The Rogue

by Lindsay McKenna

  As Killian eased from her lips, he took his thumbs and removed those tears of happiness. His own eyes were damp, and the relief he felt was sharp and deep.

  "I want to try," he rasped as he framed her upturned face. "It isn't going to be easy."

  "No," she quavered, "it won't be. But our tapestry will be strong, because of our courage to grow— together, darling."

  "I'm afraid of tonight, colleen."

  "We'll be afraid together. We'll hold each other. We'll talk. We'll do whatever it takes, Sean."

  She was right. "One day at a time. One night at a time." Never had Killian wanted anything to work as much as he did this. He'd never admitted loving another woman. He'd been too fearful to do that. Susannah's strength, her undiluted belief in him, was giving him the courage to try.

  "There will be good nights and bad ones, I'm sure," Susannah warned. "We can't expect miracles."

  He smiled a little. "You're the miracle in my life. I'll do whatever I have to in order to keep you."

  His commitment was more than she'd ever dreamed of hearing from him. Somehow Meg's courage to release her past had helped him see his own situation differently. "Just trying is enough," Susannah told him simply. And it was.

  Epilogue

  Susannah's heart wasn't in her packing. Her three weeks on Vancouver Island had fled by like a blink of the eye. Killian was quieter than usual as he helped her take her clothes out of the closet.

  He was thinking about something important, and she could feel it. The days had been wonderful days of discovery, of joy and exploration. The nights had been a roller-coaster ride of good and bad. Together they had managed to confront Killian's nightmare past, and with some success.

  More than anything, Killian knew he needed professional help to completely change for good. They'd talked about it and agreed that Susannah couldn't be the linchpin of his healing. He saw her as a loving support, his primary cheerleader. But it wasn't her responsibility to heal him. It was his.

  The suitcase was packed, and she snapped it shut. As she turned around, Killian brought her into his arms.

  "I've got a few phone calls to make before I take you to the airport."

  "Okay." One day at a time, she reminded herself. Sean had not spoken of anything beyond her three weeks at his house. As badly as Susannah wanted to know his future plans and how they included her, she didn't ask.

  "I want you to be there when I make the call."

  She searched his shadowed face. "Who are you going to talk to?"

  "Morgan."

  Her heart thudded once. "Morgan?"

  "Yes."

  "Why?"

  Killian cupped her face and looked deep into her wide, loving eyes. "To tell him I'm asking for permanent reassignment to the U.S. only. I'm also telling him I want jobs that don't involve violence. He's got some of those available. Mercenaries are more than just men of war. Sometimes a mercenary is needed just to be eyes and ears. I'm going to tell him I want low- risk short-term assignments." He smiled uncertainly. "That way, I can make my home in Glen, Kentucky, and keep putting my life back together with you."

  Tears jammed into her eyes. "Oh, Sean. . ." She threw her arms around his shoulders.

  "It's not going to be easy," he warned her grimly, taking her full weight.

  "We'll do it together," Susannah said, her voice muffled against his chest.

  Killian knew it could be the worst kind of hell at times, but Susannah's unwavering support, her love for him, had made the decision easy. He held her tightly. "Together," he rasped thickly. "Forever."

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