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“Warrick? Tevryn. You’re on speaker. The woman in the picture I just sent you is Delaney Pierce. We are having dinner at the Sammamish Grille in Issaquah.”
“Oooh, I love that place,” said Dani. “Turn on the video so she can see me.”
Tevryn did and handed Delaney his phone.
“Uhm, hi,” said Delaney.
“Delaney Pierce? The architect that did the redesign of Edmonds City Hall?” Delaney nodded. “I’m Danica Morris of the Seattle Police Department. Here’s my gold shield. The hunk standing beside me is my husband, Warrick. He and Tev were in the same commando unit. Tevryn is tough, dominant, and understands the meaning of the word ‘no.’ Not that I know from personal experience, but I would guess he kisses like every storybook hero in every romance novel you ever read, he’s hung like an Olympic god, and knows how to use it…”
“Enough,” growled Warrick. “The shield is legit, and my wife is being deliberately provocative. But she is right. You are safer in Tevryn’s company than any other place on earth. If you like we can join you for dinner, and Dani and I will drive you home.”
“Thank you, but I’m sure I’ll be fine.” She ended the call and handed his phone back to him.
“Or your sister, Lucy, can join us.”
“I don’t know that I want to share you with Lucy. You have a decorated cop vouching for you. Besides, how can I resist a man who offers to make me s’mores?”
The restaurant had valet parking and Tevryn took advantage of it. He also slipped the hostess some cash to give them a private table for two down in the corner overlooking the lake.
“I saw what you did there,” teased Delaney.
“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?” he asked as he pulled her chair out and helped her to get settled comfortably.
“Good. But I have to tell you, she probably would have settled for a $20.”
“Doesn’t matter. It was worth the $50 to me not to risk it.”
Delaney grinned at him. “Good. Then I won’t worry about how expensive this place is. We can just have an appetizer and couple of drinks.”
Tevryn put his hand on top of hers and was happy when she didn’t withdraw it. “Please let me do this for you. That way years from now when we’re old and gray, you can tell our grandchildren that their grandfather knew how to treat a lady.”
She leaned forward and brought his hand up to her lips so she could kiss it. “If you’re planning to ‘treat me like a lady,’ this is going to be a short date. And are you planning on grandchildren?”
“Only if you’re going to be their grandmother.” He said it simply, but with no trace of amusement.
Delaney sat back and stared at him—doubt clouding her eyes and pursing her lips. And then like the sun breaking free of the dark storm clouds above the Wind River Range, she smiled her dazzling smile.
“I think that might be a very interesting future. Tell me more.”
They ordered their meal, and he began to lay out the vision that flashed before his eyes. He wanted her to see what he saw, to begin to accept that his saying destiny had brought them together had been true.
“I see us with a beautiful home that you designed, sitting out by the firepit, making s’mores and talking about our day. I see you cuddled up in my lap with your head on my shoulder letting the cares of the day simply melt away.”
“Will we talk?” she asked as he felt the link beginning to strengthen.
“About anything and everything. We won’t have any secrets between us. At some point we’ll have kids and they’ll come screaming out of the house after finishing their homework and drag us down the dock until we jump into Lake Sammamish with them and they'll squeal about how gross their parents are, always hugging and kissing each other.”
He could actually see it and wanted her to see it as well.
“That sounds wonderful,” she said dreamily. “I’m afraid to believe you because I think you could break my heart.”
“Never, Delaney. I will cherish and protect you from now until the end of forever.”
“You’re serious,” she said.
“I am. I know it’s crazy, and I’m not asking you to believe it all right now. Just promise me you’ll believe in the possibility and in the fact that whatever I tell you of my feelings is truth. I didn’t expect to be having this conversation with anyone, ever. But when I was driving through town and saw you in your SUV, I knew I had to try and see you again.”
“So, it wasn’t an accident. You ran into my shopping cart deliberately.”
