A few months? That would be hard if we were really together.
“As for how often, sometimes I have assignments with only a day or two in between. Other times I get a week or more.”
I guess that makes sense. He was protecting me, and we had no idea how long the threat would last. My mind goes back to the shootout at my house. “The shootout. How often are you in that much danger?”
He sighs. “I’m often in dangerous situations, but you have to understand, I’m trained for it. And I usually have my team or part of it with me. We always have each other’s back.”
The idea of him out there makes me nervous. “Okay.”
“Hey, I’ve been doing this for years, and before that, I was a Navy SEAL. I got this.”
“A SEAL? Like one of those elite soldiers?”
He laughs. “Sailor, not soldier.”
“You weren’t elite when I met you, were you?”
He laughs harder. “Wow, guess I made a great impression. I’d like to think I was pretty elite. But no, I wasn’t a SEAL.”
I laugh, too. I never could get that straight when we were together. I think because, in my mind, he said he was leaving the service, so I didn’t think of him as a sailor but simply as my boyfriend.
“What do you say? Want to date me?” he asks.
I do, but the last time when he left, it crushed me. “What exactly do you mean by date? Are we dating other people, too?”
“No. I don’t want anyone else, and I don’t want you with anyone else. Can you live with that?”
I smile. “Yes, I don’t think I could handle you with anyone else.”
He sighs. “Yeah, the idea of you with Nelson just about did me in. When I first heard you were married, I figured you were in love. There’s never been anyone else that has captured my heart, Delaney. All these years, I’ve missed you. And I hope to hell you will give me another chance.”
Tears spring from my eyes. I take a deep breath, hoping I can say the words without crying. This is what I’ve wanted for so long. “Yes, I want to long-distance date you, Logan.”
CHAPTER23
Logan
I rollinto work the next morning, all smiles despite the fact I’m still not sure what side of the law my brother is really on. But I don’t want to focus on that right now. I don’t recall ever feeling this happy. Yes, Delaney is still in California, and I’m thousands of miles away, but she said yes to giving us a try. And I’m not going to let her go again.
“Wow, you’re glowing. What’s her name?” Piper asks as I walk past her desk.
“Delaney.”
“I’m happy for you,” she says, but her smile doesn’t reach her eyes.
I lean down so no one else will hear. “You could have something real with him if you get out of your own way.”
Her eyes widen, and she opens her mouth but doesn’t say anything. I’ve noticed more than I’m sure she realizes when she visits my roommate, Ozzie. The guy is so hung up on her but can’t do anything about it, or else her cousin—and our coworker, Durango—might kill him. And I’m not exaggerating. That man is so protective of his little cousin. And as far as Piper, I have no idea what is going through her head. It’s clear she wants to be with Ozzie, but something is holding her back.
Probably Durango.
I leave her with her thoughts and walk into the kitchen to pour myself some coffee. We instituted a new rule last month: only Piper or Reed can make coffee. It sounds ridiculous, but the food pranks we’ve been pulling on each other have gotten out of hand. We finally all agreed that messing with the coffee was too low of a blow.
Opening the fridge, I stare at my creamer and remember it’s not actually hazelnut. Obviously, Lightning hadn’t taken the message as seriously as the rest of us. I slam the fridge door shut and go to my office. Apparently, I take my coffee black now.
Digging in, I decide I’m finishing the paperwork required by the FBI for my last assignment. Once it’s done, I submit it, which means it goes to Reed next for review. My phone buzzes on my desk, and I grab it. A text from Trip.
Trip:I got the results from that search you requested. Call me when you have time to talk.
