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Then he was kissing her, holding her.
And Zoey didn't want to let him go.
So she didn't.
Until they were wrapped up in each other's arms again, hearts racing. For a really long time.
When they were finished, she finally looked at the clock. "Ouch. You have just enough time to shower. You have court in a bit over an hour.”
They would have to finish theirtalklater. She was going to make sure they did, too.
"Yikes. Can't be late. Collins would clobber me, even though I'm her favorite."
He was probably right about that. Zoey suspected Judge Collins had a bit of a thing for the wild charmer that was Murdoch Lake.
He took a shower first, while Zoey finished up with what she'd been packing the night before. The packing that man had interrupted. The instant he touched her, her entire focus was on him. Every time now.
She suspected it always would be.
What that meant for her, she didn't know yet. She needed time to figure it out. More than anything, she needed time.
He was finished with his shower, then he wrapped his arms around her from behind. "I'll be done no later than five o'clock. You know how Collins is about her precious schedule. Then I'll need to swing by and check on Neilie boy. After that, I am yours. Forever."
"What does forever mean to you, though?" The words just slipped out. Unplanned. But she waited.
"Whateverwemake it, honestly." He turned her. Like she weighed next to nothing. Until she leaned against the kitchen counter. His hands were on either side of her, but she didn't feel trapped. She raised one hand, pressed it against his heart.
"Did you mean it? Earlier. When you said you seeme? Which me?" Zoey half feared she wasn’t making a bit of sense here at all.
"The real you. The one you hide from all but a select few. I see theyouyou are with your sister, with Sydney. With Charlotte and the rest of your demon posse. I see you with that damned cat who is eyeing me like I'm stealing his woman right now." His fingers threaded into her hair. "I see the you that you hide from the world. To keep yourself safe. And...I'm not going anywhere, Zoey Sofia. I'm here as long as you will keep me—whether it's the two of us camping out here in little Garrity for the rest of our lives, or just being together when we can in the bigger world of billionaires. I'm not going anywhere. I'm yours. It's up tous togetherwhat we want that to mean."
And then he was kissing her. For probably far longer than he should.
She watched him walk out of the house that had representeddreamsto her, and wondered just exactly what to do next.
78
Vaughn staredat the girl taped to the damned guest bed on Gregory’s second floor.
His precious angel stared back at him, terror in her eyes.
She had no business being there. He’d been trying to protect her.
Her cheeks were covered with tears. He turned toward Gregory, trying to pull in his temper. “What in the hell is she doing here?”
“I had Ross get me the one I wanted in the first place.Thisis the one you were supposed to bring me.”
Sweat slicked Vaughn’s palms. It took every bit of restraint he had not to break the old man’s neck right then and there.
He had to think.
To decide what to do next.
“But she’s just as flawed as the others,” Gregory kept ranting. “Her eyes…genetic. It has to be. It cannot be passed on. I need another. You’ll go, get me another.Today.”
“I can do that.” He’d get another girl, and get this one out of here. Somewhere safe.
“I will decide what to do with that one later. Probably be best to dispose of her.” Gregory calmed down in an instant. Of course, he’d just been told he could have exactly what he wanted. “She’s too defective. Too damned flawed.”
