“You told me to ask questions, and that’s what I did.”

He chuckled. “I believe I told you to ask questions and observe. Tackling a woman holding a shotgun is not observing. It’s acting.”

“She was going to kill us both.” Just thinking about it made my shoulders tighten.

“Are you okay?”

“Fine.” I held up my bruised hand, and he kissed it.

“I don’t mean your knuckles. I mean you.” Concern darkened his eyes. “Are you okay?”

“I was terrified.” My voice was small.

“There would be something wrong if you weren’t. Most people, when they’re scared, they freeze. You act. It’s the definition of bravery.”

“I think Mother would call that stupidity.”

“Potato. Potahto.”

I poked him in the ribs.

“Hey, now.”

“Do you ever feel like you’re missing out by not having children?” I asked.

The wattage of his smile dimmed. “We talked about this before we got married. I have you. I have Grace. That’s all the family I need.”

“I don’t want you to have regrets.” Sumner had committed murder over her regrets.

He caught my chin between his fingers and tilted my head until l looked into his coffee brown eyes. “You’re beautiful and brave and kind and I love you. No regrets. Ever.”

“You say that now, but you haven’t spent the Christmas holidays with Mother.” She was so invested in making sure everything was perfect that she drove everyone crazy.

His answering laugh rumbled through me. “You are it for me.”

I smiled at him. “I feel the same way.”

His lips moved closer to mine. “Then we have nothing left to talk about.”

There was magic between us. I felt its heat burn from my toes to the top of my head. “Stop talking and kiss me.”

And that’s what he did.

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