Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 70162 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 351(@200wpm)___ 281(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70162 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 351(@200wpm)___ 281(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
Rogue smiled, and it sent warmth rushing through me. “I know that there’s someone who likes me for me, not because they have to or because they need something from me. I know that you could do whatever you wanted, but you chose me.”
“And I would choose you again and again. Every fucking day for the rest of my life.”
Rogue tilted my head toward him so he could kiss me, letting me know for certain that I’d finally come home.
45
EPILOGUE
A few weeks later
Ghost
“You’re such a good girl,” I cooed.
Pumpkin snuffled and rubbed her face against me, and I nuzzled her back, but when I heard someone behind me, I pulled away and acted like the stoic former federal agent I obviously was.
“I saw you,” Rogue said. “I heard you too. You can’t fool me.”
“She’s a beautiful horse.”
“Damn right she is, and you like her.”
“I have come to appreciate her finer points.”
“And she’s come to enjoy your baby talk.”
I flipped him off.
“I thought you were in some important meeting with Grant and TJ,” Rogue said.
“I was. We’ve got two new safehouse clients coming in next week, and X says one of them is a hell of a lot of trouble.”
“Then why is he sending the asshole to us?”
“Because he knows we can handle him.”
“Ugh.”
I grinned. “You know you like a challenge.”
“I’d rather challenge you in bed than deal with some mafia brat.”
“We’ll do plenty of that too.”
Pumpkin stuck her head far over her stall door and nosed at my pocket.
“You better give her some treats, or she’s going to get rowdy.”
I pulled out another carrot and let her take it from my hand.
Rogue smiled as he watched our interaction. “Are you finally ready to accept that I’m going to teach you to ride?”
I frowned. “I like talking to Pumpkin and the others and giving them treats. I don’t need to ride them.”
“When you were on Mischief with me, I could tell you found it exhilarating. Admit it, and don’t try to lie. I’ll know.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Yes, it was. I… didn’t hate it.”
“You liked it.”
I wasn’t going to say anymore.
“I’m going to give you riding lessons, and then you’ll see.”
I could argue with him, but it was pointless. He was going to win me over. I did like challenges, and I was getting used to being around horses. Learning to ride was inevitable. “Fine. Let’s saddle this girl up, and I’ll let you teach me.” Rogue laughed, and I turned to look at him. “What the hell? I just gave you what you wanted.”
“Pumpkin is not a beginner horse. She’s only recently accepted Rhys riding her, and that was after quite a bit of patience on his part.”
She seemed docile enough when I was petting her, but Rogue really did know better than me when it came to horses. “Okay. I’ll ride another horse.”
“After your foot heals.”
“My foot is fine.”
Rogue snorted. “It might have been if you hadn’t had to run from the idiots who came for you, but the doctor said—”
“That I can walk on it as long as I don’t overdo it.”
“You can’t wear the orthopedic boot he put you in and get your foot in the stirrups.”
“Rogue, right now, I’m willing to try riding. I might talk myself—and you—out of it if you make me wait.”
He rolled his eyes. “You’re never going to talk me out of insisting you learn to ride, but you shouldn’t be on a horse with an injured foot.”
“How many times have you ridden when you should have been healing from some injury?”
“That’s different.”
I just glared at him.
“All right. If you want to be stupid like me, we’ll just do this now.”
“I’m not just going to stop taking risks, and considering my life, this is a very small one.”
He sighed, and I was sure he had no argument for that.
“Sit down and elevate your foot while I get a horse ready for you.
“Yes, sir.”
He scowled at me before walking away.
A few minutes later, he returned with a paint horse that was considerably shorter than Mischief and Pumpkin.
“This is Bob. Stay there, and I’ll get him tacked up for you and get you a boot you can wear while riding.”
I eyed Rogue critically. “This horse’s name is not Bob.”
“Sure it is. He’s nice and gentle since you’re so inexperienced.”
“You say that like you expected me to magically know how to ride. I was in the FBI, not the Mounties.”
Rogue grinned. “Don’t Mounties ride moose or something?”
The image that put in my head made me laugh. “I don’t think anyone rides moose.”
“Huh. Maybe not.”
He met my gaze, and we both cracked up. “Your dumb cowboy act is never going to fool me.”
“It’s gotten me out of a lot of trouble.”
“I bet. It’s sexy as hell, but you are one of the smartest people I know.”