As she stepped offstage, she scanned the crowd… Trace! He’d sworn he’d be back before she graduated. She had no idea where he’d been, but he’d made a promise and kept it. Even if he was standing in the aisle, wearing tactical pants and a dark T-shirt, he was there. With her mother looking down—proudly, Marlena was sure—from heaven, and her father definitely grumbling her successes from a jail cell, Trace was the only person who’d be there to cheer on her graduation. The guy never let her down.
Instead of following the classmate in front of her, she skipped out of line and beelined it for Trace. “Hi, baby.”
“Hey.”
She had his brother’s dog tags in her pocket. Trace had sworn that it was his most prized possession and that she should keep them with her for good luck on her big day.
Filled with confidence and holding her diploma up, she said, “Proves I’m a smarty-pants.”
“Already knew that.” He kissed her lips, making her stomach flip as it always did when he held her close. “But if you were looking for proof, I’d say that gig contracting for the military screams ‘beauty and brains.’”
“Nothing about that job says ‘beauty.’”
He laughed against her lips. “Good thing you have me to remind you.”
She kissed him again. “How was work? When’d you get back? Exciting stuff?”
“Got back a little bit ago. Had to talk to someone.” He shrugged, tucking her against his side. “The job was more exciting than this graduation ceremony. Let’s go somewhere.”
“Where are we headed?” They filed out, and she unzipped the black gown and hat, dumping them in the rental-return box as they passed the doors.
“Doesn’t matter.”
The sun beamed overhead. Parents and guests milled around the school grounds. She and Trace walked across the grassy field where Screen on the Green had been more than a year ago.
“Don’t forget this.” She took Michael’s dog tags and pressed them into his hand. “I’d die if I misplaced them.”
He clasped her hand in his, locking the tags in their grip. “Nah, you wouldn’t lose them.”
“I know, but still.”
“But still, my ass.” Swinging her around in front of him, he smiled more than normal. “Trade you for them.”
“Ha. Like there’s anything on earth more important than those tags.”
“How about…” He pulled a black box out of his pocket. “You try again, Cinderella.”
Holy moly. That was a ring box. “Are you kidding me?”
Trace shook his head. “What do you think?”
“What do I think? I think you’re crazy.”
“You already knew that.” His laugh warmed her from the inside out.
“Then I think you’re…”
“That I’m what? In love with you? Found my place, my calm in you? Because that’s all true. But I lost myself and found myself, all because of you, Mar. I don’t have anybody else. I don’t want anyone else. But you, you get me. I get you. We’re screwed in the head and balance out perfect.”
“And that’s okay.” She nodded because it was who they were, and it was true. “You think we’ve got a shot at forever?”
He squeezed her into a hug. “I know we do. You saved me, and nothing can take us down. Think you can handle a Delta ghost?”
“Hell, yes.” She curled into his chest, wrapping her arms around his neck before he could make her focus on the box again.
“Good.” Trace kissed her. “Because there’s no one in the world who can love you like I do.”
“That’s the truth.” She kissed him quiet and hugged him close. “Hooyah.”
THE END
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About The Author
Cristin Harber is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling romance author. She writes sexy, steamy romantic suspense and military romance. Fans voted her onto Amazon's Top Picks for Debut Romance Authors in 2013, and her debut Titan series was both #1 romantic suspense and #1 military romance.
She lives outside Washington, DC with her family and English Bulldog. Contact Cristin Harber for more book information at: Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter | Website | Email.
The Titan Series:
Book 1: Winters Heat (Colby Winters)
Book 2: Garrison's Creed (Cash Garrison)
Book 3: Westin's Chase (Jared Westin)
Book 4: Gambled (Brock Gamble)
Book 5: Chased (Asher McIntyre)
Book 6: Savage Secrets (Rocco Savage)
Book 1.5: Sweet Girl (Prequel to Garrison's Creed)
Coming Soon:
Book 7: Hart Attack (Roman Hart)- coming Fall 2014
Book 8: TBD (Parker's story)
The Delta Series:
Book 1: Delta: Retribution
Each book can be read as a standalone but readers will likely best enjoy the series in order.
Copyright
Copyright 2014 Cristin Harber
All rights reserved. This book or any portions thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author and publisher except for the use of brief quotations used in a book review.
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictionally.
ISBN-10: 0991647467
ISBN-13: 978-0-9916474-6-0
www.CristinHarber.com
Delta: Retribution Page 11