As we made our way from the hospital back to the church, we stopped for some much-needed nourishment along the way, only to find that the day had completely slipped away from us. Everything was closed for the night. An episode of unconsciousness, some communication misunderstandings, and an unexpected romantic declaration will do that to some people—make you lose track of time, that is.

“Looks like everyone has left for the day.”

“Crap! My mom must be so worried.”

“Nah, I texted her and let her know what was going on.”

“You texted my mother?”

“Yeah. Is that okay? We talk regularly for work things, and I didn’t think anything of letting her know that you were alright.”

“Did you mention that we are now together to her, too?”

“No! Why? Are you embarrassed of me already?”

“No! It’s not that. It’s just that I want to be the one to tell her about us.”

“Why don’t we tell her together?”

“Together?”

I launched myself into his arms, kissing his sweet lips as a reward for just being him.

“Wow! I think we’ll need to do everything together if that’s the reward I get!”

Laughing, I couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across my face.

“Together it is, then.” The words felt like a balm on an old wound. “I’d really like that, Zack.”

“Good, because I would like that, too. Hold on.”

Pulling the phone free from his pocket while still holding on tight to me, he put it against his ear.

“Yeah? Okay. When? Well, we just got back from the hospital and we’re totally famished. Can it wait until morning?”

“I see. Okay, we’ll be there in ten.”

Concern was clearly written all over his face, but he didn’t seem willing to say anything quite yet. He just watched me intently as he tapped on the shoulder of the security man who was driving.

“Reynolds, it looks like we need to head over to foxtrot tango, if you don’t mind.”

“Foxtrot tango? Am I going to this foxtrot tango?”

Disappointment took hold of me, and I felt an overwhelming sense of fear that this was coming to an end so abruptly. I knew he had obligations to his job that would inevitably curtail some plans that we had together, but this is too new. I wanted to bask in the reality of what we are a bit more before the world took hold and pulled us in different directions. As I began to pull away emotionally and physically, I felt his hold tighten unexpectedly.

“Oh no, you don’t. You’re not getting away from me that easily. Besides, you have to come with me to foxtrot tango. I’m not going alone.”

“Okay,” I said, in the most optimistic voice I could muster.

The car pulled into a street I was very familiar with, as my mom lived just down the block. When it stopped in front of her house, I realized what was going on and turned to face the man next to me.

“My mom is foxtrot tango? Seriously?”

I shoved at his shoulder with a giddy laugh, but he just shrugged. His smile told me everything, though.

“She was just worried about you, and it’s all in code, so no one but us really knows where we are right now.”

“I realize that, but why does my mom have a code for her home?”

“Well, she has a lot to say. Plus, she has some great ideas for community projects, so I end up spending a lot of time talking with her.”

I stopped walking so fast I nearly collided with him as I moved to get out of the car.

“You don’t mind, do you? I mean, it’s okay that her and I are friends, right?”

“Mind? Are you kidding me? That just makes everything so much easier on us!”

Relieved that I don’t find this troubling, he closed the car door without us exiting.

“What are you doing?”

With his lips against mine, I found myself excited by the fact that my mom will be so happy with us being together. It made me so happy that I couldn’t help but pull him in for more.

“Whoa. Now before this turns into more, we need to go inside and talk with your mom. Otherwise, we may never leave this car.”

Giggling like a school girl, I was rewarded with brief lip contact as he opened the door again. This time he took my hand as he exited the vehicle, pulling me along with him. We both glided our hands down our clothing, trying to gain some composure before we stepped toward the house.

In her haste, my mom met us halfway with hugs and a strange look.

Crap. She already knows.

“Mom.”

Before I could get the words out, she looked at Zack, placing her hand on his cheek and staring into his eyes.

“Welcome to the family, Zack. I knew you two would find each other eventually.”

“Mom!”

Laughing as though this had been his plan all along—and maybe it was—Zack hugged my mom and just conveyed his gratitude that she let him accompany me to the hospital.

 

***

 

The three of us were sitting at the table, stuffed full with the meal my mom had prepared for us.

“I didn’t think you guys would make it out of there in time to meet up with the rest of us.”

“Well, we had things to discuss that kept us a little busy.”

“I bet you did.”

“Mom!”

I couldn’t believe she was acting like this. The last guy I brought home to her… I pushed the thought away as soon as it made itself known. Then I realized that I hadn’t been with anyone since him. I must have shown my concern on my face because my mom promptly called me on it.

“It’s not the same, Katie.”

She pointedly stared at me as Zack silently watched our interaction.

“I’m sorry, what did you say?”

How did she do this telepathy thing?

“He was a horrible human being, Katie, and I’m just glad that that part of your life is over, and Zack is here with us now. With you now.”

I listened to her, trying to make the thoughts from that nightmare time relinquish their hold on me. I shook my head, blinking back tears and the bile that threatened to rise. As soon as Zack saw that I was trying not to cry, he pulled me onto his lap, gathering me into his arms and holding on tight.

“It’s okay, honey. I promise you it will be okay.”

He said this against my ear as he rocks me through the ordeal playing out in my mind.

“You don’t know.”

I tried to speak between hiccups, grasping at straws as I attempted to keep myself in check.

“I don’t need to know anything yet. When you want me to know, you’ll tell me all about it.”

I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to have found this incredible man. I wanted to tell him everything, and yet I didn’t. It was all so confusing.

“Shush it’s okay. When you’re ready, you can tell me. Right now, let’s just sit like this until you feel better.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Katelyn Elizabeth!” My mom’s booming voice interrupted our interlude. “You have nothing to be sorry for, so don’t you dare apologize to anyone, especially the people that love you most.”

“That’s right, baby. You have absolutely nothing to be sorry for.”

I was too exhausted to say anything further. Instead, I just nodded my head in agreement and enjoyed the feel of his arms wrapped tight around me. He was protecting me, making me feel cherished and loved.

When my sniffles subsided, we make our way out to head home. This had been the most eventful day in my life in a long time, but I didn’t expect it would be the beginning of everything.

“I don’t want to leave you, but you need your rest,” Zack said, kissing me at the door to my condo.

“I don’t want you to leave, either.”

Growling his indecision, he looked at me as though he wanted to devour every inch of me.

“I’d better go. We can pick up this conversation tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?”

Excitement coursed through my body. I felt suddenly awake. There was no way I could possibly wait for tomorrow.

“You know, technically, it is tomorrow now.”

“Katie…”

He said it as though he was being tortured.

“Okay, tomorrow then.”

“Tomorrow. How about lunch at Cloe’s, and then dinner at my place, around seven?”

“Sounds perfect.”

“Give me your phone.”

His abrupt change in subject left me stunned to the point of being unable to move.

“Honey, I need your phone to put my number into it.”

“Oh yeah! Sorry, I just couldn’t think.”

I shook my head at myself, pulling the phone from my pocket and placing it into his large hand. As he typed in my number, I watched his every move, storing away this moment in my mind for a rainy day.

“There, now you’re all set. We’re all set. And I meant what I said earlier, Katie, I want to know everything about you, but from your lips. When you’re ready to tell me about your past, I will be ready to listen.”

I blinked back the tears that were threatening once again to fall. God, when had I become such a crier?

“Thank you. I do want to tell you everything, and you need to know everything. It’s just…”

“Just what, baby?”

“Just… What if it changes how you see me, or how you treat me? I don’t want anything to change between us. I want us to be happy together.”

“Okay, listen to me, and listen good. I have known you for more years than you realize, and we will be fine no matter what you tell me. Being together means we need to know things about one another that aren’t always the good things. Being together means we have to face the things that has the other person relenting. The only way both of us can face this is by you telling me everything. Just like I will tell you everything—well, not really the politics things. I can’t tell you about that.”

I couldn’t believe my fortunes had changed so much over the years. My nightmare was behind me now, and this wonderful man wanted to be a part of my life.

“Okay. Tomorrow.”

“Better make dinner five instead of seven. I have a feeling we are going to need more time together to talk.”

I couldn’t help the smile that escaped me at his words. This man would quickly become my world if he kept this up.

But how long could he keep this up? He wasn’t going to change into an entirely different person, was he?

When he suddenly turned on his heels to look at me as he was leaving, I realized I had voiced my concern aloud. Then he simply pulled the phone from his pocket without saying anything else, dialed a number, and waited.

“Nadine, cancel my day tomorrow. Schedule everything for Monday instead. Thanks.”

Hanging up, he turned his attention away from me toward his security detail.

“Give us a minute. We’ll be right back.”

Guiding me by the elbow, he took the keys out of my hand to open the door.

“Grab a bag for a few days. You’re coming home with me.”

“Zack! I can’t just leave and come home with you. It’s Wednesday.”

“Technically it’s Thursday, and yes, you can. Go. I’ll call your mom to make arrangements at work.”

“But we…”

“We are together, and I want to make sure you truly understand what that means. I want to alleviate any concerns you may have about me. We can’t do that separated. We can only do that together. So, you’re coming home with me. Grab your bag.”

“This is crazy.”

“Baby, when it comes to you, I think you don’t realize how crazy I can get. Go. Grab your bag. Let’s go.”

Turning, I left the room to pack my bag. What else could I have done when a sexy man wanted to slay my dragons for me?

After several minutes, I came back to find Zack looking at photos of me and my family gathered atop my mantle.

“Ready.”

“Good, because I am absolutely exhausted. Let’s go.”

“Reynolds, Ms. Shephard is coming back to the house with us.”

“Yes, sir.”

The security detail smiled as he put my bag into the trunk.

“He probably thinks you’re going to get lucky tonight.”

“Ha! I’m so tired right now, the only lucky we are having tonight is sleep.”

“Oh, good. I didn’t want to have to use the headache line.”

He just chuckled at this, holding my hand as we made our way across town to his house. I’d been there before for a luncheon with my mom and some friends, but this was different. The house wasn’t huge, but it was still a great size for entertaining. Zack obviously liked high ceilings and big porches. The lights shone through the curtains as we approached, giving a soft glow of welcoming and warmth. I realized how much I could love living here someday.

Holy crap! Too soon, Katie!

“It’s not too soon. We’ll figure it out, I promise. I want you here with me.”

Shit! I spoke again without realizing it.

“Um, I think it is way too soon to talk moving in together.”

“Okay, just relax and make yourself at home then. We’ll leave the moving in part for another time.”

Crap!

I was screwing this up majorly before it even really started. He was probably thinking that I was insane, wishing he could just bring me back home.

“Katie, when you’re done second-guessing yourself and me, I’d like to go to bed. Let me know when you’re ready, so I can show you to the guest room.”

“Guest room? I’m not sleeping with you?”

“Do you want to sleep with me?”

“No! Well, yes. I mean, I don’t know.”

He actually had the audacity to laugh as I stammered my way through that response. Coming to stand next to me, I nearly jumped out of my skin when he brushed up against me.

“We really need to work on the together thing, but right now we both need sleep more. I would love to have you with me, but I didn’t think you would be comfortable enough to do that tonight. Maybe another night, but all I can think about right now is closing my eyes, so let’s get you into the guest bedroom so we can both focus on tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow.”

Yep, I had officially lost my mind, because that was all I said as he led me to the guest bedroom on the other side of the house.

“My room is on the other side of the house if you need me. Just relax and get some sleep. We will talk tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that. Towels are in the attached bathroom. Feel free to use the tub. The jets feel really nice on your body.”

Then he seemed to catch himself.

“Ugh! Now I’m just going to be picturing you naked in my tub, with the jets massaging parts of you that I want to massage!”

I laughed along with him, even though I wanted his hands massaging those parts, too. Then I stepped into the room as he waited on the other side of the door.

“Good night, baby.”

He kissed me without the same abandon as earlier, but the same enthusiasm was still there. I found myself leaning against the door frame, watching him walk back down the hall.

“Night” was all I could think to say back as he left.