Marine's Mission - Rebecca Deel Page 0,95
as a bat, and climbed as high as I could, which wasn’t a picnic while wearing a dress. From there, I threw loose rocks on the sand, hoping to slow them down. One of the guards sprained or broke his ankle. The second one came after me.” She lapsed into silence.
“How did you stop him?” Maddox asked, voice gentle.
“Hit him with the wood. He fell to the ground and didn’t move.” Her voice broke. “I don’t know if I killed him or not.”
Owen squeezed her hand. “You protected yourself. If you hadn’t, he would have hurt you, perhaps killed you. He didn’t give you a choice.”
“Protecting yourself wasn’t your only motivation, was it?” Maddox’s gaze remained locked on Gigi.
She shook her head. “I was afraid if I didn’t stop him, he’d attack Owen from behind. I couldn’t let him do that.”
Stunned at the realization that Gigi had gone against her own nature to protect him, Owen wrapped his arms around her. “Courage and beauty wrapped in one package,” he murmured. “Is it any wonder that I’m madly in love with you?”
Gigi melted against him. “I love you, too.”
“Something you want to share with the rest of us?” Nico asked, eyes twinkling.
“I’m marrying this incredible woman as soon as possible.”
Shadow’s leader smiled. “Congratulations.”
“Thanks.” Owen faced the screen. “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell my brothers this news yet. I’d like to tell them.”
“Not my news to tell. Let me know when you need time off for a honeymoon. You’ll get it, no questions asked. I owe you for taking on this mission. Gigi, thanks for your help. If you want to be an operative, let me know. I’m always looking for tough-as-nails operatives. You are that and more.”
“Thanks for the offer, but I love my job. If you’re near Archer, please come stay at the B & B.”
“Count on it.” He shifted his attention to Owen and the other operatives. “Good work, all of you. The president sends his thanks for a job well done.” Maddox ended the call.
Brody stood. “Rest. The pilot will stop first in Nashville to drop off Texas and Shadow, then proceed to the airstrip in Archer to drop off the rest of you.”
Owen and Gigi walked toward the back of the jet. “We have a bedroom if you want to stretch out to sleep,” he murmured.
“I’d rather stay with you.”
Relieved, Owen raised the arm of their seats and sat beside her. After draping a blanket around Gigi, he settled her against his chest with her head resting against his shoulder. “Thank you,” he murmured.
“For what?”
“Protecting me.”
“I love you. I’ll always have your back.”
He kissed the top of her head. “I don’t know what to say.” No woman had ever put herself in harm’s way to protect him.
“You’ll have to get used to it, Owen.”
“I hope it’s not necessary in the future.”
“Me, too. Operative work is not for me.”
“Try to relax. You need sleep.”
“I feel like I drank a vat of espresso.”
Owen chuckled. “The buzz will pass soon. If nothing else, let me hold you. I need it.” He rubbed her back until she went limp against him long minutes later. When Owen was sure Gigi was asleep, he made plans for their future until his own adrenaline rush bled off. Settling deeper into the seat with the woman he loved held securely in his arms, Owen slept.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Owen walked into Gigi’s kitchen one week later, a ball of ice in his stomach. He didn’t think he’d be nervous. Talk about being dead wrong.
He hurried forward as the woman he adored turned from the refrigerator with a large glass bowl in her arms. “Let me get that for you.”
“I should have chosen to make another dessert.”
Owen studied the contents and smiled. “You made banana pudding.”
“It’s your favorite dessert.”
“Thank you, G. Are you ready to go?”
She grabbed a large basket from the counter and snagged her crossbody purse. “Ready.”
“What’s in the basket?”
“Dinner rolls.”
“From scratch?”
“Of course.”
He groaned. “Woman, I’ll have to run extra miles tomorrow to burn off the extra calories.”
“Worth it.”
“No question.” He set the food in the cargo area of his SUV and climbed behind the wheel. “How was your day?”
“Excellent. Two families made reservations to stay with me next week on their return journey home. Everyone else left happy with their stay.” She twisted to face him. “Anything interesting happen today?”
“Herded a reluctant bull into a cattle trailer, and convinced a twelve-year-old kid that running away from home because he’s mad at his father wasn’t