Page 36 of Mysteries, Menace, and Mates

Eve linked arms with both of them, and they ambled along the path, flower beds on either side. “I asked Saul if I could wear a tiny camera when I go into Theron’s place.”

Hashtag chuckled. “Confess. You always wanted to be James Bond. Or should that be Jane Bond?”

She grinned. “A spy? Sure. Who wouldn’t want that? All those little gadgets….”

He shrugged. “We can do that. God knows we have the tech. But I don’t think we should. They could be on high alert, for all we know.”

“They’d better not be,” she muttered.

He glanced at her. “Got your story straight?”

Eve’s smile oozed her customary confidence. “Yup.”

Roadkill loved that about her.

“You know we’ll be listening. If you get into trouble—”

“What? You’ll wade in there? You’ll send in the marines? No. You stick to the plan. Thank you for worrying, really, but I’ll be fine.” She pursed her lips. “It’s weird, you know? No one ever wondered if I’d be okay during a mission. Sure, they wanted me to make it out alive because that’s how they’d get their information, but it was never about me.” She smiled at them. “It feels good knowing you care.”

Hashtag hugged her. “You are one awesome lady.”

Eve bit her lip, and Roadkill stilled. He knew the signs. “What’s on your mind?”

“When this mission is over, we need to have a conversation.”

Hashtag’s brow furrowed. “That sounds kinda serious.”

“Because it is.” Eve sat on a low stone wall, a sea of roses behind her, their subtle perfume carrying on the breeze. They perched on either side of her, Roadkill aware of Hashtag’s heartbeat racing like his own.

“I’m assuming the day will come when you’ll want to put your feet up,” she began.

Roadkill blinked. “Retire, you mean? Sure, I’ve thought about it.”

“Same here,” Hashtag added.

“Well, maybe we should all think about it sooner rather than later.” She paused. “If we’re going to have kids.”

Roadkill and Hashtag’s voice rang out in unison. “Kids?”

“I figured I had to bring it up sooner or later.”

Hashtag regarded her with interest. “You want kids?”

She shrugged. “I’m simply putting it out there as a possibility. Sure, I’ve thought about it quite a bit—lately.” Eve bit her lip, and Roadkill found that adorable.

You think she’s one thing, and then she goes and turns everything you thought on its head.

“Tell us what you feel,” he urged.

“Honestly? I’m torn. I mean, I love my life the way it is. I really do. I love being able to wade into a fight and knock heads together.”

Hashtag chuckled. “Yeah, I’ve noticed that about you.”

Eve’s smile was pure sunshine as she leaned into him. “But then again, I also love the idea of sitting in front of a fireplace, babies in my lap, while my mates rub my feet or back, and I’m there, content, with the kids sleeping against my chest.” She sighed. “Is it wrong to want that?”

Roadkill kissed her cheek. “Nothing you want could be wrong.”

She frowned. “Well, it is if my mates don’t feel the same way. So I guess this is where I ask the million-dollar question.Doyou?”

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