"And I want us to keep moving forward."
"Good," he said, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "We're on the same page."
She nodded, then sighed as reality intruded. "Speaking of pages, we still need to go over the Blackwood information."
"We will. But first..." Terry's voice dropped to that intimate register that made her pulse quicken. "Stay tonight."
Sandra jerked slightly, twisting to look up at him. "Terry, what about the kids?"
His thumb brushed across her cheek, sending familiar warmth up her spine. "They know we're together. Hell, they're ready for you to move in permanently. It's not like we'll be inappropriate. And if it makes you more comfortable, you can leave early in the morning."
Sandra studied his face in the dim porch light, seeing the hope he was trying to keep casual. The truth was, she wanted to stay. She wanted to fall asleep next to him and wake up in his arms.
"Okay," she said softly. "But you're right about being appropriate. No wild living room activities."
Terry threw his head back and laughed. "We'll save that for when they're at their mom's."
"And no surprise early homecomings!"
His laughter faded as he nodded seriously. "Patricia knows now that you're part of my life. She'll call ahead if plans change. We won't have another situation like that weekend."
Sandra cupped his jaw and leaned in, kissing him softly. "Then I'd love to stay tonight."
When they went back inside, they found the kids in the living room. Emma was reading a book while laid back on the couch while Toby was absorbed in a handheld video game.
"Want to play?" Toby asked without looking up.
"Thanks, sweetie, but your dad's helping me with some work stuff," Sandra said, reaching for her bag.
"Cool," Toby replied, already refocused on his game.
Sandra retrieved the manila folder and spread the Blackwood contracts across Terry's kitchen table.
Terry's expression grew serious as he studied the papers. "Walk me through what I'm looking at."
"Payment discrepancies, billing irregularities, and contracts that are way more complex than they need to be." Sandra pointed to specific clauses as she explained her concerns. "I went to Blackwood's Baytown office and met with Harry Blackwood. He handles all the Eastern Shore customer accounts."
Terry's head snapped up. "Harry Blackwood?"
"You know him?"
"Harrison Blackwood's son. Harrison built the company, but he's been letting Harry handle more operations on this side of the bay." Terry's expression darkened. "If you're getting close to something he wants hidden, you need to be careful."
Sandra felt her pulse quicken. "I also need to tell you that I've brought in help. Lia McFarlane. She's a certified forensic accountant. I told her I was concerned about money laundering, not just invoice padding."
"Money laundering." Terry was quiet for a moment, processing. "That came up at the conference. It's more common in construction than people realize."
They sat staring at the papers scattered across the table. Finally, Terry gathered everything back into the folder and stood, gently pulling her from her seat.
"Come on, sweetheart. The kids are getting ready for bed, and I don't want you worrying about this anymore tonight."
After saying good night to the kids, he checked the house security, then led her down the hall to his bedroom. Sandra's nerves fluttered as he closed the door behind them. Despite everything they'd shared, the deliberate intimacy of stayingthe night still felt significant, especially after Toby's innocent comment about marriage.
Terry's hands were gentle as he pulled her close, his kiss soft and questioning. "You okay? Today was a lot."
"I'm okay," Sandra whispered, meaning it. Whatever was happening with Blackwood, she felt safe here in Terry's arms, and this house was starting to feel like home.
They made love slowly, quietly, conscious of the children sleeping under the same roof. Terry's touch was reverent, protective, as if he could shield her from all the dangers lurking outside his bedroom door. Sandra lost herself in the warmth of his skin, the security of his embrace, pushing aside thoughts of threatening contracts and nervous developers.
