“I don’t give a damn why you did it, Gramps. It was wrong,” Audrey told him, giving him no quarter.

“Well, I never said I was right,” he replied with a self-righteous sniff. “I said I did what I thought was right. There’s a difference.”

Though she was angry and aching, Audrey felt a smile pull at her lips. “Are you sure you shouldn’t be an attorney, because that sounds like a load of crap to me?”“Young lady,” he scolded.

“Save it,” she replied firmly. “You’re not going to ‘young lady’ me on this. You had no right to do what you did. All of this could have been avoided if you would have merely asked me if I was going to marry Derrick. I would have told you.”

He blinked as though the idea had never occurred to him.

“Anyway, it doesn’t matter now.” She stood and pushed a hand through her hair. At this point she just wanted to be alone with her thoughts and properly nurse her wounds in private. “Come on,” she said. “I’ll put fresh sheets in the guest bedroom.”

“Oh, I’ve got to go have a little chat with Flanagan before I go to bed,” he said with an ominous chuckle.

Audrey drew up short. “No you don’t. I forbid it.”His eyebrows soared up his forehead. “You forbid it?”

“That’s right. No more meddling.” Honestly, Jamie deserved nothing better than a load of brimstone from her grandfather, but she needed to set a precedent here and that was that the Colonel had to start butting out. “You are no longer permitted to meddle in my personal affairs.”

“But--“

For the second time that evening, a knock sounded at her door, then someone burst through.

Only this time that person was Jamie.

Evidently used to it by now, Moses merely lifted his head, saw that it was Jamie and lay down once more. Her grandfather, however, wasn’t so courteous.

He scowled. “What the hell do you think you’re doing here?” he demanded.

His face a mask of determination, Jamie pointed a finger at him. “Stay out of it.”

“What? Have you forgotten who you’re talking to?”

“My former boss,” Jamie replied smoothly. “And I didn’t come here to talk to you.” His gaze tangled with hers, causing the fine hairs on her arms to stand on end and an unwelcome bittersweet pang of joy to rattle her aching heart. “I came here to see you.”

“Get out,” the Colonel ordered.

“Hear me out, Audrey,” Jamie said. “That’s all I ask.”

“You either get out or I’ll put you out,” Garrett ordered, advancing on him.

“I love her, dammit,” Jamie snapped, rounding on him. “Either shut the hell up or I’ll shut you up.”

Audrey witnessed a phenomenon she’d never imagined to see--her grandfather speechless.

“Give us a minute, would you, Gramps?”

Though he looked like he wanted to argue, he didn’t. “All right,” he grumbled. He stalked to the back of the house, mumbling something under his breath about ‘mouthy upstarts’ and ‘in my day...’

Had she really heard him correctly? Audrey wondered, shooting Jamie a questioning glance. Had he really just said he loved her? A hopeful sprout of happiness grew in her chest.

For the first time since he’d charged back into her living room, Jamie looked unsure of himself. It was curiously endearing.

“Audrey, I’m sorry,” he said simply, the sincerest form of an apology. Regret painted his face with worry. “I’m not proud of going along with this. I just--“ He paused. “I just wanted out the military and your grandfather helped make that process easier than it should have been. I owed him. I agreed to a favor.” He shook his head and his intense gaze tangled with his. “But I never counted on anything like this, and I damned sure didn’t count on coming up here and falling in love with you.” He took a step toward her and grasped her shoulders. “I love you.” A helpless laugh bubbled up his throat. “You are-- You are the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I know I was wrong, but-- But don’t cut me out over it. This evening you offered me an open invitation. Don’t take it back. Please.”

Audrey considered him a moment. “Why did you make love to me when you’d already gotten the answer to the question you were sent here to get?”

Another helpless laugh rolled out his mouth. “Because I couldn’t not make love to you. I need you.”

A tremulous smile shook her mouth. That had been the answer she’d been hoping for. And she completely understood it because she needed him, too. She needed that crooked grin and those sexy twinkling eyes. She needed his warmth and his strength and his loyalty and integrity. All of the qualities which had made him a good soldier also made him a good partner. He’d charged up the hill and taken on her grandfather for her, Audrey thought with a silent chuckle. Now that took courage.

Jamie caressed her cheek, sending a wave of warmth and longing washing through her. Her lids fluttered shut, absorbing the feel of him.

“Whaddya say, Audrey? Can you forgive me?”

Audrey moved into the safe circle of his arms, wrapped her arms around his waist, then looked up and pressed a kiss to his jaw. She smiled up at him. “Haven’t you heard? I’m anything if not forgiving.”

Jamie chuckled, then lowered his mouth to hers.

“No, you’re anything if not mine.”