Page 76 of Danger Close

“Oh, daaaaaang!” A second agent trotted over. “How are you Mrs. Guerro?”

The first agent was practically leaning into my window. “I didn’t know you were married.”

I chuckled, biting my tongue, not giving Teri a chance to correct him. “There’s a lot you folks don’t know.”

“Kinda gives me hope for the future. If you can keep a family together, maybe I can too!” the second agent called out. “In fact, I’m going to tell Sheila exactly that when I get home.”

Sheila was a D.C. lobbyist who resisted his talks of marriage because she didn’t want to marry a person in uniform. Too much effort. Too unpredictable.

“It’s a real pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Guerro!” The first one waved like a little fan boy.

I wasn’t used to this reception. My retirement life had come with a certain notoriety. My cover was burned, and all my cards were on the table. Sunlight had disinfected the past, and I was a new man.

“Pleasure to meet you, too.” Teri blushed, and it made her look decades younger.

The agent waved us through. I resisted looking at Teri, knowing that if I did, I’d be unable to keep a straight face.

I parked beside Jericho’s vehicle, cutting the engine and undoing my seatbelt before I looked at her, holding back a smile.

“You don’t know me very well, Princess.” I tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. “We never knew each other. We were too young to even know ourselves.”

I reached down, taking her cold hand in mine. I brought her hand up to my lips, kissing the tips of her fingers.

“Let me tell you a bit about myself now.” I placed her palm on my thigh, my hand on top of hers to keep her from pulling away. I needed to feel her. “I’m one of the most dangerous men in the world. I’ll spare you the details on what I can do, because I’d rather youneverknow. I don’t know who this Ray creep is, but I am far more connected, and much more lethal than he can ever hope to be. He has every reason to fearme.”

Her eyes widened. I reached out to cup her cheek.

“Ray hurt something that’s precious to me.” I kissed her cheek. “There are consequences for harming Cobra Guerro’s family. As the kids say, he and his minions fucked around, and they’re about to find out.”

“I’m not family.” She averted her eyes, her blush traveling from her cheek to the tips of her ears. There was no conviction in her words. “I’m not actually your wife.”

She slowly pulled out of my grasp and I let her go. I’d get her back.

“I am not yours.” Oh, sweet, little Princess. She had no fucking cluehow muchshe was mine. “Much less something precious.”

She swallowed, and when a tear gathered on her lower lashes, I reached out, wiping it before it could damage her meticulously applied makeup.

She continued, “You were right to leave me.”

I’ll stay with her forever.

“You would not have this fabulous life, your reputation, your accomplishments, if you hadn’t.”

Everything I have is yours.

“Don’t make the same mistakes as the past. You’re far better than that.”

You are the most precious star in the universe.

“Shut the hell up, Mrs. Guerro,” I said with a small smile, shaking my head. “You might not be my wife on paper.”

I leaned forward, cupping the nape of her neck. I leaned over the center console, drawing her in. I brushed my lips against hers.

“You are mine.” I tilted my lips up to place a small kiss on the tip of her nose. “The mother of my child.” I kissed one cheek. “My family.” Then the other.

I covered her mouth with mine. I kissed her hard, stealing her breath. It was a kiss to mark, to remind her of what we were. I was careful not to press against the cut on her lip as my tongue delved inside her mouth, tasting her. She moaned into the kiss. I eagerly responded in kind.

How had I lived for three decades without her lips? Without her touch?