“I’m so glad to hear you say that, because it would have sucked if I was the only one.”
“The only one to what?”
“To fall, gorgeous. I think I fell in love with you that same day. You stood there, going toe-to-toe with me, refusing to back down and accept me blaming you for something you didn’t do. That fire appealed to me on every level. It just took my head to catch up with my heart.
“And the day you were taken hostage – I thought I was going to lose my mind. I couldn’t get to the island quick enough. I’m just grateful I didn’t know it was you that guy had with him at the window. I’m not sure I could have pulled the trigger if I had. I would have been too crippled with anxiety that I’d hit you –”
“But you didn’t and now, because of you, I’m here in your arms. You’re my safe place, and there’s nowhere else I want to be.”
Speechless at her words, I seal my lips over hers, telling her the only way I can how deeply affected I am. I’ve never been a man of many words, and unable to adequately express what I want to say, I show her instead, putting everything I’m feeling into the kiss.
24
AGATHA
I’ve changed my outfit a million times. Nothing I try on feels right. I want to make a good impression, but I don’t want it to seem like I’m trying too hard either.
It’s the first time I’ll be officially meeting Jessen’s teammates and their friends from a different team – a guy by the name of Wolf, his teammates, and their partners. When Jessen called to ask me to go as his date, I was sorely tempted to cry off using a deadline as an excuse. But he sounds so excited I didn’t have the heart to do it to him.
And now I’m feeling the pressure. As an introvert author who lives mostly like a hermit, I’m always intimidated by social gatherings.
Well, except book signings. I always love meeting my readers and, somehow, never struggle to find the right things to say then. But today there’s a beach picnic being organized by the Navy, and Jessen has asked me to go with him.
The ringing of the door buzzer tells me time’s up. How am I out of time already? I guess the summery floral halter top dress I’m currently trying on is now my outfit. Slipping my feet into pretty pink slip-on sandals that match my outfit, refracting the light as I walk, I hurry to answer.
“Good morning, Ms. Traeger. Your young man is here to collect you.” Mr. Harris is an older gentleman with the vocabulary of a bygone era. I love how he always calls Jessen “my young man.”
“Good morning, Mr. Harris. Please send Jessen on up. Thank you.”
“Very good, miss. I’ll do that.”
I wait until I hear the elevator before opening the door. My nerves hum with tension over the upcoming picnic, but my heart skips a beat at the sight of a beach-ready Jessen as he steps out into the hall. My mouth is watering just looking at him.
Catching sight of me, he whistles long and low before grinning at me. “Damn, woman. You look good enough to eat. I’m not sure I want you going out in that killer dress. This is supposed to be a day of family fun, I don’t want to have to beat men off with a stick.”
His happy mood is infectious, and he has me laughing at his silliness. “I only have eyes for one man, good sir. I cannot be tempted away so easily. Unless they have ice cream, in which case all bets are off.”
Jessen’s chuckle has me going all gooey inside. I love that deep, husky sound. He wraps a gentle hand around my neck and pulls me in for a kiss I feel all through my body, all the way down to my toes. His tongue seduces me and dulls my senses until all I can feel and taste is him.
When I’m breathless and my head is spinning, he pulls back, rests his forehead on mine, and we stand like that while we catch our breath. “Good morning, gorgeous.”
“Well, hi handsome. Come on in and make yourself at home. I just need to finish getting done. I’ve been so busy stressing over what to wear, time ran away with me.”
“Tigs, it doesn’t matter what you wear, you’ll look great. Besides, they want to meet you, not your clothes.”
“God, you’re such a guy.”
“Yeah, but you love me anyway.”
“True story, that. Okay, I’ll just be a minute,” I say as I dash back to my bedroom. I make a quick stop in the bathroom, give myself one last once-over and, deciding it’s as good as it’s going to get, I grab my beach bag before rejoining Jessen in the living room.
“You got everything?”
Patting the bag slung over my shoulder, I nod. “All except the food. I just need to grab that out of the refrigerator, and we can be on our way.”
Minutes later, we wave goodbye to Mr. Harris on our way to the car. It’s a perfect day for the beach, and I’m excited to spend the day with Jessen. I’m even looking forward to meeting his friends and their significant others as much as it makes me nervous.
Jessen drops the roof of the Mustang, and we cruise down to the beach closest to the naval base. The parking lot is already packed with vehicles of all kinds – cars, trucks, bikes – in every conceivable color. Eventually, we find a spot to park. Jessen grabs the bags from the trunk, and we head for the sand. Just as we reach it, a beautiful woman with light brown hair waves us over.
