Stories in the series (in order):
The Lady for a Lady
No Easy Way
Sleeping Beauties
An Act of Betrayal
The Devil You Know
Demons
The Riddle of the Night
"What?" Caitlin asked when they were standing in her living room. She had re-done it after Duveaux was killed inside. So far, it made no difference.
"My parents drowned in a boating accident, Kelly supposedly died in a car accident, Saint John was there one minute and gone the next, Gabrielle was kidnapped and killed in the desert, we argued, you left, and then I watched Horn kill you. How I feel about you still hangs on what I've experienced in the past. I don't want to say something meaningful to you and then lose you."
Caitlin was still standing with the note grasped in her hand. She went to the couch and sat down. "Hawke, the first night you saw me, do you know that you saved my soul? Those men were trying to hurt me and you saved me. I can count numerous other ways you saved my life. I'm not going to die after you say what you have to say. I swear I'm not going to die."
Hawke opened his mouth to say something and then closed it. When a few seconds passed, he said, "I'm scared of what's going to happen."
"Do you think I'm not? Hawke, relationships are a crap shoot going into them, but sometimes you just have to jump in feet first."
Hawke smiled. "You used the wrong analogy. It should have been 'sometimes you just have to throw the dice'."
Hawke started laughing and Caitlin joined in. When their laughter had somewhat contained itself, Hawke said, "Finish reading the letter."
"But I read it earlier," She reminded him.
"Just finish reading it."
Caitlin perused the last few lines until she came to the unfinished portion. Time stopped as she read the last three words. She looked up from the letter to find Hawke standing too close to her.
He held her hands in his. The paper crackled loudly from the crushing.
"I . . .love. . .you, Caitlin." He said each word slowly and with feeling.
"I . . .love. . .you, Hawke." Caitlin repeated the words with the same slowness and feeling. Hawke released her hands from his grip. She dropped the paper to the floor and wrapped her arms around his neck.
When Caitlin released his neck, she stepped back and wiped the tears from her cheeks. "What now?" She asked, seriously not knowing where they went there.
"I have an idea, but you have to trust me." He winked at her.
"I trust you with my life, Hawke."
He took her hand and led her toward her front door. "Good, because this idea is pretty crazy, even for me."