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“Declan?”
“Yeah.” Dec frowned. Annie looked pale. “Sweetheart? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. It’s just this headache…”
“I want you to take some ibuprofen.”
“If I need it, I’ll let you know.”
“Stubborn woman,” Dec said, smiling. He reached for her hand. “The headache’s my fault. You needed to rest and I haven’t given you time to do that.”
She brought their joined hands to her lips. “You’ve given me exactly what I needed,” she said softly. “You.”
“Soon,” he said, leaning in for a quick kiss, “we’ll have all the time in the world for each other.”
She nodded. Hesitated. Sank her teeth lightly into her bottom lip.
“Declan? That was your commanding officer, right?”
“Uh huh. Jim Black. He’s getting us out of here. A few more hours and this will all be history.”
Annie smiled again, but this time the smile didn’t quite reach her eyes.
“And he won’t send me back to Qaram.”
“Honey. You heard what I told him. No. He won’t send you back.”
“Sorry. I’m being foolish.”
“You’re being cautious. And who could blame you for that?” Dec caught a strand of her hair and tucked it behind her ear. “Anoushka. I let you go once and I’m never going to make that mistake again. You’re mine, and I’m yours, and nothing can change that.”
She went into his arms. They kissed and held each other tight.
“You’re right,” she said softly. “I’m yours—and no matter what happens, that will never change.”
* * *
They cleaned up whatever they’d disturbed in the sheepherder’s cottage. When they were done, Dec took some bills from his pocket and put them on the table.
“Local currency?” Annie said in surprise.
“Carrying some is standard Special Ops practice. You never know what you might need if things go wrong.” He saw the sudden darkness in Annie’s eyes. “But nothing’s going to go wrong for us,” he said quickly. “We’re too close to the end.”
The truth was, a dozen things could go wrong straight up to the last second, but why borrow trouble ahead of time?
“Okay,” he said briskly. “Time to go. Too bad the guy who owns this place isn’t here. I’d probably kiss him.”
Annie laughed.
That was good.
He’d wanted to make her laugh. There was still a hint of darkness in her eyes, as if she were looking ahead and seeing something she didn’t want to see.
Okay. He’d replace that something with a better image.
“Know what I’m thinking of?” he said, drawing her into his arms.
She leaned back in his embrace and smiled up at him. “A hot shower? A porterhouse steak? A king size bed?”
