“We’ll see you both in the morning,” he said and then turned to Malin. “Damn good work, Kilbourne. I don’t know what your future holds, but I sure would like to see you o
n our team.”
Merrigan stood and put her hand on Malin’s arm. “I would too. You’re a fine agent and a very brave human being.”
“I’m Alex,” said one of the other two women. “I don’t know if you remember me, and I have no idea what Kade and Merrigan are talking about, but I know this, as badass as you sound, you’d fit in around here just perfectly. Wouldn’t she, Peyton?”
The other woman smiled and nodded. “Definitely.”
“What’re you thinkin’, Dutch?” asked Doc. “Maybe considering a move to the West Coast? Oh wait, there’s a little island off the coast of South Carolina with your name on it, isn’t there?”
“We’ll see. Right now, Malin and I are taking each day as they come.”
17
When they got outside the winery door, Dutch lifted her hair from her neck and put his lips on her nape.
“What’s going on, Dutch?”
“What do you mean?”
“That was fun and all, but aren’t you being more than a little presumptuous?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Malin closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Was he really that thick-headed or was he dismissing her? “‘Malin and I are taking each day as they come,’ or how about ‘I’ll RSVP for your wedding right now. I’ll be there, and Malin will be my date.’”
“What about it?” he asked as they walked to the cottage.
“What if I don’t want to go to a wedding with you?”
“You don’t?”
“That’s my point. You don’t know if I want to or not because you didn’t ask me.”
“I’m sorry, I just assumed…”
She stopped walking. “Dutch?”
He stopped too. “I’m sorry, okay? I got a little ahead of myself.”
“A little?”
“I really don’t see what the problem is, Malin.”
“A few days ago, you shot a man who was holding me at gunpoint and forced me to flee an op I was in the midst of. If you remember, I did not go along with you willingly. Not only that, in that same time period, we’ve argued as much as we’ve had sex.”
“I haven’t made a secret of the fact that I want you in my life.”
“No, you haven’t, but I haven’t said that’s what I want.”
“Yes, you did.”
“When?”
“‘Oh, Dutch, can’t we pretend this is our life for just a little while?’”
“Are you mocking me?”