Page 70 of Cassidy

His expression betrayed his relief. “I’m glad. Because I love you so much.”

Love?He’d said those words to her back in the warehouse, but he’d been delirious at the time.

Hadn’t he?

“It’s okay. I know you don’t feel the same way,” he said quickly. “I wanted you to know how I felt in case I didn’t make it.”

“Oh, Gabe.” She slowly stood, searching his gaze. “I care about you, too, but I seem to remember you saying once that you didn’t think you could handle being with a cop. And since that’s exactly why Wade left me, I figured anything more between us was out of the question.”

“I don’t remember saying that,” he protested. “And if I did, I only meant that I hated knowing you were in danger, Cass. Not because I can’t handle it. But because I love you.”

She frowned. “Okay, I know you’re saying that now, but being in danger has a way of magnifying feelings to unrealistic proportions.”

He quirked a brow. “Fancy talk for someone who’s clueless,” he said. “It’s your turn to listen to me, Cass. When I couldn’t remember my own name, I remembered yours. When I didn’t know my own address, I was able to give the gas station guy your phone number. I’ve loved you for months, Cass. My feelings have nothing to do with the way we’ve faced danger over the past two days. I fell in love with you long before this.”

“He’s right,” Steele drawled, coming into the room. The rest of the team quickly gathered around them, each of them grinning like maniacs. She was starting to wonder if they’d all lost their minds when Jina shot her an exasperated look.

“Cass, Gabe’s feelings for you have been obvious to everyone,” she said. “What we all want to know is how you feel about him.”

“Yeah, fess up,” Roscoe drawled.

“Come on, Cass, tell us you’re not as clueless as Gabe accused you of being,” Brock said.

Grayson, Flynn, and Raelyn simply stared at her.

She turned back to face Gabe. “I love you. More than I’ve ever thought possible.”

“Woot!” Flynn shouted. “It’s time for another wedding!”

“Yours first,” Raelyn said, giving him an elbow to the ribs. “Then Cassidy and Gabe’s.”

“I’d like to ask all of you to leave,” Gabe said, his gaze never leaving hers. “We don’t need an audience for this.”

To her surprise, the team turned and left the room. Gabe slid off the bed and took both of her hands in his.

“This is just between you and me, Cassidy,” he said somberly. “I don’t want you to feel pressured by the others. Take some time, maybe we can, you know, go out on a couple of dates.” He said the words casually, but the tips of his ears burned red.

And that’s when she realized he always blushed like that when they were alone together. The rest of the team was right. She had been clueless. She’d let her personal experience with Wade blind her feelings.

But not anymore.

“I don’t need time, Gabe. I love you. When you were shot...” She shook her head helplessly. “I thought I’d lost you forever.”

He drew her close and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him close as she kissed him back.

“They’re kissing,” she heard Grayson say. “I think that seals the deal.”

“It’s about time,” Brock muttered.

“I’ll call Zeke,” Flynn offered. “He’ll want to hear the news.”

Gabe broke off from their kiss, breathing hard. “Bunch of idiots,” he muttered. But then a slow grin spread across his features, and he began to laugh. “We work with a bunch of idiots!” Cassidy couldn’t help but laugh too.

“You may as well all come back inside,” Gabe said between chuckles.

Their teammates hadn’t gone far, and it made Cassidy laugh that much harder at the thought of the seven of them huddling outside Gabe’s room listening in.

Bunch of morons for sure, but they were her morons. Hers and Gabe’s.

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