job where the work I do contributes and is important to the company. I want to feel needed. I want to be part of a team.”
“All doable. And what about your personal life?”
I smile and placed my hands to his biceps. “I want to have a husband and kids one day. Have Mama Kerri watch my babies while I work, raise them in a similar manner as she raised me, with love and a kind hand toward discipline. And then I want to come home and be a mom and a wife. I don’t want to change the world or invent the next best thing. I just want to make a solid day’s pay for an honest day’s work and enjoy my family time. Oh, and maybe a dog. I’d really like a dog. Dogs are awesome. How about you?”
Before he responded his lips crashed down over mine. He licked deep and kept the kiss going for so long we heard the elevator doors open and then close and the lift go back down with us not in it. I locked my arms around his neck and went right into my Jonah kiss haze where all things happy and good lived.
He pulled away but kept his forehead pressed to mine. “I keep wondering when you’re going to turn.”
“Turn?” I panted, still out of breath from his kiss.
“Yeah, turn into a bitch, or become needy, or crazy, or any of the above. Simone, you’re too damn perfect to be true and I’m having trouble believing all I’ve ever wanted ended up in my lap during one of my cases. I went through hell with Helen, baby. Ever since I was promoted to a profiler five years ago, it all turned to shit. She became someone I didn’t recognize. And maybe that had to do with me. We’d been together for so long we got used to one another. Then when I wasn’t there all the time, she changed. Or maybe that’s who she always was but I didn’t see it. Whatever the case, I never felt this connected or on the same path with a woman. Are you sure you can handle a man whose career means you’re going to be having a lot of those dinners alone with your children?”
I shrugged. “If my husband was out protecting other people from being killed and trying to put away extremely bad people for crimes I wouldn’t want committed on my worst enemy, yeah I’m pretty sure I’d be fine. I’d miss you heaps, but that would just make it more exciting when you got home. Something to look forward to.” I cupped his cheek. “Relationships are hard. Lord knows I’ve had my fair share. More than my fair share to be accurate. Though I never once saw myself in a white dress with kids underfoot like I have when I’m in your arms. You make me see a future. A real one that’s all mine. One of my own making, and that’s something to hold on to. I’m sure any marriage is hard, but if you keep the lines of communication open, anything can work. You just have to be willing to try.”
He kissed me again and bit down on my bottom lip. Arousal slid through my form on gossamer wings. “Can we maybe go back to your place first?”
“Why?” He pressed the button on the elevator to bring it back to our floor.
I squirmed where I stood and bit into my own lip sizing him up.
He shook his head. “Oh no. No way. We stop back home we’re not leaving, and I’ve made up my mind about Tracks. You don’t love it. It’s not your dream. It’s not even a stepping stone to your dream so we need to get you checking into other options. And since I need to talk to my father anyway about the numbers, we should go there first.”
I pouted. “Fine. Ruin all my fun.”
“We’ll have fun, baby. A lot of it. Tonight. When we’re safely locked into a hotel.”
“A hotel?” The surprise in my tone was obvious.
“Not making love to you for the first time and having Ryan busting in. I fear I may pull my gun on him.”
I chuckled and the elevator doors opened. He led me inside.
“This is an excellent plan.” I batted my eyelashes and stared into his handsome face.
He pecked me on the lips. “I know. You. Me. No interruptions. Candlelight dinner in. Chocolates. Champagne. The whole nine.”