“THEY’RE HERE,” Callie said as she put the finishing touches on the hors d’oeuvres. Shane was teaching her to cook and it was quite wonderful to discover other pleasures of the body besides what she and Shane did in the bedroom.
“I think I might need a bulletproof vest. The last time your brother-in-law met me he clocked me but good.”
“I think you should let me do the talking.”
Callie walked to the front door with Shane at her side. When she opened the door, Allie and Drew stood there.
“Hi, sis,” her twin said as she embraced Callie. Then she looked at Shane. “Is it true, you are really a DEA agent?”
Shane took Allie’s hand in his. “It’s true. I’m sorry for what I put you and Drew through when we met. It was part of my job to stay deep undercover.”
“You protected us and you destroyed the man who tried to kill my sister. I have no complaints.” She reached up and embraced him, giving him a kiss on the cheek.
“Well,
Allie, looking perplexed, slapped him on the back. “What’s so funny?” she asked as Callie ushered them both into the house.
“Wait until Max finds out. He thought it was bad enough having a black ops guy in the family. Now we have the notorious Ghost.”
“See?” Shane said. “I told you I need a bulletproof vest.”
“Oh, stop it,” Callie retorted, biting her bottom lip. Her brother had better not be difficult.
They were each enjoying a glass of wine and hors d’oeuvres on the patio when the doorbell rang again.
Shane stiffened. “How am I going to face her?”
Callie cupped his face and met his eyes. “She’s going to be so happy to see you. You’re alive, that’s all that’s going to matter to her. Now let’s go.”
This time Shane opened the door. A beautiful, tanned woman stood there with Callie’s tall, dark and handsome brother, Max, who was also very tanned.
“Oh God, Shane.” Tears gathered, spilled over and ran down her cheeks. “It’s really you. They told me everything, but I could scarcely believe it.” She wrapped her arms around him and held him tightly. “I missed you so much. I’m so happy to have you back.”
“You aren’t mad about what I had to do? Pretending to be dead?”
“No. I came to the conclusion that it was you I saw in that compound. I didn’t know why you were there. I was after Fuentes myself and dragged Max into it. I wasn’t going to let the man who murdered my brother get away with it. I just knew that it was you I had seen, but that bastard Stanford lied to my face. Though I understand why he did it. It was to protect you. Oh God, I’m babbling. Let me introduce you to Max.”
Without a word Max walked up to Shane and punched him in the jaw. Shane stumbled back as Callie and Rio yelled in unison, “Max.”
Once again Shane held up his hand. “No. I deserved that, too. Have it out of your system now, Carpenter?”
Max extended his hand just as Drew came into the room, saying, “Dammit, Allie, we missed it.”
“Well, you were the one who kissed me first, Drew.”
Callie felt tears build in her eyes as Shane shook her brother’s hand.
“I also have to thank you for keeping the three women I love more than my own life as safe as you could manage,” Max mumbled. “I cannot believe you were a DEA agent on our side the whole time.”
Drew laughed and slapped Max on the back. “We’re just one happy undercover family.”
Shane nodded. He turned to Callie. “There’s no need for secrets anymore. Callie, I love you more than anything in this world. Will you marry me?”
She stood there stunned. “Yes,” she said. “Yes!” she repeated, and threw herself into his arms.
They stared into each other’s eyes as Drew, Allie, Max and Rio drifted away.
“I loved you the moment I saw you in your crazy Gina Callahan persona, but I always knew who you were beneath.”
“It was deliciously dangerous to love a man on the wrong side of the law, but I’m so happy with the way things turned out. I’m leaving Watchdog to become a lawyer.”
“Watch out, criminal justice system!” He laughed as he pulled her against him, and they walked back to the patio and their family.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Karen Anders is a three-time National Readers’ Choice Award finalist and RT Book Reviews Reviewers’ Choice finalist, and has won the prestigious Holt Medallion. Two of her novels made the Waldenbooks bestseller list in 2003. Published since 1997, she currently writes sexy action/adventure romance for the Harlequin Blaze line. To contact the author please write to her in care of Harlequin Books, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario M3B 3K9, Canada, or visit www.karenanders.com.
