“That’s just it,” he said. “I can save people from here.”
She swallowed. “What do you mean?”
“East offered me a permanent training position as head of S&R in Beaufort. That little girl’s parents? The team I trained saved them. And I can’t explain it, but the pride I felt seeing them fulfill the same purpose I’ve held on to…it showed me what I really need to do. I can save more people by training recruits than I ever could on my own. And maybe, by sticking around, you can save me, too.”
She closed her eyes, unable to hold back a swell of tears. “What about if they need you for some emergency?”
“I’ll still go out on calls if there’s an emergency, but day-to-day, I’ll be right here. Doing my best to be the man who deserves your love.”
Her heart was going to explode with joy. She was still crying, but a smile burst onto her face. “Doesn’t excuse you being late to my restaurant’s anniversary.”
He laughed as he reached into his pants pocket. “I deserve that. But I have a good excuse.”
“I know, thank you for the crab cakes.”
“I don’t mean the crab cakes.” He pulled a small box from his pocket—
And the world around her paused.
He knelt on his good knee and winced a little.
“Gage, you’re going to hurt yourself!” She went down to her knees, too. “What the hell are you doing?”
He smiled. “Well, I’m trying to propose to you, so if you could stand back up, that’d sure help me out a lot.”
Her eyes went wide, and he popped the box open, revealing a dazzling diamond ring.
“Will you let me be yours forever?”
If he’d even suggested this kind of commitment when he first came back to town, she’d have gladly sent him into the mountains and made sure no one ever found him. But now she knew what life was like without him, and the hope that he could be hers now and forever was too good to ever let go.
“Yes!” She grinned and kissed him hard with everything she had. “I love you.”
“I love you, sweetheart.” He tugged her closer. “And I hope you like the sight of this face, because you’re going to be seeing a lot of it. You’ll never miss me again. I’m going to be so close to you you’ll be sick of me. You’ll be begging for me to go on a mission.”
“Can’t wait.” She smiled and held on to the man who owned her heart and her future.
Epilogue
“I must admit these are the best damn crab cakes I’ve ever had,” Gage said. And they were. Better than anything he’d ever made.
Trays of appetizers circulated around the restaurant, and he adjusted his tie and got a little closer to the beautiful blonde standing by the bar in a sexy fitted white dress made of lace and silk.
She flashed him a smile. They were surrounded by people raving about the occasion. All Gage could do was pull up a spot at the corner of the bar and stare down the sexiest woman he’d ever seen.
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“Why thank you,” she said. “I made them myself.”
He raised a brow and drank his beer. “That right? Well you must have many talents.”
She shrugged, and the delicate strap of her dress fell down her shoulder. Gage’s gaze fixated on it—he wanted nothing more than to rip it off and take her hard. Right there. Right now.
“I have some talents,” she said. “But most of them don’t take place in the kitchen.”
She was teasing him, and he was game. Leaning in, he whispered, “Well I’d like to see some of these talents.”
“Why, sir. I’ll have you know you’re hitting on a married woman.”