Page 122 of The Saint

He placed his hands on her hips. “You have no idea what went through my mind when you were gone.” His grip tightened. “Fuck, I was scared, and I don’t think I’ve been scared a day in my life.” Camden leaned over and rested his forehead to hers. “Losing you like that.” His eyes shut. He let out a long breath and met her eyes again. “It could have gone wrong in a hundred different ways. I don’t want to let you go again.”

“I’m right here, and I’m not going anywhere.”

Camden led her to the couch, sank down, and pulled her onto his lap. He kissed her temple and rested his lips against her hair. “I’ve never met anyone strong enough to handle what you’ve been through and smart enough to stay alive.”

“I’m not. It’s been blind luck.”

“Yeah, you are, babe. Starting on that first night.” He kissed her forehead and thought of everything she’d become to him. “And when you called back, I was done for. I didn’t know it yet. But damn, Amelia. You became my favorite person, and I hadn’t even met you.”

A blush rose to her cheeks.

“I don’t know what next week or next month looks like, but it’ll kill me if you’re not in it somehow.” He touched her chin and directed her face up. “Eyes on me, sweetheart.” Their eyes locked. His heart squeezed. “I love you.”

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

Amelia woke up with a grand idea that Camden wasn’t going to like. She rolled onto her side and rested her cheek on his bare chest. The sun had risen, but their little safe house in the woods was surrounded by trees and kept their bedroom quiet and shaded. “Are you awake?”

“Sort of.” Camden folded his arm over his face. “What’s up?”

“I came up with a plan.”

He sleepily grumbled, “For breakfast?”

“To get the book.”

Camden raised his arm off his face. His eyebrows arched over wide-awake eyes. “What kind of plan?”

“A KISS plan.” Maybe she should have started the coffee before throwing her idea out there. “Ya know: Keep it simple, stupid.”

He pinched the bridge of his nose in a valiant effort to rid himself of any brain fog, which she appreciated. “Simple sounds good. Does your simple plan have specifics?”

“We just knock on the door and ask to retrieve the book.” Amelia smiled her best, most confident, reassuring grin and could tell it had little effect on Camden. “Before you say no—”

“I didn’t.”

“We both know you weren’t about to say yes. So listen, because I’ve spent all morning thinking about this.”

“How long have you been awake?”

“Long enough to know my plan will work.”

He scrubbed a hand over his face. “We need coffee.”

Shehadknown better. Coffee should’ve been her first move. Fifteen minutes later, they had hot mugs of heavenly scented caffeine and were seated at the small kitchen table.

“Hailey and Jonathan had keys to the Callaghans’ house. They were on friendly terms.”

“The house you snuck into,” Camden pointed out. “Where law enforcement descended when they were out of town.”

“Well, yes. But it shows they had a good relationship, and while I was inside, I got a sense of who they were. Family focused. Neighborly. That kind of vibe. I think they might let me get the book.”

He took a quick sip. “And if that doesn’t work?”

“I don’t know. What was your plan? Break in? We can just do that later.”

His lips tugged. “You crack me up.”

“I’m serious. That’s what you would do, right?”

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