Page 92 of Her Delta Force Protector

She followed him to the living room and sat on the opposite side of the sofa from him with her legs tucked under her. “Why are you here?”

“For you.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Okay, how about this? I’m in love with you.” Those were words he’d never thought he’d say to a woman, and it surprised him that he didn’t stumble over them. “Before you say anything, there are things I need to tell you. I hurt you when my misguided brain thought I was doing what was best for you.”

She blinked, and then blinked again. “Did you just say you loved me?”

“I did, and I’ll say it again and again, but first I need you to listen before you say anything.” The only way for her to understand and believe that he’d finally come to his senses was to bare his soul. So, he did. He told her things about his childhood that he’d never shared with her before, how he’d used the Army to put a wall between him and his brothers. How he’d used jokes and humor to hide his insecurities. He told her how he, Tristan, and Parker had been abandoned by everyone who should have cared for them. How that had messed with his mind, even to the extent that he’d believed he’d make a rotten husband and father.

“I always thought I’d never let anyone in, but you’re the reason I was wrong.” He moved next to her and trailed the back of his hand down her cheek. “I don’t want to live my life alone. I need you in it. I just had to figure something out.”

“What’s that?”

“That what kind of husband and father I can be is a choice. I choose to be a good one, the best that I can be, as long as you’re by my side. I love you, Harper, so deep in my bones that I won’t be whole without you.”

“Kade,” she whispered as tears rolled down her cheeks.

“I’m here, H. I’ll always be here for you.” He picked her up in his arms and carried her to her bedroom. Her father said he wouldn’t be back until dinnertime, so he had all day to show her how much he loved her.

And later, when he held her in his arms, their bodies joined together, she said the words he longed to hear.

“I love you, Kade.”

All was right in his world.

Epilogue

One month! An eternity. Harper was arriving today, and Kade walked through his living quarters on the third floor, making sure everything was perfect. He’d stocked his mini-kitchen with her favorite snacks and drinks. The sheets were clean, he’d bought another dresser that was all hers, and he’d made room for her in his closet.

They’d FaceTimed every day, but he needed to touch her, to hold her in his arms. The hardest thing he’d ever done, and that included any mission he’d been on, was to leave her behind when he returned home from Florida. She’d wanted to spend a few days with her dad before starting her new job.

He feared that she’d wise up and realize she could do better than him. Then he wanted to punch himself in the face for thinking that. He deserved to have a woman love him as much as the next guy.

He’d already participated in one rescue mission of five missionaries and their children who’d been captured in South America. Instead of the ransom the rebels were demanding, they got a surprise visit from an elite team of former special ops soldiers and sailors. The missionary families were now safely back home, and Kade had never been on a mission as satisfying as that one. He was going to love his new job. That Harper was now working for Talon Security was the icing on the cake.

As soon as she’d accepted Chase’s offer, the Talon brothers had arranged for her to spend a month with an organization that worked with women and children who’d been rescued from sex traffickers. There were times during their FaceTime talk when she’d cried as she’d told him about her day and what the women and children had endured. It had taken all his willpower not to get on a plane and go to her so he could hold her in his arms and wipe away her tears.

“Are you sure this is something you want to do?” he’d asked during one of their calls. It was killing him to see her hurting.

“Yes, a thousand times, yes,” she’d said through her tears. “I’ve found my purpose in life.”

He understood, because so had he.

Passengers rode down the escalator on their way to the Charlotte airport baggage carousels. Kade searched the faces for the only one he wanted to see...and there she was. His girl. His heart bounced wildly in his chest. The moment Harper saw him, a wide smile crossed her face. That smile and the way her eyes lit up at seeing him almost brought him to his knees. He’d never dared to hope a woman would look at him like that, as if he was her world.

“Excuse me,” she said to the person riding down in front of her. Then she said the same to the next one as she passed, and the next one as if she couldn’t wait another second to reach him. When she made it around the last person in her way, he opened his arms, and she ran into them.

He closed his eyes and inhaled her coconut scent. “God, I’ve missed you, H. Let’s go home.”

After a stop at Talon Security that he’d hoped wouldn’t take long but ended up being two hours, they were finally headed home. During the hour ride to Marsville, she held his hand while telling him about her time with the organization and what she’d learned. He smiled at her enthusiasm.

When he parked the truck at the house, he brought her hand to his mouth and pressed a kiss to her palm. “What I want right now and what I’m getting are two different things. Our entire family, including Andrew, three dogs, and a cat, are inside waiting for us. They’re throwing you a welcome home dinner. That’s what I’m getting. What I want is to pick you up in my arms, march right past them, and lock us up in my rooms where I’ll spend the night showing you how much I missed you.”

She smiled. “I kind of need my sugar lips fix. Maybe we could sneak away before they realize we’re here.”

The side door opened, and Duke raced out, followed by Everly, both heading straight for them. “I think we missed our window of opportunity to make an escape.” He leaned over the console and kissed her. “I love you, Harper. Eat fast.”

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