Page 207 of Innocent

He looks entirely too satisfied. “Exactly. Your security’s far better now.”

“Except for some rando stalky dude who keeps showing up, watches us have sex, and brings us danishes.”

There’s that smugly satisfied smirk again.Fuck, he’s handsome.

Except I’m not done. “And you knew how to find me in Tallahassee to follow me around—”

“Because of the phone app, yeah. I sort of…kept tabs on you. I could pull it up on a map and see your normal routes. That’s why I was so shocked and, okay, yeah, a little angry when I saw you in the SitRoom.”

“Why?”

He snorts. “Because you turned your fucking phone off. I was going to make flight reservations later that day and take personal leave to go find you, andthereyou were.”

I think about it for a minute. “So, you were mad at me the day you came back…because I didn’t return texts or phone calls?”

“No! I wasworriedbecause…” He sighs. “The last place the tracker registered was the airport, and then nothing. Forweeks. I was terrified you went on a trip and died or something.”

“Or flew somewhere with someone?”

His face turns an adorable shade of pink. “Yeah. That thought did cross my mind. But you were off the grid for so long, and your phone didn’t come back on. I thought, okay, maybe you got a new phone. Except you wouldn’t return my texts or voice mails or e-mails. I thought for sure you’d dothat. Then your voice mail filled up, and the last place you showed up on the tracking app was at the airport. I couldn’t find any info about you getting on a commercial flight.”

He snorts. “I never thought to check the flight manifest forAngel. That was stupid, in retrospect, because the flight times were right. Elliot really surprised me, I’ll give him credit for that.”

“Tracker app?” Even though Iknewit, I’m still stunned to hear him admit it so cavalierly.

“Yeah. It’s how I knew where to find you when I—”

“Stalked me in person?”

“Yeah.”

It’s so adorably…

Creepy.

It’s creepy, all right? Yeah, Igetit.

It’s even more than what I thought he was doing.

It also fills me with quiet satisfaction, because someone in my life is tracking me, worried about me.

Loving me from afar, even when I’d walked away from them.

Still looking out for me.

I think Mimi would have loved Leo.

The fact that I never saw Leo also bothers me, because if I had no clue he was there, and he’d be theoneperson Ishouldbe clued in to above all others…maybe he’s been dead-right to worry about me.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were there?” I ask. “Why didn’t you talk to me? You didn’t talk to me for months.” I sniffle. “I thought you didn’t care about me anymore.”

Another sigh. “You uncollared yourself andleftme, baby boy. You told me to take care of Elliot. If you love something set it free, and all that crap. I love you more than life. You and Elliot, both.”

He cups my face in his hands. “Butthistime?” His expression hardens as his fingers clamp around my jaw. “Youwon’tfucking get away from me again, you hear?Thistime, I’mnotletting you go, and I’mnotfucking stopping. Becauseyoubelong tome. You came back, so you’remine. If you ever leave me again, I will track you down and drag you back. Every time. I won’t make the same mistake twice.”

The feel of his fingers digging into my flesh chases away all indignation and forces my entire focus onto him, here and now. I shiver and it brings to mind that first night onAir Force Twobetween me and Elliot.

The way he shivered under my hands.

“Youunderstandme?” His tone bears dark promises and brooks no resistance.

“Yes, Daddy.”

I’m sure this is an interesting sight—me wrapped around him like a clingy toddler, both of us in our suits, and me having snot-cried all over him.

Except a beaming smile fills Leo’s handsome face, making him look years younger as he slants his lips over mine for another kiss, this time sweet and tender and loving.

Longing.

Like he’s missed me as much—or more—as I missed him. “You’remine, baby boy,” he whispers against my lips. “Always and forever.Neverforget that again, because I sure as hell won’t.”