Unmasking Kelsey (20 page)

Kelsey smiled. “I was always coming back, honey. Elizabeth just didn’t know that.”

Trying to wipe the silly smile off her face, Ami returned to the house.

And, exactly half an hour later, Elizabeth came
out onto the front porch, a puzzled frown on her face. She went very still as soon as she saw, and she stared in wonder.

Lining the front walkway were a dozen rose bushes neatly set out, already budding.

“There isn’t a letter.”

She turned slowly as Kelsey stepped up onto the porch from the side and regarded her seriously. “Why—why not?” she asked unsteadily, remembering that she had asked him not to send cut roses with the Dear Jane letter.

He stepped closer, his face still grave. And his voice was quiet, reflective. “Because I could never say good-bye to you. I’ve always known that was true. Even when I didn’t know if I could stay here, I knew I could never say good-bye.”

Elizabeth took a deep breath. “I realized a few things when I tried my hand at … dragon slaying. I realized that it wasn’t your fault I wasn’t seeing you clearly. You were always there, Kelsey. I just didn’t know how to look. But I’ve learned how to do that. I
can
see you now. And even though I believe you could fit yourself into any
life you wanted, I’ll still understand if you have to go.”

“I resigned from the agency,” he said.

Elizabeth could almost hear her heart pounding, and she had to swallow hard.

He smiled tenderly. “Haven’t you realized it yet? I’m in love with you.”

Her heart caught in her throat, and Elizabeth was in his arms with no memory of moving. He held her tightly, and his voice was husky now, a gentle, rasping sound.

“There’s a word for what I feel for you. Stronger than love. Stronger than caring. Stronger than passion.”

“What is it?” she whispered.

“Forever. I recognized it from the first, I just didn’t understand what it meant. Then I read that note you left, and thought of you in danger. And I understood.
Forever
, Elizabeth. No matter what. No matter where. Nothing else is as strong as that single reality. I’ll love you forever.”

She lifted her head from his shoulder, and her eyes shone wetly. “That night in your car,” she
said softly, “when I realized I loved you, that’s what I felt. That, no matter what happened, I’d always love you. Even if you left me. I never had a choice.”

He framed her face in warm hands and kissed her, a gentle touch that rapidly became something fierce. Lifting his head at last, he said somewhat hoarsely, “I hope you don’t mind, but I’m planning on all the proper flourishes for this relationship. Starting with an engagement ring and very quickly followed by a wedding.”

Elizabeth gazed up at him lovingly. “Oh … I think I can live with that. But are you sure?”

“I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life,” he responded, and the truth of his words was in the fervent tone of his voice.

She kissed him. “We should tell the girls,” she murmured.

“
Tell
us?” a voice exclaimed from the door, where Jo stood with Ami and Meg at her side. “You think we’re blind or something?”

H
AGEN STUDIED THE
coded message in his hands for a long time, then methodically tore the paper into tiny pieces.

He burned the pieces in a brass ashtray.

Then, almost idly, he said to the empty room, “I suppose it could be considered kidnapping. But maybe not. And I do owe the man a favor.”

He sighed.

And he sat for a long time in the silent office, thinking about Kadeira.

BANTAM BOOKS BY KAY HOOPER

THE BISHOP TRILOGIES
Stealing Shadows • Hiding in the Shadows
Out of the Shadows

Touching Evil • Whisper of Evil
Sense of Evil

Hunting Fear • Chill of Fear
Sleeping with Fear

Blood Dreams • Blood Sins • Blood Ties

THE QUINN NOVELS
Once a Thief • Always a Thief

ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
Amanda • After Caroline
Finding Laura • Haunting Rachel

CLASSIC FANTASY AND ROMANCE
On Wings of Magic • The Wizard of Seattle
My Guardian Angel
(anthology)
Yours 2 Keep
(anthology)
Golden Threads • Something Different
Pepper’s Way • C.J.’s Fate
The Haunting of Josie • Illegal Possession
If There Be Dragons • Rebel Waltz
Larger than Life • Time After Time
In Serena’s Web • Raven on the Wing
Rafferty’s Wife • Zach’s Law
The Fall of Lucas Kendrick • Unmasking Kelsey