The most perfect set of sapphire eyes stared back at her. He brushed some hair from her forehead and said softly, “Because, darlin’. Destiny brought me back to you.”
Leaning forward, Derek kissed her slowly. Thoroughly. When he broke away, those seas of mesmerizing blues glistened with unshed tears.
Charlie was about to ask what was wrong when he began working his hand into his jeans pocket. She gasped when he pulled out a beautiful diamond ring.
“Derek!” His name escaped on a breath as she stared at the round solitaire nestled in a simple, platinum setting.
“I know we agreed to wait on a weddin’, but I figured”—he licked his lips nervously—“if you wanted, you could wear this until then.”
Not long after she was released from the hospital, Derek had brought up the subject of marriage. After coming so close to losing her, he hadn’t held back in telling her what he wanted.
Marriage. Kids. Forever.
She wanted those things, too. More than anything. But with her leg in a cast and her shoulder still healing, Charlie had convinced him to wait until she could at least walk down the aisle on her own two feet.
“You’re my forever, Charlie.” He slid the ring onto her left hand. “My everything.” He blinked, sending a tear down the side of his cheek. “So, what do you say?” He looked at her with more love than she deserved. “Will you marry me?”
Through her own tears of joy, her heart more full than she ever thought possible, Charlie smiled wide. “Yes. Of course.” Putting her hand to his cheek, she whispered, “I love you, Derek. So much.”
“Ah, darlin’.” He pulled her close. “I love you, too.”
After kissing her breathless, Derek glanced down at her with an ornery grin.
“So. What do you want to do after we look at the land? I was thinkin’ we could highjack a hot air balloon and fly over the gulf. Maybe have a picnic dinner on the pier and then sneak onto one of those giant cruise ships and sail around the world.”
Charlie grinned, but rather than play along, she shook her head. “I don’t want to go anywhere else. I’m already living my fantasy. Right here, with you.”
The love in his eyes grew even deeper. As she sat there, wrapped in the warmth and comfort of his arms, Charlie thanked God for creating such a perfect, wonderful man.
Fate may have kept them apart all those years, but she had him back now...and she was never letting him go.
****
From his post at onecorner of the room, Grant Hill surveyed the large crowd.
Dressed in a black suit, crisp, white shirt, and black tie, the former SEAL stood with his feet shoulder-width apart, hands crossed loosely in front. As he had for the past hour, he assessed the room for possible threats to the guest of honor, Senator William Cantrell.
This was his final night of this assignment, and for that, he couldn’t be more grateful. What was supposed to be a two-week job playing babysitter for the Texas senator had turned into a full month of appearances and high-dollar fundraisers.
While he understood the need for extra security at events like these, Grant would rather be dodging bullets while running barefoot in his fucking boxers than spend one more night doing this shit.
As he continued scanning the large banquet hall located in the senator’s mansion, Grant felt nauseated watching yet another group of entitled, overpaid pricks flashing their egos and checkbooks at each other like it was some sort of fucked-up competition.
Their wives—or mistresses, take your pick—were no better.
He’d been around more silicone in the last month than a class full of third-graders on a field trip to a goddamn recycling plant. Between the dyed hair, fake tits, and Botox-induced smiles, he barely remembered what a real woman even looked like.
Thoughts of real women made him think of the newest addition to the R.I.S.C. clan. Derek had called earlier to share the news that he and Charlie had gotten engaged.
Grant had offered the socially required congratulations, but truth be told, he didn’t get it.
D was the third member of R.I.S.C.’s Alpha Team to fall into the relationship trap. Not only were all three men ridiculously head-over-ass, his teammates had also come too damn close to losing the women they’d fallen in love with.
Not that he didn’t like Liv, Lexi, and Charlie. All three were sweet and, when they needed to be, forces to be reckoned with. They’d each survived insurmountable odds and more than earned his respect.
Still didn’t mean he agreed with his friend’s choices to settle down. Not that they’d asked.
Normally, Grant wouldn’t give two fucks what his friends did with their personal lives. To each their own and all that shit. But these guys were some of the toughest men he’d ever known.
