“And before we get caught up again, we should eat.”
“I’ll call the station and see what the weather situation is like.”
“First thing I’m doing it getting a snowmobile. You need to be able to get to town the next time we’re snowed in. Does the department have any?”
“Yes, two.”
“But if you had your own it would help, right?” His brain was whirling with everything he could do to make her job easier—safer.
“I see that brain spinning. I’ve lived in Winter Lake all my life, Nash, and I’ve worked at the department for longer than you’ve known me. I don’t need you to take care of me. I’m not a delicate flower.”
“No, you’re not, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to take care of you. I know you can look after yourself. That’s not why I want to protect you.”
Her frown said more than words.
“Okay, protect is the wrong word…” He shook his head. “I can’t think of a better one. Just know that I will always make sure you’re safe, that you have what you need and want because you’re precious to me, you own my heart, and if anything happened to you I’m not sure I would survive.”
He’d never seen Laura’s face so open. She’d dropped all her guards and stared at him with such astonishment he realized he hadn’t been clear enough with his feelings or she needed reassurance.
“I love you. I don’t know how I lasted this long without you in my life. And I have no plans on living the rest of it without you.” He cradled her face in his hands, lowered his forehead to rest on hers. “I promise you, I will do anything and everything to make you happy, to love you until I take my last breath. If I have to remind you of that multiple times a day, I will.”
“You really do love me as I am.”
“Yes. Even the parts I don’t like, and those aren’t really you, well not exactly.”
She laughed, her breath hot against his face. “And what parts are those?”
“The fact you carry a gun and chase down criminals.”
“Ah.”
“I don’t want to change anything about you except you address.” One side of his mouth kicked up in a smirk. “And maybe your last name.”
He swallowed her gasp with a kiss because he didn’t want to hear any protests about what he’d said. she would change her name, not this week or next, but as soon as he could convince her to marry him, he would and she’d be Laura Yates.
Epilogue
Six months later
“Why are you here?”
Laura glanced up at her sister to find Carly standing in front of the couch, hands on her hips and a scowl on her face.
“Ah, because my shift does start yet.” She hadn’t meant it as a question, but there was no denying it came out that way.
“No.” Carly’s scowl intensified. “Why are you here, here?” She emphasized the first here but pointing at the floor between them.
Sitting up straighter, Laura stared at Carly in confusion. “I told you, my shift doesn’t start until four.”
“Grrr…” Carly’s fists clenched at her sides and her jaw did that ticking thing it always did when she was mad.
Laura held up a hand as she got to her feet. “Okay, okay, I’m obviously not understanding the question.”
Although how she didn’t understand was beyond her. Then again, Carly had been acting weird lately. Ever since Laura and Nash had gone public?—
“Is this about me staying with Nash a lot?”
“Yes!”
