Tropical Tiger Spy (Shifting Sands Resort 1)

Amber realized, “You're the ocelot who helped us get the helicopter.”

“Did you... know your father?” the woman blurted.

Amber swallowed hard. “I didn't know either of my parents,” she said in a small voice.

Tears were spilling out of the woman's eyes, but she smiled radiantly. “Yes, I'm the ocelot,” she confirmed hoarsely. “Your father was an Andean mountain cat. I never knew for sure if he got you out or not, but I told him I wasn't going to let you grow up in a cage. He didn't want to go, and I'm sure he didn't want to leave you anymore than he wanted to leave me. He must have been in danger, to leave you, and not return to me. I'm... sorry you never knew him. He was very brave.”

Tony was holding her hand, keeping her up with the touch, and when Amber couldn't speak, he offered gently, “I think Amber gets that from both sides. You tipped the balance in our battle, and probably saved our lives and the resort.”

Amber could finally speak. “You're my... mother?”

The woman opened her arms, and Amber fell gently into them.

“My sweet baby girl,” the woman murmured, stroking her hair. “You grew up so beautiful.”

Amber wept, and hugged her back too hard, making the woman gasp in pain. She garbled an apology, letting go and then squeezing the woman's shoulders more gently. She shook and laughed with the overwhelming emotion. “My mother!” She turned to grin in disbelief at Tony.

Tony drew himself up straight, suddenly the object of the woman's full attention.

“So, you're my daughter's mate,” she said critically. She sniffed, looked him up and down, and then said, “You'll do. Releasing us from Beehag's prison was a good

first step towards earning my favor.”

“Your daughter did a lot of the hard work there,” Tony suggested, earning himself a warm smile.

“Yes, you'll do,” she repeated, more confidently.

They saw her to the room that Scarlet had assigned her, and Tony completely won her heart by making her bed–the staff had not had time to set up all the rooms.

“It's lovely to be human again,” she said thoughtfully, stretching her fingers. “A little odd, but I like the idea of clean sheets and a bed.”

Amber left her with a long, tearful hug and went with Tony to his house–she had already volunteered her house for a few of the refuges. Despite the fact that the sun was already rising, and Tony was exhausted in every pore of his aching body, he was not quite ready to climb between their sheets and find sleep, and he could sense that Amber felt the same way. They made their way to the deck and sat together on the loveseat.

“Is being a superspy always like this?” Amber asked, snuggling against him.

“I promise it isn't,” Tony said sincerely. “Something like this means way too much paperwork. We're usually much more about donuts and meetings and Powerpoint presentations.”

Amber giggled, then asked seriously, “What would I do in DC?”

“Whatever you wanted,” Tony promised. “There are garden stores there, if you wanted to work. Or you could be a housewife, if you didn't.”

She froze beside him. “A … housewife? That would mean I was ...”

Tony groaned. “I'm doing this all backwards again,” he apologized, and he leaned over and kissed her head before getting off the loveseat to kneel at her feet. “I don't have a ring, I'm sorry.”

Amber stared at him, golden eyes bright in the sunrise.

Tony gathered her unresisting hand into his own. “Marry me?”

The tears that appeared in Amber's eyes made Tony fear he'd done something terribly wrong until the amazed smile bloomed on her face.

“Yes,” she whispered. “Oh, yes.”

Tony surged up to take her into his arms, and kissed her passionately, fingers twining into her loose hair. She kissed him back, twining her tongue with his and wrapping her strong arms around his shoulders.

“I love you,” Tony said, when he could breath again. “I will love you forever.”

“I love you,” she replied. “Forever.”