Cobb (Lighthouse Security Investigations #9) - Maryann Jordan Page 0,67

I want to keep going beyond the mission. I can’t stand the thought of leaving you when all this is over. But I live and work in Maine, and you’re here in New Mexico. I can’t figure out how we can make this work beyond the mission, so I tried to think about us just being here and now and we’ll figure things out later. And yet that goes against who I am. I want to have all the answers now. Not just for the mission but for us as a couple.”

“You want to be with me?”

Now it was his turn to blink as he nodded. “I thought that was obvious.”

“No, I thought you were breaking up with me. Or since we weren’t officially together, you were letting me down easy. You know, letting me know I was a… um… mission fling.”

His arms jerked against her back. “Mission fling? Seriously?”

“I don’t know. I guess I thought maybe I was just a fling that you were having now and when the mission was over, so were we.”

“Is that what you want?”

Huffing, she shook her head. “No, Jorge. I want you. I’m falling for you. But I thought maybe it was all on my side and not reciprocated.”

“Then damn, babe, I’m glad we got that cleared up.”

She shook her head slowly, not an easy task as she lay on her side wrapped up in his arms. “I… you…”

He chuckled, pushing her hair gently back from her face, his fingers trailing along her ear. “Now who’s not making any sense?” he teased gently, a smile curving his lips. With their bodies still tangled together, they lay quiet for a moment, speaking volumes with their eyes as fingers trailed along their arms and backs.

Her mind raced as fear had turned into hope and hope had turned into joy. And yet their relationship had advanced at the speed of light… or at least faster than any other relationship she’d ever had. Is it less real because it’s so fast?

“I don’t think so, babe.”

She blinked, surprised that she’d spoken aloud.

He continued. “Real is real, whether it’s fast or slow. I know what I feel for you. I know where I hope we’re going. I admit I don’t have all the answers as to how we’ll make it work for both of us, but I know you’re in my heart.”

“Is that what you were talking to your friend about?”

He nodded. “I know we have a lot more to discuss about you and me, but maybe it’s a good time to talk about the Keepers.”

At that, her finger traced over the lighthouse tattoo she’d admired on his shoulder. Nodding, she waited patiently.

“My boss got out of the military after doing a stint with the CIA. Over the years, he met others with the same work ethic and like-mindedness about what they’d like to do when they got out. He moved back to Maine and established the Lighthouse Security Investigations business. Then he proceeded to recruit former military and Special Ops who joined him at LSI. Mace grew up in Maine, close to a lighthouse, and said his grandfather used to tell stories of the lighthouse keepers. He said that it was once his dream as a child to become a keeper.”

“Keepers,” she whispered, entranced with his story.

Nodding, he said, “Yeah, that’s what we call ourselves. The Keepers. The keepers of the light in a dark world. Trying to keep others safe.”

“And your tattoo?”

“Each of us has the same tattoo, and there’s a tracer buried underneath the skin at the light. Our headquarters can keep track of every Keeper no matter where they are.”

“I like that. I like that you’re a Keeper. I like that you help others and use your strength to protect.”

His fingers glided down her back, landing on her hips where he gave a gentle squeeze. “Josie, you do the same thing with your caring nature and your strength, helping all those you work with.”

She took in what he said, turning it over in her mind. Lifting her gaze to his, she asked, “And your friend?”

“I found I needed some advice. You see, over the past several years, a number of the Keepers have fallen in love. While the women come from various walks of life, careers, all with their individual personalities, every one of the women that Keepers fall in love with has certain things in common. The same things I just mentioned about you. Strength. Conviction. Selflessness. It’s been said that it takes a