Page 71 of Keeping Collette

Eventually, his arms loosened around her, and he pressed a soft kiss to her lips. “I needed that,” he said, as he stepped away and shrugged off his jacket.

“I’m glad I could give it to you. I also needed it too. Waiting was… let’s just say it’s lucky I have hardwood floors, otherwise I would’ve worn out my carpet with the pacing I was doing.”

Deal chuckled, and she was glad to see some of the tension had left him. “Something smells good.”

“It’s one of Astrid’s lasagnas. She filled my freezer with food while I was in hospital. I probably don’t have to cook for a month with all the goodies she baked for me.”

“Any desserts?” he asked, a hopeful grin on his face.

“Maybe. Come sit down. It should be done.” She moved to her small kitchen, but was stilled by a hand on her arm. Collette looked at him, noting his serious expression.

Oh shit, this is going to be bad.

The thought sailed through her mind, and she mentally prepared herself for what he was about to say.

He was silent for a few moments, just stood watching her. “Deal? Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, I just…” He gazed to the ceiling for a second before looking back at her. “I wasn’t looking for someone special when you walked into the restaurant that night. When Jag had started seeing Steff and I could tell he was smitten, I made the joke that I was very happy being single and I was never going to fall for someone. He joked that I’d jinxed myself. And maybe I had.” He reached out and brushed his knuckles down her cheek. Collette had no idea what he was going to say next, or where it was leading, but Deal was being raw and vulnerable with her, and she wasn’t going to stop him.

“A few months later, you walked into the restaurant, and I didn’t know how much my life was going to change in that moment. You are so important and special to me, Collette. I think about you constantly, and wonder what you’re doing all hours of the day. I wish we’d met under better circumstances. That I got a chance to meet Courtney. But I can’t be sorry about where we are now. In this moment. You are my everything.”

Words were impossible for Collette. This was the last thing she expected from Deal when he arrived at her place.

Was he telling her that he loved her?

Did she love him?

She let the thought rest in her mind for a heartbeat before the answer slammed into her with the force of a baseball player hitting the ball out of the park.

Yes, she loved him.

“I feel the same way. You’ve seen me at the absolute lowest point of my life. And the only reason I was able to get through was because of you. Some might say that building a relationship on tragedy isn’t the way to do it. There aren’t any right ways for how people find each other. They just do. Like there aren’t any right paths relationships are supposed to follow. They just happen.”

Deal framed her face. “I’ve never said this before, but I’m in love with Collette Harper.”

Joy swept deep into her soul. “And I’m in love with you, too.”

Their lips met, and she poured all her feelings into the kiss. She clutched at his shoulders as he pulled her closer, the evidence of his desire for her pressing against her belly.

How she wanted to lose herself in him. To further cement their commitment to each other in the most natural of ways.

She pulled away from him. “Let me lower the heat on the oven.”

In a matter of seconds, the oven was at the lowest temperature possible, and she was holding Deal’s hand, leading him to the bedroom.

There was still a lot they needed to talk about—especially the meeting with Hound’s brother, but all that mattered in that moment was the two of them.

“It’s a miracle Growler’s not a hundred pounds overweight,” Deal said as he leaned back, and Collette laughed.

“A lot of what Astrid makes isn’t bad for you. She uses lean meats and also a lot of vegetables. The pasta she uses and recommends on her show, is low in carbs, so it’s good for people who are watching their blood sugars. Not to mention I’m guessing Callum works out as much as you do.” Collette placed her napkin on the table.

After they’d made love twice, they’d come out to eat. The lasagna was a little crispy on the sides and top, and it was a little drier than it would’ve normally been, but it still tasted wonderful.

“Yeah, he sometimes works out with his old SEAL team on the weekends when he and Astrid go down to San Diego to see them. Other times, he’ll come workout with us, or he, Ox, Angel, and Irish will do some workouts.”

“I guess old habits are hard to break.” Collette couldn’t imagine the commitment it would take to get up every morning to go work out, whether the sun was shining or rain was bucketing down.

She struggled to do three days in a row of any form of exercise.