Page 82 of Montana Rain

“Yes, please.”

It didn’t take long to check out at the hospital. Rayne’s injuries weren’t severe enough for them to keep her overnight, and I wanted privacy with her.

As soon as we got to the hotel, I sat her down on one of the couches in the lobby. She was dragging, exhausted. “Stay here for a second, okay? I need to take care of something.”

“Okay.”

The woman at the front desk smiled at me. “How can I help you?”

“My name is Cole Phillips. I’d like to upgrade my room, please.”

“Sure thing, let me just check—” She stared at the screen for a moment. “Actually, your room has already been upgraded, courtesy of your Special Acquaintance, and all of your things have already been moved.” She slid a packet of key cards across the counter to me.

I picked up the cards and stared at her. “Really?”

“Yep! All taken care of. You have the room for…two weeks.”

Holy shit. I needed to send Bordeaux a bottle of whiskey or something. “Thank you, I appreciate it.”

“No problem.”

Rayne looked like she was nearly falling asleep when I took her hand and pulled her to her feet. “Let’s go, princess.” I needed to get her upstairs and into the room so I could tell her the news and hold her the way I’d wanted to for hours now.

“Where are we?” she asked when I unlocked an incredible suite on one of the top floors.

“I went to upgrade our room, but the Bureau beat me to it. We have it for two weeks if we want it.”

She wandered through the living room and into the massive bedroom. I only had eyes for her.

“Is it bad if I don’t even want to put on pajamas?”

Laughing, I followed her. “I’ll always be in favor of sleeping naked.” Stripping my shirt over my head, I tossed it aside and undressed the rest of the way. Rayne, too, stripped off her clothes until she stood naked in front of me.

She was so beautiful—and so much more than that. “I really need to hold you right now.”

“Thank god, because I need you to do that,” she laughed.

I pulled the blankets back, sliding into the giant bed with Rayne and, being careful of her injuries, settled her across my chest. Rayne’s fingers gripped my side, and I heard her sniffle. She hadn’t let anything out yet. “It’s okay,” I whispered. “I’ve got you.”

She cried, the sounds cracking my heart in two. At the same time, I was glad she could let go with me. The Rayne I’d run into in the hotel lobby weeks ago would never have let me see her cry.

When her tears ran out, I rubbed a hand up and down her back. “I’m so sorry, Rayne.”

“You saved my life. You can’t say sorry.”

“I still am.”

Her breathing eased, and I couldn’t fight my smile. “I have something to tell you.”

“Please let it be something good.”

“I think it’s good.”

She turned so she could see me, and I reached out to brush some remaining tears off her face. “I’m not going back to the FBI. After my leave is over, I’m taking retirement.”

Rayne gasped. “Cole.”

“And I spoke to Daniel. He offered me a place at Resting Warrior.”

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