Come to think of it, there had been a couple nights when he hadn’t come over but had told her he’d see her by morning. Had he left the country or done something dangerous during those hours when he was gone?
Abby rubbed her forehead, trying to think.
When she got Zeke’s response, which was a firm, “Yes!” she smiled, but…then she sighed. “Just talk to him,” she said aloud. Starting her car, she forced herself to focus on driving home.
Zeke stared at the message, feeling his gut clench with worry. Something was wrong. Was Abby hurt? Was she in danger? He stepped out of the shower and quickly pulled on a pair of jeans and a red tee shirt. He’d planned on making stir fry for dinner tonight, but hadn’t gone to the grocery store yet to get the ingredients. He preferred going shopping with Abby anyway, because it helped him get to know her better. He loved discovering the little things about her, such as that she liked red bell peppers but not green ones, even though they were the same thing. She liked raw carrots, but hated cooked carrots.
He loved cooking for her. He loved baking for her too. She was so appreciative of even the small things and he…hell, he loved her. He loved the way she rubbed his shoulders at night when he was sore from a workout. He loved the way she closed her eyes when she took her first bite of warm bread, savoring the flavors. He loved the way she snuck one of his cookies while she blended her spinach and avocado smoothies in the morning, then pretended that she wasn’t chewing when he walked in and caught her.
He loved the way she worried about her patients, even after they’d gone to one of the specialists within the hospital. She was an emergency room doctor, so she only saw her patients for a short period of time, but Abby still considered them “her” patients. Whenever he spotted her nibbling the side of her mouth, he knew she was thinking about a patient.
So, as he pulled into a parking space in front of her apartment, he looked up into her windows, wondering what was going on. It had only been one text message, but Zeke had felt a vibration in the world and knew she was upset about something.
Sure enough, as soon as he stepped into her apartment, she turned to face him, the muscles in her face drawn and her eyes alert.
“What’s wrong, honey?” he asked, moving closer to her, intending to take her into his arms.
“Stop!” she whispered when he was less than a foot away from her.
Zeke stopped, looking directly into her eyes. “What is it?”
“Are you a member of a Delta Force Team?” she blurted out. He watched as she held her breath, waiting for his answer.
Normally, he didn’t confirm or deny his position. The teams worked best in secret. They were better able to move around and get things done if no one knew of their existence. But the policy was that significant others were privy to a team member’s job.
“Yes, I am,” he confirmed, then waited, wondering what she would do or say.
For a long moment, she didn’t say anything. But he saw the tears well up in her eyes. “Honey, it’s not a big deal,” he assured her, reaching for her.
She stepped back and he let his hands drop to his sides. “It is,” she whispered. “It’s a huge deal.”
He wasn’t sure, but there was a grating in her voice now. “Tell me what bothers you about my job.”
She huffed a bit, running a shaking hand through her hair. “What bothers me? Seriously? You’re one of those crazy people who literally run into danger and…do stuff!”
“Yeah. That’s sort of the whole point of the Army, isn’t it?” he teased.
“No!” she snapped, then closed her eyes and shook her head slightly. “Okay, yes. But….” She stumbled for a moment, then opened her eyes. “My father was a Navy SEAL, Zeke.”
“Yeah. I know that. So you understand…”
She sliced her hand through the air, cutting him off. “I understand that you put yourself in grave danger whenever you go out into the world.”
“Yes. But we’re well trained, honey. We don’t go in blind either. There’s a lot of technology that helps us stay safe.”
She started pacing. “That’s probably true, Zeke. But here’s the problem.” She gripped the back of her big club chair, her knuckles turning white. “I’m in love with you,” she whispered, closing her eyes and her body seemed to bow with the release of her admission. “I’m so madly in love with you and…and now I find out…” she stopped, the tears escaping from her closed eyes.
Zeke didn’t hesitate this time. He stepped forward and pulled her into his arms. “It’s okay, honey. I’m in love with you too.” He rubbed his hand up and down her back, feeling her arms move around his waist. “Marry me, Abby,” he urged when she pressed her whole body against him. “I know that we’ve been together for only a few weeks, but I know that you’re the woman I’ve been waiting for. You’re the one. And I’m the one for you too. I know it. I can
