She leaned forward and ran her hand over his cheek. “I appreciate you saying that and being so open. But I won’t be returning to DC.”
“Did you turn down the offer?” Relief whooshed through his body for the second time that evening.
“I made a counteroffer.”
“And what does that include?”
“I offered them twenty hours a week and will work remotely.”
“Really? Is that going to be enough?” He watched her eyes close when he dug his knuckles into her arch.
“Yes.” Her eyes popped open. “It’s the perfect answer. I can contribute but won’t sacrifice the life I’ve built in Greenville. I may have to fly up for a meeting every six or eight weeks, but those will be day trips.”
“That’s incredible.”
“I think so.” She slipped her foot out of his grasp and crawled up his body. “This thing between us means everything, and I don’t want to shortchange it by chasing a ghost.”
Taking her mouth in a searing kiss, he drank from her lips and accepted that she would always be the center of his world. “I wasn’t sure that we’d get back here.” He held her head with both his hands. “And I’m incredibly grateful that you’re sacrificing an opportunity to build something together.”
“It doesn’t feel like a sacrifice. It feels like the best investment of my time and effort. The dragon-slaying business is lonely, kind of like the warrior one. The work I’m doing at legal aid is incredibly fulfilling, and so is the thing that’s happening between us.”
“Thank you.”
“I hope you still feel that sense of appreciation when I’m knee-deep in one of my schemes.”
“As long as you keep my picture off TikTok, I’m good.”
“I took the posts featuring your sexy deliciousness down weeks ago. I don’t want the world ogling my man and thinking he’s available.”
Throwing his head back, he laughed. “Thank God.”
She straddled him and sat up. “You’re mine, and I don’t want to share.”
“Are you claiming me?”
“Absolutely.” She slid her hand through the bubbles clinging to his chest. “I’m going to work on getting comfortable with the softest part of myself. Because if I don’t, then how can I expect you to? If I don’t take the time to understand my emotions, then I will reject yours. And if that happens, you will keep them to yourself and detach. Which is the last thing I want. I will do everything I can to level up and be the best partner I can be.”
“God damn, Tancy. Are you trying to kill me?” He swallowed an emotion he couldn’t name. “That is the finest promise anyone has ever made to me.”
“Well, let me make another one with my body.”
He pulled her against his chest. “I’m going to get you fed first because once I get my hands on you, I will not stop.”
“It’s my turn, Teague. So get ready to submit.”
“I’m at your command.”
“As it should be.”
A smile that would rival the sun’s luminosity lit up her face, and he accepted that she would be the greatest blessing of his life.
Tancy stood at the window, studied the historic Lafayette Park, and felt Teague’s strong arms encircle her waist. “When will the food be delivered?”
“Twenty minutes,” he said against her ear. “We can fool around until it gets here.”
She dropped her head against his chest. “Good things come to those who wait.”
“I can deliver something pretty mind-blowing right now.”