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“I might have sent a few suggestions,” she said softly. But they could talk blueprints later. Right now, she wanted to touch him.
She ran her hands up to his shoulders, over his neck to his jaw. The red-gold stubble brushed against her palms as she drew his mouth to hers. With his lips hovering over hers, she added, “I don’t want to hold you back from your dreams. I want to be a part of your happy-ever-after. I want to build that house with you. Set up our lair together.”
She rose up on her toes and kissed him. Her tongue swept into his mouth, tangling with his. And she felt every inch of his excitement.
Slowly, she drew her lips away from his, but she kept her body close. Her back arched as she looked up at him. “We might want to start the road trip home soon. I think it would be a good idea to get off the base before we find out how much trouble we can get into in the front seat of your truck.”
“I’m not taking you home.” He grinned down at her. “Not yet.”
“I recognize that look,” she murmured. And I trust that smile. “You have a plan.”
“I would have come down to visit you,” he said, releasing his hold on her and she instantly wanted to climb back into his arms. But he reached into his jacket and withdrew an envelope. “I didn’t want to settle for an afternoon,” he continued. “I wanted to take you away with me.” He held out the envelope. “These are for you. Go ahead.”
She took the blue packet, opened it, and peeked inside. “Airplane tickets?” She pulled them out, her eyes widening as she read the details. “We’re going to Hawaii? Tonight?”
“I packed a bag for you.” He nodded to the truck. “And don’t worry, I grabbed your black undies. But your gun had to stay in the safe.”
“You planned a trip for me,” she murmured, staring down at the tickets. “In between starting petitions to keep me out of a military jail cell, going on national TV, demanding meetings with senators, hiring lawyers—”
“Noah kept you informed”
She nodded. “You did all of this for me.”
“For us. Plus I have this rule.” His fingers touched her cheek and she looked up at him, her fingers still clutching the tickets. “I need to spend the sixth date with the woman I love—the beautiful, brave, fierce woman I’ve fallen in love with—on an island.”
“I love you too, Josh Summers.”
“I know, Caroline.” His smile faded, but his eyes still sparkled with amusement. “But you know, I still haven’t received a rose.”
“I have a rule about that.” She tried to match his pseudo-solemn expression—and failed. “No roses until the hot tub date.”
“It’s a damn good thing there happens to be a private one waiting for us in Hawaii, my love.”
Epilogue
THE LANDLINE IN the private beachfront villa rang and rang. Caroline held her hands behind her back, twirling her final surprise between her fingers. The ringing stopped and she smiled, counted to five and . . .
Ring! Ring!
“Don’t answer that,” Josh advised from the bathroom’s arched doorway. He rested his forearm against the entryway and offered a wicked, too-tempting grin. One day in Hawaii and this man’s mouth was already driving her crazy.
Her gaze headed south. She followed the trail of red-gold hair down his taut abdomen, past the hard lines she’d explored with her mouth, tracing her way down until she’d slipped below the towel slung low around his hips.
Ring! Ring!
“What if it’s Brody? He might be calling to tell you that their adoption was approved.”
“It’s not. I spoke to my big brother earlier. No news about their little girl. But they’re confident it will come through soon.”
He lowered his arm and stepped into the room. A wooden platform bed with an elaborately carved headboard filled the space to his left. The white sheet formed a tangled mess in the center. Beyond the bed French doors led to a secluded patio.
And one very big, very private hot tub.
Ring! Ring!
“Maybe it’s Chad?” she murmured.
Josh shook his head and took another step, like a big, beautiful, red-haired lion stalking his prey. Her pulse sped up and she tightened her hold on her surprise.
