Page 86 of Guarded from Danger

“Well, we wouldn’t have just anyone over to use it. But it’s your dad. That’s different.”

After a brief pause, Lucy replies, “True. But I didn’t want to assume.”

There it is.

The window to ask another question that’s been rolling around in my head for weeks. Months even. But I’ve beenhesitating to ask until this business with the game was over, not wanting Lucy to feel obligated to say yes just because she’s staying here for protection.

What if she’d rather go back to her house in Seguin, or stay with her parents, or—as much as I hope she doesn’t—leave the area altogether? What if she doesn’t want to be around all the bad memories and would prefer to start fresh instead?

Would I go with her? Leave my teammates? The job I love?

Yes.

I would.

For Lucy, I would do anything.

But I really want her to stay here.

“But you can.”

“What?” Lucy’s brows pull together. “I can what?”

My heart speeds up. “You can assume.”

“Um.” She gives me awhat are you talking aboutface. “I’m confused.”

Wow. I’m spectacularly bad at this. Tell me to do a HALO drop in the middle of the night; I’ll do it no problem. Make an underwater approach to infiltrate enemy territory? Sign me up. But ask my girlfriend to move in with me? I’m a lost cause.

Huffing out a sigh, I try again.

“You said you didn’t want to assume. About having your dad use the shooting range.”

Lucy nods. “Well, it’s Blade and Arrow’s property, and you all?—”

“But I want you to assume. I want you to invite anyone—well, maybe not anyone, but your friends and family—to come here. Like you would if you lived here.”

Her face stills. Then, carefully, “Xavier? What are you saying?”

I take Lucy’s hands, shocked by how shaky mine feel. “I want you to live here, Luce. With me. Not just for a few weeks, or months, but… I want this to be your home, too.”

For a moment, she just stares at me, a depth of emotion in her gaze.

But is it happy emotion or sad? Is she going to accept, or is she trying to think of a kind way to let me down?

“Xavier.” Her fingers tighten around mine. “Are you sure? Because I know… moving in together is a lot. Especially… well…”

“Because I’ve never lived with a woman before?” At her tiny nod, I say, “But I have. You. In all the time you’ve been staying here, I’ve never felt more… complete. Before, I thought I was happy living on my own. I mean, I had my teammates nearby, so there was always someone, but I liked having that space. Now it’s different.”

“I know what you mean.” Lucy climbs onto my lap and strokes her hand across my jaw. “I enjoyed being independent. Having my own house. Decorating however I wanted, walking around naked if I?—”

“You can walk around naked any time you want. I promise I’ll never complain.”

A smile curves her lips. “I bet.”

“But Lucy. In all seriousness, I want to live with you. Go to bed every night with you curled up next to me, your hair making me sneeze when I inhale it in my sleep?—”

She laughs. “That was only once.”

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