Gabe took off the hat and dropped it on the bed. “I love the hat, but I think I need to kiss you.”
“You do?” she said playfully.
“I think I do,” he answered gravely with a slow nod.
He lowered his head and Chloe’s heart skittered as he gave her one of the sweetest kisses she’d ever experienced, one that showed her just how much she was adored.
She sighed as he pulled his lips from hers slowly, as though he didn’t want to stop kissing her.
“I love you, Chloe Walker, and I plan to make damn sure nobody will ever hurt you again,” he rasped, his voice full of tenderness and emotion.
Loving the sound of her name on his lips, she replied, “I love you, too, and I promise I’ll try to make you happy, Gabe.”
“Sweetheart, I already told you that you don’t have to try. You just have to be to make me happy. Now that you’re mine, I’m fucking ecstatic,” he rumbled.
Tears sprang to Chloe’s eyes, knowing he meant every word he said. Gabe wasn’t always smooth, but he was honest. How did she explain to him how much his words meant to her after what she’d gone through in the past? She’d tried, but he shrugged it off, thinking his words were no big deal.
They were a very big deal to her.
“Thank you,” she said simply, knowing he’d understand.
He held her close for a minute, rocking her body slowly in an attempt to comfort her. Finally he said, “You ready for tomorrow?”
“I’m ready,” she answered adamantly.
He pulled back from her and grinned, a mischievous smile she’d come to love so well. “I might not let you get dressed for a while once I get you naked.”
She was on board with that. “Are we ever going to be able to see the sights?”
“After,” Gabe said gruffly and noncommittally.
Chloe laughed and hugged him. She knew that all she needed to do was ask and Gabe would do anything she wanted to do just to please her. Knowing she could bring this big, strong, proud man to his knees was heady, but something she’d never take for granted. “After,” she agreed.
They’d take some time to get used to loving each other with such intensity that it was almost scary, and then they could indulge in making other memories together.
Thinking back about the times she didn’t feel ready for anything, and about how confused she’d been, she was grateful that she could now say that she was ready to start a new life, one free from fear and sadness.
She’d been given a gift, and she was going to seize it.
Sadness, fear, and heartache were her old life.
And then there was Gabe.
As he lowered his head to kiss her again, Chloe shuddered, knowing she was truly leaving her old life behind, closing the door on it forever.
Gabe was her future, and that was all she’d ever need.
One Week Later…
Zane Colter had lost track of how much time he’d spent in his home lab in Rocky Springs examining samples.
When he finally lifted his head, it was dawn—and he hadn’t slept a wink. He could see the sun rising over the mountains, but he didn’t give a shit.
I finally figured it out. I know where she is.
Damn! He desperately wanted to call Chloe, but everyone had agreed to give her as much time away with Gabe as possible, all of them hoping her and Gabe wouldn’t see the US news.
Despite his worry, he smiled, recalling how happy and carefree Chloe and Gabe had looked when they’d Skyped a few times. He forced himself to relax, knowing that if Gabe had his way, now that the two of them had seen the sights in Thailand, they wouldn’t even surface again any time soon, and would be unlikely to catch the news. Zane was relieved to see his sister finally looking like the cheerful, sweet sister he’d known when they’d been growing up. And she was happy. For that matter, so was Gabe. They sent plenty of photos, many of them Zane now had stored on his cell phone, of the silly things they were doing just because…they could. The contentment, the ecstatic glow on his sister’s face was one of the best things he’d ever seen. He cherished those photos, and he looked forward to seeing more of them in the future. Chloe needed this trip, and she needed to finally have this kind of happiness with Gabe in her life. Hopefully, his sister would have no interest in the US news, especially local news.
Yeah, he was pretty sure they wouldn’t find out what had happened just a few days ago. Or he hoped they wouldn’t. Not for a while.
He glanced at the Rocky Springs newspaper, which was right beside his workstation. In Rocky Springs, the incident and the note had been big news. Still was. Everybody was talking about it, and the case had now drawn national attention.
He glanced at the headline:
“Physician Commits Suicide. Admits Responsibility for Missing Woman in Rocky Springs.”
Thank God that Chloe and Gabe had been long gone when James’s death had occurred.
“Fucking coward,” Zane spat out with disgust, irritated that James had taken the easy way out. The bastard had killed himself while he was still in the hospital, but the asshole couldn’t just die. He had to leave that damn note.
I win! You’ll never find Ellie before she dies.
Bullshit. That jackass wasn’t going to win…ever. He was just going to be dead, and good riddance to a psychopath like him.
Zane had actually been happy when he’d heard that James had offed himself. Chloe would never have to see his face again when she came back home to Rocky Springs with Gabe. It meant that his baby sister could completely free herself of any reminders of her past.