Page 101 of Seal of Honor
“Uh, Lee?”
She came back, flipping through an old baby name book they’d bought five years ago when they discovered they were expecting the twins.
“Jesus, you still have that thing?”
“It’s fun to look at. Besides,” she said and sent him a sly sideways smile. “You never know when we might need it again.”
“Oh, no.” He held up his hands. “We agreed to stop at three.”
“Actually, it was two, and the third was a surprise. I’m not entirely against a fourth, but it’ll have to be before I turn thirty-five.” With that, she turned her full attention to the book, leaving him sitting there catching flies with his mouth.
“Lee, c’mon, I’m getting too old to do the whole newborn thing again. The twins practically killed us, remember? You can’tdrop that bomb on me and expect?—”
She slapped the book down in front of him and pointed to a name. “Look. I found your bad smell.”
He picked up the book. Read the passage once. Twice. And—holy shit. He suddenly saw the whole case in a new light. “Yeah, baby, I think you did.”
CHAPTER 37
DOMINICAL, COSTA RICA
For a man who didn’t know how to cut loose, Gabe was doing a very good job of it. She’d never seen him so laid-back, so relaxed, so…content. He lay stretched out beside her, his scarred leg draped over both of hers, his eyes closed. If it wasn’t for his fingers combing idly through her hair, she’d think he was asleep, he was so utterly limp.
She propped herself up on one elbow to gaze down at him. He looked like a happy, well-satisfied man, and it gave her a little thrill that she’d had a hand in putting that expression on his face. She wanted to paint him like this with the moonlight spilling through the windows, sparking off his dog tags.
Her wounded warrior. Her strong SEAL. Her muse. Her love.
God, did she love him.
She smiled and poked him in the ribs until he groaned and opened one eye. “What is it, woman? I want sleep. You wore me out.”
“Earlier, you mentioned an international office. Where?” She hoped not on the other side of the world, or else she’d never see him.
Both eyes open now, his expression turned serious. “Well.” He moistened his lips. “I was thinking here in Costa Rica.”
“Not Europe?”
“We might open one there eventually, but no. Not Europe.”
“Because of me?”
“There were several reasons. Pricing, location, local laws… But you were the biggest factor in my decision,” he admitted and rolled over so that they were nose to nose. He curled one arm up underneath his pillow and traced a finger down her cheek with his free hand. “I know you love it here and couldn’t ask you to move. So I’m coming to you. I, uh, hoped—I was going to ask you?—”
Gabe stopped short, drew a breath. She’d never seen him look so nervous, and a little thrill jittered around her belly.
“Audrey,” he said softly, “will you move in with me?”
Okay, as far as proposals went, it wasn’t quite what she’d been hoping for. But it was a start. A very good start. She’d have to warm him up to the idea of marriage, because she fully intended to be his wife before the year’s end.
She leaned in to kiss him. “Technically, you’ll be moving in with me.”
Relief filled his beautiful golden eyes. “Is that a yes?”
Silly man. Had he honestly thought she’d turn him down? “Of course it’s a yes.”
With a hoot of triumph, he rolled her underneath his body and kissed her dizzy. His hand stroked the curve of her waist to her hip and dipped between her thighs, nudging her legs apart as his knuckles brushed her clit. She was tempted—oh, wow, especially when he did that with his fingers—to let him keep going, but a knock sounded at the front door.
She slapped her hands against his chest. “Hold up, bub. Someone’s here.”
