“What you did to me the night we met—you ignited something in me I didn’t think could come back to life. We’ve been through hell and back and now I just want to stop time and spend every moment with you. I want to wake up every morning with you in my arms. To look at your hypnotizing pretty blues, kiss your beautiful face, and although I may not agree with your crazy ideas, I will always listen to them. You not only healed my soul and made my heart beat again, you are my lifeline. You told me life is about pacing yourself. Well, I want to go on that brisk walk with you, hand in hand, create our own journey and grow old with you.”
Julian opened the black box, revealed a platinum ring with two glistening halos that surrounded the monstrosity of a sparkling diamond. “You have my heart, Chloe. I hope you trust me to have yours too. Will you marry me?”
Chloe’s gaze locked on Julian’s chocolate-golden eyes. “Yes, yes, and a trillion more yeses!”
“Thank god!” Julian sighed.
Tears now streamed down both their faces. Chloe was so overwhelmed by his words. Julian slipped the ring on her finger, rose from his bended knee and they both stared in each other’s eyes, savoring the moment. So much intense love and adoration.
“I love you, soon-to-be Doctor Cruz.”
“I love you too, Mr. Cruz.”
Julian pressed a kiss to her lips and chuckled with their lips still connected. He pulled back a beat, tossed his head back and laughed.
He looked out into the crowd and yelled. “She said yes!”
The standing ovation was so loud it would’ve blown off the needle on the decibel meter.
Chloe giggled and peered out to the sea of people that stood on their feet. Hoots, hollers and clapping burst throughout the room.
Chloe’s best friends, Phoebe and Ryland, cell phones in their hands, snapped pictures and wiped tears from their faces.
Sam winked and smiled at Chloe, his arm around Sage.
Lincoln stood with a shit-eating grin, his fist swirling in the air. Next to him, Rocky stood with two thumbs up.
At the next table over, Julian’s parents and sister smiled, wiping their cheeks.
Then there was the first man who’d captured Chloe’s heart—Dad. His hand moved over his chest and he mouthed I love you.
Julian turned to face Chloe, his hand at the small of her back. His lips came close to her ear. “I had this speech planned out and was nervous as hell. But one look at you, I just spoke from my heart. Didn’t need to look at the paper anymore.”
Chloe framed his clean-shaven chiseled jaw. “This is what you were nervous about? Did everyone know you were going to do this tonight?”
“Yeah, they all knew. The speech about Amber and the proposal, it scared the shit out of me.” Julian’s knuckles caressed her jaw, and another a tear escaped his eye. “And I’m big sap…it’s been an emotional evening.”
“My hero scared?” she asked, dashing a tear from her own cheek.
“Yes, scared…to not spend the rest of my life with you as your husband. I wish I could explain how you make me feel. You take my breath away, Doc. Your eyes, your voice, and that beautiful smile that lights up my day. I didn’t just fall in love with you the first night we met, or on the island when I saw you again. I fell in love with you in between and every day after that. I can’t wait to make you officially mine. Earlier I told you I promised you an all-nighter, but I promise you more than that. I promise to make every day better than yesterday and I promise I will find the next rain so I can make love to you as it soaks us.”
Chloe inhaled every word Julian spoke as his eyes swam with emotion. He had come looking for her, found her. He brought back the memories Chloe thought she’d lost for good. Julian had changed her life completely.
Tears blurred her vision as she gazed at her hunky, super-secret agent.
“I’m yours forever, Booker.”
Seven years later
Julian had to be light on his feet as he turned the corner of the long hallway. The intel he’d received from his informant indicated where the microchip was hidden. It was secured by one guard, heavily armed.
His steps were stealthy, pistol upright, ready to aim at his target and protect himself. Julian had gone over the plan of attack multiple times. There was no room for mistakes.
Easy in, easy out.
He needed to put the operation to bed. He was not going to let his guard down because if he failed there would be ridicule from the boss.
Vigilantly, he poked his head around the corner again before he made his move. He needed to keep his cool and stay in control since his patience was growing thin. Julian wiped the sheen of sweat off his forehead before he darted from his barrier to the next one, concealing himself from his target.
He cautiously peeked over the pony wall and saw his enemy’s reflection from the glass window. With narrowed eyes, he focused to look more closely.
There are two guards now?
Shit. My intel source is a double agent. Traitor! She’s going down.
Julian needed a diversion. He ducked back down, leaned against the small barricade and took out his cell from his pocket. He pulled up the electronic blueprints of the location and with a press of the ‘lightbulb’ icon, the room went dark.
Julian made his swift move, was only able to nab one of the scoundrels and pinned him down under his legs. A scream broke out, then he tickled the rascal wiggling himself to escape from Julian’s grasp.
The lights came on as quickly as they were turned off.
Julian locked eyes with the little boy’s deep blues that mirrored his mother’s and chocolate hair like his own. Then he looked up at Chloe, fingers on the light switch, with a smirk on her face.
“Daddy! No fair,” the boy squealed, trapped under Julian’s legs. “That’s cheating.”
“Yes, Agent Booker…totally cheating,” Chloe scolded, hand on her jutted hip while the other pointed her fake gun at Julian.
“Says the beautiful double agent.” Julian cocked his brow at his wife. “Who’s the cheater again?”
“We’re both double agents, Dad. I’m Oliver Drew Cruz, the bestest agent in the whole wide world. And I’m going to save everyone and punish the bad guys. That’s what double agents do.” Ah, innocence at its finest. “And I’m going to punish you, Booker.” Oliver fired his last rounds of Styrofoam bullets at Julian’s chest.
“Ah, you’re killing me, Ollie!” Julian dropped his fake gun, putting one hand up in surrender and the other over his chest.
“My name is Cruz, Agent Oliver Cruz.” He continued to shoot as Oliver wiggled from under Julian’s legs, letting him escape from his hold.
Chloe laughed, arms across her chest as she lazily leaned against the wall to witness the shootout. “Get him, Ollie.”
Oliver finally ran out of bullets, then it was Julian’s turn and he scowled at his son. “Hmm. Seems you ran out of bullets, Agent Cruz.”
“Dad, I shot you good and you’re dead…you can’t talk.”
“Aha! That’s where you’re wrong.” Julian lifted his t-shirt, patted his chest, showing off his makeshift bulletproof shield of construction paper. “I came prepared. Microfiber Kevlar, steel-plated bulletproof and nothing can penetrate this sucker.”
Julian quickly lifted the toy gun he dropped. Oliver’s eyes widened and he sprinted around the living room as Julian shot his last rounds. He observed Oliver in his Avenger pajamas that clung to his small frame as he dodged the soft bullets.
Oliver slid around the sofa and ducked behind it. His breathing could be heard in the silence.
“I got you now. Nowhere to go, Agent Ollie!”
Julian quietly tiptoed around the couch seeing his son crouched on all fours. His back to Julian’s, his head poked around the other side. Julian snuck up behind him, swooped his arms around Oliver’s waist and swung him over his shoulders.
Julian rolled him on the couch and it was a tickle fest for several seconds. Then Julian lifted Oliver’s shirt, pressed his
mouth to his tiny belly and blew raspberries on his skin.
“Dad, stop… I can’t breathe!” he yelped/laughed, catching his breath. “You’re too strong, I can’t move you,” he giggled, trying to tickle Julian back. “Stop, please, Daddyyy…no more!”
Their eyes locked, stopping his heart. Damn, Julian loved his son’s smile, showing off the dimples on his cheeks.
“Tell me who’s the bestest agent in the room.” Julian held his fingers above Oliver’s sides, threatening to bear down with more tickles.
“Me,” he giggled and wiggled, trying to escape. A mischievous grin blanketed his son’s face. “Agent Ollie’s the bestest!”
“Wrong answer, son!” Julian loved Ollie’s laughter. His fingers sent down another onslaught of tickles.
“Okay, Daddy! You are!” Oliver’s breathing was heavy.
Julian chuckled, tousling his son’s hair out of his face. “An agent’s job is to do whatever it takes to get the job done.” Julian then looked up at the clock on the wall. Eight forty-five. “And right now, Agent Booker needs to put Agent Oliver to bed or the boss”—he slid a look to Chloe—“will have my head.”
“Time for bed, munchie.” Chloe put her toy gun on the coffee table then picked up a few of the orange bullets scattered across the living room floor.
“Aww…can’t I stay up a little longer, pretty please?” Oliver’s hands folded together, pleading with pouted lips. “Please, Mommy. Please, Daddy.”
Julian sighed, looked over to Chloe then back to Oliver. How could he say no to those crystal-blues when tomorrow was his fifth birthday?
“Okay, another thirty minutes. You better brush your teeth, be in bed and ready so I can read you the next chapters.” Julian raised his pinky finger. “Got it?”
Oliver hooked his little finger. “Got it, Dad.”
“Now kiss your mom goodnight.”
Chloe knelt to eye level with their son, framed his small face and kissed his tiny nose. Her arms wrapped around his petite body.
“I love you so much,” she whispered, as Oliver kissed her rosy cheek. Chloe stood and roughly fingered his hair.
“Love you more, Mommy. Goodnight.” He ran down the hall as fast as his little legs could take him. The pitter-patter of each step he took as he disappeared up the staircase warmed Julian’s heart.
“You think he knows?” Julian asked, his arms circling Chloe’s waist, resting his chin on her shoulder.
“I don’t think so. We hid all the decorations and the big-ass box in the garage.”
Chloe turned to face Julian and pressed her lips to his. “Now, you need to hurry and put that kid to sleep. You have some work to do.”
“Work?”
“Yes. You need to build his safe house and I need to clean up this mess…”
“What? You’re kidding. Linc and Sam were going to help me put it together tomorrow. How the hell am I supposed to build the safe house in the backyard without making any noise? Ollie will hear me. And have you seen how big that thing is?”
“Come on, Hotcakes. You can do it…use your head.”
“I’ll use my head alright.” Julian wiggled his eyebrows, licking his lips.
“At the very moment, I need you to use the head above the belt, mister.” Chloe smacked him on the ass. “Besides, I don’t think it requires any tools. It’s like one jigsaw puzzle, insert A into B, right?”
“I’ll insert my A into your B.”
“Julian, I’m serious. You need to fix it tonight and you’re a smart guy, you’ll figure it out.”
Julian’s fingers pulled up Chloe’s chin, and she looked up at him. “Just like I figured you out.”
“I beg to differ, Agent Booker.” Chloe grinned. “I figured you out.”
Julian’s mouth met her soft lips once again. Chloe did figure him out, unlocked the cage that held his heart and soul captive. He would’ve never imagined his life as perfect as it was in this very moment.
Chloe had a difficult pregnancy with the scar tissue damage from the stab wound and Reyna’s bullet to her abdomen. She’d needed constant care and monitoring by her doctor. But Chloe was the strongest woman he’d ever known. She’d been to hell and back. Nothing ceased to amaze Julian of his wife’s willpower.
“Mr. Cruz, build his spy house tonight, I will have a surprise for you later.” Chloe’s fingernails teased the side of his neck, sending a spark down his shorts. Every part of his sensitive body stood at attention, anticipating her next touch.
“Oh, yeah? Why don’t we make a deal…give me the surprise now?” Julian licked his lips. It was such a turn-on when his wife teased him.
“No deal.” Her hand snaked between their bodies; fingers skimmed over his gym shorts where the fabric clung to his nuts.
“Holy hell, woman. You know how to bribe a man,” he moaned.
“House first. Then you can play handyman on me later.”
“Handyman, huh?” Julian raised a brow. He stifled a laugh remembering his undercover assignment when he had to be her protective detail, which felt like a lifetime ago.
“Yes. My sexy hunky handyman.”
“What happened to the hunky, secret-undercover agent?”
“Well, right now the handyman needs to build that very expensive toy house right now before it gets too late.”
“That damn plastic house cost just as much as a real house. I swear that kid not only is eating us out of house and home. He’s put a hole in my wallet too.”
“Oh, stop your complaining. You love it!” Chloe pinched Julian’s cheek.
And he did.
Every day, he thanked his lucky stars.
His heart swelled looking into his wife’s intriguing eyes that still hypnotized him. His fingers weaved through her chestnut waves and the same feeling returned, just as the day when he first laid eyes on her at the gala.
“And I love you.” Julian leaned in to kiss Chloe; his tongue glided between her lips. The instant their tongues touched, it never failed, passion erupted. A jolt of electricity ran down his spine.
Their tongues danced harmoniously, tasting one another. His fingers knotted in her hair and all Julian wanted to do was strip her down.
There was about thirty minutes to make out with his wife before he had a bedtime date with his son. Letting go of her hair, he grabbed Chloe’s ass with both hands, lifted her and laid her down on the couch.
His hips settled between her legs, his hardened dick against the inside of her thigh. His hand slid under her tank-top, pulled down her lace bra as his thumb played with her taut nipple, to add to her arousal.
Chloe released a throaty sound that drove him wild, as her legs gripped Julian’s waist. Her hands roamed up his shirt, nails skimming his back, sprouting goosebumps on his skin.
“Dad! I’m readyyyy!” Oliver screamed from his room. “Daaad!”
“Fuck,” Julian mumbled against Chloe’s mouth, lifted his head and yelled back, “Okay, son. Give me two minutes.” He pressed a chaste kiss to Chloe’s lips. “I gotta go to him.”
“I’ll make a deal with you. I will read to him while you build Ollie’s safe house, and you can work your DIY hands on me later. Anyways, you certainly can’t go into our son’s room sporting a woody.”
Julian’s forehead rested on hers. “Since my woody is ready, how about I skip the DIY session on Ollie’s house, use them on you instead and wait for guys to help me tomorrow?”
“No deal,” she retorted, determination in her stare. “No spy house, no nooky.”
“You play unfair, sweetheart.”
“I played double agent tonight, remember?”
“Fine. I will build that damn house in record time.” He pressed a kiss to her mouth. “Then I will use my handyman hands to insert my A into your B, and when you come, you’ll scream my name over and over. And baby, there is no sweeter sound I’d rather hear than my name from your lips, feeling you naked trembling against my skin.”
“Promise?”
“An all
-nighter, Doctor Cruz.”
“Daaaad!”
“Hold your horses, Agent Ollie… Mommy will read to you instead!”
“Okay. Mommyyy! I’m readyyy!”
“That kid is killing me.” Julian shook his head, raised his eyes to the ceiling. He pushed himself off the couch, his hand extended and pulled Chloe up. Julian adjusted his crotch, smacked his wife on her ass before he walked down the hall to the garage. “See you later, Doc.”
Two hours later, after reading the foreign instructions, he quietly built the two-story house fit for The Seven Dwarfs. Julian gave himself a proverbial pat on the back, proud of how it turned out.
It was equipped with all the fixings. Water guns, battery-operated two-way radios, endless Styrofoam bullets, just to name a few. Oliver’s pseudo-uncles, Tyco and Lincoln, had bought more high-tech equipment to supply Oliver’s fantasy of being a secret agent they were going to bring for his surprise birthday party.
Julian crawled out of the small door and shook it a bit to make sure the damn thing wouldn’t fall down like a house of cards. He walked around the little house that had taken a good chunk of real estate in their backyard.
Ollie’s going to love it!
Julian made his way back in the house. When he cleared the doorway through the sliding-glass window and locked up, silence stretched throughout the house. After entering the code to alarm his home, he shook his head and chuckled softly, seeing dozens of orange pellets that littered the hallway.
Agent Ollie versus Agent Booker was his favorite mission of all.
He made his way up the stairs, down the hall to Oliver’s room. He leaned on the doorjamb, taking it all in. A freight train came full force and nailed him in his chest, making it hard to breathe. The sight of the woman he loved more than his own life and his son.
God, they’re beautiful.
His soul and heart ached so much with love. Every fiber of his being filled with adoration. Watching them, thinking how lucky he was, he couldn’t imagine his life without them.
Till I Found You: The Broken Hero Series—Book One Page 27