The Cinderella Mission (Family Secrets #1)(62)
Author: Catherine Mann

He stared up at her. Waiting. Moonlight illuminated the unease shifting in his eyes. Not that edgy need to run she’d seen so often in him, but something different. A genuine fear of losing her. Kelly stared down into those worried eyes, searching and saw…

Ethan.

Not the millionaire playboy, but the whole picture. All the layers to Ethan Williams—the charming bad boy, the seasoned agent, the youthful avenger who jimmied electric gates, the tender lover who made her a bed of flowers. And yes, the stubborn, overprotective lout, as well.

He’d been right when he’d told her he wasn’t some fairy-tale prince. He was something better. A real man with flaws. And she loved him, flaws and all. The real Ethan. Just as Ethan loved her and had wanted her long before her Cinderella night.

The real Kelly. A stronger Kelly than she’d been two weeks ago. A woman past girlhood crushes and ready to embrace the love of the incredible man at her feet.

A deeper realization and peace settled over her as she accepted her own self worth. How odd that only through accepting herself could she appreciate what was really beautiful about Ethan. And oh, he was such a beautiful man through and through.

“Yes, Ethan, I love you and I’ll marry you. Oui. Si. Ja. And again yes, in any language, my answer’s the same. Yes.”

She launched off the hood and into his arms. He rocked back, braced a hand on the asphalt and steadied.

Not that she intended to let him stay that way. She looked forward to rocking his world for the rest of their lives.

Kelly sagged against him, lured him with a kiss and lost her own focus for a heart-thumping minute. Then sent them both sprawling to the snow-cushioned parking lot. “You bet I’m happy to take you on, Williams. Starting right now.”

She lowered her face to his and began her own determined assault on his senses.

Ethan palmed her hips, his best bad-boy smile in place for her and her alone. “Well, my dragon-lady partner, this is one time I’m more than happy to let you have the upper hand.”

Epilogue

Dr. Alex Morrow was alive.

Samuel Hatch sensed it deep in his sixty-year-old, instinct-seasoned gut. And luckily, he didn’t have to rely on his gut alone.

Hatch adjusted the sunlamp on the thriving sprout of his potted strawberry plant. No need for antacid today.

Thanks to Ethan Williams and Kelly Taylor’s top-notch ops work, an entire ring of Rebelian spies and jewels thieves were in custody, half of whom were more than happy to talk in exchange for lighter sentences. Alex Morrow’s captivity in Rebelia—if not the exact location—had been confirmed. And most important, their leader intended to keep Alex alive.

Peter Miller was proving difficult, but they wouldn’t be cutting deals with that bastard anyway. His litany of crimes was long—the jewel heist and Taylor’s abduction merely starting the list. He would pay in full for his assassination of Ethan’s parents.

Lifting the yellow watering can Rita had favored, Hatch liberally sprinkled a shower over the soil. He’d read on the Internet that water plumped the fruit. He could swear he saw the first hint of a bud even now.

Soon to be ruby-red.

Rebelia’s leader Bruno DeBruzkya had ordered his legions around the world to gather jewels. Worldwide efforts to freeze assets of countries sponsoring terrorism had left DeBruzkya seeking alternative methods to finance his network. Whatever the sick bastard had planned for Alex, DeBruzkya had to be stopped.

Replacing the watering can, Hatch stared at his map of the world with agent locales marked, the pin identifying Robert Davidson slowly gaining prominence in his mind. Given Davidson’s familiarity with the region and its people from his assignment there two years ago, he would make the logical choice for the next stage. Davidson would ascertain Alex’s exact location.

No question about it.

Hatch’s instincts had carried him through situations that would have downed most operatives, and his instincts had seen him through again. He’d been a hundred percent on the mark in pairing Ethan Williams and Kelly Taylor for this mission.

Professionally and personally.

From one of the monitor screens lining the wall, a cheer drifted, swelled. He’d left the security camera on the ops-support office in anticipation of Ethan and Kelly’s triumphant visit.

The victors had arrived.

In a job with never-ending stresses, Hatch had learned fast to savor the celebrations when they came. Crises would invade soon enough.

He strode past the wall of monitors and the lengthy conference table, out into the ops-support room of cubicles where Kelly Taylor had once worked. Keeping a low profile, he watched from the periphery of the crowd. Beside her old desk stood Ethan Williams and Kelly, unabashedly holding hands.

Cheers built as heads popped up above the divider walls—prairie-dog style. Carla Juarez wheeled backwards.

Climbing up onto Kelly’s chair, Ethan never relinquished his hold on her hand, as if he might be wary of fate stealing her away. Hatch leaned against the wall, watching from the outskirts. Wise boy, Williams. Cherish her while you have her and make every day count.

Ethan whistled between two fingers until the room quieted. “Everyone, listen up. I have a question that needs addressing.” He turned on the chair to encompass the whole room. “Is there anyone here who doesn’t know how crazy in love I am with this woman?”

Laughter rippled past the cubicle walls in an infrequent but welcome bout of brightness.

Gazing down at Kelly, Ethan continued, “Because if there’s any doubt, I want to make sure it’s cleared up right now.”

Hatch enjoyed a rare smile. Eugenie owed him a big thanks for delivering this one. He looked forward to the day his old friend whipped out photos of her grandchildren.

Watching young love in action, he couldn’t help but remember how he and Eugenie had given it quite a run in their day. Of course they’d always known they weren’t cut out for a life together. Not the way he and Rita had later been meant for each other.

The way Ethan and Kelly fit.

Eugenie liked her freedom and he needed peace in his personal life to balance out the turmoil of his work. But those days with Eugenie Williams did make for some damned fine memories.

Juarez pitched a pencil at Ethan. “Yeah, Williams, I think we all got an earful of you and your undying affection during last night’s mission.”

“That you did.” Ethan’s eyes clouded with memories, before clearing again with a mischievous twinkle. “But then, what’s not to love about Kelly? She’s smart, funny, gorgeous, packs heat with a purpose. Knows what a moron I can be, but is willing to take me on anyway.”