“Baby,” he whispered, and that one word was filled with emotion. His arms around her tightened, and she knew he’d needed that forgiveness.
“I need you,” she whispered back, her face still buried in his neck.
His hand stroked her hair. “I don’t know if I can make you happy. But if you let me, I’m gonna damn well try, Jess.”
“You do already.”
“Do I?”
She nodded, and finally lifted her head to meet his eyes, because he needed to hear these words, to understand the truth in them. “You make me very happy, Ghost.”
He took her head in his palms, looking deep in her eyes.
“We do this thing, there’s no more running. I piss you off, you stay and fight it out with me,” he ordered. Then added with a grin, “Seems you’re good at that.”
She let out a laugh, releasing the emotion that she’d barely been able to contain as she’d struggled to keep from falling apart. “Deal. We fight it out.”
He studied her eyes, his thumbs caressing her cheeks, and he sobered.
“The trip we just took, brat. It doesn’t mean it’s over.”
Her mouth parted. “It’s not?”
He shook his head. “They’ll probably regroup. Hit us again in the future.” The palms on either side of her face tightened slightly, and he asked, “This really the kind of life you want?”
Her hands slid up, closing around his wrists as she looked back at him with clear, open eyes. “I want to be anywhere you are. If trouble comes, we’ll face it together.”
He studied her, and then nodded. “We will, and we’ll get through it. We can get through anything as long as we’ve got each other. Right, babe's?”
“Damn right,” she agreed with narrowed eyes.
He grinned, and then burst out laughing. “You’re gonna make a great ol’ lady.”
“I am, and don’t you forget it.”
He hefted her up in his arms, her legs coming around his waist. “Time to break in that twin bed in my room.” He lifted his chin toward the clubhouse, referring to the tiny room he kept there.
She tilted her head to the side as if considering his suggestion. “Hmm, maybe, if you play your cards right, mister.”
His palm came down with a hard smack on her ass. “Oh, I plan to play my cards very right.”
Then she laughed, her arms wrapping around his neck as her ol’ man carried her across the yard, his eyes never leaving hers.
EPILOGUE
Ghost—
I watched as Jessie paced the floor, rubbing her distended belly, our dog, Shadow, at her side. I’d gotten her the Collie mix as a pup, and he’d lived up to his name, never leaving her side.
I leaned against the doorjamb, timing her contractions. “Two minutes apart, babe.”
“I’m not going.”
“It’s time, Jess. Can’t wait any longer.”
“I changed my mind.”
I grinned. “Little late for that, brat.”