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Bella’s smile faded as she watched Diana disappear around the corner. “It is, isn’t it?” She looked at Falcon. “Am I making a mistake? Walking away from family? I don’t want to walk away from them. I love them. They’re my whole world. I just—” She stopped. “What am I doing, Falcon? I spent so much of my life alone and now I have a family, and I want to walk away from them?”

“No.” He put his arm over her shoulder, pulling her in close. “You’re not walking away from them. You’re adding to your life.”

“By trapping myself here? A catering business is an on-site business. I have to be here to run it. What if I don’t want to be here? What if I want to go home?” Her voice rose in panic.

“Hey.” He put his hands on her shoulders. “Take a breath, sweetheart.”

“I can’t! I just agreed to buy a business I don’t even know if I want! I’m used to freedom. And now I can’t leave!”

Falcon couldn’t help it. He started laughing.

“What?” She shoved at his chest. “You’relaughingat me?”

He caught her wrists. “No, Bella. I’m laughing with you. You’re trying to be brave, and it’s scary. That’s normal. It’s all good.”

“It’s not good.”

“It is.” He pressed a kiss to her knuckles. “I’ll be honest. It’s scary as hell letting myself get involved with you, but I’m not going anywhere.”

Bella stared at him, then she started laughing. “I’m like a catering business?”

He grinned when she laughed, knowing he’d broken through her panic. “You’re exactly like a catering business. That’s what I was thinking this afternoon when my soul was falling into your eyes.”

Her smile widened. “Is that what was happening?”

“It was. I was thinking, am I drowning in her eyes, or are the croissants ready for serving? It’s confusing for a guy like me who has been outside the world of plated food for so long.”

She giggled. “Plates and utensils can be so confusing.”

“Right? You get me.” He pulled her in for a kiss. “I love how you get me, Bella. It’s so refreshing not to have to pretend I know how to sit at a table.”

She put her arms around his neck. “Falcon, no one would look at you and expectyouto know how to sit at a table.”

“No? What would they expect?” He backed her into the wall, leaning his hips against hers.

“A wild animal scavenging for food in the dark of night?”

“Hmm…I like that.” He bent his head and nibbled on her neck. “We’re the last ones here, Bella. Maybe we should celebrate your business deal.”

She leaned her head back to give him access. “Champagne and strawberries?”

“I thought I saw some whipped cream in the fridge.”

She wrinkled her nose. “That’s just sticky.”

He slid his hand behind her neck. “No whipped cream then.”

She caught her breath as he began to nibble on her lower lip. “I didn’t bring the condoms.”

He grinned. “I did.”

She started laughing. “Seriously?”

“Yeah. If someone comes after you, we might have to go on the run. I didn’t want to be stranded in a safehouse with you without proper protection.”

“Protection? Like your gun?”

“Exactly like my gun.” Then he leaned in and showed her exactly what kind of protection she needed. And she quickly made it clear that it was the kind of protection she liked.