by Joni Hahn
A perfect day for a wedding.
Looking down on the grass below, she shivered, smiling at the seven couples waiting on the clergyman to arrive. Rather than having seven different weddings within months of each other, Rachel had invited the others to get married with her and Tristan at Dunnottar Castle. Each bride’s dress suited her own personality, the grooms all wearing exactly what they’d been instructed to wear.
Kilts.
Submissive, indeed.
As fathers of the brides, even Jim, Luke and Dan wore kilts. Even her fetching scientist wore a kilt, his tanned knees putting all of the others to shame. She had every intention of finding out exactly what he had on underneath, if anything.
“Would you quit messing around and get down here, woman?” Clint smiled up at her, his muscular chest peeking through the loose ties of his linen shirt. Tall boots covered his long legs, his blonde hair pulled back from his face in a small tail.
She couldn’t wait to get a hold of that.
“You’re the world’s only female super agent and you’re going to die of a head cold.”
It wasn’t often that the entire team of super agents convened in the same place. She’d worn the backless dress to remind them that Clint had given her the best tattoo of all. It was her way of showing dominance in the testosterone-laden environment.
Other than d’Artagnan, none of them could argue her point, since Clint had combined all of their tattoos to create her own, unique tat. Dar remained the only agent with the ability to time travel.
However, it was the peace sign in the center of her tat that made it exceptional. It represented the man she loved above all else, her haven in the storm of life.
Her peace.
Holding up his hands, Clint caught her to him with a kiss. In the seven months since the ordeal at the farm, they’d never talked about marriage, although Clint had told her time and again that he would never ask her to give up her freedom. The truth was, she wanted to—with him.
Being with Clint didn’t feel confining at all. He gave her free reign to do what she pleased. If he didn’t agree with something, he gave her calm, logical reasons why. In his free time from the lab, he helped her perfect her system skills, and once a week, she teleported them somewhere in the world for a hot date.
It worked because they always made time for each other, regardless of the other’s workload or occasional need for solitude. They were each other’s top priority—and best friend.
Keegan could never imagine living without him.
“So, what are you doing later? After the wedding?” Her palm skimmed up his chest.
Placing his jacket around her shoulders, he gave her a wicked grin. “Are you trying to make a move on my kilt?”
She laughed. “Maybe.” With a shy grin, she placed a strand of hair behind his ear where the wind had pulled it from his tail. “So what are you doing?”
Frowning, he shrugged. “I don’t know. I assumed we’d celebrate with the others before they took off for their honeymoons. Did you have something in mind?”
She studied the blond hair curling over his shirt ties. “What do you think about a honeymoon?” Her gaze flew to his face, her heart pounding.
Mouth agape, he stared at her with wide eyes.
Nerves made her voice shake. “If you don’t watch it, a seagull is going to land on your tongue.”
His voice was quiet when he spoke. “Are you sure, baby?”
Taking a step back, she inhaled deep and let it out. Maybe he didn’t want to give up his freedom. Clint was a cool, rational man. Not one for prompt decisions. Maybe he needed time to think about it.
Looking away, she said, “It’s okay. We don’t—”
Grabbing her around the waist, he crushed his mouth to hers with bruising force, infusing her with a passion and excitement she would never, ever tire of.
Breaking away, he lifted her into his arms and carried her to the area where the others were lining up in front of the minister. “If you think I’m giving you a chance to change your mind, you’re sadly mistaken.”
Looking beyond her shoulder, he yelled, “We have one more.”
Whistles and catcalls carried over the wind and out to the sea. Clint set her down beside Riordan and Natalie. She hugged her sister close, a huge smile on her face.
After all of the “I Do’s” were said and they were all officially married, Jim led them to the edge of the rock, an urn cradled in each arm. They’d talked about resurfacing time travel technology, but had decided to honor Mitchell’s adamant orders to leave fate to its own decisions. After all, he and Angela were together and that’s all they’d ever wanted.
The minister said a few prayers before Tristan and d’Artagnan opened the urns and scattered the ashes to the winds, amidst tears and heartfelt goodbyes. Keegan held onto her new husband’s arm, cradling her head on his shoulder as she ignored the sniffles he quietly shed beside her.
With the new dawn, they said goodbye to old friends and welcomed a time of family, peace and hope in the years to come. As they stood there in silence, staring out over the water, Teague wailed and caught her stomach.
“Oh God, I think my water broke.”
* * *
“Max said you and Clint are supposed to run D.I.R.E.”
Riordan, Jaydan, Aidan, Dar and Austin sat in a corner of the waiting room at Spring Valley Hospital in Las Vegas, talking with Clint and Tristan. After Keegan and Tristan had teleported Teague and Dylan to the hospital, they went back to Dunnottar and retrieved everyone else, a couple at a time. The kilted men continued to draw stares, especially from their brides. It looked like the honeymoons would have to wait.
“That was only after Mitchell and Jim were both gone,” Tristan said. “Jim is still around.”
“He doesn’t want it,” Aidan said, looking at Clint. “He’s still suffering with guilt over Mitchell’s death. He needs time to heal and he wants to do that in Creekmore.”
Clint looked at Tristan. “He has experience we can use.”
Nodding, Tristan said, “I agree. I think we need to talk him into at least a consultant’s position.”
“He and Col. Montgomery,” Clint said. “Monica’s father was invaluable to Austin. Plus, we’re going to need all of the contacts we can get, now that we’ve lost Mitchell’s close ties.”
Dylan’s voice came over the agents’ armbands to echo in the small space. “Do you want to meet my new daughter or not?”
Cries of joy followed them as they made their way down the hall to Teague’s delivery room. Walking inside, Keegan laughed at the absolute rapture on Dylan’s face, as he cradled the little pink bundle. Teague’s face was drawn and white, though her smile shined through.
“Congratulations, Mom.” Keegan leaned over and gave her a hug, while the others crowded in on the baby. “What’s her name?”
“Jordan Diana McCall.” Her smile was melancholy. “After my mother.”
After the women had oohed and aahed over Jordan, they moved on to Teague. As they cleared the area, Keegan turned to find Clint smiling down at the tiny baby in his arms. Wearing a kilt, with his muscular chest exposed through his shirt, Keegan had never seen anything more breathtaking in her life.
Glancing up, he caught her smiling at him. “Come look at her, Keegan. She’s beautiful.”
Walking over, she stared down at the tiny baby sleeping in his arms. She had never seen a baby in person, had never been exposed to them on the island. They truly were a miracle, this one created from the love between Teague and Dylan. The geneticist had the family she’d wanted despite her MS, and Jordan was perfect.
In that moment, Keegan wanted to give Clint children. He needed to be a father. Yes, he thought he couldn’t be responsible enough to raise them, but she knew better. There was no man more patient and considerate than her husband.
Passing off the baby, he placed her in Keegan’s awkward embrace. Jordan squirmed beneath the tight blankets, but settled back to sleep. Tears f
illed Keegan’s eyes as she took in the tiny nose and hands.
“I want one,” she whispered for Clint’s ears only. She looked up at him. “Do you think I can do both?”
His face lit up before he leaned over and kissed her. “If anyone can be a super agent and a mother, it’s you, baby.”
With their D.I.R.E. family and her father, any child they had would always be surrounded by love, protected and free to be whatever he or she chose. What more could she ask for out of life?
Leaning in for another kiss, she said, “I love you, Clint.”
“I love you, too, Keegan.” His smile turned sultry. “What do you say we get out of here and practice making babies on our honeymoon?”
Grinning, she said, “I thought you’d never ask.” Handing the baby to a curious Dylan, she backed against Clint, her hand reaching under his kilt to find him bare. “Oh, this experiment should be fun.”
Dear Reader,
I hope you enjoyed Agent U7: Keegan, the final book in my D.I.R.E. Agency Series. I’ve had so much fun bringing these characters and their stories to readers. While I will miss my agents and their supporting cast, I’m ready to move on to something new.
If you’d like to receive the latest news on my books and future releases, make sure to sign up for my eNewsletter. You can also contact me on my website with your comments, questions, ideas, etc. I’d love to hear from you!
Finally, if you’d be so inclined, I’d love a review of this book on the site where you made the purchase. In this ever-changing world of book publication, the success of any book is in the hands of readers. Your feedback is important! If you have a few minutes to leave your thoughts, I’d truly appreciate it.
Thanks for your support!
Joni Hahn
About the Author
By day, Joni Hahn keeps her secret decoder ring hidden while she works as a mild-mannered contemporary romance author. She believes the world can never have too many superheroes, and anxiously waits for the call when one will need help saving the world. Joni was born with a hopelessly tender heart and believes there is nothing on earth more exhilarating than falling in love. A native Texan, she thinks cowboys are the epitome of masculinity, and that country music is the other soul music.
Joni is a member of the Authors Guild, Romance Writers of America and its Published Authors Network. She is a member of several RWA subchapters, and has served in several board positions with the San Antonio Romance Authors. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys reading, going to movies and concerts, and spending time with family and friends.
You can find Joni online at: www.jonihahn.com.
Currently available in The D.I.R.E. Agency Series:
Book 1: Agent I1: Tristan
Book 2: Agent E2: Aidan
Book 3: Agent T3: d’Artagnan
Book 4: Agent M4: Riordan
Book 5: Agent S5: Jaydan
Book 6: Agent N6: Dylan
Novella: Special Agent: Austin
Book 7: Agent U7: Keegan