Lockdown
Page 25
The thrill of seeing him safe and whole was tempered with disbelief at his mode of transportation. A little bubble of laughter escaped as she jogged the few yards still between them. Tristan caught her up in his arms, swinging her around so that her feet were several inches off the ground.
“Welcome home!” she practically squealed.
He set her down, burying his face in the curve of her shoulder as he held her close. For a moment he couldn’t speak. He was home. Wherever she was would always be home. His voice was hoarse when he managed to whisper, “I missed you.”
“I missed you too.”
Straightening, he looked down at her, studying her face. Pure joy radiated from her, mirroring his own emotions. He released her to reach into his pocket, fingering the black ring box for a moment before courageously pulling it free. When he flipped open the top to reveal a simple diamond ring, her eyes widened and then darted up to his face.
“I’ve been wanting to give this to you for a while, but I was afraid to offer it until you saw what my life is really like.” He swallowed hard, searching for the right words as his heart pounded in his chest. “I’ll never be rich, and I can’t offer you much more than a life filled with unpredictability. All I can promise is that I’ll love you forever. I want you to marry me.” He took a steadying breath, and his voice lowered to a desperate whisper. “Please say you’ll marry me.”
Riley’s eyes filled, but she nodded. “I love you, Tristan. I’ll always love you.” The tears spilled over, and she gave him a watery smile as he slid the ring onto her finger. As he gathered her in his arms, she whispered once more, “Welcome home.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Traci Hunter Abramson was born in Phoenix, Arizona. After graduating from Brigham Young University, she spent several years working for the Central Intelligence Agency. She then left the CIA to stay at home with her children and pursue her love of writing. She has written several books, including Undercurrents, Ripple Effect, The Deep End, Freefall, and Royal Target.
Other books and audio books by Traci Hunter Abramson:
Undercurrents
Ripple Effect
The Deep End
Freefall
Royal Target
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Dear Reader
PROLOGUE
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
EPILOGUE
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Other books and audio books by Traci Hunter Abramson: