“Don’t be mad,” he started.
“You know in the entire history of language, never has anyone started a conversation that way, and the other person has managed not to get mad,” she teased. There was amusement dancing in her eyes, but there was trepidation there, too.
“It’s not bad, not really. The letter you sent me all those years ago, the one I never opened, the one I told you that I’d kept, I asked one of my teammates to go into my place, get it, and send it to me,” he admitted. It wasn't that he thought he’d done anything wrong, well, not exactly, but Teresa hadn't wanted him to read the old letter, and he didn't want to upset her.
“You shouldn’t have done that,” she said with a sigh, letting her forehead drop forward to rest against his chest.
At least she wasn't shoving away from him.
That had to be a good sign, didn't it?
“I absolutely should have. I let you down, pretty girl, let them pull you away from me the other night. I could have lost you.” It was something he didn't like thinking about, because he knew anything could have gone wrong and she wouldn't be in his arms right now. For the rest of his life, he was probably going to feel guilty about not insisting Teresa stay there or not keeping a better hold on her. More guilt for him to shoulder.
“But you didn't lose me,” Teresa reminded him. “I'm right here.”
“Yeah, you are.” She’d lifted her head, so he brushed a quick kiss to her lips.
“I didn't want you to read it,” she whispered.
“I know, pretty girl, but I needed to. It was good for me, I had to see your emotions as they were back then. I can't explain it, I just … had to. I had it with me on the helo when we came to rescue you. I tore it up, threw it out, ready to focus on the future instead of the past. But as I jumped, I found this piece in the air. It was like it was waiting for me.I need you. Of all the pieces I could have found it was this one. The reminder that I need, for both the past and the future. You needed me back then, and I wasn't there. That won't happen again. I swear it.”
Needing her to know how serious he was, Micah dropped to his knees in front of her, his arms circling her waist, careful not to hold too tight and hurt her wound.
“I promise you, pretty girl, I willneverlet you down like that again. That’s why I kept that piece of paper when I found it. Why I'm going to keep it on me every day for the rest of my life. My promise to the only woman I’ve ever loved, the only woman I’lleverlove.”
“I love you, too, Micah.” Her fingers curled into his short hair, gripping him just tight enough to sting, and when he sawtears brimming in her big brown eyes, he pushed to his feet, scooping Teresa into his arms as he did.
“That makes me the luckiest man alive. I don’t deserve your love, your forgiveness, or this second chance, but I won't ever make you regret giving them to me. I will cherish you the way you deserve forever. I’ll be the man you need me to be.”
“Yeah, you will,” she agreed. “And I’ll be the woman you need me to be. A team. That’s what I want for us. To face life and all its challenges and craziness together.”
“Together.” Just the way he wanted it. “Now you need to eat, then I need to check your wound, don’t want it getting infected this time around, and you going all tough girl and not telling me.”
“Actually, I think you're forgetting something.”
“I am?”
“Kiss me, Micah,” she said with a laugh.
That sound was the most beautiful one in the world, and as he crushed his lips to hers, Micah knew he really was the luckiest guy in the world to be able to enjoy it for as long as he lived.
CHAPTER 23
May10th
9:02 A.M.
“We’re going to be late.”Teresa huffed as she and Micah stepped out of the apartment door into the corridor that led to the elevators.
“Two minutes,” he countered as he closed the door behind them.
“Two minutes now, but we still have to walk to the elevator, wait for the elevator, take the elevator, then get off the elevator and to the office. Can't believe I’ve never once been late to work when I lived across the other side of the city, and yet I'm going to be late when I'm staying right in the building.”
The sound of Micah’s laughter filled the hall, and his arm wrapped around her shoulders, tugging her into his side. When his lips touched a kiss to her temple, Teresa found herself melting against him even if she was a little annoyed he’d made her late.
Originally, she had only planned on taking a day off before going back to work. Now they had a name, it was even moreimportant than ever to dig into it, gather every bit of intel they could find, but she’d wound up taking two days off instead.
Not that Micah had to work all that hard to convince her.
