Page 66 of Donovan Blake: Adrenalin

“Please call me Candace.”

“How are you, Candace?” Donovan asked, walking in as she spoke.

“Doing better thanks to Phoebe. She suggested I stay at your hotel until I can go home to my family’s farm.”

“That’s a great idea, and the crime scene is being processed so we can leave. We’ll give you a lift and get you checked in.”

* * *

A little while later, utterly exhausted, Donovan and Phoebe climbed into bed desperate for sleep. As she curled against him, he turned out the light and muttered something about Sam.

“What did you say?”

“I said Sam has another job, but he wants you to work with me again. Obviously I told him that’s not going to happen.”

“That’s fantastic. What’s the assignment?” she asked, letting out a heavy yawn.

“Didn’t you hear me? I told him no.”

“Yeah, right, like that will work. Did he give you any details?”

“I don’t believe this conversation.”

“What did you expect?”

“Consider yourself spanked and we’ll talk about it in the morning.”

EPILOGUE

One Week Later

When Candace had called her parents and told them she was done with the big city and was coming home they’d been overjoyed. She traded in her Mercedes GT Convertible for a Hyundai SUV, and as she turned down the dirt road that lead to her family home her heart soared.

Then skipped.

As she followed a slight bend in the road she had to hit her brakes. Blocking her way was a black Ford F150, and her former boyfriend was leaning against the hood wearing a white short-sleeved T-shirt, denim jeans and boots. He looked even sexier than she remembered, and she suddenly longed to be wrapped up in his tanned, muscled arms. As he strode towards her and she lowered her window, butterflies suddenly fluttered in her stomach and she felt her face burn red.

“Hey, Miss Sugar Cane, it’s about time you showed up. Do you know how long I’ve been waiting?”

Hearing the nickname he’d given her reminded her of the many happy times they’d spent together, and she prayed it meant he didn’t hate her for leaving.

“Hi, Magic Man,” she replied, hoping she didn’t appear as unnerved as she felt. “I don’t understand. I’m not late. I told mom and dad I’d be here around noon and it’s just five minutes past. By the way, have you been body-building?”

“In a way. I put up a new barn and renovated my house. I guess you could say I’ve been lifting weights every day, but do you think I’ve been waiting here just five minutes? Don’t answer that, not yet. First, get out of that SUV. You need a welcome home hug.”

“You’re not mad at me any more?”

“A little bit,” he said with a wink.

As he opened the door and she climbed out, his arms came around her and she sank against him. But unexpectedly swept up in a surge of emotion she clung to him and fought back the tears.

“I’ve missed you,” she finally managed, slowly pulling back and gazing into his hazel eyes. “I didn’t know how much until right this minute.”

“I missed you too, like crazy, but I knew you’d come home. But I also knew if you hadn’t gone you would have constantly wondered about the big city lights. Now you know the stars here have more to offer.”

“So much more, and now I know where I want to be. So, uh, just how long have you been waiting?”

“I’ve been on this road since the day you left. Every night I’d close my eyes and here I was…and you were driving around that turn towards me just like you did. This is where you belong. Out here in clean air with me and the horses.”

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