Titanium (22 page)

"Go on."

"Right. I realize that your aunt and uncle weren't exactly
thrilled with me..." Actually, that wasn't strictly true. Clint had been
nothing but nice. Leslie, however, might take some getting used to
and vice versa. I think she'd planned on her niece marrying a doctor
or lawyer or something.

"Go. On."

I hesitated. Was this really the smart thing to do in front of
Riley's family? What if she felt pressured because they were
watching? I didn't want her saying "yes" because she thought she
had to.

"Zander! Geez.
Talk to me.
"

"Do-you-want-to-get-married?"

With a gasp, Riley sprang off the couch and threw her arms
around neck, which took both of us to the carpet.

"Was that a yes?" I asked, holding her exactly where she'd
landed--full on top of me.

"Of course, idiot. I love you so much."

"I love you more. You're the best thing that ever happened
to me." I sat us up, which put her astride my lap, and handed over the
ring box a little late.

She opened it and actually giggled as she glanced from her
father to her stepmother, a little-girl sound I'd never heard from
those sweet lips. It went straight to my heart. Was this incredible
woman really mine?

"Do you like it?"

Riley hugged that little box to herself. "Roger that,
Xman."

I grinned. She let me slip the diamond solitaire on her third
finger, left hand. Laughing and crying, she held it up for the four of us
to see.

It suddenly struck me that I'd made it--transitioned back to
the normalcy every vet craved. Not that I'd never feel another stab of
guilt for what had gone down at home or in Kabul. I knew I would; I
also knew I'd get through it.

Why? Because my world was right side up again, and the
amazing girl who'd made it happen...?

She loved me.

True
-ly loved me.

Linda Palmer has been writing for pleasure since the third
grade and has letters from her teachers predicting she'd be an
author. Though becoming a writer was never actually a dream, it was
something she did naturally and eventually with intent. Silhouette
Books published Linda's first novel in l989 and the next twenty over
a ten year period (writing as Linda Varner). In 1999 she took a break
to take care of her family. She learned that she couldn't
not
write, however, and began again, changing her genre to young adult
paranormal romance. She has twelve full-length novels out as e-
reads and in print and there are always more in the works. She also
has many novellas and short stories available.

Linda was a Romance Writers of America finalist twice and
won the 2011 and 2012 EPIC eBook awards in the Young Adult
category. She married her junior high school sweetheart many years
ago and lives in Arkansas, USA with her family. Her website is
www.lindavpalmer.com. Facebook her: Linda Varner Palmer. Twitter
@ lvarnerpalmer.

* * * *

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• Chapter One
  
• Chapter Two
  
• Chapter Three
  
• Chapter Four
  
• Chapter Five
  
• Chapter Six
  
• Chapter Seven
  
• Chapter Eight
  
• Chapter Nine
  
• Chapter Ten
  
• Chapter Eleven
  
• Chapter Twelve
  
• Chapter Thirteen
  
• Chapter Fourteen
  
• Chapter Fifteen
  
• Chapter Sixteen
  
• Chapter Seventeen
  
• Chapter Eighteen
  
• Chapter Nineteen
  
• Chapter Twenty
  
• Chapter Twenty-One
  
• Epilogue
  
• About the Author