Page 74 of Critical Strike
“I said a lot of things. Which thing in particular?”
“You know what I’m talking about. Loving me.” She lifted her head, her baby blues searching his. “Is that true?”
“You don’t know by now?” He had to laugh in disbelief. “Do you think I go to these lengths for just anybody? Because I’ll tell you right now, I don’t. Only for people I love more than anything else in the world.”
Tears filled her eyes, but they weren’t the tears left behind after a close call.
They held joy. Wonder. He knew how she felt.
“You know I love you, too, right?” She giggled softly, a little giddy. “I can’t believe I never said that before now. I just figured you knew.”
He kissed her softly, tenderly, a kiss filled with every hope and dream he had for their life together.
And it would be spent together, because he couldn’t remember how he’d lived without her.
And he certainly couldn’t have imagined a future without her.
He didn’t want to try.
But that would have to wait, since now the sound of sirens filled the air. They had some serious explaining to do to the police.
Chapter Twenty-Five
It was all so beautiful.
Claire had appreciated the beauty of the land surrounding the Pattersons’ cabin during her first visit with Luke over six weeks ago. Even then, she’d been able to recognize how special a place it was. Peaceful and perfect, like the modern world hadn’t quite made its way there yet.
Now? Without the threat of imminent death hanging over her head?
It might as well have been heaven.
Especially considering who was there with her.
“Fishing is actually a lot more fun than I ever imagined it would be.” Claire cast off, waiting for the hook and fly to hit the water and send ripples out over the otherwise still lake. She reeled her line in just a little, knowing now that the motion would attract any nearby fish.
Luke had taught her a lot.
He smiled with a wry grin, careful to keep his voice soft to avoid scaring away the fish. “That’s easy for you to say. You’re a natural.”
“I have a good teacher.” And yes, she was slightly better at it than he was, which helped her enjoyment. But she wasn’t about to say that out loud.
She loved him and knew he loved her and would forgive a lot of things, but there were times when a girl knew not to tread on a man’s ego.
It had been a magical few days together for sure, and exactly what they both needed now that the hectic mess of clearing her name was over. Now it was nothing more than a memory.
Though it was still a fresh memory, she knew it would fade with time.
And Luke would help. Just the way he always did.
The information that she’d sent out to the police department had been more than enough to put Vance Ballard away for the rest of his life, along with the man who’d murdered Julia in such cold-blooded fashion.
There was plenty of additional evidence against Ballard’s murderous bodyguard and the other one along with him. Julia’s murder was only the tip of an iceberg that ran wide and deep. It was a comfort to know those men would get what they deserved. Even if it wouldn’t bring back any of the lives they’d taken.
She drew a deep breath and let it out slowly, the way she always did whenever the still-fresh reality threatened to close in on her. How close she’d come to losing her life. Or, worse, to losing everything that had ever truly mattered.
Luke hadn’t been lying that day, describing how she would suffer if he’d died because of her.
But he hadn’t.