Page 74 of Guarding Colton’s Witness

“Yes, all that and more.”

He rolled over, taking her with him so that she was sprawled across his body. “If I were a Neanderthal, I’d carry you to my lair and never let you go.” He sighed. “Sad that I can’t get away with that these days.”

Her laughter vibrated against his chest. “Probably not a good idea.” She propped her chin on her hand to look at him. “Although, if your lair has a soaking tub, an endless supply of wine, and a big-screen TV to watch hockey on, I might be tempted to let you carry me away.”

“You’re a hockey fan?” He brushed a damp lock of hair away from her face.

“Big-time. I don’t have a favorite NHL team. My favorite college hockey team is the University of North Dakota’s Fighting Hawks. I try to go to their games a few times a year.”

“Guess what.”

“What?”

“I’m a big hockey fan, too. I do, however, have a favorite NHL team, the Chicago Blackhawks.”

“Okay, this is so cool. Mine is the Fighting Hawks and yours is the Blackhawks. Funny, huh?”

“Not at all funny. It’s hawk destiny. The stars are aligned, the man in the moon is smiling down at us, and the sun shining bright on us. You know what all that means?”

“What?”

“That we’re supposed to get married. It’s written in the stars, the moon, and the sun.”

“I think that sun has baked your brain.” She grinned, then the laughter started, and she laughed so hard that she fell off him. “Married? I love how silly you are,” she said between gasps.

It wasn’t silly to him, but he went with it. “Hawks mate for life, so you can’t be checking out other hawks no matter how hawk hot they are.” It was one of the silliest conversations he’d ever had, but her laughter was contagious.

It had never occurred to him to have fun when in bed with a woman, but he liked it. Maybe it was the woman, though. As she settled back against him, he traced idle patterns on her arm, more content than he’d ever been in his life.

“Are we a couple? Can I tell people you’re my girlfriend?” When she didn’t answer, he lifted his head and peered down at her, smiling when he saw she was asleep. “I love you,” he whispered.

They hadn’t slept much last night and a catnap sounded good. He closed his eyes and fell asleep imagining a life with Matti. Sam was also in that picture. He desperately wanted that life he was visualizing, but he didn’t think she did. Losing her was going to hurt.

* * *

Matti’s phone buzzed with a text when they were cleaning up the kitchen after having some dinner. “It’s Wyatt,” she said, after reading it. “He wants us to let him in the back door.”

“I’ll let him in.” Ryan dropped the dishcloth on the counter. “Didn’t think we’d see him again today.” He turned off the alarm, then opened the door for Wyatt.

“Wasn’t expecting you. Thought you were going to send one of your people tonight.”

“I was going to send Mac or Simon, but some leads came in that I want them to run down, so you have me until one of them relieves me in a few hours.”

Ryan leaned back against the counter. “Good leads?”

“They appear to be, but I have a suspicion they’re bogus, meant to send us on wild-goose chases. Have to check them out to be sure, though. Anything left over from dinner? I haven’t eaten since that Pop-Tart I had this morning.”

“Nothing left over, but I have some lasagna I can defrost in the microwave,” Matti said.

Wyatt rubbed his stomach. “I’ll take anything you have. Right now it feels like my stomach is eating itself from the inside out.”

Matti took a container out of the freezer. “I know you’re busy, but you need to take care of yourself. You can take twenty minutes to eat lunch.”

“Yeah, yeah. The day got away from me.” Wyatt slid onto a stool at the counter.

While Wyatt ate his dinner, Ryan went into the living room and sat on the couch. This waiting for something to happen was a bit nerve-racking. He picked up one of the medical journals he’d brought. Reading would give him something to do besides pacing. A few minutes later, he was immersed in an article discussing treatment of children with septic shock.

“I’d like you to reconsider,” Wyatt said, taking a seat on the couch. “Let me get you out of here before—”