Part 41 (1/2)

She somehow knew at least some some of that, and she moved faster and harder, with short, deep strokes that were pretty d.a.m.n close to exactly what he wanted, especially when he pushed himself up to meet her with enough force to make her gasp. of that, and she moved faster and harder, with short, deep strokes that were pretty d.a.m.n close to exactly what he wanted, especially when he pushed himself up to meet her with enough force to make her gasp.

And Jenni came first, and she came with such abandon, it was beautiful to watch, and he tried to hold on, because he wanted it to last forever.

But he couldn't do it, because she started to laugh-it was that that good-and when she smiled down at him with such love and trust in her eyes, he knew once again that he'd finally found what he'd spent his entire life searching for. And he felt such a fierce and joyful rush of possession- good-and when she smiled down at him with such love and trust in her eyes, he knew once again that he'd finally found what he'd spent his entire life searching for. And he felt such a fierce and joyful rush of possession-mine!-he let go.

And it was crazy how primal it felt, as if he were claiming her, marking her, and waves of emotion filled him as he felt his release surge inside of her again and again and again, as she gripped him and clung to him and sighed her pleasure.

And then it was over, but it wasn't over, not really. It was just beginning-their wonderful, crazy life together.

And the magnitude of what he'd just done-what they'd they'd just done-settled gently down around him as he held her tightly, as they both caught their breath. just done-settled gently down around him as he held her tightly, as they both caught their breath.

And it didn't freak him out, didn't frighten him, didn't provide even the slightest sliver of doubt.

On the contrary.

He was awed by the strength of his feelings-by her feelings, too, and by the knowledge that she'd already sacrificed so much just to help him, just to be with him, to be part of his life.

She'd given up her job, her home, put her career ambitions on hold...

And Dan knew, right then and there, that she was not not going to be the only one to make sacrifices for their impromptu little family-or, after tonight, maybe their going to be the only one to make sacrifices for their impromptu little family-or, after tonight, maybe their not not so impromptu slightly bigger family. so impromptu slightly bigger family.

”I love you,” he whispered, and he felt her sigh and smile, her face still pressed against his neck.

”I believe you,” she said. She lifted her head to look at him and he saw an echo of her words in her gorgeous eyes. ”And I love you, too. It feels pretty miraculous, doesn't it? I wish I could go back and hear you say I do I do again. I think I didn't quite believe it at the time.” again. I think I didn't quite believe it at the time.”

”I do,” he told her, putting all of his conviction into the words.

She smiled and kissed him and whispered, ”I do, too.”

”Hmm,” he said, ”does this mean we also get to do a replay of the consummating of our vows?”

Jenni laughed at that, pus.h.i.+ng his hair back from his forehead as she gazed down at him. ”Are you trying trying to get me pregnant?” to get me pregnant?”

”I might be,” he admitted, pulling her down to kiss her again.

She laughed as she kissed him back, because, yes, he was starting to get hard again, and she felt it because he was still inside of her.

”I was thinking,” he said quietly, ”that it's time for me to leave the teams. Maybe go to work full-time for Tommy Paoletti. For Troubleshooters Incorporated-you know, his personal security team?”

He'd surprised her again. Completely.

”That way I wouldn't be gone all the time,” he continued. ”And we wouldn't have to wait five years. We could go for it, knowing I'd be around when little Phil or Jill was born.”

Jenn laughed. ”Phil and Jill Gillman?”

”Kids love it when their names rhyme,” he told her, unable to keep a straight face, which gave away the fact that he was kidding. At least about the names he'd chosen for their unborn children.

He pulled her down to kiss her again, even as he s.h.i.+fted his hips, pus.h.i.+ng himself more deeply inside of her. Another few minutes, and he was going to be fully ready for round two.

”What do you say, Gillman?” he asked her when he let her up for air.

And she smiled at his use of her new last name. But her smile faded as she got serious. ”I think,” she said, ”that you are an extremely romantic and pa.s.sionate man. And I also think you should sit with this idea, and see how you feel about it in a few days or weeks. And I also think,” she added quickly before he could protest, ”that I'll support you, completely, whatever choice you make. But I went into this relations.h.i.+p with my eyes wide open. I know what it means to be married to a Navy SEAL, and I'm prepared for that. So make sure your decisions are for the right reasons, okay?”

Danny nodded. ”I really-”

”Shh.” She cut him off with a kiss. ”We'll have a lot of time to talk about this tomorrow. Right now? I'm pretty sure you can't get me any more more pregnant than you may well have already gotten me, so...If you're still thinking what I'm thinking, and I'm pretty sure you are”-she moved against him, and smiled-”Yes, I do believe I can read your mind...” pregnant than you may well have already gotten me, so...If you're still thinking what I'm thinking, and I'm pretty sure you are”-she moved against him, and smiled-”Yes, I do believe I can read your mind...”

He laughed and kissed her. And he knew without a doubt that meeting and falling for Jennilyn was the best thing that had ever happened to him.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE.

FRIDAY, MAY 8, 2009.

10:04 P.M.

Neesha had learned her lesson and was back to erring even further on the side of caution.

She hid in the shadows, in the courtyard of the apartment building where Ben's sister lived, just watching and waiting in the still of the night, while nothing moved.

In all of the hours that she'd been there, she'd watched plenty of people come and go. All had been in a hurry. But then the foot traffic slowed and lights went off all over the compound.

To her dismay, she'd fallen asleep at some point, and she jerked awake, her heart pounding, as a man and a woman came into the courtyard, arguing loudly. As they went into their first-floor dwelling, Neesha realized that the light was on in Eden's apartment. The bedroom window, which looked out over the courtyard, was aglow. But then, as she watched, the light went off and the window went dark.

She almost stood up, almost crept to the stairs so she could climb up them and scratch at the door before they fell asleep, praying that she was right and that they were on her side and would help her.

Instead, some instinct made her wait. Something-the whisper of footsteps, a s.h.i.+ft in the air as large bodies moved in the darkness-made her curl even more tightly into herself.

And she caught her breath as her blood froze in her veins because it was the two men from the mall-the bald man named Jake and the man with the hat-and G.o.d save her, they were with Todd, whom Mr. Nelson had sent to kill her.

They didn't see her. They didn't even think to look around-believing that they were alone in the deserted garden.

One of them-Jake-spoke. His voice was low, but it carried clearly to Neesha. ”The older brother and the husband are military, so shoot to kill. But we want both the kid and his b.i.t.c.h of a sister alive. Are we clear?”

The other two men nodded, and Todd, always eager, started for the stairs. But Jake stopped him.

”Masks,” he said. ”We want them to think we're going to let them go after they give us what we want.”

And Neesha didn't understand what he meant, until they all reached into their pockets and pulled on hats that stretched all the way down to cover their faces.

As they started for the stairs, she knew she had to act. She had to stand up, to shout, to scream.

And then she had to run so that they'd kill her now, quickly, with a bullet to the head. Because if they took her alive, she'd die slowly and painfully.

But she couldn't move, couldn't speak. Terror had her too securely in its claws. All she could do was tremble as she watched.

But then the three men stopped before they started up the stairs. They moved quickly, fading back into the shadows because someone was coming.