Page 45 of Lethal Illusion (Six Points Security #8)
Sloane leaned closer to the bathroom mirror as she applied the final touches to her makeup.
She and Navarre were going out to dinner after work and she wanted to look her best. After months of posing as Sierra’s double, she could finally do the smoky eye thing without making herself resemble a raccoon on meth.
She’d also amassed a killer wardrobe, because Sierra usually let her keep whatever outfits she wore for each job.
All in all, it was a great side gig. Sierra didn’t use her all that often, just once every month or two when she wanted to shake the press off her trail.
She’d yet to receive another twenty-five-thousand-dollar bonus, but she also hadn’t been chased through the woods by assholes with guns, so she figured she couldn’t complain.
And with Navarre by her side, in addition to the enhanced security measures to ensure something like that never happened again, she felt no qualms about working as Sierra’s double.
Satisfied her makeup was on point, Sloane finger-combed her hair. She’d invested a portion of her earnings in a pair of quality wigs that mimicked Sierra’s cut and style, leaving her free to change her own hair back to its natural color.
She smoothed a hand over her burgundy silk blouse, one of the spoils from her assignments masquerading as Sierra.
She left the bathroom, and her heart fluttered the way it always did at the sight of Navarre walking toward her.
Dressed in his usual all black, his light-brown hair was damp from the shower, a sure sign he’d squeezed in a workout after his shift was over.
He greeted her with a kiss that might have appeared chaste to anybody watching. After all, they were still at work. But he managed to infuse it with so much emotion, it made her toes curl in her shoes.
“How was your day?” he asked as they headed for the exit. They passed Jackson in the hall, and the other man gave Navarre a shoulder clap and said, “Have fun tonight.”
“It was pretty good. Thanks,” she added when he held the front door open for her. Outside, fall had begun to make its presence known. The Florida air was a little less sticky, the sun set a tad earlier, and store shelves were loaded with all things pumpkin spice. “How about you?”
“We’re starting a new training class next week, so I spent most of the day doing weapons checks.
” Navarre opened the car door for her, and closed it once she was inside.
He slid behind the wheel, turned the key in the ignition, and the heavy rumble of the Barracuda’s engine filled the air.
“Garrett and Rosario are assisting this time around.”
Last she’d heard, Garrett had completed physical therapy for his broken leg but was still on limited duty.
Helping with the new batch of recruits would give his body more time to heal.
And after months of working as a third wheel on another team, Rosario would undoubtedly be relieved to have her partner back.
Navarre pulled onto the main road and headed toward her favorite restaurant, a small family-owned business with the best Cuban food in the city. But instead of continuing north at the next intersection, he turned left into a subdivision.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
He spared her a glance as he shifted into third. “Well, I’ve been thinking.”
In her experience, that kind of beginning to a conversation didn’t bode well, but she held out hope. “Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”
“We’ll find out in a few minutes.” He rounded a curve and continued straight through the four-way stop before he spoke again. “Jackson’s buying my share of the house.”
“What?” See, she knew it was something bad. “What happened? Is everything all right?”
“Oh, no. It’s nothing like that. We’re good. But now that he and Essie are back together, they need their privacy. I respect that.”
Okay, it wasn’t anything horrible, but it still didn’t seem like good news. The two men had been roommates for years. They’d bought that house together and remodeled almost every square inch of it.
“So when are you moving, and where?” she asked.
“Nothing’s set in stone yet. The house is getting appraised next week, and then we’ll figure out how much is needed for him to buy my half. He said I can stay as long as I need after that part’s taken care of, but I’d like to move into my own place as soon as possible.”
Navarre pulled into the driveway in front of a one-story house with tan stucco walls and a two-car garage.
It was an older home, which, in Florida standards, meant it was probably built in the 1980s.
A For Sale sign from one of the local Realtors stood in front of a pair of crape myrtles in the front yard.
He engaged the emergency brake and cut the engine.
Sloane reached for her seat belt. “I take it this is the house you’re considering?”
“It’s the current frontrunner.” Turning his head, he gave her a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Come on, the Realtor gave me the code for the lockbox. I want to see what you think.”
Hand in hand, they walked up the front path. He punched in the code, unlocked the door, and placed his palm at the small of her back as he followed her inside.
The foyer opened to a combined kitchen and large living area with cathedral ceilings, pale walls, and lots of natural light.
A sliding glass door along the far wall offered a view of a large backyard surrounded by a six-foot fence and plenty of shade from several mature oak trees.
No furniture, which gave the house a wide-open feel and provided a blank canvas for buyers to picture their own décor.
“How many bedrooms and bathrooms does it have?” she asked as she walked across the wood flooring. From what she could tell, it was a split-level layout, with bedrooms on each side of the house.
“Three bedrooms, two full baths.”
That was a lot of house for one person. “Are you sure you need something this big?”
There was a pause before he responded. “It’s a good size for two people.”
She slanted a glance in his direction as her pulse kicked up a notch. “Is that your way of asking me to move in with you?”
“No.” He reached into his pocket and took out a small black box. Dropping to one knee, he looked up at her with eyes full of hope and promise. “I’m asking you to marry me first.”
Sloane’s breath caught in her throat. She honestly hadn’t seen this coming.
Sure, things were going great. Really great.
They spent nearly every free minute together.
She could honestly say, without a shadow of a doubt, that she loved him with every fiber of her being.
But for reasons unknown, Navarre proposing to her hadn’t been anywhere on her radar.
He opened the box, revealing a round sapphire held by four claws and set on a tapered platinum band with intricate engraving.
“I love you, Sloane Welker. Each day I spend with you is better than the last. I want to build a life, a family, a future with you. But most of all, I want to make you smile every day for the rest of my life. Will you make me the happiest man on earth by saying yes?”
How could she possibly say no? He was her friend, her lover, her confidant, her partner.
Her heart. She could see it in his eyes.
It took a few moments for her to push past the tide of emotions and find her voice. “Oh my God, yes. Yes! Of course I’ll marry you.”
Navarre’s smile widened as he stood. He slid the ring on her finger, and then kissed her with so much heat and passion, it left her weak at the knees. “I love you, Sloane.”
“I love you, Jacob.” She held the ring up to the light. She’d always loved sapphires. “It’s perfect. How did you pick this out?”
He grinned. “I got a little help from Nina.”
That really shouldn’t surprise her. Now that she thought about it, Nina had asked her opinion about some rings on Pinterest a month or so ago.
“I’m guessing Jackson knew about this as well?”
“Yeah. He helped me work on my pitch.”
She laughed softly.
“So what do you think about the house?” he asked. “I’m not buying anything without your stamp of approval.”
“Well, I haven’t seen the rest of it yet, but this part looks pretty nice.” Not to mention, it was in a good neighborhood, close to work, with plenty of shopping and a public park within walking distance. “But I have one condition for whatever house we settle on.”
He arched an eyebrow. “Oh, what’s that?”
“I’m chipping in on the down payment. Now that my credit cards are paid off, I’ve been saving the money I make from Sierra.
” She turned to face him, and the love she saw in the depths of his eyes made her wonder if he’d be open to ordering their food to go.
“If we’re going to build a future, we might as well start with the house. ”
“I’m fine with that.” He unlocked the sliding glass door at the far end of the great room.
They stepped out into the big backyard, and she envisioned the barbeques they’d have with family and friends. She’d already spotted a place in the living room where they could put a tree during the holidays. Unless the bedrooms were a complete nightmare, she was pretty sure they’d put in an offer.
Together.