Hot Zone (Elite Force 2)

And he looked forward to showing her just how much every day, for the rest of his life.

Epilogue

Four months later

The world had opened up for Amelia. Literally.

She stood alongside Hugh as he pushed wide the French doors leading to the balcony of the beach condo. Gasping, she took in the incredible ocean view. The Gulf of Mexico spread out in front of her from the home Hugh was considering buying.

He was relocating.

For her.

“Hugh? Is this place for real?” She stepped to the white railing overlooking a beach with pristine white sand. The place was a corner unit, townhouse style with three bedrooms and even a little dock slip of its own.

“As real as it gets.” He tucked an arm around her shoulders. “I take it you’re giving the place a thumbs-up?”

“Definitely, two thumbs-up.” That he was consulting her on his home purchase spoke of just how much he’d committed to their relationship too.

So much had happened for them in four short months. But then her whole life had changed in those first days with Hugh, so that now she couldn’t imagine her life without him.

Once they’d returned from the Bahamas, Hugh had been put on medical leave to recover from his broken ankle. Thank God his injuries hadn’t been any worse. Amelia had taken vacation as well to play nurse at his southern Florida base—and make the most of his time off to be together in his place and then go to hers. She’d been dreading his return to work, so far away, with even longer deployments looming.

But he’d surprised her on that last day of his leave, telling her that Major McCabe had helped pull some strings to get Hugh a transfer to a base in northern Florida. Hugh would be stepping out of the field for at least two or three years to teach newbie incoming pararescuemen at the Air Force Combat Diver School—located in Panama City, Florida. It was closer to Alabama. Closer to her. And with less time away.

She’d started job hunting in Panama City the next day and accepted a position the next week.

Sliding in front of him and leaning back against his chest, she soaked up the late-day Florida sun, the beauty of a seagull dipping along the rolling shore. His arms slipped around her with an ease that both calmed and excited her.

She tipped her face into the sea breeze, watching sailboats and jet skis on the horizon. “What a peaceful place to end the workday, having supper out here on the balcony.”

“When I saw the place, the first thing I thought of was sitting out here with you, my guitar, a bottle of beer—”

“—a glass of wine.”

“Together.” His chin rested on top of her head.

“I still can’t believe you came out of the field for me.” That he would make such a life change to help them be together touched her. Deeply.

“The decision wasn’t as tough as I thought it would be. I realized I’d been working too close to the edge. You helped me see that. And here? I figure that makes me the right kind of instructor to teach students how to make that distinction between laying it all on the line and being so reckless you endanger others.”

“You’re a good man, Hugh. They’re going to learn a lot from you.” She folded her hands over his on her stomach. “I would have moved farther for you.” As much as it would have hurt to be far from her brother and his family, she knew her future was with Hugh.

“Thanks”—he dropped a tender kiss on her forehead—“but this is where we’re supposed to be.”

“I agree.” So easily they both already spoke of the future together. Things may have started off tough for them, but the love part? They were in total sync on that.

“Besides, I enjoy seeing you spoil Joshua rotten. You’ve taken well to the role of indulgent aunt.”

Hugh took part in quite a bit of that spoiling. There were still times shadows crossed his eyes when he looked at her nephew—or any child, for that matter—and she knew he was thinking about his daughter. But she also saw he wasn’t letting that stop him from enjoying Joshua.

News of Lisabeth’s pregnancy had caught her by surprise, but Amelia had done her best to ensure any postadoption paperwork proceeded smoothly. Aiden and Lisabeth had been tapping into every support line imaginable to help Joshua bond securely, and they had additional counseling help in place for any contingency after the baby was born.

Everything was being done by the book. Jocelyn Pearson-Stewart had shown them too well how playing fast and loose with the rules could wreck precious lives.

Authorities in the Bahamas and the States were still threading through the tangled mess by cutting deals with Courtney, Erin, and the military nurse, Lieutenant Gable, in exchange for information. So far, two young children had been rescued from a transaction Oliver had overseen. Amelia shuddered to think what could have happened if they’d been lost forever in the abyss of a child-prostitution ring.

She shivered and Hugh’s arms wrapped tighter around her.