Page 37 of Tropical Inferno

Her face paled a little and she blinked up at him. “But, I mean, what about me? Where will I be?”

He’d been hoping he’d loved the indecision out of her last night, but apparently a few remnants still remained. That was partially his fault, because they’d done everything so quickly and still didn’t have a detailed plan, but he’d take care of that today.

“Relax.” He pulled her closer to him. She reached up to wrap her arms around his neck and he pressed light kisses along her collarbone. “I thought you weren’t scared anymore?”

“I wasn’t, but maybe I still am…a little.”

“How about we have some breakfast and talk? We can make all the decisions we absolutely have to make and make notes about the ones coming up or things we need to think about. As far as where you’ll be on Tuesday, that’s entirely up to you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you’re supposed to go back to work on Monday, but as far as I’m concerned, you should quit and come to Ottawa with me. I want you with me now, tomorrow, next week…forever.”

“I, um, I can’t just not go back to my job,” she said slowly. “We’re in the middle of two really big cases and I’d need to get someone up to speed. And I can’t walk out on Monique… She can’t pay the rent on her own. We have to give thirty days’ notice to the leasing company and—”

He put two fingers over her lips. “Coffee first.”

She smiled, kissing his fingers. “Deal.”

* * *

They ate breakfast, enjoying the variety of muffins, breads and Danish pastries that came in the basket sent by the Roarkes—there had been a note at the bottom—followed by a shower that turned into another round of passionate, sexy lovemaking. Then they planned to spend the rest of the afternoon on the couch, talking about everything that needed to be settled sooner rather than later.

“Oh, no!” she cried, suddenly sitting up.

“What’s wrong?” He looked at her in confusion.

“I have to tell my family.”

“I guess we could drive out to Kingston on the way to Ottawa,” he said. “I’d like to be with you when you tell them.” They’d already decided she would take a few more days off so she could go to Ottawa with him on Monday when they arrived, and be there for his first day back on the ice. She’d drive back to Toronto on Wednesday and work the rest of the week. He’d be leaving on a road trip on Friday morning anyway, so she wouldn’t see him until he returned the following weekend.

That was as far as they’d gotten when someone knocked on the door. Garrett got up to answer it and was surprised to see Jim standing there holding a garment bag.

“What’s this?” Garrett asked, frowning.

“It’s a gift from my wife and I,” he responded. “You guys got married yesterday and we never saw you, so we planned a special private dinner celebration for you tonight on the beach. She figured Maddie wouldn’t have anything special to wear so she picked this up for her, as well as something for you. We think you’ll like them, but if they don’t work, just let us know.”

“Hey, thanks.” Garrett shook his hand.

“I’ll send someone with a golf cart at 6:00 so Maddie doesn’t have to walk in heels.”

Garrett shut the door and turned to his wife with a grin. “Looks like we’re having a romantic post-wedding dinner.”

“I have to wear clothes?” she pouted.

He chuckled. “Just for a little while. I’ll have you naked again before you know it. Hell, you can get naked again now…” He reached for the belt of her robe.

* * *

Promptly at six a golf cart pulled up to the house and Garrett and Maddie walked out hand in hand. She wore a sleeveless white sundress that showed off her shapely shoulders and had a swirling asymmetrical skirt that showed off her long, tan legs. High-heeled white sandals adorned her feet and she’d tucked one of the white roses he’d brought her yesterday behind her left ear, securing it with a small clip.

Garrett looked a little more casual in beige linen pants and a short-sleeved white button-down shirt that was untucked. He had boat shoes on his feet with no socks and she’d talked him into leaving his hair natural, so instead of slicked back into his normal mohawk it fell to one side over his right eyebrow. He looked like a modern-day pirate and she giggled at the thought as they rode toward the resort’s private beach. He nudged her, squeezing her hand as they pulled to a stop just before the beach. The sun was already low in the sky, almost gone, and they could see a tent set up with twinkling white lights.

“Hey, guys.” Wendy approached them with a smile. “We have a little surprise for you… This was actually set up by your—” Her voice was drowned out by Maddie’s shriek of delight.

“Jamie!” She kicked off her heels and ran across the little bridge leading to the sand, throwing herself in his arms.

“Hi, honey.” Her older brother hugged her tightly, lifting her off the ground and spinning her around.

---