“Bones, you good?” Falcon appeared beside him.
Beckett blinked, realizing only then that he’d just been standing there, staring at that damn hole in his suit that whole time.
“Yeah.” He dropped his hand to his side and turned to face his friend. “I’m good. In fact”—a goofy-assed grin spread wide across his face—“I’m fuckin’ great.”
He was alive and in love, and that’s exactly what he planned to tell Evie the second she opened the door. Because her friend Lo was scheduled to return home in a few more days, and after that…
I can’t let her go back to Portsmouth without telling her how I really feel.
So yeah. That was the first step in his rapidly evolving plan. As for the second…
Beckett put a hand to his earpiece, activating the one-on-one option on his mic. “Hey, Shadow, you still around?”
Silence filled the tiny speaker a few seconds before he heard?—
“Are you back home, snuggled safe and sound in the comfort of your own bed?”
With any luck, my bed won’t be the one I’m crawling into.“Not yet,” he told the smartass woman what she already knew.
“Then of course, I’m still here.” Shadow’s tone held a slight hint of admonishment. But by her next question, the brilliant woman had already returned to her naturally chipper tone. “What can I do for you, Bones?”
“I have a favor.”
“Ooh…so like…you’d owe me one?”
“Yes, but it’s not actually for me.”
“Color me intrigued. Who’s it for?”
“A…friend.”
“Friend, huh?” A soft chuckle filled his ear. “Would this friend happen to be of the female species, and would her name happen to be?—”
“It’s for Evie,” he offered up what the woman already knew. “The favor’s for Evie, and…it’s kind of a big one.”
Apart from giving Evie a ring—which he’d damn well be doing as soon as he could find the time to visit a jeweler’s—this was the biggest, most personal gesture he could think of to show her just how much she meant to him.
“Oooh, a challenge. Okay, then…” Shadow sounded almost as excited as he felt. “Lay it on me, big guy, and I’ll see what I can do.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
I can’t wait to see you, either!
Evie smiled wide as she sent the message she’d just finished typing on her phone. She’d woken to find a text waiting from Beckett letting her know his team had completed their most recent mission, and he’d be back home before dinner.
A dinner he was planning to make for them both…at his place.
I’ll finally get to see where Beckett lives.
Evie yawned as she sat the phone down onto the kitchen counter, grabbing the coffee pot and pouring herself another cup. Her first had been consumed earlier, when she’d come downstairs after her shower, but she hadn’t slept well since Beckett had been away, and the lack of a good night’s rest was starting to hit.
Just a few more hours, and he’ll be back where he belongs.
It was crazy to think someone who was such a recent addition in her life could have this much of a stark impact on her day-to-day living. But he did. Every day. And from what Evie could tell, there were no signs that was about to change.
Memories of the two of them laughing hysterically over leftover pizza would strike at the most unexpected of times.Visions of the two of them talking into the wee hours of the night about nothing and everything created hidden smiles from stories only she would understand.
And then there were the other times. Times when Evie would be taking a shower—or hell, just doing the dang dishes—and she’d almostfeelthe warmth of his hands caressing her body to new, exciting heights.