“I’d love to.”
His smile was a heady mix of excitement and flat-out sex appeal. She loved making him happy.
“Good,” he said. “Let’s take the bike out now.”
Sin stood in the garage admiring his scorching hot girlfriend while she modeled her black leather jacket and pants. “How ‘bout you wear that and only that tonight?”
“I like the way you think.” She slinked close. “I’ve never had sex on a motorcycle.”
“Neither have I.” Snaking his arm around her waist, he pulled her flush against him.
“And you know I’ve gotta give you a hummer on here, too,” she said with a gleam in her eyes.
He moaned. “I think we should start our day with something else I’ve never done on my bike.”
“What’s that?”
He straddled the Ducati, facing backward. With his feet on the ground, he patted the back cushion. “Kiss my woman. Get your ass on this bike so I can kiss the hell out of you.”
After climbing on, she draped her arms over his shoulders. “So sexy.” Then, she pressed her chest into his, he grabbed her waist and kissed her breathless.
“Whoa,” she said after she caught her breath. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Mr. Develin.”
“Let’s postpone riding.” The grittiness in his voice had him clearing his throat.
“What happened to delayed gratification?” She kissed his cheek and hopped off, then grabbed their helmets.
“You can’t fault a guy for trying,” he quipped. After dismounting, he rolled the bike out to the street.
Her smile was contagious, the excitement radiating from her eyes. “I’ve never trusted anyone enough to ride. This is pretty awesome, you know that?”
“So damn awesome.” Never before had he taken a woman on his bike. But this was his woman and he wanted to share every aspect of his life with her.
“There’s comms built into our helmets. If you need to tell me anything, just say it. Do you mind if I put on some tunes?”
“Of course not.”
“The music cuts off if we talk.”
“Got it.”
“Lean into the turns,” he instructed. “Hold on to my waist and do not let go. I’ll take it nice and easy.” Her pout made him laugh. “We don’t need to travel eighty miles an hour to have fun.” Pausing, he gazed into her eyes. “Ready?”
Her smile was filled with love. “So ready.”
They pulled on their helmets. He mounted and waited for her to climb on before starting and revving the engine. She wrapped her arms around his waist. “Okay, I’m all set back here.”
As he proceeded down his street, he grabbed her thigh and gave her a little squeeze before re-gripping the handlebars. He wove his way out of D.C. and onto the G.W. Parkway in Virginia.
Kicking the bike into high gear, he kept the pace steady. Today was all about keeping things chill. They’d both been through so much over the past few months that he wanted her to relax and enjoy the ride.
“Are you cold?” he asked.
“I’m doing great. I love this.” She hugged him tighter.
Fifteen minutes later, he pulled off the parkway and into an overlook. He parked in one of a dozen spots. They dismounted and removed their helmets. Seeing her shake free her long, dark hair turned him on in ways that went beyond sex. A woman of strength, her beauty and confidence, brilliance and kindness brightened even his darkest days.
With her gloved hand, she grasped his and they made their way toward the overlook. “This is gorgeous. I love it.”
In silence, they stared out at the flowing Potomac. The rush of rapids soothed him, while the cold air invigorated him.
“Are you warm enough?”
She removed her glove and stroked his cheek. “I’m good, baby.”
He clasped her hand and led her down a short path to a boulder. “I come here alone sometimes.” He sat on the large rock. “I love that you’re with me today.”
After easing down beside him, she pressed her lips to his and kissed him. “Me, too.” They communed in silence until she said, “My boss told me about a spot opening on his team. I’d have to interview for it, but I’m pretty sure it’s mine…if I want it.” Her gaze met his. “After a lot of contemplation, I’ve come to a decision. I can’t stay with the Bureau.”
“I might have a solution,” he said while stroking her back.
Her expression lightened. “I’m listening.”
“One of the best things about our relationship is how well we work together. I miss that.”
She scooted closer. “So do I.”
“I can’t keep up with the workload, so I’m expanding my firm. I’d like to offer you a managing partner position. You’d head up the Investigative Services Division. Sanchez already told me she’d love to work for you. Give it some thought.”
Shifting on the boulder, she peered into his eyes. “I now know there’s a dark side to how The Fixer operates.”
“On occasion, but only when provoked. We each killed in self-defense.”
“I’m not struggling with that. I’m struggling with the disappearance of bodies by Dakota and his team.” She studied his face. “Do you work with him?”
“I have. Going forward, I will always be upfront with you about that. I don’t ever want there to be secrets between us.”
She glanced around. They were alone. “Before I can give you my answer, I need to know something about Alpha and what kind of job you might do with him.”
As Sin confided his darkest secrets to her, she stared out at the cascading waters of the Potomac. When he finished, she faced him. “Thank you for trusting me.”
“Always.”
“While I had my suspicions, I’m still surprised.” After exhaling a long breath, she continued. “Even so, I’m confident I will love my career at Develin & Associates.” Her winsome smile sent excitement coursing through him. “Thank you for the job offer. I accept.”
With a smile, he pulled off his glove and extended his hand. “Welcome to the team.”
She removed hers and slid her warm hand into his. “It’ll be an honor to work for The Fixer,” she said, pulling him in for a kiss. “I’ll give my notice Monday.”
“So, while we’re making these major life changes, I’ve got one more question for you.”
“Okay.”
He pulled out the ring box and fixed his gaze on her.
“Oh, wow.”
“Evangeline Mae Worthington, I love you with everything I am. You are the best part of my life and I want to spend forever with you. I would be honored if you would be my wife. Will you marry me?” He opened the box.
After a beat, Evangeline dropped her gaze and gasped. The multi-carat, oval-cut diamond was surrounded by two halos of smaller stones. The inner halo boasted pink diamonds while the outer halo held the more traditional white ones that continued onto the shoulder of the band.
“I never thought of myself as the marrying kind, until you,” she said and captured his face in her hands. “And now, I can’t imagine life without you.” Her breathtaking smile made his heart soar. “Sinclair David Develin, I will marry you and be your forever wife.” She kissed him over and over again, then released him.