“Absolutely.”
“Fair enough.” Birch rocked back on his heels. “I look forward to seeing you make a spectacular fool of yourself.”
“Love the confidence, man.”
“You do know what you’re in for, right?”
“Of course, we’ve spent the last couple of years practically attached at the hip.”
“That’s good to hear because if she’s anything like her brother, you know to gird your loins.” Birch folded his arms over his chest. “I spent twenty-one days at a black site with Nathan Foster, and let me tell you, the man redefines the word stubborn. Some of the best people in the business tried to break him, but none succeeded. The stunt he pulled was ill-advised, but it saved countless lives in the end, and I have to admit that I’m a fan. And not just because that kind of ballsy shit is entertaining as hell.”
“That sounds a lot like Tancy.” He shook his head. “Which means that those years in spec ops won’t go to waste.”
“True that,” Birch said, taking a step back. “Let’s go grab a drink and round up the rest of the clan. We haven’t been in one place in years and should celebrate.”
Teague followed Birch toward the bar set up and felt a kind of peace he was unfamiliar with.
Tancy sat under a large oak tree draped in twinkly lights and watched Teague push his cake in her direction. “Are you sure?”
“Of course.”
“Thank you.”
“What’s mine is yours,” he said quietly before gliding his hand against her neck and capturing a kiss.
Shivering, she kissed him back. “This is so weird.”
“Why?”
“Because.” She ran her thumb over his mouth. “Twenty-four hours ago, we were friends.”
“We still are.”
“But now I want to do unspeakable things to you, and my brain is stuttering at the change in circumstances.”
Inhaling slowly, Teague nodded. “So, you never thought of this as a possibility?”
“In a distant galaxy, far, far away. Not in real life.” She traced his large hand. “When we moved next door to one another, I immediately put you in the family/friend box.” Giving him a slow once over, she bit her lip. “And told myself that picturing you naked and at my beck and call was wrong.”
He laced their fingers together. “I remember the first time I saw you. It was at Sadie and Ellie’s wedding. I had just come off an assignment, was jacked on adrenaline, and probably reeked of gunpowder.”
“I’m fairly certain you did because I was convinced you were a feral animal that had lost its way.”
“That description wasn’t too far off the mark.” He shook his head. “I thought you looked like an angel standing in the garden surrounded by light. Your bright clothes and infectious laughter were a balm to my battered soul, and I knew that if we ever spent time together, you’d be more potent than any drug.
Her eyes widened. “You were so stiff and grunty.”
“That happens when a man encounters his future before he’s ready to deal with it.”
“Wait, this thing between us isn’t a total surprise?”
“Not really.” He traced her jaw. “When we found ourselves living next to one another a year later, I knew that having you around would force me to reach outside my darkness.”
“I suppose that’s what I did when I kept bugging you about the alternative therapies.”
“You saved my life, Tancy.”
“I did no such thing. I just lent a helping hand.”