AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Really?” she whispered, reminding herself of something she’d always told her patients—it’s great to be self-reliant. But when you find someone who you can really entrust with your body, your soul, your hopes and your dreams, you will only become stronger because of that union .
“I’ll stay here,” she told him. She couldn’t possibly leave him, not now that she knew he loved her as much as she loved him. “I’ll find a way to work from here, write a book, or travel and do lectures and then come home to you.”
He hugged her tightly, stroking her back, twining his other hand in her long hair, which was blowing on the evening breeze. “I love the idea of you always coming home to me, but that won’t be necessary.”
“What do you mean?” Suddenly fearful, she pulled away and looked up at him. “They didn’t fire you, did they?”
He shook his head. Before she could breathe a sigh of relief, though, he added, “They didn’t have to. I quit.”
She flinched so hard, she almost stumbled. He grabbed her, preventing her from falling.
“You’re joking.”
“Nope. I’m entirely serious. I promised I’d stay for the last several weeks of my probationary period, but after that, I’m gone.”
“Oh, God, no, Mike. Please tell me you didn’t do this for me. I wouldn’t be able to stand it if you went back to the police force in Chicago.” She gripped the front of his shirt, shaking him. “You will not put your life in danger for me!”
He shook his head, taking her hands and squeezing them between his. Hers were a little cold, and he rubbed them gently.
“I’m not going back to the Chicago P.D.”
“What will you do?” she asked, wondering if both of them were about to be standing in the unemployment line.
“My cousins want me to go into business with them,” Mike said.
She gasped, relief filling her from head to toe. “Are you serious?”
“Very serious.”
Not even trying to keep the relief out of her voice, she asked, “What kind of business?”
“Private security,” he explained. “Mark’s leaving the force—Noelle’s had as much as she can stand of it, too. He’s a dad now...he can’t be doing that stuff.”
She didn’t blame the woman at all. It must be hard to raise children with a man who was at that much risk every day on the job.
“As for Nick, he’s tired of doing the club thing. But it did give him a lot of private-security experience, plus he has a military background.”
“It sounds like they’ve got a plan.”
“A good one. They’ve already got clients lined up. It won’t be the same as being the chief of police in Tinytown, USA, but I won’t be on the streets of Chicago, either. I guess it’s what you’d call a happy medium.”
That sounded fine to her. In fact, it sounded perfect.
She wanted him to be happy, wanted him to do what he enjoyed doing. Wanting him safe, however, outweighed everything else.
“I think the three of us are going to make one hell of a team.”
“They can be your away team,” she told him, wrapping her arms around his waist. “How about we leave the home team at just two players.”
He kissed her tenderly, whispering, “I love you so much.”
“And I love you, sweet man.”
She wrapped her arms around his waist and held tight as their kiss went on and on. Lindsey was so relieved, and so blissfully happy, she felt like she could fly.
Realizing they were at sail, heading toward the other coast, it seemed as though they really were flying. The wind whipped them, the water lapped at the ferry, but this time, there was no dizziness, no unsteadiness.
She was in Mike’s arms, right where she was meant to be.
Epilogue
Seven Months Later
WAKING UP ON Christmas Eve morning, Lindsey reached across the bed, feeling for Mike, but found his side empty. She frowned, then sniffed, smelling something delicious, and remembered he’d promised to make her breakfast in bed.
He knew this would be her first real Christmas, and he wanted to make it as perfect as he possibly could. His thoughtfulness, his tenderness, was on display every day.
As for the nights. Oh, wow, the nights.
She would never tire of making love with that man. Some nights were lazy and lethargic, others wild and erotic. She found herself enjoying the submissive role quite a lot. What woman wouldn’t want to be forced to stay still and take whatever amazing pleasures her lover wanted to give to her?
