Jill Shalvis - Shadow Hawk

Two weeks later

ABBY CLOSED HER CELL PHONE and smiled. She also purred and stretched like a kitten because there was a pair of big, strong hands spreading suntan lotion on her back, smoothing it up and down in a delicious motion as she lay sprawled out in a large, comfy beach chair beneath a palm tree, the gorgeous crystal-clear ocean hitting the shore only five feet in front of her… “Mmm.”

The South Pacific was definitely all it was cracked up to be.

The fingers dug in a little, loosening up her muscles, and she let out a heartfelt appreciative moan. Then a mouth skimmed her ear.

“What did Tibbs want?” that mouth asked, her own personal cabana boy. God, she loved it when he sounded like that, all low and sexy. She flipped over and smiled up at Hawk, who was pouring more lotion in his hands.

Her body tingled in anticipation.

Since she wore only bikini bottoms, he could see exactly what he did to her. His gaze settled on her bare breasts, watching her nipples harden, and he let out a slow smile that had other reactions going on in her as well. She knew that heavy lidded look, knew what it meant.

Then he settled his hands on her belly and began smoothing in the lotion. Wearing only a pair of board shorts low on his hips, his hard body bronzed from two weeks in the sun, he could have passed for one of the natives here on this South Pacific island.

“Abby?”

Right. He’d asked her a question. “He wanted to make sure we’re enjoying our entire forced leave-” She broke off when his hands began their ascent, heading up her ribs…

“It’s tough, of course,” he said. “The forced leave. But someone’s got to do it.”

They grinned at each other, and Hawk’s hands continued to glide up her torso to her breasts. They were on their own private little beach, with their own private little luxurious hut behind them, only a quarter of a mile away from Logan’s and Callen’s equally private hut. Tibbs had given the four of them the trip that Gaines himself had planned to take, in reward for their service to the ATF. They’d been ordered to spend the time recouping, recovering and relaxing.

Abby was doing all three, with flying colors. “He also wanted to remind us that we still have two weeks left and he doesn’t want to see us early. But that when he does, there’s going to be a little change. We’re getting raises.”

“I like that part.”

“Me, too.”

“But I have a change of my own.”

Hawk’s thumbs slowly circled her nipples, and her breath caught. “Ch-change?”

“Of status.” Nudging her to scoot over, he slid onto the lounger and pulled her close.

She shifted so that one of his thighs was between hers but when he cupped her face, looking so serious, her heart skipped a beat.

“I love you,” he said solemnly, fiercely.

Ah. She was never going to get tired of hearing that. “I love you back, Hawk. So much.”

“My own miracle…” He stroked a strand of hair from her face. “I know this might seem fast to you, but I’ve been finding myself feeling…well, old-fashioned and proprietary.”

“Old-fashioned? Proprietary?” Abby looked down at her bare breasts, which were plumped up against his chest. “Meaning what, we have to stop getting naked?”

“Meaning I want to marry you. And live happily ever after.”

She blinked as a warmth spread outward from the very depths of her soul.

“So…what do you think?”

“That I could get used to old-fashioned and proprietary.”

Hawk let out a breath and pressed his forehead to hers. “Abby.”

Cupping his face, she pulled back to see into his eyes. “Just thought of something. Old-fashioned…does that mean we can’t sleep together before we make it legal?”

A slow, wicked grin pulled at his mouth, and he slid a hand down her spine and into her bikini bottoms, his fingers dipping low enough to make her shiver. “If I said yes, would you-”

“I’d find a way to get married right here and now,” she declared unevenly as he stripped off her bottoms and his fingers got very, very busy.

“You know…” Lowering his head, he began to kiss his way down her neck. “Did I ever tell you that Logan is an ordained minister? He did it online several years ago as a joke.”

“I love Logan.”

“But you love me more.”

Abby arched back as Hawk rolled, tucking her beneath him, gasping when he slid into her. “I love you more,” she agreed. “I love you for always…”