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“You, me, family and friends, and however many kids you want whenever you want them.”
“And your job?”
“I like my business and finance programs.” He shrugged. “I’ll probably spend less time working, though.”
She laughed. “It’s not like you need more money, right?”
“It’s not about the money. I enjoy the challenge of it.”
“I’m not judging you. You’re sexy as sin as a CEO.” She stiffened as a thought occurred to her. “Am I about the challenge, too?” She braced herself, praying that the answer was no—that the answer was deeper.
“No.” A slow smile spread across his face. “I love you, Genevieve. That’s all it will ever be about with you.”
Her breath hitched. She now trusted another soul—a brilliant man who loved her unconditionally—and she believed him without question. It was just as her mom had said… You look for a man willing to make sacrifices for you. Incredibly selfless sacrifices—actions that are not necessarily best for him but that are best for you. When both people begin doing that in a relationship, it’s real.
Genevieve would have taken a bullet for him on that sidewalk. She wouldn’t have let him die for her. Maybe it was the intensity of their situation that sped her feelings along, but she knew how she felt. He was worth it.
“I love you too, Brendan.”
He drew in a startled breath. Staring at her wide-eyed, he said, “I didn’t expect that. I thought I was in deeper than you.”
She smirked. “Did you now?”
“Yeah, I did.”
“Why is it a surprise? We’re sitting here talking about the future and kids?—”
“That’s all wonderful. I like dreaming about the future with you.” Brendan split a wide grin. “But it’s not the same as the woman I love holding my eyes and giving me a confident declaration that she loves me in return. You meant what you just said to me. I saw it in your eyes.”
Genevieve nibbled on her lip. She did mean it. He was right. This was crazy. She went from running for her life to anchoring down the man of her dreams in less than two days. She crawled across the couch and hovered over him. Gently, she brushed her lips over his. His kiss was responsive but not as confident as when he acted on impulse.
“Where’s my cocky man?”
Brendan nodded. “Sorry, my brain was getting in the way.” He gripped the back of her neck, deepening the kiss. “Want something from me?” he whispered boldly against her lips. “Name it, Gen.”
“I want all of you.”
He let out a passionate groan in response.
Heat pulsed through her belly down to her core. She really shouldn’t have stirred the both of them up, though, because they had more pressing matters than sex during prime daylight hours. Reluctantly, she pulled away, bracing herself for his response. “But first, I want you to teach me how to fight.”
He tensed beneath her, narrowing his steaming-hot cocoa-brown eyes at her. “What?”
“You said there’s a security training center here? I want to work every day we’re here on fighting, defending, shooting, weaponry?—”
“Like hell.”
She raised a brow. “That’s my expression, you know?”
“Seems we’re sharing it now more than we should. I don’t know what’s going on inside that crafty mind of yours, but?—”
“Would you really leave me defenseless if Jed gets his hands on me again?”
“Marshal’s never getting his hands on you again,” Brendan ground out. “I’ll kill him before he does.” He stood up and began to pace. “I don’t like the implications of you learning to fight, but I don’t have to. Like hell is my initial reaction, but what you choose to do will never be my decision. Just know, the only reason I don’t like it is because I don’t want you to have to.”
He prodded through his briefcase and pulled out his cell phone. “I’ll give Manning a call and have him set up a schedule at the training center for you, but a security guard will have to teach you whatever you want to learn. I won’t be an effective teacher for you because my heart won’t be in it. I’d just picture you in danger the whole time if I tried.”
“You could teach me, though?” she asked, more out of curiosity than anything. She didn’t really care if he taught her or someone else.
