Risking it All (Crossing the Line, #1)(68)

“Bowen.” She laid a finger over his lips. “Let’s go home.”

Oh, God. Was it possible for a man’s heart to explode in his chest? “I like you saying that.”

Hands brushing, mouths seeking, they pulled their clothing back into place.

Alarm pricked the back of his neck when he realized they’d been vulnerable for— how long? Jesus, anything could have happened while he’d been lost in her.

He needed to be more careful. Hogan was set to return early for the shipment tomorrow, and the threat to Sera would skyrocket.

Bowen would handle it. He would.

He’d keep her safe, protect her with his life without a second thought. Could he finally walk away from Brooklyn? Yes.

Yes. In a heartbeat. As long as he had her, anything was possible.





CHAPTER


TWENTY-TWO


Walking into Bowen’s apartment, Sera felt resolved. For the first time in recent memory, she’d made a decision based o n her needs, not the needs of others.

Making the decision to throw herself into his arms had been scary, until those arms had closed around her and his energy had wrapped her inside it. She craved the need he felt for her. She wanted him to need her, because with every second that passed, her own attachment cemented itself. As soon as everything was out in the open, no secrets littering the ground in front of them, the connection she felt to him could only strengthen.

She wasn’t ready to think about what her actions meant. What repercussions they might have in regard to her future.

One that now included Bowen. Her uncle, the serious problems presented by what she’d done…those would need to be dealt with. Soon. She hoped, prayed, Bowen would want to help her solve those problems. But not tonight. After what she’d learned from her uncle in the alley, her brain couldn’t process any more. Months of preparation, years of pain, had been funneled into this mission to avenge her brother, and in the end, the whole thing had only been part of a cover-up to protect a corrupt man. A man she’d obviously never known. It had been one big illusion, a relationship she’d created with the charismatic man on television.

“Hey.” Bowen tipped her chin up, a frown marring his brow. “What are you thinking about?”

“I’m thinking I’m hungry.”

He focused on a spot past her shoulder.

“You’re

not…you

don’t

already regret—”

“No.” She shook her head, laying a hand over his. “I just want to be here with you tonight. I don’t want to think about anything else. Can we do that?”

Oh, boy. He wanted to argue. She could see it. Sera had no doubt that if he could pin her to the floor and demand to know every thought in her head, he would do it. Bowen didn’t sit back and wait for explanations, and this was new to him. Instead of pressing, though, he squared his jaw and nodded. “I haven’t been to the store in a while. Been a little distracted.” He winked at her on the way to the refrigerator. “Egg sandwich? Or I can order something…”

“Egg sandwich, please.” She leaned on the counter, utterly delighted to watch this rough-hewn man with visible battle scars cracking eggs into a bowl with enough masculine grace to flush her skin.

As he performed the task, he threw her somber glances over his shoulder.

Expecting her to disappear? How could she blame him? Her plan all along had been to disappear. Still was. Only now, she would ask him to find her worthy enough to follow. If he didn’t, the loneliness would be vastly harder than before because she knew what it felt like, being with him.

“Ladybug.” Sera jumped when she realized Bowen was leaning across the counter, face inches from hers. “I can get on board with your no-thinking rule, but you have to cooperate.”

She

picked

up

the

sandwich.

“Cooperating.”

Bowen tucked into his own sandwich.

“So I guess your waitressing career is over,” he said between bites. “Good thing you have those law enforcement skills to fall back on.” One end of his mouth ticked up, but his eyes were serious. His not-so-subtle way of asking if she intended to remain on the force?

“Something tells me you won’t get a good reference from Rush.”

“Are you saying I’m not a good waitress?” she evaded.

“No. I’m saying you’re a terrible one.”

Determined to keep the mood light, she threw a balled-up napkin at him.

“It’s harder than it looks. I’ve had patients come into the ER less concerned about a broken leg than some customers in Rush are about their chicken wings.”

“Wings are no joke.”

“Hmm.” She downed the last of her sandwich, feeling even more relaxed now that she had something in her stomach. “Anyway, you were my most belligerent customer and you didn’t even order anything to eat.”

“I wanted to. I wanted to watch you bring me dinner. Still do.” He scrubbed a hand over his hair. “Jesus, that didn’t sound so f*cking crazy in my head.”

“I’ll make you dinner someday,” she rushed to say, wanting to erase the sudden insecurity in his face. “I owe you for the egg sandwich.”

“You never owe me for anything.