He cradled her face in his hands and swiped away a tear that had fallen from her lashes. “Why did it take you so damn long to figure that out?”
She smiled as he kissed her, as her arms wound around him, as she pulled him so tight, what was left of that ice he’d built up inside finally melted away. “I have brain damage, remember? It takes me a little longer to figure things out.”
“Oh, is that what it is?” Relief and joy mixed through him to meld with the music drifting in the ballroom, already lightening his spirits. “And here I thought you just loved to see me suffer.”
“Only in the bedroom. And only when that suffering leads to pleasure for us both. Speaking of which…” She smiled against his shoulder. “I could go for a little of that pleasure, right now, in fact. If you don’t mind leaving this party early, that is.”
His whole body tightened at the erotic implications of her words. He couldn’t wait to get her home, strip her naked, and lay her out on his bed. On their bed.
He eased back, and his humor faded as he looked down at the woman he’d loved and lost and would never be stupid enough to let go again. Somewhere close he was aware of a camera bulb flashing but for the first time, he didn’t care. “I’m sorry. I’m so damn sorry for not being honest with you. For not trusting what was happening between us. I was so afraid of losing you again that I did exactly what I was trying to stop. I pushed you right out of my arms. It won’t happen again. I promise. No more secrets.”
“No more secrets,” she agreed. “Unless it’s Christmas. Or my birthday. Or our anniversary. Come to think of it, today…” her eyes glinted with mischief “…this would be a good anniversary to remember in the future. The day we finally found our way back to each other.”
She was cracking jokes. His heart felt like it sprouted wings. Like it just might fly right out of his chest. His Annie—his Katie—was the only person in the world who knew exactly what he needed.
“I love you,” he whispered. “So damn much. So much more than I ever did before. Please don’t ever leave me.”
Her face softened. And love—a love he’d never expected to have again—shone in the depths of her green eyes under the sparkling chandelier lights. “Never again, Ryan. Never ever again.”
Read on for a sneak peek at
STOLEN Fury
Book 1 in the Stolen Series
To unearth a centuries-old secret, an archaeologist must team up with the rakish thief who’s stolen both an ancient relic and her heart…
STOLEN Fury
Excerpt
Dr. Lisa Maxwell wasn’t what he’d expected.
Sitting in the back row of the massive auditorium, Rafe Sullivan adjusted his nonprescription glasses, shifted in the uncomfortable charcoal suit and leaned forward to get a better view of the speaker. The redhead wore a short black skirt and fitted blazer, and kept pointing to a map of ancient Persia. He tried to listen to her words, but that husky siren voice of hers kept throwing him off, and those sinful legs were the biggest distraction God had ever created.
No way this woman spent her life digging in the dirt, searching for artifacts worth less than the Rolex on his wrist. Though he did enjoy the image of that lean body coated in mud as she wrestled for a broken scrap of history only a handful of nerds could possibly be interested in.
Rafe hooked his thumbs in his belt loops, leaned back in his seat. He didn’t give a rat’s ass what the woman was jabbering about, but he needed to pay attention if he was going to get close to her once this boring lecture was over. And the only way to do that was to close his eyes so he’d stop fantasizing about seeing her naked.
Just as he was thinking her droning lecture would never end, sharp applause echoed through the hall. He glanced around the emptying auditorium and sat up, stretching his sore back and rolling stiff shoulders.
Showtime.
Briefcase in hand, he wandered up the side aisle past exiting attendees, taking a careful sweep of those left in the auditorium. A few people lingered near the back of the room. Dr. Maxwell stood just in front of the stage near the center aisle, talking with a small group of men and women.