Page 105 of Shea's Hero

Oliver glances at Officer Troy. “I’ll come into the station to give my statement. So will Shea. But I need some time with her first. Okay?”

“Of course.” Officer Troy lifts his chin at Oliver, and he does the same in return. “Take your time. He’s not going anywhere.”

Once the police leave with Mark in tow, it’s just the six of us again. Cash holding Ari, Thea hugging Penny, and me, still wrapped in Oliver’s arms.

Oliver presses a kiss to my forehead, then looks at me with a desperate expression. “Shea. I can’t… I… If I’d just stayed…” His voice cracks. “I could have lost you.”

“But you didn’t,” I tell him. “I’m okay.”

“Still.” He cups my cheek, stroking his thumb across it. “You shouldn’t have had to… Shit.” Moisture shines in his eyes. “I’m never leaving you again.Ever.”

I hate seeing him so shaken. So upset.

“It’s alright, Oll.” Using his shoulders for balance, I stretch up to give him a long and tender kiss. I nip his lower lip and suck on it gently, then tease his mouth open and dip inside. Putting aside the lingering fear, I throw myself into our connection, taking the kiss even deeper.

Tunneling my fingers through his hair, I tug him closer. I need more, need to feel his body wrapped around me, need to be joined as close as two people can be.

“Ben’s on his way,” announces Thea. “Leo and Georgia are going to watch the kids while we’re at the police station. And he said Cole and Zane?—”

“Man, Kingston,” Zane says as he appears in the doorway. “Every time we get here, the action’s already over.”

Oliver drags his mouth from mine. He gives Zane a little chin lift before replying, “Trust me, I’d prefer there be no action at all.”

“Shea was incredible,” Penny says. “I was terrified. But she just stood right up and confronted Mark.”

“She did,” Ari agrees. To Oliver, she explains, “Shea took the attention away from us. And she talked to him. Distracted him to give you time to get here.”

Thea nods. “It was amazing.” She smiles at me. “Shea. That was so brave.”

I’m about to deny it. To insist that Oliver did the hard work. That all I did was ramble about Vancouver and universal health care.

But.

Itwasbrave.

I was scared. Terrified, really. The last thing I wanted was to talk to that man, while he had a gun pointed at me, no less. But I did it anyway.

“Shea.” Oliver meets my gaze. Admiration and pride and love soften his features. “What you did? It was incredibly brave. I don’t know many law enforcement professionals that would do that. And unarmed…” He stops and takes a shaky breath. “I hate that you had to do that. But I’m so damn proud of you.”

“I never thought I was,” I tell him softly. “Brave I mean. Or strong. But I think I was wrong.”

Oliver’s hand strokes down my hair. “Oh?”

“Yeah. It took me a long time. But I realized I’m a lot stronger than I gave myself credit for. And I’m pretty proud of everything I’ve done.”

“Shea.”

As he looks at me, it’s just us again.

And nothing else matters. Not Romanova. Not Mark. Not even the eating disorder that almost ruined everything.

“You are so strong.” His voice is thick. Rough. “Stronger than me. Stronger than anyone else I’ve met. And I’m so glad you finally believe it.”

Oh.

I think Nora was right.

Sometimes you just have to wait for the right time.

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