Page 41 of Winter’s Heart (Three of Hearts #1)

Chief Rydberg had been less happy about the outcome, but he had to accept Jacob's resignation, because even though he knew Jacob’s heart was in the right place and he was a good cop—a great cop, actually—his knack for not following protocol could no longer be overlooked.

There were only so many times Rydberg could cover up Jacob’s unorthodox ways of getting the job done.

So when Rydberg heard the FBI were potentially looking to recruit him, he wasn’t afraid to give him a glowing report.

Let him become the FBI’s problem, Rydberg had joked; perhaps they might be able to pull him into line.

Nikki had accompanied Jacob to Sweden, and after he’d faced the wrath of his commanding officers, they’d traveled together back to Jokkmokk to sort out his life for his move to America.

Their first port of call was to see his mother and sister and break the news.

His announcement had shocked his mother, M?rta, but the Sámi were a stoic race, and she’d smiled and told Jacob that if this is what he truly wanted, then meeting Nikki must be fate.

Once M?rta had spent a few days in their company and seen him and Nikki together, she softened her view even more.

She was overjoyed that Jacob finally seemed happy.

And if that meant losing him back to his birth country, then so be it.

They’d also visited Petar, Jacob slapping his old friend on the back and decreeing it was time to trade in that old rust bucket of a Volvo for a newer version.

It was his backhanded way of thanking the man for helping to save their lives.

Nikki had thanked him in the more traditional method, by wrapping him up in a big hug and kissing him on the cheek, which made Petar blush profusely.

She had loved visiting Sweden a second time; the country was growing on her—it was so beautiful.

They had promised to go back to have next Christmas with his family.

Perhaps they might return to the little hut by the frozen lake and spend a few days just chilling out in the sauna.

Naked. Together. The idea made Nikki smirk to herself.

Yes. She would make a booking and surprise Jacob; it could be her Christmas present to him.

They reached her car, and Jacob held the passenger door open for her. “Thank you,” she said with a heartfelt smile. Once he was seated next to her in the car, she said, “I think M?rten will be impressed when he comes over to find his ex-partner is now an FBI agent.”

Jacob made a scoffing noise. “I don’t believe M?rten is that easily impressed.”

“Maybe. Maybe not,” Nikki replied blithely.

She’d met M?rten in Lule? at the police station, straight after Jacob had handed in his resignation. He’d been waiting for Jacob in the staffroom when he’d come out of Chief Rydberg’s office, there to offer moral support if Jacob needed it.

“It’s good to finally meet you.” M?rten had extended a hand in greeting.

Nikki had been a little taken aback as she stared up into his ice-blue eyes.

Or were they silver? It was hard to tell.

Was it a prerequisite that all Swedish cops be good-looking?

Because, aside from Jacob of course, M?rten was one of the most impressive men she’d met.

Tall, with lean hips and broad shoulders.

There were touches of gray at his temples and forehead in his otherwise dark hair, and the thought silver fox flashed across her mind, even though he wouldn’t have been old enough to fill that category.

But she wasn’t completely blinded by his striking looks, and she got the feeling there was much left unsaid behind M?rten’s bland words.

That he was perhaps evaluating her, wanting to see what the woman who was taking his police partner away from him was like.

She didn’t blame him; she and Jacob were moving fast, but she knew deep in her gut they were doing the right thing.

So she’d looked him straight in the eye, and said, “Nice to meet you too.” But instead of shaking his hand, she reached up and hugged the man.

She understood how he felt; he was losing a person dear to him, and she was the one gaining from his loss. She owed him her gratitude.

“I’ll make sure he’s happy in Seattle, I promise,” she’d whispered into his ear, and he’d withdrawn, surprised. But with a look in his eye that implied perhaps he was satisfied with her response.

“Thank you,” was his simple reply.

Then Jacob had slapped him on the back, and said, “I told you, man. She’s special. M?rten let her go, giving her a careful sideways glance as he did so. It seemed like the jury was still out on that point, but hopefully she could prove herself to him.

She’d followed behind as the two men made their way down the hallway, listening as they bantered back-and-forth.

“You know you’ve dropped me in the shit, don’t you?” M?rten had said. “You’ll never guess who Rydberg has partnered me up with now that you’re gone.”

“Yeah, I heard the rumors,” Jacob replied with a grin, bumping M?rten with his shoulder.

“She’s a bloody rookie with too much to prove and an attitude bigger than anyone I know,” M?rten had groused.

“Come on, it won’t be that bad. Aurora is a good kid, and you’re a great cop. You’ll be excellent for her; she’ll learn a lot from you.”

Nikki assumed they meant the young officer she’d met the last time she’d been in the station.

The one who rescued her from the hallway and taken her to the lunchroom while Jacob was talking to the deputy commissioner.

Aurora had seemed smart and down to earth.

M?rten might not like Rydberg’s recent choice of partner, but she didn’t doubt there was a reason behind the chief’s decision, and maybe as Jacob said, M?rten would be good for her.

M?rten had taken them out to lunch as a final farewell, but he’d hinted that he would be over for a visit soon, and Nikki had encouraged him to come.

She didn’t want Jacob to lose touch with his life in Sweden.

If M?rten were to visit, he would see how happy they were together, perhaps putting his mind at ease.

And now they had just heard that M?rten had arranged for some leave and would be over to experience an early summer in Seattle.

“Well, I’m looking forward to his visit,” she said. “We could all jump on a flight and take him to Las Vegas for the weekend. What do you think?”

“Hmm,” he replied noncommittally.

“Oh, come on, I know you’re just as excited for his visit as I am,” she said, lifting her chin. He wouldn’t admit it, but Nikki knew he was a tad nervous about his friend coming. Deep down, Jacob was hoping to get his ex-partner’s tick of approval. For his new life and his new love.

“Maybe. Maybe not,” Jacob replied with a wry smile, while keeping his eyes on the road ahead.

“Oh, you.” She slapped him playfully on the arm. “Fine, stay in denial, but you can’t fool me.”

As Jacob steered the car toward the city center, Nikki mulled over the past month’s events. “Do you think Studeb?cker will have any more news about who was responsible for murdering Tammy and Antoine?”

Jacob shot her a sympathetic look, but shook his head. “You know I’ll ask. But you also know that he’s told us everything he’s allowed to.”

“Yeah, yeah. It’s all confidential, blah, blah, blah.

We’re just the poor plebs who nearly lost our lives, yet we get told nothing.

” She frowned hard at the windshield, tamping down her sudden, building anger.

On a certain level, Nikki understood why the FBI were withholding details; a state senator was involved after all.

But it still rankled that the person who hired those hitmen, who gave the order to kill Tammy and Antoine, remained at large.

Jacob laid a sympathetic hand on her knee; he felt exactly the same, but he was just more philosophical about it. “I’m sure he’ll tell us if he’s heard anything new. He’s a good man, deep down.”

She swallowed the lump in her throat and turned to look at Jacob; he was right, of course.

Laying her own hand on top of his, she rubbed her thumb over his knuckles.

The feel of his skin on hers soothed her, and the anger leached from her body.

The warmth of his palm seeped through her jeans.

She loved his hands, the long, strong fingers, the feel of them as he stroked her skin, the clever way he found the sensitive spots and played them until she was left gasping for breath.

His grip tightened on her thigh, and a surge of heat shot through her.

He had this effect on her, could ignite a spark deep in her belly and turn it into a raging inferno in the space between two breaths.

It was devastating, but in a good way. God, she needed him so much.

How had she ever lived without him? Her desire for this man was fierce.

“I love you,” she said, meaning it with every fiber of her being. Truly, madly, deeply.

“I love you too.” Those words alone had the power to give her heart wings.

She suddenly wished they weren’t in the car.

Wished they were back at her cottage, so she could tear his clothes from his body and show him just how much he meant to her.

Instead, she smiled at him, hoping she could convey everything she was feeling in her eyes.

He smiled back, that gorgeous dimple lighting up his face.

The FBI Seattle Division had an office on 3 rd Avenue, and by some miracle, Jacob found a park almost directly in front of the building.

“Will you be okay out here for a while?” he asked.

“Yes.” She nodded. Of course she would. They’d already discussed it. She wanted to wait for him, to hear what Studeb?cker had to say, and to celebrate with her man when he was offered a position with the FBI.

Jacob reached for the metal water bottle in the center console and took a long swig—no more plastic bottles for him; he was a convert now. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed, and Nikki knew this was perhaps the only sign that he was a tad nervous, despite his protestations.

“Wish me luck,” he said, grasping the door handle.

“You don’t need luck, Jacob Utsi.” She took his hand and drew him toward her for a kiss.

“You are the finest, most honorable, most tenacious man I know. They’d be lucky to have you .

” She emphasized the last word, then kissed him again, breathing him in, and letting her certainty flow out through her lips.

Letting him know she had faith in him. That she loved him, no matter the outcome. “I’ll be waiting,” she said simply.

He gave her a cheeky wink and exited the car, but she already knew the result.

Knew it in her heart of hearts. She watched his broad shoulders as he crossed the road, so tall and straight, and was so glad he was the one.

She now believed in love at first sight, because he was her soulmate.

Their life together would be great. They had a future that would span decades.

They’d get married, have children, and grow old together.

It was written in the stars. Jacob Utsi had saved Nikita Winter’s heart by giving her the courage to trust again.

And maybe, just maybe, she’d saved his heart right back.