Well this is the last chapter! Hope you've enjoyed it and I had fun posting it every day so the next one might not be daily updated but I'll try and do it twice a week or something!

Next up: Nanny Required

19.

"She was here?" Troy stalked up and down the forecourt of the gas station, willing her to appear.

"This is where she called from…" Hank affirmed. "I'm sorry, son." He sighed.

"No! This can't be it!" Troy argued frustrated. "She was so close!"

"She is close, Troy. Maybe she's headed home right now. We ought to get back, in case." Hank suggested, trying to shoo Troy back into the truck.

"I want to have her in my arms again, Hank…" He beseeched.

"I know." Hank agreed.

Troy sighed, turning around as if he might have missed her, and then slowly padded back to the truck, sitting dejectedly inside.

She was alive, that the main thing. She was alive and she was safe, because she had called to say she was. That meant Denzel hadn't got to her and she was ok.

But Hank had mentioned she was with a man- something Gabi had told him in her short conversation.

It filled him with love to think she had called Hank first; but he wanted to know who this guy was. Had she been hurt? Taken hostage? Raped?

He shuddered at the thought of it and then shook the idea from his mind. When he found her again- and he would- he was going to hold her in his arms and never let go.

He was going to tell her exactly how much she meant to him.

"I'll bet she's sitting in the porch chair waiting for you, when we get back…" Hank tried to console him.

"Maybe." Troy nodded sadly.

The porch chair was empty as they made their way back up to the house and Troy couldn't hide it anymore. Not for the first time, he ached for his separation from Gabi and the confusing events that followed, desperate for something to come back to him and picture the pieces together.

"Don't give up." Hank patted his back as they went inside.

"I won't ever." Troy promised tiredly, trekking up to his room and collapsing on his bed.

He wouldn't ever give up because he couldn't imagine life without her. It just wasn't possible.

/

"Duwayne, I'm not a mathematician but I reckon I should be close to home by now…" Gabi lifted her brows as they passed signs within Nashville city.

"I just gotta see a guy and then I'll get you to your prince." Duwayne promised.

She took an excited breath in at the news she was almost home.

"Can you not drop me off first and do your errand afterwards?" She asked with annoyance.

"Hey, pretty buns. Remember who drove one hundred and eighty miles out of county to get you home." He hoarsed beside her.

"Sure, sorry." She murmured, chastised. He was right. She should be grateful. Only she was so desperate to get to Hank and find out if he knew anything about Troy, that not much else registered with her.

"It won't take long, darlin'." He assured.

"I owe you a thank you." She hedged gently.

"All in a day's work…" Duwayne dismissed.

"I mean it, Duwayne. At least let me buy you a meal and a beer or do something in return…" She offered, wondering what he might ask for.

"Well…now that you mention it, there is somethin' you could do…" He frowned.

"What's that?" She asked.

"Well I'm meeting this old friend of mine and it sure would pickle his dick if he thought you were my gurl-friend." He drew the word out into one long sound.

"I'm not kissing you." She folded her arms.

"I dint ask yer too, did I?" He scoffed.

"Or doing any sexual favours…" She added.

"You just gotta hang off my arm and look pretty. Look convincing." He posed.

She eyes him with a squint. "You really want to pretend?"

"Sure would make him rile…" He cackled to himself.

"And he's not a weirdo or anything? I don't want this getting back to anyone I know." She frowned.

"You really think you an' me walk in the same circles, doll?" He wondered.

"Okay, good point." She agreed. "Then I have three conditions."

"Shoot…" He welcomed.

"One, no kissing." She announced.

"We just bin' through this…"

"Two, no sexual favours." She repeated.

"Ah know…" He sighed.

"Three…you're a good man, Duwayne. Any girl would be lucky to have you."

He turned and squinted his eyes at her, wondering if she was telling the truth.

"I mean it. I wouldn't have lived without you. I wouldn't have gotten home." She added.

"Well don't go tellin' everybody what a hero I am, I can't take all the press an' shit…" He mumbled, making her chuckle. "We're here, darlin'." He added.

Gabi looked up and saw a cracked down old barn that had been shape-shifted into some kind of whiskey bar. It was the middle of the day and it still felt like midnight, such was the isolation of the building. She couldn't see any other cars outside and she flicked Duwayne a quick look.

"He'll be here in a sweet minute, angel," He assured, shutting off his engine and waiting a few feet away from the main parking lot.

"Okay." She nodded.

Another vehicle drew up. She couldn't see properly because there was so much dust, but two men vanished inside the hut while she squinted to gain sight of them.

Duwayne rolled down the hill to the car park and popped the door open, climbing out and walking beside Gabi as she made her way across to the bar.

"Just put your hand on my elbow, huh?" He asked, licking his lips.

She nodded and linked with him as he asked, taking a nervous breath as she flung her curls over her shoulder.

"Just relax, sweetpea. Not long now." He soothed.

They entered the darkly lit space and Gabi fought to see in the dusky room.

"You here, old friend?" Duwayne called.

"Right here!" A voice called back and Gabi frowned, wait a minute, wasn't that…?

"I got myself a beautiful girl and I just had to show her off…" Duwayne grinned, parading Gabi onto the mahogany floor toward the bar where two figures hovered. One smaller, stockier man, in his fifties, one she knew and almost fainted at seeing.

Hank!

The other figure made her knees give way and she thought she had imagined him, so shocked was she to see him stood beside the older man.

"Oops, pretty…" Duwayne caught her, right before Troy strode forward and grasped her into his arms, catching her fall.

"Gabi?" He begged, brushing her face with a gentle hand. She squinted at him, frowned, then went limp in his arms as she really did pass out and he looked to the cowboy, then his girl in question.

"She's been non-stop chatterin' bout you…" Duwayne mused, hugging Hank like two brothers might.

"Where've you been, Duwey?" Hank sighed, smiling.

"I was kinda wrapped up keepin' this one safe…" Duwayne remarked. "She's a real live-wire."

Troy lifted Gabi into his arms and flicked his worried eyes over her face, then her body, checking for signs of damage.

"Was she hurt?" He asked the cowboy.

"Not on my watch." Duwayne tipped his hat.

"You were the safe-house?" Troy clicked quickly, surprised.

The other man nodded, smiled a warm smile. "I promised Hank I'd get ya both home alive and I did."

"If you had Gabi, who had me?" Troy wondered.

"Well I had to get rid of you somehow to get her out and Denzel did me a favour knocking you out…" Duwayne explained. "I'm just sorry you got hurt an' all."

"It's okay…" Troy allowed, still catching up.

"I had to win her in a card game. She wouldn't come easily." He embellished.

"She is stubborn as fuck." Troy swore, holding her tightly.

"But she was alright once she knew I didn't bite. And actually, you got an amazing lady there, fella. She loves you to your bones." He described.

"I know. I do, too." Troy promised.

"You look after her." Duwayne added.

"You bet I will…" Troy murmured.

"We should get that beauty home…" Hank suggested.

Troy gave her another worried look and then looked to Duwayne. "I owe you cowboy."

Duwayne smiled. "Well she paid me her debt so me an' you will have to have a rollover…"

"Suits me. Anytime, buddy." Troy assured.

"Thanks, I'll call you on that…" Duwayne tipped his hat. "Look…she might be upset she didn't get to say goodbye…" He warned Troy.

"That would be just like her…" Troy smiled fondly at Gabi's limp form.

"Tell her I'll be by soon to take her up on her dinner offer." He winked.

"I sure will. Thanks, again." Troy added.

"See ya, partner." Duwayne shook Hank's hand and the two of them chatted before Hank jumped in the truck and drove the couple home.

It took half an hour for Gabi to come around, her eyes focusing unsurely around her as Troy cradled her in his lap.

"You're real…" She reached for his face and touched, her face creasing with happiness before she burst into tearS, quickly waking to throw her arms around his neck.

"As real as I can be…" He mused, catching her close.

"I thought you were dead, I thought you were hurt!" She babbled.

"I'm okay, now. I'm okay…" He soothed her tears, rubbing her small back with his big, gentle hands.

"I don't know what happened; I just knew you were gone!" She gasped, then. "Duwayne!"

"I met him." Troy smiled. "He's a real cool guy."

"I never got to say goodbye!" She cried again, making him chuckle.

"He said you might mention that."

"I owe him dinner" She pouted.

"He said he's coming back to take you up on that." He explained.

"Oh, Troy…" She sighed, hugging him tightly again. "Did they hurt you?"

"I just got used as a punch bag, it's nothing…" He assured.

"Duwayne told me Denzel is out of the picture…" She hedged.

"Thank god. Thank god you're safe. I thought I'd never get to hold you again…I hated myself for letting you go." He husked.

"It's not your fault. You were amazing, Troy." She assured.

"Don't let go…" He begged of her arms around his neck, her fingers playing into his hair.

"I won't ever." She smiled against his neck.

/

He carried her up to bed and snuggled in beside her, just glad to have her back, still coming to terms with it. A few hours ago he had gone out with Hank, presuming they had a lead, not actually expecting to see her. When he had, his body had the same reaction as hers, weakening his knees; only his protective streak won out when she collapsed and now he was so thankful he had gone out.

He'd come home with the love of his life.

Gabi stirred and snuggled him, leaning up to kiss his lips softly as he lowered himself to the bed, dressed in his boxers and tee having rid his jeans.

He smiled as his lips ached in missing her kiss and he gently kissed her back, the contact becoming longer and more demanding as they both woke up to having each other again.

"I love kissing you…" He sighed, tightening his arms around her and feeling her cuddle closer.

She deepened the kiss, wriggling to brush her body up against his, reminding herself of his firm, unrelenting muscle.

"Help me…" She begged, trying to untie her waist belt and struggling.

"This is a beautiful little outfit…" He smiled, eyeing her shapely legs as his tender fingers quickly untied the belt and he slowly unbuttoned the front of the creation.

"It's not easy to get out of…" She complained, finally kneeling to strip it off, kicking it down the bed with annoyance.

"Wow, honey…" He grinned, amused.

"It's not funny…" She protested, leaning back into his body, wanting more.

It came slowly, not like their old flaming urgency; slow like a dripping tap. Stroking, touching, and remembering. Gabi let her hands learn his planes again, wriggled beneath him as he rolled over and pressed into her curves.

"It's been so long…" She murmured, wanting to feel their connection again, distraught that it wasn't there yet, despite their foreplay.

"Hey…" He paused, brushing his thumbs down her face, meeting her brown gaze, seeing her inner fight.

"I'm sorry, I should be okay with this…I should be…" She grasped for words.

"You went through an ordeal Gabi. There's no rush for this to happen, okay?" He assured.

She nodded, sipping kisses from him, just making out and enjoying his muscular body atop hers while they stroked and touched again.

"Let me run you a bath…" Troy suggested, kissing her softly one more time before scooting from the bed to go and run a bath for her.

Gabi sat up and ran her hands over her face, trying to wipe away whatever it was that was stopping her enjoying sex with her man.

"You wanted this so much when you didn't have it…" She whispered to herself.

He helped her from the bed, like a perfect gentleman and escorted her through to the bathroom, his appreciative gaze flickering down her naked body as he helped her into the warm water.

"Come in with me?" She begged, knowing the bath would hold two.

"Really?" He grinned, delighted. "I'd love to. But let me go on the bottom huh, then you can sit on my lap…"

His suggestion made her giggle and she settled into his lap, knees bent and feet against the bath bottom so she could face him. She painted his face with bubbles from the foam.

"That suits you!" She laughed, her wrists captured with his tenderly as he grinned inanely into her face.

"God, I missed this." He admitted.

"Me, too." She smiled, leaning forward to kiss him, her nipples brushing his chest and reacting to the contact, the cold air puckering her skin.

He smiled and dipped his head, warming them with his tongue, eliciting a needful moan from her lips.

"Troy…" She breathed.

He took large scoopfuls of water and rained them down her body, letting his hands wash over her dampened skin, too, reminding her of touch and tenderness with no hidden agenda.

Gabi let his non-pressurised foreplay relax her, finally twisting in the bath to lay against his chest, floating in the water as they enjoyed just being close.

Soon his hands brushed down her curves and started up a humming symphony of want; leading his fingers lower, to her core, where he touched some more, so gently that she felt like she was in a dream.

"What about you..?" She whispered, sighing out at the pleasure he reigned deep within her.

"I'm good…" He smiled, waiting for her to really let go to his touch.

Her arms reached behind her, plunging her fingers into his hair as she stretched and quivered against her climax, leaving him smiling widely at her reaction.

"Oh, wow." She said, shivering in his arms as the water cooled quickly.

"You cold, baby?" He asked, climbing out of the bath and drying them both, cuddling her to him.

He took her back to the bed and spooned her until she fell asleep, happy in the knowledge that she was back in his arms, where she belonged.

"Do I have to eat?" Troy smiled into her neck, kissing there and grasping her backside gently with his hands.

"What's the alternative?" She enquired, stirring the eggs in the skillet.

"Make love to you, right now." He suggested, dropping a kiss to her shoulder.

She paused, pressed back against him and sighed.

"Two seconds." She breathed and he grinned, lifting his hands up to cup her breasts, very gently thumbing her nipples.

"Very nice two seconds they were, too." He decided, taking over the stirring and letting her duck and twist to kiss him, and she touched his chest.

"I'm not ruining my eggs…" She warned.

"I didn't ask you to." He husked with a warm voice.

"Good, they're ready, now let's dish…" She stated.

He managed to behave while Hank was eating with them, but when the older man left to carry out his errands, Troy's glint returned.

"You look sexy as hell running around like that…" He beamed.

"Like what?" She enquired, placing the plates into the sink.

"Like you want to be made love to…" He spoke into her ear and she gasped at his sneaking up behind her.

"Has it been that long?" She smiled teasingly, stretching her arms up as his hands ran up her body and landed back on her breasts.

"I was interrupted…" He reminded her, taking advantage of his position to rub his growing attraction against her backside.

"That's not right…" She shook her head, sighing out as he kissed her neck over and over.

"Damn wrong." He agreed, kissing her as they staggered back toward his room, the stairs landing Troy on his backside as he went up first and tripped, then they stayed their, grinding against each other until they had to move again, over-taken by their passion.

"No…wait…" She giggled as his weight pushed her over and they collapsed to the floor, a tangle of kisses and touches.

"You're determined to get carpet burn…" He smirked, helping her up.

"You're the one who can't stand up…" Gabi teased back, earning her a tight hug around her middle from Troy's strong arms. He picked her up against his body and carried her to the bed, bending forward as he lay her down, then crawled onto the surface with her.

For a moment, he pulled away from their tonguing kiss to look into her eyes.

"I meant what I said that day on the hill, Gabi." He whispered, slowly peeling away her layers and kissing her skin as he revealed it.

"I know…" She sighed, pulling off his clothes, leaving them naked, skin-on-skin, hot and rubbing against each other, ready to join.

"Then let me ask you again…what I asked you before…" He murmured into her ear, sinking into her body with a thrust.

Her hands threaded into his toffee hair as she arched up and cried out.

"The answer is yes, Troy." She managed to cast out throatily.

"I didn't ask yet…" He growled, thrusting again, trying to take control.

"Sorry…" She breathed, smiling a little, letting him have the control he wanted.

He bent to kiss her nipple, leaned up to kiss her mouth, felt her rise beneath his punishing drives and knew she was the only one he could ever be with.

"Will you marry me Gabriella Montez?" He asked as he connected them again, going deep into her welcoming body.

Gabi gripped his bulging arms and met his strokes, each and every one, feeling his question roll up her body and burst happiness through her heart.

"You know I will," She answered, tears in her eyes as he continued his punishment, bringing her body to the very edge of ecstasy, then pushing it over.

"I love you so much, tigress." He murmured, collapsing against her on the bed, holding her tight.

"I love you. Forever." She echoed his words from months ago, making him smile.

He'd have never thought that day she jumped into his taxi that he'd end up finding love like this. He had never really thought about finding love at all until she had drawn him in with her unique looks and intriguing personality.

As he laid on his back and brought her into their familiar cuddle, he smiled at the strangeness of it all.

"I'm gonna marry you." He said softly, bemused.

"Uh-huh" She kissed his chest.

"There's no going back, then…" He teased, tipping his head so he could look at her.

"I know." She replied confidently.

"You're sure you want to be hooked up with an ex-con?" He checked, mock seriously.

"I'm sure. Are you?" She asked back.

"I'm sure." He replied.

"Then quit talking and kiss me, Bolton," She demanded, leaning up to do just that.

He groaned and let her lips revive his appetite. "I'll never get fed up of this…"

"We'll be the world's first randy pensioners…" Gabi giggled as he rolled over toward her and kissed her neck.

"Amen to that."