AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’m aware, Jim, but Marley’s safety is our top priority, even over national security,” Luke replies sternly. “I’ll do whatever is necessary to ensure she’s safe, first. I’ll deal with the consequences later.”
“Understood,” Agent Morris says with a heavy sigh. “Just don’t get caught…or dead.” The call ends, and an eerie silence descends in its wake. I lick my lips as I take in all this information.
“Everyone back to work,” Luke barks out after a minute of silence. “Time is of the essence.” All the men pull out laptops and files. Rosco and Enos are murmuring quietly to one another as they work.
“Marley?” Luke calls out to me, squeezing my hand that he’s still holding. “Let’s go to my office?” I purse my lips as I consider his request. Is he just wanting us to be alone, or is he, once again, trying to keep things from me? “Please?” I can’t deny him when he uses that tone and face on me. I nod, getting to my feet. I follow him out of the conference room and down the hall to his office. Once inside, I close the door behind us.
“Luke, I don’t want you to keep anymore secrets from me,” I inform him the moment we are alone. “I understand why you have, but it doesn’t keep me from worrying. You are all I have now. I need to know I can trust you to be honest with me.”
“You’re right,” he agrees, much to my surprise. “I’m so sorry, baby. Bo and Rosco both told me I was being too overbearing, that I needed to let you know what was happening, but I didn’t listen. Like always, I thought I knew better. I just didn’t want you to have something else to worry about when you’ve already been through so much.” I can’t stay angry with him when I know he’s telling me the truth. It isn’t that he doesn’t think I can’t handle what those terrorists are planning. He just doesn’t want me to have to deal with it at all. “Can you find it in your heart to forgive me, again?” Luke asks. I round his desk and take my usual seat on his lap.
“It’s already forgiven, my love,” I murmur against his lips. “I understand why you didn’t want me to know, and I love how much you want to keep bad things away from me. You had the best of intentions, so I can’t be angry about it but don’t let it happen again, okay?”
“Okay, but I’ll likely fuck up again at some point,” he says sheepishly. “I mean I’m only human. I’m not perfect you know?” I giggle.
“Well you’re perfect to me,” I tell him. “I love you. Thank you for taking care of me. I don’t know what would have happened to me if you hadn’t stepped in and helped.”
“I’m just glad I saw you sitting in the parking lot that day.When I was leaving the restaurant, I was thinking I’d never see you again. I wanted to kick my own ass for not asking you out when I had the chance.”
“Everything worked out like it’s supposed to,” I say. “We are together and that’s all that matters.” He nods his agreement as he kisses me so tenderly. Usually, our kisses are heated and passionate, not that this kiss isn’t passionate, but it’s a sweeter, gentler kiss. Letting me know just how much I mean to him and him to me.
“I love you, Marley,” Luke murmurs huskily when we part. “Will you marry me?” I’m shocked, speechless. I don’t know what to say. I had no idea he was thinking along this line. I mean I’ve felt it, wanted it, but didn’t know he was feeling the same.
“You…you’re proposing?” I stammer in my shock. He nods, looking uncertain and worried about my reply. I’m still trying to comprehend the fact that I’ll be marrying Luke Robertson when he speaks.
“It’s okay, baby,” Luke begins. “I’ll wait as long as you need if you aren’t ready for this yet. I’m moving fast and I understand if you aren’t there yet.”
“No.” His face falls in dramatic fashion at my denial. “I mean, yes. Yes, I’ll marry you. I just wasn’t prepared for you to ask me. I love you, Luke, so much. I can’t imagine my life without you.” He pulls me close for another kiss. He buries his face in my neck as I hold him close.
“I’m sorry I don’t have you a ring yet, baby,” he murmurs in my ear. “I had intended to plan an extravagant proposal, some place romantic. I should have waited until I had the ring to ask you.”
“I don’t need a ring, honey. I just need you,” I say as I tilt my head so he can kiss that sensitive place on my neck that drives me wild. He obliges me, and I’m a quivering mass of need in seconds. He continues placing kisses along my neck, behind my ear, sucking my earlobe into his mouth.
“I’m glad you feel that way. After learning they’re still coming for you, I needed to know if you’d be my wife. I couldn’t wait another minute. I had to know what your answer would be.”
“I understand, honey,” I whisper back. “I don’t want to wait either. I want to officially, legally be yours in every way.” He pulls back to give me a huge mega-watt smile. The one that makes my panties melt from my body. Not that I can take them off right now. I didn’t lock the door, after all.
“Okay, baby.” Luke turns to his computer and begins to type awkwardly around me sitting in his lap. I turn to see what he’s up to, only to find he’s on Virginia’s government site looking up how to get a marriage license and how the long waiting period is after applying. He’s as eager as I am to get this done. “You should call your mother and invite her to visit.” I whip my head in his direction.
“What?” I’m not sure I heard him correctly. “You want my mom to come visit?”
“Yes, baby,” Luke replies with an amused tone. “And any friends you want to have present. If we are getting married, I want your mom and mine to be there. I’ll need to get in touch with Daisy, too, to see if she and Ace can come up for the ceremony.”
“Wow!” I exclaim. “You aren’t beating around the bush, are you?” He looks at me with concern.
“You want to wait?” he asks almost incredulously. I shake my head with a smile.
“Not at all.” I press a kiss to his lips. “I just wasn’t expecting you to jump right in, but let’s do this!”
I pull my cell out of my back pocket and pull up Mom’s number. I press call and place my phone on speaker. I’ve spoken to her a couple of times since moving in with Luke, but I haven’t really given her a lot of details about what’s been happening. I told her about losing my job and my financial issues and that Luke is helping me to straighten it all out. However, I didn’t tellher about my abduction. She would have freaked out over that. She would also assume that my attraction to Luke is because he is helping me. She’s going to tell me I’m making a mistake and try to talk me out of getting married, but I know in my heart this is the right decision to make. Luke is a good, kind, loving man. He’s nothing like my deadbeat dad. A voice on the line pulls me from my worries.
“Hello? Marley?” My mom asks when I haven’t replied to her answering the phone.
“Oh Hi, mom!” I reply, hearing the fake optimism in my own voice. Luke gives me a curious look. “How are you?” An uncomfortable pause.
“Um, Marley, are you okay?” Mom asks. “What’s wrong?” I roll my eyes, knowing I’m messing this call up before it even begins.
“Everything is fine, mom, I promise,” I assure her. “I just hadn’t talked to you in a while, and I was hoping you could come visit?” Another long pause through which I can hear the gears in my mom’s head turning as she tries to figure out what’s really going on.
