“Surprise!” Charlie jumped at the sound, nearly losing her footing and jerking backward. Strong arms steadied her and then wrapped around her waist, pulling her against a hard body. Charlie grinned. She knew exactly who was behind her. She’d enjoyed every inch of hardness Shane had to offer that morning, before he’d had the impromptu idea to visit the firehouse.

Impromptu her ass.

Connor and Matt stood at the front, sporting ridiculous party hats. Behind them stood the rest of the squad. Even Chief Stone smiled at her from the back of the room. It figured that Matt’s bellow had been the loudest, nearly landing her on her butt. She looked past them to the balloons hanging from the ceiling, a banner reading “Congratulations!” hanging from the back wall. Tears peppered her eyes and she swiped them away, turning her face into Shane’s chest when blush covered her cheeks.

“Hey now,” he said, lifting her face to his with a finger under her chin. “What’s up?” His eyes filled with concern. “Is it too much? We can go home.” His hand tightened around hers. “I shouldn’t have told the guys we were coming. You need a break after today.”

Charlie smiled again and held her hand up against his mouth to shut him up. No, this was exactly what she needed today. She was still on medical leave, the doctor insisting on a full two weeks, at least. The world no longer spun, but she still got regular headaches. It wasn’t so bad, though, at least after she’d convinced Shane it was in his best interests to stop treating her like she was about to fall apart. When she’d emerged from what turned out to be an old bomb shelter on an abandoned property, Shane had practically ripped her from the arms of the HRT member who had carried her up the bunker’s ladder.

First, he’d almost suffocated her all over again with a hug so tight it felt like he was squeezing the air out of her lungs. Just as quickly, he’d sworn and then released her, only to lay his jacket down on the muddy ground and gently push her down on top of it. His face had been tender, but he’d meant business. Even without any of their equipment, he’d had her examined and triaged before any of their colleagues could even arrive. He hadn’t let go of her hand, though, even through the examination, or through the transport to the hospital. She’d been surprised the ER doc had managed to convince him to separate from her, but even then, he still hadn’t left the room.

Usually, friends and family members who came in with patients were quickly ushered out to the waiting room. No one even tried with Shane. Charlie was glad. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the flash of bright light. That’s all there had been before the noise had begun, so loud that she hadn’t heard her own heartbeat. She felt it, though, beating out a retort in her chest that pulsed as rapidly as the gunfire echoing around her.

When the world fell quiet and she’d opened her eyes, at first there had been nothing to see. Her hands had fallen slack by her side, freed at some point by persons unknown. Her knees had given way after that, right when she’d spotted Darryl Scranton lying on the floor with a neat hole drilled through his forehead.

Funny how something so small could take down a monster who had haunted her dreams for a decade.

Then the world had tipped upside down again as she was slung over the shoulder of the HRT man, and before she knew it, she was in the arms of someone who she hoped would fill her dreams for many years to come. A man who loved her and would take care of her.

She was still capable of making her own cup of coffee, though, for God’s sake. It had taken exactly twenty-four hours for things between them to return to normal. Charlie needed normal. Normal was incredible. Waking up next to Shane the next day was even better. She could do that for the rest of her life.

The man in question took her hand, guiding her to a seat on the main couch, and then turned to head toward the kitchen, grabbing a mug. She smiled. When he wasn’t driving her crazy with overprotectiveness, Shane seemed to know exactly what she needed. Just today, she’d let him get her coffee.

It had been a hell of a day. Nothing like the day she was slung over the shoulder of the FBI and delivered to Shane in a muddy field. She’d be glad if she never had to think or speak of it again. She’d said it all today, at a deposition. The FBI had put the dots together that day, when they’d found Scranton’s stash of trophies. Some of the bodies might never be found, but at least those families had closure. She’d helped give them that, and in the process, found some herself. Lying in Shane’s warm embrace, falling asleep after they’d come together, him moving inside her until they both found ecstasy, Charlie’s mind was at peace. The nightmares no longer came.

The room suddenly fell silent and she looked up. Just what the hell were they up to? She looked around the room for Jeremy, but he was standing right where he’d been for the last several minutes. As much as she loved her new normal, she wasn’t quite ready for any epic pranks. Though she was sure they were coming, now that her relationship with Shane was out in the open. There was no way the guys were going to let that pass uncelebrated. She frowned. So then why the hell hadn’t anyone said a damn thing when they’d arrived today? Shane had wrapped her in his arms and kissed the living daylights out of her in front of them all, and not one remark. She arched an eyebrow at Jeremy, who looked the picture of innocence. He said nothing, and her attention was diverted by Shane arriving with her coffee.

No, Shane standing in front of her without a coffee mug in his hands. They were wrapped around something else. She opened her mouth to ask what was going on, but all that came out was a gasp when Shane dropped to one knee. Right in front of the ragged old paisley print firehouse couch.

“Charlie. I’ve known you for years, but I feel like we’ve finally found each other now.” A small grin crossed his face. Charlie tried to smile back, but her mouth was still hanging open in shock. “You are my partner in all things, and you do an amazing job—both at work and at other things.” Someone snickered behind him, but he kept going. “I promise I’ll let you make your own coffee every day for the rest of your life. You are my friend, my partner, my lover, my everything. Would you do me the absolute honor of becoming my wife?”

She blushed again, but she didn’t care. Her grin was wide enough to hide it. A warmth raced through her body as her heart pounded. It didn’t matter. She had only one thing she had to say. “Yes.”

Somewhere in the background, she heard cheers, along with a few whistles, but all Charlie saw was Shane’s face as he slipped the ring on her finger, and all she felt was his lips as they met hers. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her to him, his tongue thrusting between her lips. She melted into his embrace, and Shane held her firmly. The nightmares of her past were gone. This right here was all she needed. Shane was hers—to have and to hold, and to kiss the living fuck out of.

So she did.