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He captured her lips with his and plundered. No other word fit. Seth took control with fierce possession. When he finally broke the kiss, both of them gasped for air. “I’m yours, Teagan, for as long as you want me.”
Wait. What did that mean? “You’re mine?”
“Absolutely one hundred percent yours. Haven’t you guessed yet? I love you, now and always. You own me, babe. Everything I am belongs to you, if you’ll have me.”
“Yes!” Teagan threw her arms around Seth and hugged him tightly, joy exploding inside her at his declaration. How was this possible? Although no one had ever loved her, this man had wiggled his way under the shields she’d erected to protect her heart and taken her captive. “I love you, too, Seth Dixon. Morethan I ever thought possible. You own my heart. Everything I am is yours.”
“Thank God.” Seth gathered her tight against him and spun Teagan around. After setting Teagan on her feet and stealing a series of deep kisses, Seth said, “We were made for each other. That running trail is going to be my favorite place in the entire world because it’s where I met you and where I courted you.”
She laughed. “You call jogging together courting?”
“You bet. Every run counted as a date. I’ll spend the rest of our lives spoiling you.”
Teagan’s eyes widened. “The rest of our lives?” she whispered.
“I want to marry you, Teagan. The time and place are yours to choose, but I want you to be my wife. I’d marry you tomorrow if you’d agree to go to the courthouse.”
Marriage? A dream come true. Her smile faded. “What about my job?”
“Your choice. Always.”
“You don’t mind that Artemis is deployed every other month?”
“Of course I do. Though I’ll miss you like crazy, I don’t want to stand in the way of what you feel called to do. You help people who are desperate for hope, Teagan. I understand the mission, and I’ll help if I can. If not, I’ll wait for you to return and nag Maddox and Murphy for updates when you’re gone.”
“You might have another job offer when this mission ends.” She had a feeling Maddox was watching Seth and his team with an eye to recruiting them as a unit when this mission wound down. Her boss wouldn’t be able to resist.
“You’re serious?”
“Maddox needs help, and you and your teammates are a trained unit who worked together in hot zones. Your team is exactly the type of units he needs right now.”
“I’ll think about it and talk to the others once this mission is over. My team will go in together or not at all. They have to agree, and I’m not sure they’ll be interested. We love our work, Teagan. As much as we’d love to help others outside the parameters of the law, we love being cops, and we’re good at it.”
“No pressure, all right? I just wanted you to know an offer might be forthcoming so you’re prepared.”
“After we’ve shut down The Brotherhood’s agenda and secured Rubin and Jillian, my team and I will talk about it if Maddox extends an offer.” He kissed her knuckles.
She hated to broach a topic sure to bring down their euphoric mood. “We need to talk.”
His eyebrows rose. “Now who’s hinting at a breakup? Are you turning down my marriage proposal, Paloni?”
“I didn’t hear you pop the question, Dixon.”
Another kiss, then, “I didn’t want to scare you off. Besides, I want a ring to slide on your finger when I officially ask for your hand in marriage. So, if you’re not breaking up with me, what do you want to talk about?”
“We need information fast.”
Wariness filled his eyes. “Agreed.”
“Artemis can handle the retrieval.”
“Youcan handle the retrieval.”
“Seth, this is what we do for a living, and we’re good at it.”
“Baby, if you get caught….”
“We’ll deal with it. Have faith in me, all right?”