11
Stewart
“We’ve got enough to proceed officially.“
Captain Jessup’s voice over the phone was gruff as usual. “I’ll need you both back here Monday morning—”
“Tuesday,“
I reminded her. “Ma’am.” She hated being interrupted.
“As if Mason and his coach weren’t enough to spike my blood sugar. Fine, Tuesday,“
she said and hung up.
Roscoe pulled me into his arms. “Watching you set hard lines with your boss gives me a hard line.“
He grinned, and I had to kiss him. Thoroughly.
“Alexa, make it stop.”
“Oi, mate. I had to watch you and the football coach fawn all over each other.”
“Touché. Jessup’s putting someone on Dale, but there’s some disagreement on how to proceed.“
He sighed. “Check the chat. Both of you.”
Roscoe swore, and I pulled up the messages.
SSA Lisben and Princess Peach have been added to the chat.
I laughed and darted a glance at Mason. He looked entirely too smug.
Fifty-two new messages.
Capt. Jessup
We should bring Dale Reynolds in for questioning.
SSA Lisben
Absolutely not. Roscoe has his orders.
Capt. Jessup
You’re not in charge.
SSA Lisben
The FBI has jurisdiction.
I stared at the others. “What have we done?”
Roscoe chuckled and squeezed my hand.
“I’m calling an Uber. Say your goodbyes, Stewart.”
I smiled at Roscoe. The green specks in his hazel eyes. His sweet lips. I was a goner. And I was fine with it. “Sorry, mate. You’re on your own.”
“What do you mean?”
Roscoe wrapped his arm around me. “Stewart and I are going on another cruise.”
Mason stared. “Willingly?”
I laughed. “Water and people are growing on me.”
“Bullshit.”
A giggle escaped, and I refused to be embarrassed about it. “We felt a detailed debriefing was in order.”
“Very detailed,“
Roscoe said. “And thorough.”
Mason pinched the bridge of his nose. “Is this what it’s going to be like? Every day—“
His phone rang, interrupting his rant. He checked the screen, and a sappy smile spread across his face.
“You were saying?“
I asked innocently.
“Be careful,“
he said to me, then turned to Roscoe. “Hurt him, and I’ll personally take you out.” Then his voice softened as he answered his phone. “Hey, baby. Missed you.”
After Mason walked away, Roscoe cupped my face in his hands. “Are you sure about this?”
Was he talking about the cruise? Or us? Didn’t matter. My answer was the same. A resounding yes.
Less than a week ago, I’d stood on this very dock, devastated at losing my boyfriend and afraid of losing my team.
But instead, I’d gained so much.
Seeing myself through Roscoe’s eyes helped heal something in me. I felt seen in a way I hadn’t before. Not by my family. Or past boyfriends. Not even my work family.
I extracted myself from Roscoe’s embrace. “Special Agent Stewart Janes,“
I said, holding out my hand. “I prefer computers and plants to people. I’d rather sit on the floor than on the couch. I like Earl Grey tea. And you. I really like you.”
His face lit up. He shook my hand and held on. “Special Agent Roscoe Mann. Those shoes are fire.“
He nodded to my purple Sperry shoes. “And so are you.”
The love in his eyes had me swooning. “I look forward to getting to know you better, Agent Mann. Every bit of you.”
He kissed me…quite thoroughly.
I no longer felt naked. Alone. My life was fuller than it had ever been.