Ultimate Risk (R.I.S.C. Book 6)
Page 24
“It’s such a perfect day, isn’t it?” Mac asked wistfully.
“It is.” Coop rumbled. “You gonna tell me why we’re here, or should I start guessing?”
In a careful slide, she stood on the soft ground and walked toward the land’s edge. “You asked me a question the night Lillian was born. Do you remember what it was?” She heard him walking toward her.
“Yes.”
“You asked me why I thought you should propose to me again. I didn’t have an answer for you, then.” Mac turned to face him. “I do, now.”
“Mac, you don’t have to—”
“I want to,” she assured him.
Since the shooting, Coop hadn’t brought up the idea of marriage or the future with her at all. They’d just been taking everything day by day, moment by moment.
In this particular moment, his expression had become unreadable. The confidence she’d felt when this idea first struck started to wane.
In spite of that, Mac drew in a deep breath and said everything she should have said that night but was afraid to. She gave him the answer he deserved.
“You are one of the most frustrating, stubborn, pig-headed men I’ve ever known—”
Interrupting her, he said, “I think you may have misunderstood the question.” His brows were scrunched together, but the corners of his lips pulled upward.
Mac put her hands on her hips and pursed her lips. “Do you want to hear my answer or not?”
Holding back a laugh, Coop held his hands palms-up. “My apologies. Please, continue.”
“Thank you.” Clearing her throat, she started again. “You are one of the most frustrating, stubborn, pig-headed men I’ve ever known, but you are also the sweetest, funniest, most genuinely kindhearted man I’ve ever known.”
“That’s a little better,” he muttered with a smirk.
“You were right, Sean. I do know you. And you know everything about me. My likes and dislikes. My fears and insecurities. And, despite my efforts to the contrary, you now know every single dark and dirty secret hiding in my closet.”
Coop shook his head. “You’re not hiding them, anymore.”
“No.” Mac smiled. “Thanks to you, I’m not.”
Disappointment flashed behind his eyes. “I know all of your secrets.” His Adam’s apple bobbed with an audible swallow. “That’s why I should ask again?”
“No.” Mac shook her head and smiled. “That’s why I’m asking you.”
Coop’s brows shot up, his eyes widening with a thunderstruck expression. “You’re asking me to marry you?”
“Yes.” She nodded. “I am.” Closing the distance between them, she cupped his cheek. His slight stubble there tickled her palm. “Not because you know my secrets, but because you still love me in spite of them.”
“McKenna.” Her name escaped in an awestruck whisper.
“I love you, Sean.” A tear trailed down her face, but she ignored it. “Heart and soul, better or worse…I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. As my partner at work and in life.”
Coop blinked quickly against the glimmering moisture suddenly present in his gorgeous eyes. “You, uh…” He cleared the roughness from his throat. “You’d better be damn sure this is what you want.”
“I’m sure.” She rose onto her tiptoes and brushed his lips with hers. “More than I’ve ever been sure of anything in my entire life.”
Looking much too serious for her liking, Coop nodded. Then his mouth curved upward. “That’s good because I won’t make you ask me twice. Besides”—he pulled something from his pocket and held it up—“I’m pretty sure this will fit you better than it would me.”
Mac’s heart felt as though it were on the verge of exploding when she saw his grandmother’s ring.
“Is that a yes?”
“Hell yeah, baby.” A wide smile lit up his entire face. “That’s definitely a yes.”
After slipping the ring on her finger, Coop wrapped his large hands around her hips and carefully picked her up. With a squeal, Mac wrapped her legs around his waist and locked her arms behind his neck.
After a long, hot, wet kiss that left her dizzy and wanting for more, Coop gave her that half-smile she loved so much.
“I can’t wait to tell the guys I got you to propose to me.”
Mac laughed. Feeling happier than she’d ever been, she stared into the eyes of the man who stole her heart.
Her partner. Her future.
“You saved me, Sean. In more ways than you can imagine.”
“No, baby.” He kissed her again. “We saved each other.”
R.I.S.C. Book 7
Ready for the next book in the exciting R.I.S.C. Series?
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TARGETED RISK (R.I.S.C. Book 7)
He’ll return to the depths of hell just to keep her safe…
Mike Bradshaw—former Delta Force operator and the newest member of R.I.S.C.’s Alpha Team—thought the dark and dangerous world of his deep cover assignment was behind him. Returning to the underbelly of hell is the last thing he wants to do, but that all changes when Mike discovers the only woman he’s ever loved is in danger. Now he’ll stop at nothing to get the target off Juliet’s back. After all, he’s the one who put it there.
Want to read more from Ms. Blakely’s R.I.S.C. Series?
See how it all started with Jake and the rest of Alpha Team by checking out the other books in this series:
Book 1: Taking a Risk, Part One (Jake & Olivia’s HFN)
Book 2: Taking a Risk, Part Two (Jake & Olivia’s HEA)
Book 3: Beautiful Risk (Trevor & Lexi)
Book 4: Intentional Risk (Derek & Charlotte “Charlie”)
Book 5: Unpredictable Risk (Grant & Brynnon)
Book 7: Targeted Risk (Mike & Jules) Available for Pre-Order Now!
Check out R.I.S.C.’s new Bravo Team!
Click below to read Ms. Blakely’s new R.I.S.C. spin-off series, part of Susan Stoker’s Special Forces: Operation Alpha World:
Book 1: Rescuing Gracelynn (Nate & Gracie)
Book 2: Rescuing Katherine (Matt & Katherine)
Coming Soon:
Book 3: Rescuing Gabriella (Zade & Gabby) ~ Releasing July 2020
Book 4: Rescuing Ellena ~ Releasing August 2020
Keep reading for an excerpt from Rescuing Gracelynn, Bravo Team Book 1…
Rescuing Gracelynn Blurb
(Book 1 in Ms. Blakely’s R.I.S.C. spin-off series, Bravo Team)
“Anna Blakely has another hit book! This exciting story is filled with action, drama, excitement, romance, terror and much, much more. If you want a book that pulls you in and keeps you excited to turn the next page, over and over again, then I highly recommend reading RESCUING GRACELYNN!”
- Bookbub reviewer
He Never Believed In True Love…Until He Met Her.
Bravo Team’s technical analyst and confirmed bachelor, Nathan Carter, is happy being single and has no intention of falling under the spell of a woman. Ever. Then he meets Gracelynn. Before he knows it, the sweet, tenacious woman has Nate questioning his long-standing doubts about love, soul mates, and happily ever after.
Gracie McDaniels is happy with her new life and loves her new job. Working closely with the hunky guys on R.I.S.C.’s Bravo Team, including her future brother-in-law’s best friend, doesn’t seem as if it’ll be an issue. Then she meets him.
Nate’s smart, funny, and handsome…everything she’s ever wanted in a partner. But just as they start to grow close, an innocent friendship from Gracie’s past comes back to haunt her. When her life is threatened, Gracie instinctively turns to Nate for protection and soon he and the other members of Bravo step up to keep Gracie safe.
With help from Ghost and his friends, the Delta Force and Bravo teams find themselves racing against the clock to save the only woman Nate has ever loved…before it’s too late.
Excerpt from Rescuing Gracelynn
“Are you okay?” Her
question came out much softer than she’d meant for it to.
Nate gave her a humorless smirk as he shoved his hands into his pockets. “I should be asking you that question.”
“I’m…better.” And she was. The pounding in her head had quieted to a dull ache, and the intense trembling had subsided.
When he continued to just stand there, staring without saying another word, Gracie realized he was probably waiting for an apology. One that was well-deserved.
Standing, she laid what was left of the ice pack down onto her seat’s cushion and began to say what needed to be said. “I’m really sorry, Nate. We never should have left the building without one of you. Or, at the very least, we should have checked with you beforehand.”
She waited, but he remained silent. Okay. Apparently, more groveling was going to be involved.
Stepping toward him, Gracie nervously continued. “I-I know it wasn’t very smart of us, and you and Kole have every right to be upset. It’s just that, I was exhausted from going over everything with Jake and the others, and then doing the sketch with Dalton. Sarah mentioned coffee and I…”
She let her voice trail off, hoping he’d say something. Instead he simply began walking slowly toward her, a muscle in his strong, sexy jaw bulging as he moved. The look he gave her was so intense, Gracie half-expected to see steam to start shooting out of his ears.
“Okay, look,” she said defensively. “I get that you’re upset, but we only wanted to go grab a quick coffee. That was it. I mean, you saw us, right? We were coming straight back. Yes, it was stupid, but you can’t seriously stay mad about this forev—”
The rest of the word were cut off when he grabbed both her upper arms and slammed his mouth down onto hers.
A tiny squeak escaped the back of her throat just before he used his tongue to pry her lips apart. Apology forgotten, Gracie opened her mouth and let him in.
Standing in the middle of their boss’s office, she held on tight as Nate began to devour her. He took and she gave. It was the most sensual, raw-emotions moment of her entire life.
When he was done feasting, Nate pulled away slowly and rested his forehead against hers. They remained locked in each other’s arms, their chests moving in sync as they both attempted to catch their breath.
Regaining some control, Nate lifted his head and locked his eyes with hers. “I thought I’d lost you.”
He sounded different than before. His voice was low and there was this dark edge to it she’d never heard before. “Nate?”
“You scared the shit out of me, baby.” He swallowed hard and shook his head back and forth slowly. “Don’t ever do that, again.”
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