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His jaw hardened. “I don’t likeit.”
She reached for his hand. “I know. And I appreciate that you want to protect me. I really do. But if you really want to do something for me, you’ll ask me to come with you because you know it’s what Ineed.”
His eyes flashed. “What about my need to keep you safe? Doesn’t that count foranything?”
She reached up to touch his face, the scratch of his five o’clock shadow almost carnal against her palm. “It counts for a lot. I’m just asking you to give on this one, Declan. This is who I am. You can’t changeme.”
She needed to be in Iceland when they raided the house where Neil was staying, needed to see for herself that he paid for what hedid.
And she needed to be there if they foundBeth.
But just as important was Declan’s willingness to let her be herself when it counted. To be part of the decisions and actions that would inform the course of their livestogether.
He’d encouraged her in college, had taken pride in her intellect and even her stubbornness, and he’d shown the same support for her since they’d been backtogether.
But that stuff was easy. Her job, her ambition, her mind — those things were baked in. She realized she’d been holding her breath, waiting for the moment when Declan would assert more authority over her, for the moment when he would ask her to work fewer hours or stop bringing workhome.
The moment when he would ask her to be lessherself.
His expression softened. “I don’t want to change you, Kate. I love you. I love that you’re the smartest person in any room, that you speak your mind even when it pisses people off. I love that you know who you are and make no apologies for it.” He pulled her into his arms. “I just don’t want you to gethurt.”
She felt the flex of his back under his shirt. “I’m worried about you too. Does that mean you won’tgo?”
He looked at her with a smile. “You sure you don’t want to go to law school?” He leaned in to kiss her. His lips were soft on hers but insistent too, demanding everything, just like always. When he pulled away he looked into her eyes. “You’re right. It’s a double standard. It’s stupid and old-fashioned and I guess I’m more of those things than I realized. But it doesn’t have to stay thatway.”
“So you’re okay with me coming?” sheasked.
“I’m still going to worry, and you have to promise to follow my lead, not because I don’t think you’re capable but because this is my work, and you have to trust me to know how to do the job.” He nodded. “But if you want to be there, I want you tocome.”
She kissed him. “Thankyou.”
He stood, his face creased with worry he tried to hide with a smile. “I’ll maketea.”
She watched him go, her relief giving way to fear. He was right: he knew his work better than she did, and she couldn’t help wondering if the worry on his face was for her or for what they would find in Iceland — and what it would mean for theirfuture.
