Epilogue

Alex picked up the slobber-covered stick and chucked it in the air. Roci and Midas took off after it, bumping into each other as they charged forward.

“Mine, mine,” Kai Costa yelled, chasing after the dogs. Roci and Midas reached the stick at the same time and a game of tug-of-war ensued. Roci was a younger version of Kai’s dog. Both were golden retrievers and they bonded almost instantly, so much so, that Alex felt guilty every time he had to separate them. A U-Haul stopped at the security gate and then motored down the road that led to employee’s homes. He wondered if someone had ordered new furniture or something.

The dogs raced back, each carrying one end of the stick. They dropped it at his feet.

“Good doggy,” he praised. “You too, Roci. Midas.”

“Har har,” Kai said, breath bellowing out as he bent over to rest his hands on his knees. “You think they’d let me win just once.” As if understanding what his young master said, Midas picked up the stick, loped over and dropped it at Kai’s feet.

Kai dropped to the ground and threw his arms around his dog. Roci, thinking this was a new game, pounced, and soon two dogs and one boy were rolling around on the ground with laughter and barks filling the air.

Smiling, Alex snapped a picture and sent it to Olivia. He’d been sending her snaps of Roci for the last two weeks. She usually texted back instantly so he was a little concerned when his note went unanswered.

He checked the time. Dorian and Kendall were having a party tonight and he needed to shower and change. He didn’t feel like being social. He’d rather curl up on the sofa in his apartment and talk into the wee hours of the night with Olivia as he did most nights, but he promised his best friend he’d be there. “Hey, Kai, it’s time to go.” He didn’t want to mention the party since kids weren’t invited.

“Okay,” Kai said pushing to his feet as he wiped doggie drool from his face.

“Hop in.” Roci leaped onto the passenger seat of the golf cart. He loved tooling around the compound. Kai and Midas jumped in the back and he drove them home. The U-Haul was parked in Dorian and Kendall’s driveway. They must’ve rented equipment for the party.

He returned to his apartment in the COBRA Securities housing complex. A few months ago, he’d purchased a parcel of land close to Dorian and Kendall and he’d made an appointment with their builder to construct his house. He and Olivia talked about it and he committed to memory every detail that she said she wanted in her home. When he met with the architect in a few days, he planned on having a home that Olivia might want to live in one day.

As soon as he stepped out of the shower, he checked his cell. Still no message from her. He dialed her number and it went instantly to voice mail. His worry ratcheted up a notch. Then he remembered her telling him she would be attending a surprise party tonight. They laughed about both having parties on the same night.

He made sure Roci’s food and water bowl were filled before he returned to the golf cart and motored to Dorian’s house. Everyone drove golf carts around the compound, but there weren’t any others around. He checked his watch. He might be a tad early, but he expected someone to be here. The U-Haul was gone, he noted absently. The party was being held in the back yard so he parked his cart and headed in that direction. Lights shimmered off the surface of the pool and music was playing, but no one was milling around. “Hello? Anyone here?”

“Surprise!”

Alex spun around, stunned to see Olivia standing on the patio.

“Olivia?” He moved so fast, he was surprised he didn’t leave skid marks. He scooped her up in his arms and kissed her.

A hand slapped him on the back. “As a wise friend once said, get a room.”

He ignored Dorian and kept on kissing.

Finally, he ended the kiss and buried his hands in her hair, grasping her head. Her hands covered his. “What are you doing here? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I did. I told you I was going to a surprise party. You just didn’t know it was yours.”

He couldn’t wipe the stupid grin off his face. “I love you.”

Tears swam in her eyes. “I love you, too.”

Something dawned on him. “The U-Haul…” His eyes widened. “Are you…” At her nod, he whooped and crushed her to him again, filled with so much hope, he thought he’d burst. He pulled back again. “What about your job?”

“I quit.”

“Oh, babe, your report on the Vigilante was award-winning. You could write your ticket anywhere.”

“Well, Pierce did offer to double my salary and kick his own son off of co-hosting duties.”

“He offered to fire Dipshit? And you turned it down?”

She nodded.

“Why?”

“Because of you.”

He groaned and hugged her tight, dropping his chin to her head. “I don’t want you to give up your career for me. I can find a job in New York. Luke and Logan have connections, Detective Benson, too.”

“I wish you’d told me that before I quit my job and gave up my apartment.”

He jerked back and looked into her eyes. She was grinning. “I’m kidding. It wouldn’t have made a difference. I loved my job but that wasn’t the life I wanted anymore. I’m part owner with Kendall and Taylor’s production company. I’ll still be in the business. I can live without my job. I can’t live without you.”

Damn it all to hell, he was going to cry like a big baby. He grabbed her hand and towed her to his golf cart.

“Hey, where are you going?” Kendall called out. “She just got here. We haven’t had a chance to catch up. I made margaritas!”

“I’ll bring her back in a day…or three.”

He ignored the knowing laughter from his best friend and grasped Olivia’s hips to boost her into the cart. He pushed the petal to the metal in his haste to get home and make love to the woman he loved.

Dan Bradley was waiting outside the apartment when they arrived. Judging by the shit-eating grin on his face, he either knew about the “surprise party” or Dorian had called him.

“Out of my way, Bradley,” he cautioned as he clasped Olivia’s hand and headed for his unit.

“Now, now, don’t be rude, Alex.” Dan blocked their path. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to this lovely woman?”

He placed his palm against Dan’s chest and pushed. Hard. Dan stumbled back and crashed to the ground.

“Alex!”

“Don’t worry, honey, he can take it.”

“Ms. Larrson!”

Alex groaned as footsteps pounded behind them. He narrowed his gaze at Dan, who was rolling on the ground, chortling like a damn hyena. “What did I ever do to you?” Dan held up his hands in mock surrender.

#

“Ms. Larrson, do you remember me?”

Olivia twisted around and her face lit with happiness. She opened her arms and hugged Kai Costa. She’d interviewed the young boy after he saved his now-stepsister from a serial killer. “Of course I remember you, Kai. You don’t forget heroes. And you can call me Olivia.”

“I can?” When she nodded in confirmation, he added, “Dan said you were moving here. Is that true?”

She glanced at the man rolling on the ground with glee. “Dan, I take it?” He wiggled his fingers. She faced Kai. “Yes, I am.”

“Yeah!” He punched a hand in the air. “You know, you’re almost as pretty as my girlfriend, Lauren.”

“Hey Kai,” Dan called out. “I bet Alex and Olivia would love to take you for some ice cream.”

“Really?” Kai jumped up and down.

“Are you kidding me?” Alex sputtered, narrowing his gaze at Dan. “Kai, I love you kid, and we’ll take you for ice cream tomorrow, but right now Olivia and I have some things to talk about.” He grabbed her hand and practically yanked her forward.

“Aw, man,” Kai complained. “I wanted a chocolate malt.”

“Have Bradley take you after he finds the ass he’s currently laughing off,” Alex suggested.

“You said ass!” Kai repeated.

“See you later, Kai. Nice to meet you, Dan,” she said over her shoulder, noting that Dan was laughing even harder.

Alex guided her up a flight of stairs and he opened a door, not even using a key. After going through the security to get in to the COBRA Securities compound, she supposed keys were optional. As soon as the door closed, he had her pushed up against it, kissing the daylights out of her.

“Ruff, ruff!”

Alex broke the kiss as two big paws landed against them.

“Roci!” She dropped down and hugged the golden retriever. She’d missed him. He bathed her face with his tongue.

“Dog’s honing in on my job,” Alex grumbled and she laughed, happier than she could ever remember being.

A knock sounded on the door and Alex threw his hands in the air. “What now?” She chuckled at the look of exasperation on his face.

He whipped open the door. Kai stood in the hall looking a little sheepish. “Uh, hi, Alex.” He waved. “Olivia. Dan said that I should ask to take—” He stopped and glanced down the hall and she heard whispering. Kai slapped his forehead. “Oh, right. Dan said that I need to apologize first for interrupting your French lessons. I didn’t know you spoke French?”

Olivia burst out laughing, causing Roci to bark and jump around in happiness. Alex was laughing, too. He stuck his head into the hall. “Good one, Bradley.”

“Hey, I just got that,” Kai told them. “I’m nine, not stupid. And ew!”

Roci noticed the visitor and he abandoned her to run to Kai. Kai rubbed his face with both hands. “The other reason I’m here is that Dan said I should ask if Roci can have a sleep-over with Midas. Can he? Can he?”

Alex glanced over at her, the smile lighting his whole face. She loved this man so much. “Kai has a golden, too and he and Roci have bonded. They’re almost inseparable. Do you care if he spends the night?”

That he bothered to ask made her heart clench. “Sure.” She gave Roci a good-bye kiss, brushed one against Kai’s cheek and waved at Dan.

“Later,” Alex called out and then slammed the door and locked it for good measure. He spun around to face her and the look on his face could only be called predatory. She squealed when he charged at her and lifted her in his arms. Then his mouth was on hers and she forgot about everything but the man. Somehow, he managed to get them both naked on the walk to the bedroom. He tossed her to the mattress, followed her down and then he was sliding into her. The sensations were intense but it ended all too soon as they both shattered together. He pulled her close and tucked her against his side. She latched onto the arm around her stomach.

“Alex?”

“Hum?”

“I want you to know I’m not presuming anything by coming here. Kendall’s going to help me find an apartment in town so there’s no pressure—”

She gasped as he rolled her to her back and came down over her. “You will do no such thing.”

“But I—”

“Shh,” he interrupted. He reached over and opened the drawer beside the bed.

“Is that your naughty drawer? Do you have a wicked stash of sex toys in there?” she joked.

His body reacted and he pinned her with his blue gaze. “God, don’t put that idea in my head or I’ll be maxing out my credit card at Sex-Toys-R-Us.”

She laughed. “Is that even a store?”

He smiled at her and shrugged. Then he pulled out a black velvet box and she gasped, scooting out from under him to lean against the headboard. “Alex?”

His face was serious now. “I’ve gone over and over in my head all the ways I wanted to propose to you.”

She could barely see him through the veil of tears. “You did?”

He nodded. “I thought about flying to New York and popping the question on top of the Empire State Building.”

“Romantic,” she choked.

“Then I considered tying the ring to Roci’s collar.”

“Sweet,” she managed.

“I wanted to make it special but I can’t wait any longer. Olivia Larrson, will you marry me? Be my wife, my lover, my best friend? Spend the rest of your life with me? I will do everything in my power to make you happy.”

Olivia shot forward, using the momentum to knock him on his back. The black box went flying. “Yes! Of course I’ll marry you, Alex. I love you, have loved you since the moment we met when you were tackling me to the ground. You literally took my breath away that night and I haven’t been able to breathe without you since.”

Alex crushed her to him, rolled them over and kissed the ever-loving daylights out of her. He made love to her again, slower this time. When they were both spent from passion, he reached around on the floor until he found the box. He tugged the ring free, held her hand and slid it on.

“It’s perfect,” she murmured.

“Kendall helped me pick it out,” he admitted. “If you don’t like it or want to change the stone—”

She held a finger against his lips to stop him. “I love it, Alex. It’s beautiful and perfect but the only thing I need is you.”

###