Witness in the Dark (Love Under Fire #1)(87)

He kissed her then, a kiss that was filled with so much love and promise her heart overflowed. When they finally came up for air, he pulled out his phone and texted someone, then tucked the phone back in his pocket and smiled as he reached for her again.

Before they could get back to kissing, the door was flung open and her father burst into the room in a panic. “What is it? What’s wrong?” he asked as he looked around, expecting some threat.

“Not a thing,” she said.

“No?” He calmed down and turned to Garrett. “Why the text? Come to the holding room. Hurry!”

“We needed you to get here quickly,” Garrett said with a grin.

“What the hell, McKendrick?” He lifted a brow at Garrett’s hand resting on the small of her back.

She grinned up at him happily. “I need you to walk me down the aisle, Dad. Please?”

“I probably should have talked to you about this first, sir,” Garrett cut in. “But I wasn’t sure she would say yes. She did, though. I know I’m going to be leaving the team a man short, but I’m leaving Task Force Phoenix. I want a life with Sam. I hope we have your blessing.”

“My blessing?” her father said an unreadable expression on his face. He glanced first at her, then at Garrett. “For the last few months, every time I see my daughter she asks about you, and every time I see my senior inspector, he asks me about her. It was getting on my nerves.”

They laughed, and Garrett said, “I take it that’s a yes?”

“You’re choosing my daughter over your career?” her father asked.

“Yes, sir.” Garrett didn’t sound like he had a doubt in the world. “Nothing will make me happier.”

Her father nodded slowly. “In that case, yes, you have my blessing. You’ve made a much better choice than I did.”

She threw her arms around her father and gave him a big hug. “Thank you, Dad.”

He smiled down at her. “I never thought I’d have the chance to walk my little girl down the aisle. I feel like I missed so much of your life. I’m happy for you both.”

Finally he smiled, kissed her forehead, and gave her a squeeze. Then he held his hand out to Garrett. “I know you’ll protect my daughter and take care of her.”

“Count on it, sir.”

They shook hands, then Garrett pulled her close. As they waited for the arrangements to be made for a judge to marry them, she and Garrett couldn’t stop smiling. The time fell away…and all that was left was a future together.

“Mrs. McKendrick,” he mumbled against her lips.

“Hmm?”

“Just testing it out.” He brushed a strand of hair back from her face. She’d never seen him so happy.

“But won’t we be getting a new last name?”

“Not until after we’re married. That’s the rule. Until then, you’ll be Mrs. Samantha Elizabeth McKendrick.”

She smiled. “It sounds nice. I don’t want to have to give it up.”

“We’ll break it out on special occasions when we’re alone,” he promised with a wink. “Our secret.”

“I’m still going to call you Garrett.”

He grinned. “Not something less pretentious, like Todd or Steve?”

“I like Garrett.”

“Well, this Garrett loves you,” he said, and ran his fingers through her short red hair.

Two hours later, they were standing in front of a judge facing each other, promising to love one another until death they do part—which, once Howe was put away for good, would hopefully be in the very distant future.

Her misty-eyed father stood off to the side, watching from a distance, as he had all her life. “By the power vested in me by the District of Columbia, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Garrett, you may kiss your bride.”

“My bride,” he whispered before his lips touched hers.

He kissed her until she was lightheaded then beamed down at her, his blue eyes burning into hers with love and devotion.

“You still kiss a little too perfectly,” she told him breathlessly.

“Hmm. I’ll work on it.”

He kissed her again, just as perfectly.



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