Page 138 of Falcon

“Shit.” I drop my head to the wooden door and close my eyes.

I stand there, waiting to hear any type of movement on the other side before finally giving up and walking back down to the elevator and calling his cell phone. I’m sent straight to voicemail as the doors close and I begin the two-floor descent to my room.

“Marco…it’s me. I saw what you did. I’m so proud of you for it too. I love you so much more than I can possibly put into words.”

The elevator pings, the doors slide open, and I step out into the hall and turn left toward my room.

“I just want to talk. I want to hold you…” I continue into my phone.

I finally look up from the floor as I walk and halt in my tracks when I see him.

He’s there, right there, sitting on the floor by my hotel room door with his head tilted back against the wall and his knees bent, his elbows resting on each of them.

I lower the phone from my ear and slip it into my bag. He must sense the movement, because he angles his face toward me and sits up when our eyes connect.

We don’t say anything. We don’t have to.

The energy pulsing between us and the sheer desire to just be in each other’s arms sends my feet racing down the hallway toward him, and by the time he is standing up straight, I’m colliding with his body.

Falcon

I never once realized how addicted to her scent I was until I didn’t have it for twenty-four hours. She has this citrus, floral, sweet thing happening on her skin that is more intoxicating than the best whiskey I’ve ever had.

She’s back in my arms, where I’ve wanted her for an entire day, and she’s trembling. I can hear her sobs against my shoulders.

“No, don’t cry, baby. Please don’t cry.”

I cup her cheeks and stare down at her face.

“How did you know I was here?” she asks.

“Case. He ratted you out.” I smile. “Then I had Joe sweet talk the older woman at the front desk for your room number.”

“I saw what you did. I saw the press conference. Marco, I’m so proud of you. I know it wasn’t easy.”

“Having you at the other side of it made it easier than you could have ever imagined. I just had to get myself in check first. I needed a swift kick in the ass.” I use my thumbs to wipe her tears away.

“I’m so sorry for walking away. I shouldn’t have done that.”

“I think it’s what I needed. Faith, I’ve been so scared for so damn long of what my life will be once I’m done fighting, because it was something I never thought about. Fighting was never going to end for me, until the day I realized it was, or it would kill me. I never thought about what my life with be after I hang it up…and then I met you.”

She curls her fingers into the material of the T-shirt on my chest, like she’s trying to keep me anchored to her, like I’m going to float away.

“I saw days spent in bed having sex or not, even just talking. I saw making dinner together and going out to movies. I saw dates, and fights, and make-up sex. I saw marriage and even kids if that’s something you want. Faith, all of those things are what I want in my future and I want them with you. I want the good and the bad. The exciting and boring. Fuck, baby, I just want a life with you.”

She closes her eyes and more tears slip free and I rest my forehead on hers and whisper softly, “I’m in love with you, Faith. I think I have been since the moment I laid eyes on you. I just needed my mind and body to catch up to see that there is more to life…more to live for…than fighting.”

She still hasn’t said anything and to be honest, I’m starting to panic.

“Baby, please say something. Anything.”

She sniffs a bit and brings her eyes back to mine.

“Marco Masen, you are the most frustrating, incredible, sweet, caring, phenomenal person I’ve ever met in my life, and the fact that you want to be with me, a girl with so much baggage she could build a fort out of it…”

“I’ll carry it with you and besides, I like forts.”

She throws her arms around me and smashes her lips to mine.

“I love you, Marco. I love you and I want you for as long as you’ll have me.”

“What do you say to every single day until we are old and gray? I’ll be a cranky asshole and you’ll be a hot babe with boobs that sag just a little too low, but I’ll still bang you because you’ll be a sexy grandma.”

She tosses her head back and gives me the most beautiful laugh.

“That sounds perfect to me.”

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