Her swift intake of breath is sharp. Both hands go to her face, covering her nose and mouth, putting my ring on her finger on shimmering display.Just when I thought she couldn’t be more exquisite.
The mascara and joy-tinged tears are streaming down her face now.
“You’re home? For good?”
My smile is ever present when Vaughn is near, but it widens at her obvious thrill to have me home with her...forever.
“Yeah. I got a new job. There’ll be some travel involved, but I take the jobs I want and turn down the ones I don’t.”
“You already have a new job?”
“Well...it’s been an open offer since my third mission as a SEAL. I met a...group in need of private security. They said the job is mine when I get ready. When I completed my end of the deal with the Navy, I called them before getting on the plane home.”
“Private security? So they live in Austin?”
My hand instinctively goes to the back of my neck, massaging the tense muscles there. My only tell, and I only have it with her. She gets to me in a way no one else can.
“No. It’s...uh...not that kind of security. It’ll be missions like before but, more on my terms. I can assemble my own team and research targets here. I’ll only leave when I’m ready to execute the plan, and then I’ll come home.”
“Execute. So you’ll still be killing people.”
She isn’t asking. She’s only voicing the dots she’s connected. The dimples are out in full force now.
“Come on. That’s not a problem, right? I’m still a catch.”
Her lack of response worries me. Her serious stare concerns me more.
“V?”
“It doesn’t really matter, does it? You’re the one for me. That’s it. It doesn’t really matter how long or how often you leave me. That fact will always be true.”
She almost sounds sad or angry when she says it. As though she’s upset that it’s true.Upset that I’m hers.
My right hand goes to the small of her back, pulling her into me, while my left hand entwines in her hair, tilting her face and bringing her eyes to mine.
“If you want me to get a regular job, I’ll do that. I’ll...work at the range or with the twins or develop a skill. I don’t fucking know, but I’ll do it.”
“No, it’s not that...it’s just...I don’t know. I was going to talk to you about...about staying. I didn’t know how or even if it could work, but I prayed so hard that it would. I imagined going to bed with you every night and waking up together every morning.” She visibly works to compose herself and heaves in a deep sigh. “It was a nice lie I told myself for a while, I guess. I know this is who you are, and I get that the world needs guys like you. Hell, I realize that there is probably no one else in the world quite so perfectly suited to the hero gig as you. I just want to be selfish. I want to keep you.”
“You will. I’m yours before I’m anything else. We don’t have to decide anything right now. I was discharged with full benefits, and you know I’ve been smart with my money. We’ll talk about each job together and decide if it’s right for us. If none of them are ever right, fine. That’s fine. There’s just us.”
Her smile is enough to assuage the stabbing pain in my heart. The pain that started when I saw that disappointed look in her eyes.
“We decide together.”
“Just us.”
Chapter 34
Elijah
Today is the day. She’s mine.That’s not new, but today we get to acknowledge it to everyone we care about...plus Adam. Today, we get to make it official.Legal.
Today...I’ve never been so grateful for saving and investing wisely. This wedding has been fucking expensive. The dress alone was....fuuuuuuck I can’t wait to see her in that thing.My mind has run crazy with ideas. Each one sexier than the last. That’s why this had to be the shortest engagement in history.
My heart is racing, and my smile is stretched maniacally across my face. I want to run back there and drag her out. My best man lays a calming hand on my shoulder.
“You’re going to have to calm the hell down before she gets out here. You’re a serious contender for the next Joker movie up here, looking like Joaquin Phoenix on an acid trip.”
