“Yael,” he whispered in anguish, slowly exhaling, before touching her cheek. She looked back at him.

“There will never be a time that I am not sorry for what I did. I was destroyed by Scotty’s death. The belief that it was my fault, that I should have been the one to die in his place—” His voice caught. “And then Montana going down in that air crash.” He shook his head. “Give me the chance to make it up to you. Give me the chance to love you.”

Shane’s green eyes were vivid against the drabness of the hospital room.

She loved those eyes. She loved everything about him but she wasn’t quite ready to tell him that. Not yet.

She swallowed. “I’m not sure if you appreciate what life with me might be like. Even now some jerk will be online saying that I’m somehow to blame for both what happened fifteen years ago, and for what happened two days ago. Some conspiracy theorist will have some bullshit story how it’s all connected to some Deep State nonsense or how EG was some kind of invention by the FBI to garner support.”

He smiled at her and kissed her fingers. “And you’ll help shine a light on the truth and track down the bad guys.”

Tears swam in her eyes and she blinked rapidly.

“You really are the bravest person I know.” Shane stared at their clasped hands. “I can’t imagine how difficult life must have been for the teenager you were, especially having lost your immediate family all on the same day. I’m willing to be half as brave as you are if you give me the chance to stand by your side.” His fingers tightened on hers and he stared deep into her eyes. “I will not let you down, ever again.”

“Promise?” she asked with a watery smile.

He kissed her deeply, pulled away slowly. “Promise.”

Yael’s pulse raced. When it slowed back down again, she exhaled heavily. “I guess I’d better take those shooting lessons from you then, huh?”

Those green eyes of his positively glowed. “Does this mean we’re going on a date?”

She shook her head. “Our first date is not going to be on a firing range.”

“Where then?”

Yael hadn’t thought about it. Their entire relationship had evolved when she’d been avoiding the attentions of a serial killer. The thought of being free to do exactly what she wanted was liberating and at the same time terrifying.

“How about sailing?”

He tilted his head. “You like boats?”

“I don’t have a lot of experience but I’ve always liked the thought of learning to sail… That, or scuba diving.”

He grinned. “A friend of mine in the BAU has a sailboat. I’m sure he’ll let us borrow it.”

“You know how to sail?” Yael asked in surprise.