Page 109 of Edge of Danger

Ian looked up sharply.

“Taken care of. I think you’ll find everything to your satisfaction.”

Ian busted out in a gigantic, ear-to-ear smile.

“What?” Piper asked quickly. She knew better than to trust any man who wore that shit-eating a grin.

“C’mon. It’ll be easier to show you.” He shed his coat and held out his hand.

She doffed her coat as well. As nice as the fake fur coat had been, a day-and-a-half of wearing it made her glad to get rid of the thing.

She laid her hand in Ian’s. Wherever he wanted to lead her, she would follow. They’d been to Hell, and he’d managed to bring her back safe and sound.

Piper followed Ian out of the refrigerator, and she jolted when loud applause erupted. A good chunk of the hotel’s staff lined the long aisle between the stainless steel prep tables, and they were all smiling and clapping. As Ian led her through the phalanx of people, many offered their thanks for what she and Ian had been through to save them.

“What are they talking about?” she asked Ian under her breath.

“No idea,” he muttered back.

The doctor glanced over his shoulder at them. “Your story’s been all over the news. The heroes who nearly died to bring word of how to stop the virus to the people of Las Vegas, and to everyone else beyond the city who was exposed. And then, the two of you having to hole up in a meat locker in a last ditch effort to save Mr. McCloud’s life—it made for good sound bites, I have to say.”

“Oh, dear. If we’re seen on TV we won’t be able to do undercover work—“ she started.

“It’s okay, Piper. I have something else in mind for us to do next.”

Her gaze snapped to his face. “What’s that?” But his expression gave away nothing.

They followed the security chief through the bowels of the hotel, destination unknown. But then the procession stopped in front of a pair of swinging double doors. Oddly, the security man turned to smile at her. “Ready?”

“For what?” she asked blankly.

Ian tucked her hand in the crook of his elbow and nodded at the guy. A couple of waiters swung the doors open and Ian escorted her forward.

They took a single step into the giant ballroom and she stopped dead in her tracks. A deafening chorus of cheers and applause broke out from the hundreds of hotel guests and staff crammed in the room, but that wasn’t what froze her feet to the floor.

A long, white floor runner stretched away in front of her and Ian, leading up to a raised dais with an elaborate wrought iron bower covered in ivy and white roses. Underneath it, a man who was thespitting imageof Elvis Presley stood there wearing…

…were those preacher’s robes? He held a bible open in his hands, too, and the guy was grinning as foolishly as everyone else seemed to be doing all of a sudden.

The cheers quieted, and music broke out. Holy crap, that was an orchestra over there in the corner. And they were playing the Wedding March.

Whoa.What?

She looked over at Ian in panic. The moment her gaze lit on him, he dropped to one knee. Her jaw dropped in response. The security guy reached out and handed Ian a little velvet box.

“Piper Roth. You had me at the first moment you spotted me in your gun sight. I feel like I’ve loved you enough for ten lifetimes already, and God knows, we’ve done enough living for ten lifetimes. Would you make me the happiest man alive andagree to marry me and do absolutely nothing together for the rest of our lives?”

She gazed into his beautiful, hopeful eyes that reflected the giant heart inside the man, and everything they’d been through, every struggle they’d gone through, every hardship they’d endured to arrive at this moment fell away. The people and the music and flowers. All of it disappeared, leaving only the two of them.

Together. Alive. In love.

She answered into the deep hush, “I will marry you, Ian McCloud, however I will not promise to do nothing. I have plans for you, good sir.” A mischievous spark entered her eyes, and answering heat leapt in his.

He held up the box to her. “Let’s see what the hotel manager picked out from the house jewelry store for you.”

She opened the box and gasped. A gigantic diamond engagement ring surrounded by a ring of smaller stones was nestled in the black velvet interior. The thing must be worth afortune.

Ian plucked it out of its box and slipped it on her finger. It was cold and heavy. But it reminded her of Ian. He’d emerged from their enforced cold more solid and whole than ever.

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