Total pages in book: 28
Estimated words: 27182 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 136(@200wpm)___ 109(@250wpm)___ 91(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27182 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 136(@200wpm)___ 109(@250wpm)___ 91(@300wpm)
She slides her hand into mine as we walk past a large mossy boulder. “Your father would be proud of you.”
I look at her and she nods.
“The way you handled that guy last night,” she says with a shiver. “I was terrified. I had no idea what he was going to do to me, and then you… You came out of nowhere and saved me. I’m sure your father is looking down on you, beaming with pride that you honored your gift.”
I keep walking with her by my side, afraid that I might get choked up if I don’t change the subject. “You’re going to love these sandwiches I got us. Have you ever been to the Warm Loaf Bakery?”
“Almost every morning,” she says, hooking her arm around mine. “They have the most amazing cinnamon rolls. I can’t resist them.”
“I’m more of a croissant man myself.”
“Oh, I like croissants too,” she says, chuckling. “I’ll eat anything that comes out of that bakery. The girl Abby is going to be so happy about this.”
She suddenly turns away and shakes her head like she can’t quite believe what just slipped out of her mouth.
“What do you mean?”
“Nothing,” she says. “Forget it. Hey, look at those wildflowers.”
I’m not taking the bait. “What do you mean that Abby is going to be happy about this?”
She sighs as Cutter comes running back. He circles around us and then takes off up the trail again.
“She keeps wanting to set me up with someone in town,” she says. I tense up, feeling a wave of possessive energy surging through me at the thought of my girl going out with anyone else. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t jump the gun. It’s only a first date. Although…”
She doesn’t want to say it.
“What?” I ask softly, like I’m trying to coax a kitten forward.
“You did call me your girl last night.”
Shit. My adrenaline was racing like mad. I couldn’t hold it back. I had only realized I had called her that after and I wanted to die. I was hoping she hadn’t noticed.
“Too soon?” I ask, my cheeks getting hot.
She shakes her head as she grins at me. “Nope. I liked it.”
We slow to a stop, gazing into each other’s eyes. I lean down and kiss her softly. It’s not a passionate, full-blown make-out kiss. It’s a soft one. A loving one. A kiss that says you’re mine. And that you always will be.
One that says, this will be the first of many…
We have our picnic beside the flowing river, sitting on a large rock while Cutter tramps through the water confused and mesmerized by all the fish.
“He’s never been in a river before,” she says, laughing as he jumps back and barks when a large bull trout swims over to check him out. He flees onto the shore and then tentatively heads back in with his head hung low and his tail wagging.
“He’s a great dog. I think it’s wonderful what you did for him.”
She looks at me with her eyebrows raised. “Even if I broke the law, Mr. Policeman?”
“Laws aren’t always for the best,” I say with a heavy sigh. “Sometimes, if we want justice, we have to take it for ourselves.”
“Like you did last night?”
I sigh again. “Yeah.”
I don’t care what the law says, if those guys return to mess with my girl, they’ll be heading home in a body bag.
We dig into our fresh sandwiches, moaning at how good they are. Abby and Trish at the bakery always make the doughiest bread. It’s to die for. Lucy makes a sexy little moan when she takes a big bite and I struggle to keep my mind from spiraling into more dirty thoughts.
Luckily my phone rings, distracting me.
Oh shit. It’s the FBI.
“You can answer it,” Lucy says as I stuff it back into my pocket. “I don’t mind.”
“Sorry, it’s just…”
Her face goes a little red and she turns away with a flicker of disappointment on her face when I stop talking. Oh crap. I don’t want her to think it’s another woman. There’s no one else. There will never be anyone else.
“It’s just the FBI.”
She whips her head back around, looking at me in shock. “Well, answer it then!”
I sigh as I hit the button and stand up, wandering away. “Hello?”
“Officer Rush,” the familiar voice says on the other line. It’s the guy who recruited me and gave me the first two interviews before sending me up to the senior officials. “I’m calling with good news. They’re so eager to get you on board that they’ve upped the offer by fifteen percent!”
“Oh,” I say, feeling heavy all over. “That’s nice.”
“They sensed your hesitation and wanted to eliminate it completely. So? Are you ready to accept the generous offer and join the FBI?”
I look at Lucy sitting by the river and Cutter tromping through the water, looking so at peace, and I realize this is where I want to be. These mountains are my home. This woman is my future. Being with this amazing girl beats any career goals I thought I wanted.