Page 70 of Found By You
She shrugged. “I guess I’m nervous about what they’re going to say. I mean, if they found a bunch of people going into Arizona, it just makes me curious how deep this operation goes.”
I liked the way her journalistic mind was always thinking. “Hopefully they’ll have some answers for us, and hopefully we’ll be able to figure out what kind of protection you really need.”
Her eyes hovered over mine. “I hate asking you to protect me. Maybe I should go with the FBI into protection, so you and your family aren’t put in harms way.”
I was shocked by this. “What? No.” I stood, keeping her hand in mine. “No way.”
She blinked rapidly and stood. “I’m serious. I can’t keep putting all of you in harm’s way. That’s not fair to any of you.”
I squeezed her hand. “Hey, I found you, remember?”
Tears filled her eyes. She let out a light laugh. “I can’t believe I told you that you had to take me because you found me.”
I laughed, too and pulled her in, not wanting her to leave me. “I want to protect you. I want to be here for you.” I pulled back and searched her face. “Maybe because I have some selfish motives now too.”
She looked confused. “What do you mean?”
My heart raced. “This might sound crazy, but would you leave your life in Texas?”
She looked surprised. “What?”
I took both of her hands into mine. “I have a lot of feelings about you, but maybe that’s too soon and I shouldn’t have even said anything and we’re in the middle of this and never?—”
“Yes,” she said softly. “I would leave my life in Texas in a heartbeat.”
“Really?”
Tears misted into her eyes. “Dang it, McCrae. It seems like every time I’m around you, I cry. I mean, I haven’t even known you a week, and I’ve spent most of it crying.” She sniffed. “But my brother … would there happen to be space at the police force for my brother?”
I laughed. “I actually was thinking about that yesterday.”
“No, you weren’t.”
I laughed. “Well, I was thinking about how you don’t have a boyfriend or husband and how I want to date you and … then I got to thinking about what was holding you to Texas.”
“My brother.”
“Wow.” She took a rag and wiped the counter. “Are you really asking me to move to Refuge Falls? I mean, I haven’t known youvery long, and I haven’t remembered who I was for … well, I guess a little more than a day now.”
I laughed and and turned, pulling her into my arms. “I guess I am asking you that.” Part of me wanted to just blurt out and say I was asking her to marry me, but maybe that was way too quick, right?
“What were you just thinking about just now?” she asked quickly.
I shook my head. “Nothing.”
“Liar.” She pointed at my face.
I grabbed her finger and then leaned in and kissed her. “What if I’m thinking that I want to ask you another question, because I’m not really the kind of guy to ask a girl to move to my hometown and not mean it?”
She froze.
Now, I really had scared her.
I took a step back and kissed her hand. “Listen, I’m not asking that right now, and I need to go row around the lake. So do you want to come, or do you want to stay here? I’d prefer you come.”
She jolted out of her reverie then. “Let me change into shorts and a T-shirt, and I’ll come with you.” She rushed down the hallway.
My heart raced, and I couldn’t believe that actally was really serious about asking this woman to marry me.
