Page 92 of Regards, Mia

“What do you mean?” He joins our hands, squeezing mine gently.

“I’d been getting these severe pains for a while, but I just ignored them. Then one day while I was at work, I couldn’t ignore them anymore.” I take a deep breath, reliving that horrible day at the hospital. “I had an ovarian cyst rupture, and I had to have a procedure.”

“I’m so sorry.”

I try to shake off the traumatic memories of the operation, the recovery, the shame, but they will always be with me.

“What if I told you I don’t want my own kids?” Jay asks. “I have plenty with Champion’s Corner.”

I close my eyes, fending off the wave of regret that washes over me. “You might be fine now, but what about a year from now? Five years?” The fear grows, spreading through my chest and clogging my throat so that I can hardly speak. “What if you change your mind?”

Jay’s hands cup my cheeks. “Stay with me in the present, Mia. It’s pretty good right here.”

He kisses me with sweet, tender passion, holding my face as his talented mouth coaxes a reaction from me. His tongue seduces mine in a dance that instantly sparks my desire. The future might be uncertain, but he’s right about one thing—the present is pretty awesome.

“I don’t know where we are headed in five years,” he says. “But tonight I’ll be back on guard duty, and I’m looking forward to guarding your body all night long.”

He kisses me again, angling his head to claim more of my mouth, and hint at what the rest of the night will bring.

CHAPTER 37

The Threat is Over

As soon as we get off the plane, Mia’s phone rings.

“It’s Jordan,” she says.

The hair on the back of my neck stands up at the mention of her boss's name. There's something about the guy I don't like.

“I need to take this,” she says.

“Of course.” I know she's hinting for some privacy, but she's not gonna get it. We're back in Mossy Oak now. There could be danger lurking. “Answer the phone, Mia.” I glance at the phone in her hand with Jordan's name scrolling across the screen.

That stubborn look I love so much crosses her face, but it's fleeting. She knows I'm right. I'm not going anywhere as long as Mattson is roaming free.

She swipes the screen and holds the phone to her ear. “Jordan, I've been trying to reach you. We just landed.”

She falls silent, listening while Jordan talks. Her eyes widen and her steps falter. “When?”

I stop next to her, my gaze scanning the airport around us. I'm not expecting anything to go down in the six-gate airport. There are some people waiting to board at a few of the gates and some customers browse in the gift shop, but other than that, it's quiet.

“Is she in custody?” Mia's voice is sharp. The color hasdrained from her face, and her shoulders are tense. When her eyes collide with mine, they are cold and calculating. Fiercely determined.

I cock my head at her and raise a brow. She raises both brows in answer, then hangs up with Jordan. She drops her phone in her purse, then strides with purpose toward the luggage pickup, leaving me to follow in her wake.

I catch her in two long strides. “What happened?”

She glances over her shoulder at me. “I’ll tell you in the car.”

I’m instantly on high alert. Jordan should have called me immediately about a threat. I step closer to Mia, shielding her with my body. “Are you in danger?”

She checks the time. “How long do you think our luggage will take?”

I sweep my gaze over the other travelers, nearly ready to pluck Mia off her feet and carry her to the car if something looks out of place. The older man with the cane looked innocent enough a few minutes ago, but now I see he's only pretending to look at the postcards in the gift shop. What's he really up to?

“Forget the luggage,” I say, grabbing Mia's hand and tugging her toward the exit. Whatever was in those suitcases isn't worth risking Mia's life.

Mia pulls her hand from mine and strides toward the luggage pickup. “You don't have to protect me anymore,” she says. “Mattson is dead.”

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