Page 91 of Raven's Curse
“I’m the sheriff. Fuck protocol, and the mayor can kiss my ass.” She shrugged. “The fact Bodie uncovered he’s having an affair has no bearing on my decision, whatsoever.”
Chase laughed. “Did you just admit you’ll blackmail the mayor if he puts up a fuss?”
She tiptoed up, drew her finger along his lower lip. “I prefer to think of it as strategic negotiating. Besides, it’s the least I can do after everything you’ve done. And I don’t just mean saving my ass. All the nightmares and the guilt over Troy…” She smiled. “It’s better. Fading, I guess, and that’s because of you.”
She swallowed, then winked at him. “Well? Do we have a deal?”
He scrunched up his face as if he was considering the offer, then eased her back. “On one condition.”
“What’s that?”
“You say, yes.”
She furrowed her brow. “Yes? To what?”
He took her hand. “To marrying me.”
She inhaled, staring up at him, wondering if she’d imagined the words when he smiled. Dropped a kiss on her mouth. She reached up, fisted his shirt and drew him down for another round. Deeper. Longer, until all that heat from earlier threatened to smother her. “Are you nuts?”
He nuzzled her nose. “Yup. About you.”
“We’ve only been living together a month, and that’s pushing the definition.”
“Don’t care.” He shushed her with another quick kiss. “I love you, Greer. Have since I realized you mean more to me than anyone ever has, including my brothers, so… I don’t want to wait. To live by someone else’s idea of the right amount of time before we jump. You’re my world, and I jumped ages ago. All I need is a safe place to land.”
Tears welled in her eyes then slipped down her cheeks. “You just had to prove you love me more.” She smiled. “And I’ll always be your safe haven because you’ve always been mine.”
“Is that a yes? Because I honestly don’t know.”
She shoved him. “Yes, it’s a yes, Einstein. Now, can we go to work, or am I breaking out the handcuffs?”
Chase chuckled, then lunged at her, hiking her up on his shoulder. “Looks like it’s the handcuffs, because I need one more taste of you before we can leave.”
He carried her over to the bed, launching them both onto the mattress. They bounced once, then he loomed over her, hair a mess, love shining back at her. He reached behind her and grabbed her cuffs, slipping one on his wrist before he dipped his shoulder, rolled them.
He held his arms over his head, nodding at her. “You’ve got the key, right?”
She jiggled her keyring. “Right here.”
“Then, do your worst, Sheriff. Just know this…” He levered up. Kissed her. “Tonight, it’s my turn.”
“Whatever you say.” She locked the other cuff in place. “I love you.”
“Love you more. Now, let’s get this party started, or you’ll be late for your first day back.”
Greer shrugged. “I won’t tell the sheriff if you don’t. Now, get comfortable. This could take a while.”
Epilogue
Several months later…
* * *
“I knew hiring your team would be a giant pain in my ass.”
Chase leaned against the door frame as Atticus surveyed the new setup in Foster’s house. The grand opening of Raven’s Watch’s official headquarters. Chase wasn’t sure when Foster had gotten onboard with the idea. But somewhere between all of them getting married and Mac giving birth to a healthy baby boy, he’d reconfigured the back half of the manor house to accommodate a permanent dispatch center.
Foster walked across the room, taking the radio mic out of Atticus’ hands. “Pretty sure, you’re the one who’s a pain. And everything’s live, so… Don’t start chatting on the airways for fun.”
