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“Sure. I’ll put on some tea.” I shoo him away so he can take care of himself, and as soon as he’s out of earshot, I dial Ethan.
The phone rings once before he picks up. “Savannah, I’ve been waiting for your call. I heard what happened on the news only minutes ago.”
“Hi, Ethan. Yeah, it’s been an interesting first couple of days. I called to get you up to speed per our 48-hour check-in. I set up the cameras yesterday, and headquarters confirmed that the feeds are uploading to the servers. I’m working with Martha and Reggie to enhance their security protocols with the codes that allow people to enter the premises. They trust too easily, Ethan. Everyone is a friend to them.”
“And you don’t trust easily enough, Savannah. It’s okay to let others in.”
“I let people in! I trust you and the Alpha team. You’re my family,” I protest.
Ethan chuckles. “It took a long time for that to happen and several close encounters with some pretty bad guys before you trusted us all to have your back. It took you almost three years to open up to me and give me a hug.”
“And yet you knew everything and sent me here anyway?”
He sighs. “Savannah, do you want to come home? I’ll send Jessie in your stead if that’s what you want.”
I take a minute before answering, and Ethan doesn’t push. “No. I can’t explain it, but I think I’m meant to be here despite how uncomfortable it is being home. I should warn you, though, I don’t know how much longer I’ll be able to keep my cover. It’s flimsy at best, and Aiden is too high profile to avoid getting caught by the paparazzi. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone caught me on camera at the game today.”
The sweet voice of Ethan’s son, Xander, can be heard saying “Da Da” in the background as we talk. “The only reason I gave you the fake ID with a different name is to cast doubt should your picture get taken and end up in the media. That was more for your personal benefit because of your mother and not so much for the job. If Aiden finds out who you are, just tell him the truth—or a semblance of it. The most important part is to keep as low a profile as possible by posing as a nanny.”
“That may be hard to do now that we’re down a bodyguard after the shooting,” I tell him.
“I heard. Is he going to pull through? At first, I thought it was you, but then they described the victim as a male.”
I wedge the phone between my ear and shoulder to grab the kettle and boil some water to make tea. “David is going to be fine. I haven’t had the chance to speak with him yet, but from all accounts, it was a bullet to the shoulder. He will be out of commission for a few months, at a minimum. On that note, you might be getting a call from Martha soon requesting a few extra bodies.”
“Got it. The rest of the Alpha team returns tomorrow from Texas. Once I get the call, I’ll see who is available to go.”
We chit-chat and catch up for a few more minutes while the water begins to boil, and the sound of footsteps stomping down the stairs echoes through the kitchen. I still have the phone to my ear when Aiden appears in a black T-shirt, sweatpants, and a dangerous look in his eye.
He strides up to me and grabs the back of my neck, pulling me flush with his body, and his lips crash into mine with such a fierce intensity that I have no choice but to hold on tight. I drop my phone as my hands come up to his chest to grab a fistful of his shirt and hang on for dear life. There’s a slight tug to my hair, which causes me to gasp lightly and part my lips. He takes full advantage of the opportunity by slipping his tongue so that it lightly brushes mine. It’s not until he backs me up against the counter to continue his assault on my mouth that I comprehend what is happening.
Aiden Shaw is kissing me, and my boss can hear everything.
Chapter eleven
Aiden
Ihadn’t planned on kissing Anna when I saw her in the kitchen, but a profound sense of gratitude overwhelmed any reasonable thoughts that I had. When I tucked Penny into bed, she told me what had happened from the moment I left them in the tunnels.
I pushed a strand of Penny’s hair behind her ear and kissed her forehead before snuggling the covers around her. “I’m so glad nothing happened to you. I’m sorry that you were scared, Honey.”
“I was only scared at first when Anna pushed my head between my legs and yelled for Jack to drive! But then she leaned over me and hugged me tight, all while praying for Jesus to keep you safe. I knew then that everything would be all right. You should have seen Anna, Dad! She was amazing! I want to be just like her when I grow up!”
My daughter’s toothy grin was not what I had expected to see after such a traumatic event. Smiling down on her, I asked, “You want to be a nanny when you grow up?”
“No, Dad. Don’t be silly. I still want to be the President.”
“Then what do you mean, Pumpkin?” I asked her, utterly confused.
“I want to be a mom!”
I leaned back, stunned by my daughter’s words. “Penny, I don’t think Anna has any kids of her own. She isn’t a mother.”
My mom’s hand gently touched my shoulder to get my attention. “I think what Penny is trying to say is that Anna protected her without a moment of hesitation. Anna didn’t stop to think about herself, only making sure Penny was safe. It’s something a mother would do, not a nanny. Anna prayed for your safety, too, going as far as to make a deal with God. If I had to guess, it’s probably the first time she’s talked to Him in a long time, if ever. That’s how much she cares about this family even though she’s only been here for two days.”
“Yeah, what Nana said!” Penny exclaimed. “You should ask Anna to marry you so she can become my mom!”
I coughed and sputtered, unable to respond. “Penny, getting married requires two people to be in love, and Anna hasn’t been here for very long. Falling in love takes time.”
