She blinked several times. “You love me and you want to marry me?”
“Absolutely.”
“Okay.”
He looked at her. “Okay?”
She grinned. “Okay.”
“So you love me, too?”
She sighed. “You’re not too bad. Decent in bed, handy around the house. Sure, you’ll do.”
He growled. “I was hoping for more.”
She leaned back against the pillows and closed her eyes. “I knew you were special from the first moment I figured out you were too surly to be a serial killer.”
This had to be the drugs talking, he thought. “Excuse me?”
“Serial killers. Everyone always says how nice they are. You’re not especially nice. You have a temper, you can be distant. But I’ve seen how you look at Zoe and I know you’d take on the world to protect her.”
That was true. “And you.”
She sighed. “And me. You make my heart beat faster, just by walking into the room. You’re sweet and tender and funny and I wanted to die when I saw you kiss that bitch.”
“What-oh, Naomi. Elissa, it wasn’t like that.”
“Did you or did you not see her naked?”
He swallowed. “Did I mention I love you?”
“Uh-huh. Which is why I’m letting it go.”
“Do you want to marry me?” he asked.
She snuggled into her pillows and he knew she was fading fast. “Uh-huh.”
“Maybe have a few more kids together?”
She held up two fingers.
He guessed that was a yes and knew he would never know why he’d gotten so damn lucky. “I’ll let you get some sleep.”
“Don’t go,” she said, opening her eyes and looking at him. “Don’t ever go, Walker.”
So he settled on the narrow mattress next to her and she cuddled in close.
“I love you,” she whispered. “I have to go stay with my parents for a few days, but then we’ll be together. Okay? You won’t go anywhere?”
“Not without you. Not ever.”
“That sounds nice. Let’s always be in love,” she said.
“Of course.”
And they were.
SUSAN MALLERY
