Leveling the Field
Page 18
“I am yours already,” I said softly. “In every way.”
His mouth was gentle as he kissed his way along my jaw. “I don’t want you to think I would choose anyone else. Because you’re so much more than I could have ever dreamed of.”
My breathing hitched.
“Yes,” I said.
He froze, leaned back enough to see my eyes. “Yes, what?”
“Yes, I’ll marry you.”
We’d wasted so much time. I wouldn’t waste anymore. I was holding on to this man, onto my happiness, onto the life I deserved.
So, yes, I’d marry him.
Without hesitation.
He grinned, that special Leo smile, and said, “I was hoping you’d say that because—” He pulled out a ring.
Not a diamond band.
But plain black silicone with silver streaks. Something I could wear on every mission. Something I could have on me always.
He cleared his throat. “I could get you a diamond, something with bling and—”
I pressed a finger to his mouth.
“I don’t want diamonds,” I said. “I just want you.”
“Thank God,” he exclaimed, and then he tugged me flush against him, wrapped his big, strong arms around me, and we danced to the sounds of our heartbeats . . . and the tune of Luna’s screech.
It was perfect.
It was fantasy.
It was reality.
Epilogue
Part Two
Lily
“What are you doing?”
I glanced up at the open door to my office and knew my expression was guilty, but it was just so sweet! “Nothing,” I said, wiping my eye and affecting casualness as Hannah moved toward me.
Slyly, I minimized the screen where I’d been—admittedly—spying on Leo and Jesse.
They were just so sweet.
Leo was so sweet.
I’d helped him with the dress and shoes, Hannah with filling Jesse’s room with flameless candles and flowers.
He’d picked out the necklace, though he’d let me peek into the box.
I wasn’t sure what the deal with owls was, but considering Jesse hadn’t stopped touching it the entire time I’d spied on them as they’d walked across the courtyard, I knew she was happy with it.
Hannah rested a hip on my desk, her eyes flicking to my screen.
Ha.
Nothing to see here.
Her eyes flicked back to mine, something I couldn’t read in her expression. Something that turned out to be sneaky. Because she asked, “You want to get some food?” and when I nodded and stood up, she reached for the mouse and opened the screen.
Which was on the camera feed of Leo and Jesse.
They’d been standing close together before, Jesse crying after what had probably been sweet words from Leo (damn cameras without audio, otherwise I could have listened in), but now they were dancing under the moonlight, their arms wrapped tightly around each other.
I sighed happily.
Seriously. So. Sweet.
Hannah glared down at me. “You’re impossible.”
“Because I have a heart and love a romantic ending?”
A roll of gorgeous hazel eyes, her blond ponytail fluttering behind her when she shook her head. “Come on,” she said, clicking to close the camera feed rather than just minimizing it. “Let’s eat.”
I stuck out my bottom lip. “I don’t want to.”
Hannah sighed. “What do you want?”
You.
I was desperate to say it, but I knew that it wouldn’t make the least bit of difference. Hannah didn’t do relationships, and she certainly didn’t do relationships with subordinates.
But I’d been in love with her from the moment I’d laid eyes on her.
See? I was a hopeless romantic.
I’d walked into KTS six years before, ready for my training, and had seen her knocking a man nearly twice her size to the mats in the gym. She hadn’t struggled or breathed hard or even ended up with a hair out of place.
I’d arrested, felt my heart roll over and expose its vulnerable underbelly.
Then she’d smiled.
And I’d fallen deep.
She was smart, beautiful, funny, kind . . . and closed down to anything that resembled love. At least overtly, because I knew she loved our entire team. She would die to ensure that we would live, and do it in a heartbeat.
So, the love was there.
Just perhaps, not the romantic love.
And that was the love I was desperate for.
Unfortunately, I was beginning to think that wasn’t going to happen. Grimacing, I grabbed my cell and started for the door.
Hannah sighed again. “What is it?”
I frowned, glanced back over my shoulder. “What’s what?”
“Why are you doing Sad Face?”
I couldn’t tell her, so I just said, “You interrupted my quota of romance for the day.” I chuckled. “Of course, I have Sad Face.”
Hannah strolled over to me, not stopping until she was close enough for me to see the faint scar just above her cheekbone. “Tell me the truth, Lily.”
If only.
She narrowed her eyes.
I started to turn away, to hit that exit, and—
Then I was pinned to the wall, her hands on my shoulders, her body almost flush to mine. My heart skipped and began pounding rapidly. The backs of my knees went sweaty. The hair on my arms raised.
“Tell me.” Her hazel eyes had darkened, more chocolate than the usual green.
I melted, felt her body move closer, pressing into mine, making my pussy clench and my skin tighten. “It’s nothing,” I managed to croak out.
“Lily,” she warned, fingers gripping a little tighter.
My throat went tighter, and my answer was more rasp than that. “I think you know.”
She growled. “Tell me.”
And the truth just flew out of me. “I’m in love with you,” I whispered.
Her eyes went wide; her mouth fell open.
But she didn’t move, didn’t say a word. At least not until I found myself lifting a hand, tracing my thumb lightly over that scar.
As though I could heal the old wound.
Heal all her old wounds.
She shuddered, her breath hot and damp on my lips . . . and then her mouth found mine.
—Scorching the Earth, December 28th, 2020
Scorching The Earth
Hannah and Lily’s story is coming December 28th, 2021!
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Preorder at www.books2read.com/ScorchingTheEarth
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http://eepurl.com/bdnmEj
KTS Series
Prequel Novella
Fire and Ice (Hurt Anthology)
* * *
Full Length Books
Riding The Edge
Crossing The Line
Leveling The Field
Scorching The Earth (December 28th, 2021)
Also by Elise Faber
Billionaire’s Club (all stand alone)
Bad Night Stand
Bad Breakup
Bad Husband
Bad Hookup
Bad Divorce
Bad Fiancé
Bad Boyfriend
Bad Blind Date
Bad Wedding
Bad Engagement
Bad Bridesmaid
Bad Swipe (June 28th, 2021)
* * *
Gold Hockey (all stand alone)
Blocked
Backhand
Boarding
Benched
Breakaway
Breakout
Checked
Coasting
Centered
Charging
Caged
Crashed (July 27th, 2021)
Cycled (October 5th, 2021
)
* * *
Breakers Hockey (all stand alone)
Broken
Boldly (August 31st, 2021)
* * *
KTS Series
Fire and Ice (Hurt Anthology, stand alone)
Riding The Edge
Crossing The Line
Leveling The Field
* * *
Love, Action, Camera (all stand alone)
Dotted Line
Action Shot
Close-Up
End Scene
Meet Cute
* * *
Love After Midnight (all stand alone)
Rum And Notes
Virgin Daiquiri
On The Rocks
Sex On The Seats
* * *
Life Sucks Series (all stand alone)
Train Wreck
Hot Mess
Dumpster Fire
Clusterf*@k (August 16th, 2021)
* * *
Roosevelt Ranch Series (all stand alone, series complete)
Disaster at Roosevelt Ranch
Heartbreak at Roosevelt Ranch
Collision at Roosevelt Ranch
Regret at Roosevelt Ranch
Desire at Roosevelt Ranch
* * *
Phoenix Series (read in order)
Phoenix Rising
Dark Phoenix
Phoenix Freed
* * *
Phoenix: LexTal Chronicles (rereleasing soon, stand alone, Phoenix world)
From Ashes
In Flames
To Smoke (October 18th, 2021)
* * *
Stand Alones
Someday, Maybe (YA)
About the Author
USA Today bestselling author, Elise Faber, loves chocolate, Star Wars, Harry Potter, and hockey (the order depending on the day and how well her team -- the Sharks! -- are playing). She and her husband also play as much hockey as they can squeeze into their schedules, so much so that their typical date night is spent on the ice. Elise changes her hair color more often than some people change their socks, loves sparkly things, and is the mom to two exuberant boys. She lives in Northern California. Connect with her in her Facebook group, the Fabinators or find more information about her books at www.elisefaber.com.