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“It all turned out,” he offered, and she felt him roll to his side to face her. She canted her head his way, and could make out his broad, bare chest in the moonlight, knowing he only wore boxers beneath the sheets. It was a provocative thought; one that was frustrating as hell since they couldn’t act on it.
“It was a close one, though,” she admitted, attempting to ignore his luscious body. “I was so worried for you.”
“And I was determined thatyounot get hurt,” he countered. “So between the two of us…mostly you, we ended up thwarting the bad guy and now everything’s good.”
She turned to her side so she could better see his face. “We’ve run into an awful lot of shit since we started seeing each other,” she huffed and enumerated. “My misunderstanding over your reluctance to date me, your emergency on the mountain and subsequent surgery. Then you went missing, and because of that were forced to stay here with me…”
“Not forced, sweetheart. I came willingly. If I hadn’t wanted to, you would have seen a lot more fight.”
Talia snorted. “You’re saying you orchestrated your kidnapping so you could end up in my bed?”
He grinned. “I’m here, aren’t I?”
“Too far away,” she groused, sending a questing hand toward him. She didn’t have to ask twice. Fleet slid toward her, closing the gap between them to send an arm across her middle, and one bare leg over her thighs. She felt the crisp hairs against her skin and wiggled happily.
“Better?” he asked.
Talia purred. “Much.” And she wanted more, but she needed to ignore her libido. They were having a semi-serious discussion here. “I just wonder…”
Had that huff come out of her mouth?
“Spill it,” Fleet demanded.
“…if we hadn’t had all those troubles nipping at our heels, would we still have gotten together?”
“Absolutely,” he answered without a second’s hesitation. “I might have kept my head up my ass a little longer, but there was no way I could stay away from you. And Everlee—”
“Everlee was working us on both ends,” Talia supplied laughingly. “She was not-so-subtly urging us both on, and wasn’t about to take no for an answer.”
“Exactly. So we would have succumbed, just maybe not so fast.”
Talia cuddled up to Fleet’s hard chest, inhaling his fresh scent while he continued.
He began again, this time a little hesitantly. “Uh, Tallie? What I asked you while that asshole was following us? It wasn’t said in the heat of the moment. I’d already made up my mind to broach the subject on our walk.”
“You mean about loving you, or living together?” she asked.
“Both. And I hope you meant what you said. That you love me back, and it doesn’t matter where we settle down as long as we’re together.”
“Welllll…” she prevaricated purposely.
Fleet groaned. “Don’t tell me. You were just placating me.”
She gave him a playful punch, not interested in keeping him in suspense. “No. I meant every word. There’s no backing out now. I am completely, head over heels in love.”
“I am, too,” he reiterated, clearly relishing the newness of it.
“But…on the living arrangements,” she attempted. “If it’s okay, I prefer we live here. Can you stand that? Not bunking down over your studio?”
“I love your house, and would be honored to move in,” he stated sincerely. “Maybe, eventually we can add a small studio off the back, but in the meantime, I think we should keep both places,” he amended judiciously. “That way we can take advantage of OronoandOld Town. We’ll make this our primary country residence, but if we want the big city lights…”
Talia knew he was teasing. There was no “big city” about Orono. But she got it. There, they would have access to great restaurants, and the ongoing college-town night life; it was something they’d miss if they gave up his place altogether. Still, she could discern he had an ulterior motive, calling him out on it.
“And when you want to work late, you’ll be able to stumble upstairs at an ungodly hour and crash. Am I right?”
“Busted,” he said without any contrition. “Hopefully with my woman warm and waiting if I give her enough notice.”
“Hah. Warm and sleeping, more likely,” she snickered. “Remember, I’ll still be keeping vastly different hours than you.”
