Epilogue
Twenty Four Hours Later
I suck at patience.
Well, that’s not exactly true. I have fucking tons of it when it comes to doing reconnaissance. Ample for waiting out bad guys. Loads of patience when we’re planning a mission.
Not when it comes to my woman.
When the sunlight catches on her hair, a sharp pang of longing slices through my chest. She glances my way and smiles, that little turn of her lips driving another nail into me.
After a beat, she shakes hands with the sheriff that’s helping on our cases. I left them to talk over notes about Ralph while I took care of other business.
As she starts toward me the skirt of her new blue sundress brushes the soft skin just below her knees. A place I’ve become incredibly fond of. Especially the way her breath catches and her nipples peak when I use my mouth on the spot just behind her knee.
I shift, praying that my erection doesn’t make an embarrassing tent in my cargo pants. That’s all I need right now.
My throat gets achingly dry when Camile steps in front of me and offers me a soft smile as my greeting. “Did you have any luck?”
God, I want to grab her and kiss every last inch of her. Instead, I clear my throat and pass her a cup of fresh mango juice that matches the one in my hand. “None of the vendors have seen her.”
Her smile slides off and a determined frown sets up shop as she glances around the open air market that lines both sides of the roadway. “The sheriff is going to send me a list of addresses on cars that match the description of the one you guys saw the other night. He said the letters that Scout got from the tag are fairly common here, but hopefully it’s enough to narrow it down.”
Sunlight catches on a strand of her hair, bringing out the golden tone in the deep red locks. My fingers twitch. It’s hard as hell to keep my hands off of her.
Instead I force one hand into my pocket to wrap around the metal that’s burning a hole into my leg. “Between the sheriff and Marshall’s gurus back stateside, I think we’ll have a hit.”
I catch her around the arm and pull her to me, unable to resist touching her any longer. It’s been forty-five minutes. Far too long.
As she takes a sip of juice she sighs and the smile returns. “This is really good. Thank you.”
“Let’s go for a walk.”
Her hand slides into my offered arm, hooking the inside of my elbow, driving a dizzying wave of possessiveness through me.
I’ve never felt this exact sensation. I’ve always been protective since I was a kid, but this is something much more dangerous.
I scan the crowd for any threats, because she’s mine to protect and I’ll do anything to keep her safe. Even if it’s daylight and we’re walking in a busy, friendly looking area as we walk toward the park on the next block.
“Where are you taking me?” Her eyes dance as she glances up at me. “More shopping? Not that I need anything else, but it was a treat to visit the vendors.”
“Sure. Later. First, I want you to see something.”
We wait for cars to pass, and I lead her across the pock-marked road, and hang a left on the next street. Ahead a cluster of palm trees mark the spot—a place I found while I was taking care of things while Camile was in the meeting.
The sway of long palm fronds beckons us into their shade.
Her fingers squeeze my arm as she exhales with pleasure. “Oh my god, it’s incredible. This view… you can see forever.”
Satisfaction courses through me. I knew she’d love the view. Far off into the distance, light glistens on the inky blue water of the Pacific. Between Carollia and the shoreline is a velvet carpet of undulating forest that stretches on for miles and miles.
I take her to the overlook where a railing and bench have been placed. “When I stumbled on this, I knew we needed to come back. I had to share it with you.”
There’s a new softness to her eyes when she looks up at me again. I want to see it a million times over. Swear I’ll spend the rest of my life doing whatever I need to do to make that happen.
The tone in her voice is fresh. Light and happy. “I love it. Vandemora is so beautiful. Now that I’m not in the throes of crisis, I’m really loving it here. And the people are so nice. The sheriff was eager to help.”
I drag my eyes away and look at the ocean. An unsteady feeling hits my knees. Fuck. Keep it together, man.
“Sometimes the officials push back. It’s why we often have to operate in the shadows.”
She nods thoughtfully. “He doesn’t want any bad press about Vandemora.”
I glance her way and mutter, “Smart man.” But the last thing on my mind is the sheriff. Although I do owe him a thank you for keeping Camile busy while I took care of business. He also told me where to find what I needed.
With a tip of her paper cup, Camile sips her juice, catching a drop that tries to escape with her tongue. “It was thoughtful of you to buy this for me.”
That simple little remark causes a fist to clench inside of my chest.
No one has ever taken care of this woman. My new mission in life is to give her everything that makes her feel special and cherished.
My jaw hardens until she lets out a happy sigh that seems to work it’s way inside of me and loosen the death grip inside of me.
“It almost feels like we’re on a little mini date. It’s very romantic here.”
Again a little remark hits me in the gut.
My hand slides into my pocket again, feeling the weight of my purchase alongside the heavy rightness that’s taken up place in my marrow.
All those years…
It just wasn’t the right time. I thought it wasn’t for me. I wasn’t for love. Whatever. It didn’t happen.
Now it has and it’s not getting away from me.
When I lift my eyes to her again, Camile’s radiant in the dappled sunlight coming through the trees, clutching the cheesy paper cup, gazing wistfully at the ocean.
My heart nearly thuds out of my chest.
When she sits on the brightly colored bench, I place my own cup on the seat next to her but I don’t join her. I wipe my palms on my cargo pants. Shit. I should have worn a nice shirt…
She pats the bench. “Take a load off, sailor.”
I catch her hand and drop to my knee. There’s a tiny jolt in her fingers when she registered that I’m kneeling in front of her.
Or maybe it’s the seriousness in my expression. This is the most important moment of my life.
A riot of nerves skitter through my gut. Heat builds along my collar. My mouth feels weird.
“Babe.” I sound like I feel.
Her concerned gaze slides between my eyes, scans my face. “Beast, you’re making my heart race.”
I open my hand, in my palm lies a simple silver band. It’s hot and cold and heavy as the earth itself in my palm.
With a nervous shiver, her tongue darts across her lips. “Is that for me?”
“It is. Give me a second.” My throat works vigorously.
She looks up at me. There’s something hot and raw shining in her eyes. She whispers, “It’s okay. You’ve stolen my breath.”
When I exhale the knot in my throat, my words come out low, full of emotion. “Marry me. I promise I’ll do everything I can to make your life beautiful. The life you deserve.”
Her reply is quick. “Yes. I love you.”
Relief washes through me, loosening my rigid muscles. My eyes sting with an unfamiliar heat as I slide the silver band onto her finger. A grin pulls at my lips when it slips on perfectly and settles at the base of her slender finger. I can’t take my eyes off the smooth silver metal—my ring—against her pretty, pale skin.
“It’s not a diamond, but I don’t want you wearing one while you’re in the field working. It’s too dangerous. But I’ll get you one to wear when we’re home, stateside.”
She reaches out and grabs my T-shirt. “I don”t care about diamonds, all I need is you. Now, kiss me, Beast.”
I love it when she calls me Lucas, but the throaty way she uses my nickname feels insanely right. With a rumble of approval, I shove a hand into her hair and draw her to me fast. Our mouths fuse, tongues tangle, heat radiates out as we breathe like we’re running, taking long devouring tastes of each other.
When I pull back, I cup her flushed cheeks and look into her bright, misty eyes. “You just made me the happiest man on the planet.”
She closes her eyes, licks across her lips. A sexy smile curls the corners of her pretty mouth. “Can you do that again?”
“Anytime you want.”
I take her mouth again, this time moving to the bench seat, and pulling her into my lap.
A loud ringtone has me stopping, drawing back and clenching my jaw. Fucking hell. Not now.
This better be important.
I consider tossing my phone over the cliff. Instead, I growl at it. “Unfortunately work calls.”
Camile snuggles against me. “It’s alright. I understand. We have a job to do.”
I hit the Accept button as I brush a tendril of crimson hair back from her cheek. “Evan, give me two minutes. I’ll call you right back.”
Camile smiles wickedly and leans into me again. I kiss her for one minute and fifty-nine seconds. Then I stand up with her in my arms. As I hit the Send button on the call, I let her slide to her feet.
It rings a few times as I breathe in her sweet apple scent. Heaven. Before I know what I’m doing, I find myself nuzzling her ear. “I don’t know when we’ll get time to actually do normal couple things.”
“I don’t know what normal couple stuff is. All I know is that as long as I’m with you, I’m happy.”
The heat of her palm against my chest makes my skin tingle. Her words are balm to my growing frustration with Evan. First he calls me then he doesn’t answer. Jerk.
As the phone continues to ring on his end, Camile kisses my cheek. The glow in my chest grows so big, it’s only barely doused when Evan answers.
As I drag my thumb over her plump, damp bottom lip, I grumble at him. “We just got engaged so I need you to make it fast.”
“There’s a situation in Karma.”
Evan’s tone makes my radar for trouble start to ping. Before I can ask more, an engine roars in the background on his end.
Camile’s brows pull together as she leans closer to the phone and raises her voice. “Evan is that the good kind of situation or the bad kind?”
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
With one 100% certainty, I know it’s gunfire.
For an agonizing few seconds we listen to heavy breathing, the scuffle of feet, and the sound of the phone brushing against fabric.
Camile’s fingers tighten into a fist with my shirt caught in her grip.
Finally, Evan’s voice eases the choking sensation in my throat.
“Fuck. That just happened. So to answer your question, Camile, I’m not sure yet.”
* * *