Hold Me (Fool's Gold #16)(95)

Destiny had said she loved him, and now all he wanted was to say it back to her. Then convince her, because action was always going to be his thing. But he would say it, too.

Destiny loved him, he loved her, and there was no way he was going to let her go. Not without a fight. And if he made a fool of himself because of it, so be it.

He headed out of town. A quick call to Cassidy gave him the starting point. He had his tracking equipment and working knowledge of the STORMS program. He was supposed to be some kind of search and rescue expert. It was time he put that title to the test.

He pulled off into the rest area parking lot and pulled up next to Destiny’s car. After getting out, he checked his equipment then started entering data. She was an experienced hiker, on a day trip. He knew the grid she would cover, just not which part she would be in right now.

“Looking for someone?”

He glanced up and saw Destiny heading toward him. He opened his driver’s door, flung in his tablet then walked toward her.

There were so many things to say, he thought, but none of them mattered right this second. He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her on the mouth. She wrapped her arms around him and hung on as if she was never going to let go.

“I love you,” he said when they came up for air.

“I had no right to say I wanted a divorce— What?” Her green eyes widened. “What did you say?”

“I love you. A lot. I have for a while. We’re not getting a divorce without talking about it first. Once you agree to that, I’m going to convince you to stay with me for always.”

“I do love a man with a plan.” Her lips trembled. “Real love?”

“The forever kind.” He kissed her again. “The kind that means I’m not leaving, so you should consider sticking around, too.”

“I will. I am. I’ve been running away from what scared me for so long that I forgot what it was like to run to something. To you.”

He held her close and breathed in the scent of her.

“Marry me,” he whispered. “Not because you’re pregnant or because it’s the right thing to do. Marry me because you can’t imagine spending another day without me. Marry me because we’re a family. You, me, Starr, the baby. Marry me so we can be together always.”

She looked into his eyes. “I already did, Kipling.” She leaned against him. “I already did.”

Kipling led her to his Jeep. She climbed inside. They would deal with her car later. They would deal with a lot of things. But the decisions would be easy, because they were together.

It wasn’t flying down a mountain at seventy miles an hour, he thought as he started down the highway. It was better.

She took his hand in hers. “I’m going to write a song about this.” She grinned. “After we have sex.”

He was still laughing when they drove into town.