Oh shoot.
“Me and my stupid mouth,” she muttered. “That wasn’t how I was going to tell you.”
“Everyone out,” he barked without moving his gaze away from hers.
There was some grumbling.
“Fine, we’re going but this conversation isn’t over,” Sebastian said sternly. The others all made noises of agreement.
She heard everyone go then the click of the door.
He spun her around so she was straddling his lap. Then clasping her face between his hands, he kissed her.
It was hard and hot. Full of possession and said everything she needed to know.
This was right. This was everything.
“You love me.”
“I love you,” she repeated. He just kept staring at her, as though he thought she might disappear. “Have you got something to say to me?”
“Yeah.”
Still nothing.
Irritation started to build and she told herself that he didn’t have to say it back.
Screw that. Yes, he did.
“Well?”
“Don’t ever scare me like that again, understand me? I can’t take it. I haven’t slept, I haven’t eaten. I thought I’d fucking lost you, and I couldn’t imagine what my life . . .” his voice cracked and her heart wept at the raw emotion on his face. He was trembling and she tried to wrap her arms around him. But he wouldn’t release her face.
Tears gathered in her eyes. “Ed, please. Let me hold you.”
“Not yet. I have to get this out and if you hug me right now, I might lose it. You don’t know how hard it’s been to hold it together, not knowing where you were, if you were safe. It fucking killed me. Something inside me tore and only having you in my arms, in my sight, under my protection is going to repair it.”
She got it. She could only imagine how terrified he’d been, not knowing that she was all right. She knew how she’d be if the situation was reversed. She didn’t know how he’d kept himself sane.
“I get it.”
“Georgina, I nearly tore this town apart searching for you. I was so damn close to losing it.”
“I’m all right, Ed. I promise. I had it under control.”
“I know you’re not fragile and that you can take care of yourself. But you’re still my baby and I’m going to look after you. I need to. My girl. My baby. I love you.”
Ed tucked her hair behind her ear. She hadn’t bothered to try to tame it.
“What about your career?” Ed asked.
“I think it’s time for my second act,” she told him. “That job wasn’t working for me anyway. I became an agent because I wanted to help people, not shuffle paper around all day.”
“You were helping people,” Ed told her.
“Not really. Not like I wanted. And I’m not sure my boss really wants me back anyway. I will figure out something else.”
“And I’ll support you in whatever you want to do.”