that. If not from his accent, then the Texas patch taped into the lining of his helmet. But he didn’t know he had left the military because of his family.

“Hardship discharge,” Victoria mumbled quietly, unable to look at Judd.

He nodded. “Didn’t matter much, anyway. Lost the farm. Some big company’s going to build condos on the fields, or something. I didn’t ask.”

“What about your mom and grandmother?” Blake asked.

Judd chewed the inside of his lip. “Got them set up in a neighborhood. Nice house with a yard. Big trees too, not those little saplings. Shade trees so Ma can garden without getting too hot.”

He didn’t say it, but it was obvious that Judd was the breadwinner for the family. Blake wondered why he volunteered for this mission if he was so important to his family. But weren’t they all important to someone? Phin didn’tmention it, but he had to have someone who cared about him. Scott was National Guard, so he was probably local. He definitely had family or friends in DC.

Gabriel had told Blake why he was here. Not in so many words, but the soldier had as good as admitted he wanted to absolve his sins through sacrifice. But what about his parents? His sister? They had to care about him.

Hell, Blake was beginning to care about him.

Maybe not justbeginning.He did care.

Which was not a thought he should be dwelling on as he was driving through enemy territory in a SUV with a ‘Soccer Mom Life’ sticker on the back window, but here he was.

Born a natural loner, Blake struggled to even want to build his friendship group. His parents loved him, but most of the time, he wondered if they liked him. And dating? That was a minefield of apathy and mistakes. He’d never considered men to be attractive—romantically or sexually. Sure, he could tell Gabriel was good looking. He was straight, not blind, but ever since Gabriel had looked Blake in the eye and given him the truth he asked for, it was…different.

Different in a way he couldn’t quantify becauseeverythingwas different right now. Still, he found himself gravitating to the man. Looking at him to see his reactions, to hear his thoughts. Even just sitting next to him felt right. Gabriel had bared himself to Blake because he asked. Because he knew he could. And that was a heady feeling.

He couldn’t stop thinking about that crochet hook. Would Gabriel crochet him a hat if he asked?

All his previous romantic liaisons had been forced. Blake found someone he didn’t dislike—and they fucked. It was simple. It scratched an itch, but didn’t satiate the deeper need. There was always a piece of him that didn’t settle. One that was unhappy, that…wanted more? But even when he shared a bed afterwards, it was always too warm. Too crowded. Two bodies under the covers were too warm. And he needed space to breathe. To move around.

He found himself wondering if Gabriel would be the same way. Yes, he was handsome, Blake didn’t mind admitting that. But his skin was cool and soft, and Blake could imagine pressing his face into his neck while they slept and thought it would be comforting, like the underside of the pillow. Refreshing.

Gabriel was strong too. Strong enough to handle Blake’s chaotic work schedule. The nightmares that came along with it and the inevitable frustration. The times when his brain hurt fromseeingtoo much, when he needed to just shut down. To stop thinking. To immerse himself in something that was far removed from the things beyond his vision.

His hands were big. Which shouldn’t really make a difference, and Blake’s looked so small in them while they were handling the gun. Delicate. Somethingno onehad ever accused him of being, but the thought of it made his cheeks flush and his stomach flutter. Gabriel would treat him delicately because he wanted to, not because he was. He handled him so easily when he lifted him down from the truck, held him tightly, but not caged.

So fucking strong.

Blake could close his eyes and still see the shadows flickering on Gabriel’s face from last night. It made the hard planes of his face even sharper, but his hands were soft. Sure. His chest warm and supportive. Even the way he smelled—masculine, dirty, with the acrid tang of gunpowder lingering on his skin—he still found it comforting. Blake could have sat there all night.

And the look on Gabriel’s face when he was getting ready to leave was proof of his strength. Gabriel wanted to stop him. Protest his involvement. But he didn’t. Because he knew Blake was strong and capable.

He trusted him.

Blake’s foot slipped off the gas, and the SUV stuttered. Judd looked at him curiously, but he just hunched his shoulders and looked ahead, hoping his face wasn’t broadcasting all of his emotions.

Every romantic comedy he had ever seen always told the protagonist to go to their crush’s friends for information. But the thought of asking Judd about Gabriel’s romantic preferences physically made him recoil. There was no way he was going to do that.

But the fact that he had even considered it was huge. He’d never chased anyone before. Or cared if he was their type. Quite frankly, he’d never been interested enough.

Swallowing thickly, he tried to avoid thinking about what that meant and reminded himself tofuck off, this was not the time or place!

Victoria’s slim fingers slid over his shoulder as she pointed forward. “Ahead.”