Page 69 of Straight Shooter

“Mmm.” She wiggled against his side, stirring every sexual thought his mind could conjure. “Let’s spend a few days at your place when we get home and decide then.”

“Good call.”

Her free hand went to her shoulder awkwardly, and he wanted to kiss away the insecurity behind her lashes. He didn’t need to ask what was going on in her beautiful head. Whether she liked it or not, he’d come to sense her feelings. After her confession about her childhood and the baggage she carried, her insecurity became clearer.

“We’ve got one more thing to talk about, Priss. And you might not like it.”

She stretched the corner of her lips. “What are you talking about?”

“You, my darling”—he took a swig of his coffee—“know we can’t keep this up the way things are. Are you done stealing?”

Her lips worked into a pucker, and it took all his self-control not to kiss her. She tapped her fingernail to her mug, and for a second, he mentally kicked himself in the ass. He was pressing her, dammit, and she’d been through a lot of shit the last week. He didn’t want to make it seem like he was giving her an ultimatum, but he also couldn’t drop his career and go against the law to make a living with her. His gut twisted as he waited for her reply.

If she didn’t want out, his life had just gotten a hell of a lot more complicated.

She set her mug on the counter, took his from his hand and set it down as well, then turned in his arms. “What if I say no?”

He tilted his head. Physically biting his tongue, he forced himself to think of something—anything—that would sway her and not piss her off. Heat crawled up his throat, and he scratched his warming skin.

“I . . . uh . . .”

She bounced her eyebrows. “Do you seriously think I’d go back to my old ways after what happened? After forming a relationship with you?”

He sighed. “Hell, Priss. No, I don’t think you’d do that. I just want to make sure I’m not making assumptions.” He circled his hand around her bicep. “I care about you, babe.”

The lines in her forehead softened, and the electrical storm of her brewing temper fell flat with her tentative smile. “I care about you, too. Yes, I’m done. One hundred percent.” She pointed a finger at his chest. “For the record, I’m not quitting just because of you. This experience scared the crap out of me, and I realized that I’ve got a lot I want to do in my life. If I ever want those dreams to come to fruition, I can’t be a thief.”

Relief loosened the tension gripping his joints. Admiration rooted itself in his heart. Heck, he’d admired Peyton from day one. She hadn’t cracked under pressure, even when that bastard Beanie was planning to rape and torture her, hadn’t lost her footing when she was interrogated in the yacht, and had held her own when they’d jumped in the fucking ocean and could have been killed or died of hypothermia. Not many people could have withstood what she had in such a short time, and the fact that she was putting the rest of her life ahead of her and not staying locked in old, familiar habits showed him just how strong she truly was.

Now, he knew what her dreams were: stability, love . . . and children.

He nipped the tip of her finger. She caught his cheek, and he lowered his forehead to hers. “That’s exactly what I was hoping you’d say.”

“Good. Now let’s book our flight home. I just want to get settled with you.”

He hugged her to his chest. “Me too, Priss.”

One way or another, he’d show her how much she meant to him. Their life together was just beginning, and he planned to ensure her dreams came true—every one of them.

Epilogue

Ten Months Later

“How are you feeling?” Dani asked.

Peyton smiled and ran her hand over her swollen belly for the hundredth time. “Fantastic now.” She picked up the wooden sign Rhett had crafted. The name Clarkson was engraved on the espresso-stained wood.

Dani picked up the screwdriver from the changing table and shooed her out of the way. “Don’t you dare. You’ve got precious cargo.”

Peyton rolled her eyes and propped her hand on her hip. “You’re babying me as much as Rhett does.”

Dani stuck out her tongue. “You’re pregnant. Besides, you deserve it. Enjoy. From what I hear, you won’t sleep for the next two years or so. Better rest while you can.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Peyton waved that off. All the struggles would be worth it.

“I’m serious. I need you back to work. The business won’t last long without you.” Dani held up her hand, stopping herself. “I mean, I’ll handle things, don’t worry. I want you to enjoy the next few months off.”

As soon as Peyton returned from Key West, Dani had started begging her to join her event-planning business. She’d been hinting since she started it that Peyton would be an asset to her team. But Peyton had been stubborn, hadn’t wanted to change her ways, and hadn’t wanted to impose on Dani’s business.