Colt had never really liked it. Not until his Delta buddies also caught on to the same very uncreative nickname. But hearing it now, out of Dodge’s mouth . . . he didn’t mind so much. “Thanks, bro.”

Dodge headed inside with Range.

Fraser got up. “Thanks for not destroying Win’s boat tonight.”

“Win?”

“Winchester Marshall, my cousin.”

“The actor. He’s your cousin, huh?”

“Second cousin, actually, on my dad’s side,” Fraser said. “He’s from here, so he bought a place even though he’s not around much. There’s a few more Marshalls floating around here somewhere.” He headed inside. “Meet you all on the beach.”

Colt should go to bed too, but sitting out here, in the tempered heat of the night, his chest had stopped hurting, and somehow he could breathe easier too.

Maybe it was because around these guys, he didn’t feel like such a villain. Didn’t feel like a jerk for doing things in the night he couldn’t talk about.

And liking it.

He shook his head.

“There it is again. That look,” Ham said.

A beat, then, Fine. Ham might get it. “I think Tae has feelings for me.”

Ham raised an eyebrow.

“I’m not being arrogant. She said so on the boat.”

“No, I was thinking maybe you have a thing for her too. I saw the way you kissed her tonight.”

He held up his hand. “Just, hold on. Yes. We’ve kissed. And there’s something . . . sweet about her. And maybe even a little, well, she just sort of calms all the buzzing in my head, you know? She’s smart and pretty and—”

“I’m not reading the wall here, Colt. What’s the problem?”

Sometimes Ham said the strangest things. But, “I’m not sticking around. I’m not made for long-term relationships, and she knows that, but I feel like maybe that hasn’t sunk in. I’m only going to hurt her.”

Ham drew in a breath. Deep inside, Colt sort of wanted to be like Ham someday. Past forty, Ham still bore the frame of an operator. Wizened blue eyes, his short dark blond hair wind worked, a haze of whiskers on his chin. Still, Ham could outrun, outfight, outthink most of them.

But recently—and Colt hadn’t gotten the entire story—Ham had settled down, gotten married, acquired a daughter, and generally made room in his life for people he could come home to.

“Why aren’t you sticking around?”

He looked at Ham. “Seriously?”

“Yeah. Listen. You’re one of the best security guys I have. And I’m ready to deploy you as soon as you’re ready, but, Colt, that doesn’t mean you don’t need someone solid in your life. Someone to come home to.”