Dane held his hand out and pushed it toward the kid without touching him. “Just go.”
“Hey! You can’t just let him go,” I yelled as the kid took off. “He’s my prime suspect.”
“No, he’s not, princess.” Dane placed his hand on my shoulder. “He’s just a kid.”
I walked forward, heading down the street closer to the water. “You never support me.”
The wind blew in from the water, and I lifted my head toward it. Rainbow Row was far behind us, and ahead lay the Battery. We had no reason to visit for our investigation into William’s death, but since we were so close I kept walking.
“I’m here. Aren’t I?” Dane asked as he kept pace.
His breath had already returned to normal, but my lungs were burning. “Yeah, because you’re being paid.”
Dane stopped walking. “It’s a lot more than that, princess, and you know it.”
Did I?
I stared out at the gigantic oaks in the Battery. The Spanish moss hanging from their branches swayed with the breeze coming in off the water. City lights glimmered in the distance.
“Princess?” Dane asked as he stood beside me. “You know it.”
He cupped my face as he pulled me close. Our gazes met. Mine was wide, worried, and in wonder. Was he going to do it?
His lips met mine in a slow, electric kiss that had my toes curling again. It deepened with every heartbeat. Dane tasted of saltwater, heat, and months of tension finally breaking for real. My fingers curled into his shirt as he leaned in, pulling me even closer. Not an inch of space separated us.
Around us, the city hummed with history, ghosts, and heat, but we held the street, the moment, and the rest of our lives together.
I lost myself in the feelings until a reminder of who we were and where hit me like a bullet. I pulled away with a gasp but kept my fingers entwined in his shirt.
“Delaney?” he asked, his voice rocky.
I shook my head. “I have no clue what I’m doing.”
We weren’t allowed to kiss coworkers. It was in my contract agreement. And I’d promised myself I wouldn’t fall in love with the SEAL. So why did it feel like I already had?
He chuckled. “You’re solving a murder.”
“Am I?” I turned, staring out at the water. “How am I supposed to do that?”
The moon’s surface reflected against the ocean water. It highlighted the waves as they gently crashed against the man-made seawall.
“I don’t know, but we’ll figure it out.” He pointed at the first sign of a star out over the water. “Together.”
His words hit me hard in the chest. I turned toward him. “Really?”
“Really.”
I lifted onto my tiptoes, wanting another kiss from Dane. We’d have to figure this out later, but then another idea hit me. My eyes widened, and I lowered before Dane could kiss me again. “I have an idea.”
“That’s terrifying.”
11
“I hate this plan,” Dane said as we left our Uber.
“Why?” I stopped to grab a photo of the tour headquarters. “It’s great.”
Dane shook his head. “It’s horrible.”
