Code Name: Ghost - Sawyer Bennett Page 0,85

rather than pairing up with the government, and he wants me to head it all up.”

Anna’s mouth drops open. “For real?”

I nod and continue. “It will keep me here for the most part. We can do a lot of it based out of Pittsburgh, but I’ll need to do some traveling. That means I’ll be able to stick close by you and Avery, and I’ll get to do all the fun stuff like jump out of planes and blow shit up. But, most important of all, I won’t be going on active missions with a high degree of risk, in deference to you.”

She shakes her head again, trying to pull away from me, but I resist. I hold her tight, deciding I’m never letting her go again.

“I don’t want you to give up the things that make you happy,” she insists. “I swear I’ve done a lot of thinking over the last few days. I can cope, Malik. I promise I can handle this so you can—”

I cut her off with a hard kiss, bending her backward. My body immediately reacts when my tongue touches hers. It’s been a long two days without her.

When I finally let her up, she looks slightly dazed, and I press my advantage. “You need to listen to me, Anna.”

I wait a moment for her to focus on me. When I feel like I have her attention, I say, “You are what makes me happy. Being with you makes me far happier than anything I could ever do for a job or a career. I’d give up this job and a million others like it for just a day with you, so please trust me… I’m not sacrificing anything right now. The new job offer by Kynan is just a bonus, meaning I can continue with Jameson because I like these people, but it’s not what’s important.”

It’s at this moment—when I feel her body literally sag against me as her eyes fill with relief—that I know this is the right decision for us both. She would have easily given up her own peace of mind to give me my happiness, but I’m glad I’m not asking her to do that.

“I love you, Anna.” These are really the only words that can adequately explain the reasons I’m doing what I am. “I want to make a life with you. With Avery. And I want to make it our best life, which means I’m choosing a path that makes me happy while making you happy as well. It’s a win-win for us both.”

If I had expected her to swoon over these words—perhaps fall in a semi-faint as she proclaimed the same back to me—I’d have been wrong.

Instead, she wrenches from my grasp and turns her back on me.

For just a second, I consider I have gotten everything wrong. Everything I thought I knew about Anna and how she might feel about me… I sense that perhaps I misinterpreted something.

But then she wheels back around, hair flying and an incredulous look on her face. “You love me?” she asks, eyes wide with wonder and voice laced with hope.

I frown, because had she not just heard me? “Of course, I do.”

She squeals with excitement—which frankly scares me for an instant—and then she’s leaping into my arms. I mean, in a full-on assault with legs going around my waist, so I have no choice but to support her with my hands at her ass and her arms locked tightly around my neck.

Then she kisses me. While we’ve had some great lip locks in the past, it’s the best one yet.

When she pulls back, she stares through shiny, happy tears. “I love you, too, Malik. So much. And when you just told me you loved me, I thought I’d feel guilty. It’s why I pulled away because I expected to feel bad about it. Like it would be a hurdle to get over—having another man love me. But I didn’t feel it. Not one bit. Only happiness and peace, and I know Jimmy would want the same thing. I just…”

She averts her eyes, lower lip trembling a bit, but when her gaze comes to me, she murmurs, “I want to make a life with you, too. I want to live my best life with you, Avery, and hopefully more kids.”

I can’t help myself. Wanting to have her best life with me, letting me be a dad to Avery, and wanting me to be a dad more times over… I let out