His cane clattered to the floor, and he gathered her into his arms and his kiss and his life.
A wee gasp from her, and she leaned into him, melding with him.
She was his—his bonny selkie. From the sea, of the sea. To the land, of the land. To him,ofhim, now and forever.
Cilla tipped her head back, with closed eyes and a sloppy smile. “I knew it. I knew you’d love fiercely.”
He laughed. “Fiercely, aye?”
“Aye.” She opened her eyes and gave him a flirtatious look.
He kissed her again. Fiercely, he hoped. “You heard the commander—we have a free day. What shall we do? A park? A restaurant? I havnae ever taken you on a date.”
She grinned and hunched her shoulders. “Oh, let’s. But before we leave, we should discuss anything secret.”
“Aye. Smart lass.” Lachlan leaned his backside against the table, stretched out his right leg, and drew her close again.
Cilla twisted in his arms and frowned at his leg. “Your knee?”
“I hope you dinnae mind a man with a cane. I may have it for life.”
“I think you look quite dashing.” She glanced at him through her eyelashes and pressed a little kiss to his lips.
A satisfied groan leached out, but he pulled back. They couldn’t stay in the office all day. “Tell me more about this woman I’m kissing—Cecilia Klaasen. May I still call you Cilla?”
“Please do. It’s a nickname for Cecilia anyway. But in the office, you should probably call me Cecilia.”
“I’ll try.” He stroked the firm curve of her lower back. “What’s your new story?”
Cilla traced the rim of his shirt collar. “I was involved in the resistance and escaped last April. I was afraid the Nazis would send agents to find me, so I took a job in a lighthouse in the far north of Scotland. When the two spies came this spring, I fled to London. I inquired at Scotland Yard, and they sent me to MI5. MI5 believes the second spy came to help the first—and the first never mentioned me. They assured me I was safe, but they gave me a new name to be safe.”
Lachlan nodded a few times. “Enough truth in there for me to remember.”
“It helps. I keep stumbling over my name though.” She chuckled as one finger traced a mesmerizing path under his collar.
Too mesmerizing, and he had to do something about it. “That willnae do at all. Take my name instead.”
“Yours?”
“Marry me.”
She laughed and gave his chest a little shove. “Now who’s being impulsive? We’ve had a handful of kisses, we’ve never been on a date, and—”
“And I want to marry you.” His voice thickened. “More than anything, I want to marry you.”
She stared at him, the blue green expanding into oceans. “Are you serious?”
“Am I evernotserious?” He grinned at her. “You asked me that once, aye?”
“I did. After I teased you about stealing my heart.” Laughter spilled from her bonny lips. “I never dreamed you would indeed steal my heart.”
“Have I?” He pulled her close and nuzzled a kiss to her forehead. “I have no intention of giving it back. I shall lock it up like a selkie’s skin, so you have no choice but to marry me.”
“Are you blackmailing me, Lieutenant?”
His smile spread across her warm forehead. “Is it working?”
Cilla wove her fingers into his hair. “I’ll marry you, but I do so under duress.”
