Page 59 of Legacy's Destiny

She turned to him and ran her hands up his chest and around his neck. “Just over three weeks isn’t very long to base a relationship.”

He shook his head. “You’re wrong. Just over three weeks of living in each other’s pocket, going through the landslide of emotions?—”

She interrupted, “And a real landslide. God, that was unbelievable.”

He smiled. “Add to that parachuting into the heart of Laos, discovering a cartel camp deep in the jungle, stealing a device that was taken from your organization, experiencing a flash flood, leading to you going under that water.” He refused to say dying again and quickly added, “Also, a firefight or two, the trek up the mountain, and then over it to the exfil location only to end our time with helicopter crashes and you meeting my family. Echo, we’ve lived more in three weeks than most people do their entire lives.”

She blinked and then smiled up at him. “We have done all of that, haven’t we?”

He nodded. “I think I would’ve noticed if we weren’t compatible. So would’ve you.” He lowered to kiss her just as someone knocked on the door behind them. He shook his head and continued his mission to sample the addictive taste of his woman. A harder knock pulled them apart.

“I know you’re in there, Deacon,” Ronan’s voice called from the hall.

Deacon turned and opened the door. Nine pairs of eyes stared back at them. “The guys found an awesome restaurant. We have reservations. Come on, I’m starving.”

“Be right there,” Deacon said and closed the door. “I’m starving, too, but not for food.”

“I heard that!” Ronan yelled from the other side of the door. “Come on, man! We have reservations.”

“I don’t care!” Deacon yelled back, which sent Echo into a fit of giggles. “Well, hell, that blew the moment, didn’t it?” He stared down at her, smiling as she laughed. “Are you ready?”

“With you by my side, I’m ready for anything.” She opened the door and raised her arms. “Hello, boys. Take me to your foodstuffs!”

They laughed in unison as Deacon exited the suite and shut the door behind him. Ronan walked with him as Echo and the guys traded one-liners. “She fits in. You found a good one.”

Deacon smiled broadly as Ace groaned and then grinned, dodging a half-hearted swipe from Bandit. She’d clearly outsmarted Ace with something she’d said, and Bandit was all over that shit like stink on a skunk. Ranger and Wraith chuckled as Bandit chased Ace to the stairwell. The laughter of the men echoing down the stairs was lighthearted. Echo ran to the door, flung it open, and yelled, “Charge!”

Every single one of their men dashed behind her down the stairs. It was twenty floors to the bottom. Deacon pressed the elevator button. He would let the younger ones run ahead. Ronan clearly agreed as he remained beside Deacon. He turned to his brother and smiled. “Yeah, she’s perfect.” And she was.

CHAPTER 18

Echo expected a transport aircraft, something utilitarian with jump seats and cargo nets. What she didn’t expect was to ride on a commercial plane; she certainly didn’t expect to be flown back to the United States in such luxury. The pod-style layout of the business and first-class sprawled luxuriously before her. She tried not to act like she’d never flown first class before—but then again, she hadn’t.

As she approached her assigned pod, she marveled at its sleek design. The soft, oversized seat resembled a recliner, complete with controls to fully recline into a bed. There was a personal entertainment screen, noise-canceling headphones, and even a small storage compartment. She glanced down the other aisle and caught Deacon’s amused smirk as he settled into his seat across from her. He dropped the privacy shield between their pods, leaning slightly toward her.

“I’ve never been in first class before,” she whispered excitedly, her eyes sparkling.

Deacon chuckled, his broad shoulders shaking. “Well, it’s about time we fixed that.”

She observed as Ronan and his team positioned themselves on the right side of the plane, while Deacon’s team took upthe left. Other passengers filled the remaining pods toward the front, but the camaraderie between the two teams made the atmosphere feel more like a private charter.

Echo’s curiosity got the best of her. She began pressing buttons, adjusting the seat, and exploring the entertainment system. She was still discovering when a flight attendant approached, offering a glass of champagne. The long-stemmed flute sparkled in the soft cabin lighting as she accepted it. Deacon reached for his glass as well, and with a shared smile, they clinked their glasses and kissed gently. No words were exchanged, nor were they necessary.

In Echo’s opinion, the connection between them spoke volumes. Did she love him? Yes. Absolutely. Would she tell him now? Absolutely not. Relationships were a balancing act, and she wasn’t about to upset the equilibrium by saying it too soon. She glanced at him, his profile strong and calm, and felt a warmth settle over her.

The flight attendants were attentive to a fault, continuously offering snacks, meals, desserts, and even cookies. Echo felt pampered, especially when one brought her a neatly wrapped set of pajamas. She held them up and looked at Deacon, who smirked.

“Are you going to change into pajamas?” she asked, holding the soft cotton in front of her.

He laughed and shook his head. “No. I’ll sleep in my clothes.”

Echo raised her eyebrows. “I think I’m going to put them on.”

He waved her toward the first-class bathrooms. “Go for it.”

She returned a few minutes later, her clothes folded neatly in her arms, wearing soft, heather-gray pajamas. The team chuckled as she paraded back to her seat, her steps light with delight. She extended her seat into a bed and propped herself up on the pillow.

“I could get used to a life like this,” she murmured, looking over at Deacon with a playful smile. His eyebrows lifted in amusement. “Don’t worry, I won’t ask you to pay for my luxuries,” she added quickly, waving her hand dismissively. “But really, anyone could get used to this.”

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