He laughed, but then he sobered and stared deeply at her. “Only for you, Mia. Only for you.” Then he captured her lips in a long, mind-blowing kiss. He released her and held her close. “Why am I afraid this is goodbye?” he murmured against her forehead.
Mia drew back. “Don’t. Don’t even say it.” She peered deeply into his eyes. Did he have some premonition he’d be hurt? How could she let him go? “Is this mission ultra-dangerous?”
“Every mission has dangers, but no. This mission is much less dangerous than most I’ve been on.”
“Then why …”
He met her gaze steadily. “I’m afraid you’ll realize you’re too good for me and move on.”
Mia’s jaw dropped and her stomach sank. “Zeke Hendrickson,” she said sharply. She would’ve slapped him for his lack of faith in her if she didn’t adore him so much. “Don’t you dare speak like that to me again.”
He smiled slightly, but it was there and gone quick. “I love your spice,” he said softly.
“Good. And I fancy everything about you. Everything. I’ll wait for you as long as it takes.” She put both her cold hands on his warm cheeks. “You believe me?”
He stared at her and finally he nodded. “I believe you’ll wait.”
“And you believe you’re more than good enough for me?”
His eyes turned a slate gray, stormy. She didn’t like it.
She kept his face framed with her hands and made sure he didn’t look away. “Zeke … I know you were damaged by those who should’ve cherished you.”
His eyes widened, but he bravely held her gaze.
“Your parents were wrong, and they’ll be held accountable before God. No child should be hurt or belittled. Ever. And you have to know ... you have more value than you’ll ever understand. Not only as an unstoppable warrior, but as a man I love deeply and as a man who God loves deeply.” She studied him, and to his credit he didn’t squirm, but she could see her words disturbed him and he couldn’t quite grasp or believe them. “God is in the details of your life, Zeke. He’s protected you and strengthened you and given you the opportunities to rise to your full stature and become a protector of the innocent and an avenging angel. He’s also brought us together and made it possible for you to love my touch and love me. Don’t doubt Him and don’t doubt me. I’ll be praying you can feel His love and mine. No matter where you have to go in the next forty-eight hours.”
She finished her speech and prayed he would feel it down deep. They studied each other, and she prayed he’d acknowledge her words. He kissed her softly and then murmured, “I have to go.”
She didn’t like that. At all. But he was brave, and she had to be as well. “All right. I love you and I’ll see you in less than forty-eight hours.”
He actually smiled at that. “All right. I love you, Mia.” He kissed her for a long, long time and then he pulled away, hurried to climb into his rented car, and drove off.
She watched him go, clutching her freezing hands, wishing he could breathe warm air on them. It would all work out. She’d pray him safely back to her side and someday over the next sixty years they had together she’d convince him of his value to her and his Father above and of the love from heaven and from her that would never dim.
With those happy thoughts, she watched until his car disappeared into the canyon walls.
The front door of Papa’s house opened, and Blaine and Charlie came out carrying her bags and theirs.
“You done snogging so we can get home?” Charlie called. “This place is ace, but I’m a Brit at heart.”
She smiled. It was hard to not smile with Charlie around. He’d been so great and even though she knew he’d wanted to ask her out himself, he’d never seemed put out that Zeke had won her heart. She put a hand to her chest. That tough warrior truly had stolen her heart. They were going to be so happy.
Forty-eight hours. It wasn’t long, but it felt like an eternity.
Blaine said nothing and of course glowered like a proper British soldier would. He loaded the bags in.
She’d already said her goodbyes to everyone, and she and Zeke were going to come back by … next week at the latest. They’d do all the fun Christmas things with the Delta family and in the nearby Summit Valley that Thor had been so excited about. They’d grow closer and figure out a plan for life beyond the Christmas season. Her business was ultra-successful and her people were amazing. She could design from anywhere, keep up with Zoom meetings and emails, and be close to Zeke at his home base unless he was on missions. Where was his home base? There was still so very much she didn’t know about him. But it didn’t matter. They loved each other. She’d never felt like this about any of the hundreds of men she’d dated. She and Zeke would make it work. It might take a Christmas miracle, but those were the best kind.
Blaine got her door, and she thanked him. Charlie climbed into the driver’s seat and Blaine in the passenger seat. She was still trying to wrap her mind around her stalker being caught. Even more the fact that Alden was the Sneaky Stalker and he’d killed Thomas. It made her heart hurt. They’d both been friendly and respectful with her.
They pulled away from the Deltas’ and she looked at the picturesque homes all decked out with Christmas greens and reds and the gorgeous valley, the thick trees of the mountains blanketed with snow, and the lake an icy bluish-gray that reminded her of Zeke’s eyes. She smiled to herself and might’ve let out a sigh.
“Dreaming about your G.I. Joe already?” Charlie teased, catching her eye in the mirror. “He’s only been gone five minutes, love.”
She smiled. “He’s worth dreaming about.”
Charlie laughed.