Page 114 of S.O.S. Billboard

Billboard rubbed his hands together. “The business of tracking,” he stated gleefully.

“Yup. I’m so glad Ethan and Rory have become good friends,” O’Shea smiled. “It’s too bad Lakisha and Rainie are a little too old to want to join them for fun in the woods, but at least the pair still come to the gym and help out with their self-defense classes.”

“Yeah. But maybe this is good for Ethan and Rory. If the older two were part of the kids’ adventures here, they might try to take over.”

“True,” O’Shea agreed, following Billboard out the door.

They walked down the back steps and she glanced toward the expanse of treed acres in question. “So, where do you think we should start?”

“Right here,” Billboard stated.

When she looked over toward him, he was down on one knee, a black velvet box cradled in his hands.

“Wha…?” O’Shea sent a hand to her mouth.

Seriously? He was doing this now?

Was she surprised? Yes…but no.

Ever since she’d been in the hospital and Billboard had said that he wanted to marry her, she’d kind of been waiting for him to pop the question, but they’d had so many other issues to contend with first…

Hobbling down to New Orleans to close up her apartment and say goodbye to all her fellow officers had been one. Spending time with Cedric, Libby, and their two new boys, Acadian and Guidry, who’d been born a month early but were doing exceptionally well, was another. Then there’d been the distasteful stuff…

O’Shea hadn’t been at all sure about making visits to her mother, father, and…grandmother. But Billboard had wanted to meet them so he could put faces with some of the nasty stories O’Shea told. She’d reluctantly agreed.

If she hadn’t been on the verge of puking every moment they’d stood in those side-by-side, nightmare houses, O’Shea would have truly appreciated Billboard’s defense of her. It was something she could cherish now, since she was at a distance, but at the time…

Billboard had walked right in, no fear at all in his demeanor. He’d been alpha all the way, making it perfectly clear to her parents that neither one of them was ever to call or text her for money, ever again. Or foranything, actually. If they thought they had a bit of something they believed needed to be communicated, they could write a letter. Period. End of discussion.

Then Billboard had upped the ante.

Striding next door, he’d let himself in, found her startled grandmother, then let the woman know that she was a despicable human being. When she’d snapped to, and postured like she was in charge, he’d overridden her bravado by warning her he was having people he knew down here watch her like a hawk. And if she ever tried to interact with a child,anychild, ever again, she could kiss her ass goodbye; nobody would ever find her body.

O’Shea and Billboard had then proceeded to drive a van full of stuffandher car back to New England, move her into Billboard’s house where they’d integrated her furniture and belongings with his. Then she’d had to meet with her new department in Boston and fill out endless paperwork for her upcoming job which she was starting in two days.

The list of things to accomplish had seemed to go on and on forever, and it wasn’t until a few days ago that O’Shea felt like she could catch her breath again.

And now…this.

O’Shea wanted to chuckle.

Knowing Billboard, she’d expected him to do a whole, romantic thing. Dinner, a movie, or a show. Something a little flashier than asking her in Anna’s back yard. But did she mind?Hell no. She’d take Billboard any way she could get him; she was so freaking in love with the man, it had to border on crazy.

“O’Shea,” Billboard rasped, then cleared his throat, clearly nervous.

That was another thing O’Shea really loved about BB. He was such a soft touch underneath all the gruffness he showed the world.

She waited patiently.

“I love you so much,” he told her, his heart in his eyes, “more than I could ever have imagined. I want to be with you for the rest of our days, have babies with you, and share all the good times and the bad. Would you…?” He coughed the roughness out of his voice again. “Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

O’Shea was beside him in a blink, ignoring the ring box for a moment to reach out and cradle his head in her hands, threading her fingers through his thick hair. She leaned down, and holding him still, pressed her lips to his, pouring her soul into the innocent touch.

When she drew back, she knew her eyes had filled with tears.

“Of course I will, Billboard,” she told him shakily. “I’m so in love with you that I wouldn’t leave you even if you kicked me out. I’d erect a tent in your back yard and squat there until you came to your senses.”

Billboard laughed, which is what she intended. There was no need for the moment to betooserious.

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