“I’m glad.” He waggled his eyebrows. “It’s rather exciting to have a kick-butt girlfriend.”
She laughed and hugged him again. “Oh, but believe me, I’d rather not have to go through that again.”
In the distance, sirens wailed. She sighed. Any minute now Wallace would be handcuffed and taken to jail. Both Zack and Whitney would give the police their statements of attempted murder.
But she didn’t dare breathe too easily, yet. After all, the senator’s hitman was still out there. Or was he? She doubted Wallace had shot Zack the first time two months ago when her unit had been called to take his statement. She’d not known Zack back then, so why would Wallace shoot him?
She frowned. Apparently, she would still play the part of the FBI agent for two more weeks. However – she peeked up at the gorgeous man who still held her in his arms – those two weeks were going to be very exciting.
* * * *
KEEPING WHITNEY’S HANDin his, Zack walked out of the courthouse and down the many steps from the building. He smiled so much his cheeks hurt. He’d testified on the stand and told the jury everything he saw the senator do, and what the senator had said. Thankfully, the prosecution had more proof of the senator’s criminal actions, and the crooked politician was sentenced to life in prison.
The last two weeks had been blissfully happy as he and Whitney remained at the ranch. They were still cautious of being spotted by someone in town who might know his true identity, but after a while, they realized they were safe.
The flashbulbs going off all at once all around him, blinded him momentarily, and he blocked the bright lights from his eyes. It looked as if he’d be back in the tabloids again, but this time, they’d tell about his day in court... and the beautiful FBI agent who had been with him throughout the whole trial.
Grumbling, he turned away from the paparazzi, and with Whitney’s hand still in his, he rushed for his brand-new red Ferrari. He opened the passenger side door for Whitney, and once she was inside, he ran to the driver’s side and climbed in. Two seconds later, he had the car started and raced away from the cameras and the onlookers.
“Oh, they are so annoying,” Whitney said.
“Yes, they are.” He glanced at her before looking back toward the road. “Are you going to be able to get used to that kind of life?”
“Why do I have to get used to it?”
“Don’t you want to be with me?”
“Well, of course, I do.”
“Then that’s one of the things you’ll have to tolerate.” He shrugged. “If I had it my way, I’d hide from them forever. It was rather nice being themissing billionairefor a few months.”
She scooted in her seat until she faced him. Her hand moved to his leg and rested on his thigh. He absolutely loved her tender touch.
“Zack? Didn’t you tell me that Joe offered to sell you the ranch?”
“Yes.” He glanced at her and back to the road. “Why?”
“You’d told him that you wanted to buy it. Were you serious?”
Zack glanced around the street, searching for a place to pull the car over so that he could have a serious conversation with her. He noticed the underground parking, and without a second thought, drove inside.
Memories flooded his mind of when he and Whitney were at the airport. He grinned and went to park in the empty spot near the wall.
She grasped his arm. “What are you doing?” Her voice lifted in humor. “Don’t you know we’ll be trapped if we park there?”
He laughed and moved to a more open parking place, stopped, and killed the engine. He turned and took her soft hands in his. “I’m glad you remembered.”
“Oh, I’ll never forget those days.”
He leaned over and kissed her briefly on the mouth before withdrawing. He stared into her beautiful hazel eyes that looked more green now. “Yes, I want to buy the ranch, but only on one condition.”
Sighing, she titled her head. “Conditions again?”
“Yes, but you’ll like this one.”
“Okay, what is it?”
“I want you to be my wife.” He reached into the pocket of his blue Armani suit jacket and withdrew a little black velvet jewelry box that he’d been carrying for a few days now.
