Page 58 of Guarded from Corruption

“I did?” I thought about Jade a lot, but I hadn’t realized how much I talked about her.

“Oh, yes.” Rhiannon patted my arm affectionately and smiled at me. “Xav and I had a bet going for how long it would take for you to finally ask her out.”

“Really? And who won?”

“Well.” Her smile got bigger. “You didn’t technically ask Jade out. But. If you arrange a date for tonight, something special, I think that would count.”

“And who would win then?”

Rhiannon grinned at me. “I would. Xavier wagered another six months.”

Chuckling, I asked, “So it’s all to win a bet?”

Her smile slid into something more serious. “No. I want to see you happy, Niall. I know you’ve had a rough few years. And Jade… she makes you happy. So anything I can do to help, I will.”

And she did. I’m not sure I could have pulled something like this together without Rhi’s help.

It’s not that I don’t know about romantic gestures. I’ve seen enough movies to get the gist. There should be candles and flowers and white lights strung everywhere. Chocolate and wine. Some sort of fancy dinner.

But knowing in theory doesn’t mean making it happen in reality. Stringing thousands of Christmas lights all over the place? Figuring out what candles to buy so it smells nice and not like I stuck my head in a bowl of potpourri, like the stuff my mom used to put out each year for the holidays? I could try, but it wouldn’t be perfect. And that’s what I want for Jade.

Thankfully, I had the help of my team. Not just Rhiannon, but Erik and Dante, too.

Rhiannon helped me plan everything, then arranged for some girl time with Jade to keep her occupied while Erik and Dante helped me set it all up.

Matt and Xavier were heading to Houston for a security job, but Xavier stopped by the barn before he left to wish me luck. “Even though it means I lose the bet, I’m okay with it,” he said with a wry smile. “Jade’s awesome. And I’m happy for you.”

So I think it’s safe to say I have my teammates’ support. But the big question is, will Jade like what I planned?

I’ve always considered myself to be a confident person. As a Green Beret—a sniper, no less—I think it’s necessary. There’s no room for self-doubt when it comes to split-second, life-or-death decisions. A moment of hesitancy can result in losing a teammate. An innocent. Or your own life.

But as I walk Jade to the barn, I’m actually a little nervous. What if she doesn’t like it?

If we had told Shea about us, I could have taken a picture and sent it to her. Asked her what she thought. But until everything settles, Jade and I both agreed it was better to keep Shea out of it. Will Shea be pissed beyond belief at me for keeping this secret? Yes. But if it keeps my little sister safe, it’s worth it.

“Niall, are you okay?” Jade peers up at me with a worried expression. “You got really quiet. And you’re holding my hand really tightly.”

“Shit. Sorry.” I stop abruptly and hold her hand up to inspect it, smoothing my thumb across her delicate bones. “Did I hurt you?”

She smiles at me. “No, you didn’t. I’m fine. Just… as soon as we left the apartment, you got tense. So I’m wondering if something’s bothering you.”

Great. I’m messing this up already, and we haven’t even gotten outside yet. “Nothing’s bothering me. But the thing I want to show you… I just hope you like it.”

I told Jade I had a surprise for her out in the barn, but I have no idea if she suspects what I planned. She’s wearing a dress instead of her usual jeans or shorts with a T-shirt, so I have a feeling Rhi at least gave Jade a little hint.

Honestly, when I saw Jade come out of the bedroom with that dress on, it was hard to think of anything other than how beautiful she looked.

The dress is made of a blue fabric that matches her eyes; long and floaty with a slit along the side that shows off a mouth-watering glimpse of slim leg and a neckline that dips low enough to expose the swell of her breasts. And her gorgeous red-gold hair is long and untamed, smelling softly of her favorite rose-scented shampoo.

“Niall, I’m sure I’ll like whatever you have to show me.” Her eyes sparkle up at me. “I’m just happy to spend the evening with you.”

I can’t resist dipping my head to capture her lips with a quick kiss. “Spending every evening with you is my favorite thing.” I take her hand again, cradling it gently in mine. “I planned something for you, and I’m hoping you enjoy it.”

Once we leave the communal kitchen area and step out into the yard, the winch around my chest loosens a little. Now that the sun’s gone down, it looks even better than when we set everything up in daylight. In fact, it looks—as Rhi promised it would—magical.

Jade sucks in a small breath. On an exhale, she breathes, “Niall. What is this?”

The backyard is aglow with light. No longer just the solar lights from before, but strings of white lights strung in all the trees. And all along the path, glow-in-the-dark stones—something I never knew existed until a hurried trip into San Antonio—are mixed in with the gravel, giving it an almost mystical feel.

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