Dakota Homecoming by Lisa Mondello Page A

Something that Eduardo hopefully won’t be able to trace. And then you can start fresh.” His voice was quiet and it occurred to her that her words had come out wrong.
    “I want this, Julian. This normal.”
    He frowned. “What? Like my family?”
    She nodded.
    “You think my family is normal?”
    Georgie chuckled softly at his shocked expression. “It’s more normal than anything I’ve ever known. You all love each other. You’re there for each other. Why would I want to leave someplace like this? I’ve never felt more at home than I have being here. And this isn’t even my home!”
    Her heart pounded in her chest as she laughed. Julian hadn’t asked her to stay. He hadn’t asked her for anything. Even when he’d held her in his arms and kissed her until she was breathless, he never asked. They’d both known that eventually she’d be moving on when he got the information he needed and Angela and her family were safe. They were almost there. He had his information. And soon, her cousin would be on her way out of Colombia.
    “Forget I said anything,” she said quickly, snatching her hand away from his.
    But as much as she desperately tried to retreat, Julian wouldn’t let her get away. He grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her so she was facing him on the bench.
    “That’s the last thing I’m going to do, Georgie.”
    Bending his head, he brushed his lips against hers and let them linger for a moment, telling her how he felt. He kissed her like he meant it. She didn’t need the words. And she believed him.
    When they parted, he took his hand and pushed her hair away from her face and smiled. “This is all so new to me, Georgie. I’ve never felt this way about a woman before. I’m not about to let you leave here and get lost out in the world so some other man can find out how wonderful you are. But it’s not up to me. It has to be your choice. If you want to be with me, I say hell yeah, let’s do it. Stay here in South Dakota or come with me to the moon. I don’t care. But everyone here knows you now. You won’t be able to change your identity. You won’t be able to get the same fresh start as Angela and her family will get in witness protection.”
    “But I’ll have a fresh start with you,” she said, feeling the smile inside grow bigger by leaps. “You make me feel safe, Julian. You make me feel like I’m home.”
    He kissed her again. It was a promise of the future. A beginning. She was home.
     
     
    —The End—
     
     
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