Chapter 27

Joelle didn't know what it was that Mike was going to say to her as they walked into the woods away from the team, but she knew what was screaming to come out of her mouth. During her hour-long hell while listening to Baby Shark, she'd come to a conclusion.

She wasn't just infatuated with Mike Carlese. She loved the hell out of him.

Joe didn't exactly know how or when it had happened, but being faced with possible death had opened her eyes. The wily SWAT-cop had snuck in under her normal defenses and blown her bullshit ‘I'm-okay-being-solitary' status to smithereens. And now she wanted to shout it to the world. Not only did she adore the man, she wanted to be in his life. Permanently. With all the bells and whistles that came with that.

They could start out slowly if he was hesitant; give him time to catch up if it wasn't something he was sure about, yet. And in the meantime, she'd find an adequate job. Not waitressing at a watering hole, but something in one of the nearby communities that would satisfy her need for action. Then she'd make herself a pain-in-the-ass-constant in Mike's day-to-day life until he cried uncle.

As soon as he relented, and came around to returning her feelings, she'd think about trying for a job in the Portland DEA office, then they might contemplate moving in together. Huge steps for both of them.

After that…?

Ah, shit.

Did Mike want more kids?

His two were already practically grown, so would starting fresh be a hard "no" for him? Joe had never imagined wanting to have babies before, but now her body was crying out to make little Mikes. And considering how beautiful his two current children were, any offspring they created together would be freaking adorable. But…

If Mike said no, it wouldn't be a game changer. It would make her a little sad, but on the bright side, Joelle figured she'd be a stellar step-mom. She had skills. She hadn't been able to prove herself to the family yet, but she was a five-star cook, a consummate camper, and an equal opportunity sports fan. Three things Mike and his kids—from what she'd learned—liked.

So there really wasn't a problem.

"You have a funny look on your face," Mike told her when they stopped, putting a finger under her chin, and examining her eyes. He frowned. "And a huge ass bruise on your head. Are you sure you're not concussed?"

"Not in the least," she assured him. She wasn't going to bring up her "family" questions, but she took a deep breath, getting ready to spill her romantic feelings, instead. "I, uh, have something I want to tell you."

"Nope. Me first," he growled, but not in his normal bear-like way. This was more of a wobbly rumble, like someone had temporarily declawed him.

Joe wrinkled her nose, but gave in because it seemed important to him. And, yup, it was way easier to let him talk than to get three little words to come out of her mouth. Mike taking charge gave Joe more time to gather her courage. Not that she was normally reticent to speak her mind, but this was…momentous. Other than to her immediate family, she'd never uttered the word "love" before.

Joe nodded for Mike to go ahead.

"I've been lying to you," he finally divulged.

Oh, crap.

Joelle's body nearly crumbled. Mike was about to tell her he wasn't feeling their togetherness the way she had been; that she'd be better off taking a hike than wasting her time with him for what had been a brief, physical fling.

Her insides hurt as she responded.

"How so?" Okay. They were the hardest two words she'd ever had to utter.

"I… I was leading you to believe that we were enjoying what might be a long-term physical relationship." Mike looked pained.

Fuck.So they were done.

Loving him despite his retreat, Joe did the brave thing. She stepped up to the plate so Mike didn't have to feel awful about dumping her. She'd bravely internalize enough pain for both of them during this awkward encounter.

"I get it, Mike. I do. What we had was fun, but good times always have an expiration date. So, once we put Lester away, if you want me out of your jurisdiction posthaste, I'll be gone. No complaints, no regrets."

There.She'd said it. And she wouldn't fall apart.

Don't lose your shit. Don't lose your shit,she chanted inside her head.

"What? No!" Mike looked appalled. "That's not what I meant. It's the physical relationship part I'm taking back."

Joe blinked, not understanding. "Huh?"

"Shit. I'm doing a piss-poor job of this."

He picked up both her hands in his and held on tightly. "I don't want a simple physical relationship with you. I don't want something surface that doesn't include our hearts."

Joe's breath caught. What was he saying?

Mike's face reflected pain, and hope.

"I love you, Joelle. I have from the minute I took you down to the ground next to my truck at the quarries."

Wha…?

"You took me down?" Joe huffed. "I'll have you know…"

Wait. What else had Mike said? He…loved her?

"Shit. You love me?"

Mike gave a crooked smile. "Not exactly the response I was looking for, but yeah. I do. I thought maybe the feeling was mutual."

Screw the hand-holding thing.

Joe smashed her body into Mike's, forcing his arms around her back before removing her hands from his wrists, raising them to the back of his neck. She yanked him forward and planted a fervent kiss to his lips before backing off an inch. "It is. And I do, too," she told him with a squeal, but then he took over the kissing…

…and kissing…and kissing…

Joe lost track of time as she tasted her man, knowing he loved her. And this was a whole new kind of lip-locking. She thought she'd gotten close to Mike before, but having their feelings for each other out in the open…

Was this what birthing a baby was like? Events going from mild discomfort, to excruciating pain, to the best damned experience of her life?

If the answer to that was yes, she'd take it.

After an unidentifiable amount of deeply connected smooching, Mike finally raised his head, his eyes softening as he took in her apparent satedness.

"Damn," he breathed.

"Right?" she asked incredulously. "I fucking love the shit out of you, Mike." Joe rasped in response, then beamed so widely, she feared her face might crack,

Mike threw his head back and laughed. "Thank God for that. I don't know what I would have done if you'd told me to take a hike. But sweetheart…"

"Yeah?" she asked. She'd give this man anything.

"We might have to try curbing your language again, just a little bit," he chortled. "I have kids, you know."

"I can do that," Joe agreed easily, snuggling up close, under his chin. As long as Mike loved her, she felt as if she could conquer the world. Something as petty as her renewed swearing habit would be a piece of cake to fix.

"Say it again," Mike gruffed into her hair, kissing the top of her head.

"What? That I can stop swearing? Flipping right I can. If it means you'll let me in your house."

"No. I mean yes," he grunted. "And my house? You'll be there alright, because I want you to move in. But I need to hear you say?—"

"I love you." Joe didn't hesitate, and punctuated it with a peppering of kisses to his bearded chin. "I. Love. You." She leaned back when she was finished and quirked an eyebrow. "That's three for me, and only one for you."

Mike laughed again as he rubbed noses with her. "You're going to make a competition out of ‘I love you'?"

"Not if you promise to tell me every few hours for the next month or so. That way I'll eventually believe it's real."

"Oh, it's real alright," Mike stated, tightening his hold and backing her up to the nearest tree. "But I'd rather show you than tell you."

Joe felt every hard inch of the man pressed up against her as her spine hit bark. Her hands went to his posterior, and she ground him closer. But his vest…

She grunted. "Lose the gear, SWAT guy, and you can show me everything."

Mike went to comply, when?—

"Calese. Get your ass out here. Your five minutes is not only up, you've been canoodling for over half an hour."

Canoodling?Half an hour?

Crab on a cracker. Joe was dumbfounded on two counts. They'd not only tested Mason's patience by ignoring the clock, Mike had forgotten to turn off his mic. Did that mean his whole team…?

"And you can thank me later," Mason barked. "I had everybody turn off their communication devices as soon as you two started getting inappropriate." Mason, although censuring, revealed more than a modicum of humor as he spoke.

"Except you," Mike grunted with amusement.

"What? You expected me to tune out when things were getting good?"

Mike grinned while grinding his pelvis into Joe. "Uh, Mase? Does your wife Everlee know you're a voyeur?"

Mason snorted. "Voyeur implies watching, dickhead. I was listening. And it's a damned good thing I was, because if I hadn't, the two of you would have gotten carried away, and we have business to conduct."

"Spoilsport," Joelle answered.

Mason ignored her outburst to ask a question.

"Now, Joe. In order to expedite things, I need some information. You've refused to tell us what the hell your last name is, and we can't move ahead until you do.".

Mike edged back and looked down at her, dazed. "Yeah. What he said. What is your last name, anyway?" he posed incredulously.

Joelle got impish. "Mike." She shook her head. "You mean to tell me you just briefed a woman that you're in love with her without knowing who she is?"

Mike quickly regained his equilibrium and scoffed. "Oh, I know who you are. The woman I love," he said succinctly. "Which means I don't care whether your last name is Smith, or Arachibutyrophobia. I have the woman I adore in my arms, and that's all the info I need."

"Sweet," Joe preened, accepting another too short, and very quiet kiss. "But FYI, my last name is Pikens."

Mason sighed. "Thanks for?—"

Mike clicked off his mic. "Pikens is nice, but…how does Joelle Carlese strike you?" he asked with a little tentativeness to his voice.

Joe swallowed around a huge lump. "You're…asking that, already?"

"I don't mess around," he said, grinning self-consciously. "But I don't expect an answer right now. I'm really just putting it out there for future consideration."

Joe thought for a hot second before…

"Future-me says yes."

"Goddamn," Mike howled loudly, giving a fist pump into the air.

"Mike!" Mason bellowed through the tree-screen. "Are you okay?"

Joe and Mike looked at each other and cracked up.

"I think we should rejoin the team before Mason sends in reconnaissance," Joe teased.

Mike nodded, then…

"All good, Mase," he shouted back. "We're coming."

"TMI, Mike," the boss teased with a yelp. "Save that for later."

Joe giggled.

She liked Mike's team. A lot. And it was a good thing, because once she was jobless, she'd not only be sniffing out a job in Portland, she'd be asking if they were in the market for a new, part-time SWAT member. She wasn't afraid that nepotism was forbidden. Mason's wife, Everlee, was on the team in the capacity of a Use of Force officer. Maybe Joe could come in as an undercover detective?

She'd ask Mase about all that when she got the chance. But right now…

"We need to go," she told Mike. "Making a plan to catch Lester is priority one." She reluctantly extricated herself from his arms. "Once things are in place, we can get back to…this." She winked.

Mike grinned. "And what makes you think Mason doesn't have a course of action for your dickhead boss already sussed out?"

"He'd better not," Joe mock glowered. "That amp-pole is mine."

Mike smirked, but didn't comment on her language clean-up. Smart. Because truly? Joe didn't know how long she could keep it up now that the cat had been let out of the bag.

They walked, hand-in-hand back to where the entire team milled about, the command bus having been brought into position at the front of the warehouse.

"Just a heads up," Mason told them as they approached. "I've called in Hank Twidelle to come assist on this case."

Joelle's feet almost tripped over themselves.

"Hank? As in the head of the Portland DEA, Hank?" Joelle squeaked. "You know him?"

"I do," Mason informed her. "He and I were on a few public safety committees together before he left law enforcement to work for the DEA."

"Well, shit. I wish I'd known that," Joe huffed. "I was thinking of getting him involved in the case when I hadn't gotten satisfaction from my home office, but I didn't know if he was somebody who'd be in Lester's pocket."

Mason shook his head. "Not a chance. He's one of the good ones. And after I explained what was happening, he agreed to head straight here with a handful of agents. He's meeting us in the conference room at the OPD. I expect him in two hours, then we'll set things up to nail your boss," he told Joe.

"You already have a plan," Mike stated, unequivocally, giving Joe a wink.

"I do. After I talked to Hank, it was a no-brainer. Since this is Lester's operation, and Joe is the man's agent-in-charge, he has jurisdiction over what's happening here. Which means once Galici calls him and tells him the deed is done…"

They all knew "the deed" meant her boss would be informed that she was dead.

"…he'll come east with his own team to find her body, while at the same time uncovering the ‘evidence' Galici planted that implicates her as being part of a drug ring. And he'll make the trip himself to make sure Joe and any intel she's previously reported is out of the picture, so the prick can continue his perfidy, unchecked. Or so he thinks." Mason's smile was downright lethal, and if Joe didn't know what a regular guy he was, she'd be scared spitless.

"And Galici has agreed to make the call?" Mike questioned.

Mason nodded. "He's in the ER right now, having been escorted there by F squad. Alvero tells me our perp suffered two clean breaks and his leg is being casted. Once he's finished, they'll escort him to OPD where he promises to do what we ask in exchange for a good word during his hearing. He knows he's headed to prison, for sure, but he's hoping for a little leniency as to location."

Yeah.Joe wasn't surprised. It wouldn't go well for the guy if he were to be incarcerated amongst men he'd crossed. And as far as her experience was concerned, all drug dealers made enemies during their long journey into darkness. Galici would be no different.

"So…what do you need from us right now?" Mike asked, sending a side-eye to Joe while attempting to look innocent to his boss.

"Oh, no you don't," Mason tsked, immediately catching on. "We need a debrief from Joe, and while I'm doing that, you have to help the team make sure there's no evidence of us left for Lester to find when he gets here. That means broken glass needs to be cleaned up, the panel on the front door rewired, and all our boot-marks and tire-tracks erased. I'll take Joe back to town, then you can join us in the OPD conference room when you're finished."

"Damn, Mase. It's a good thing I like you," Mike growled to his chief.

"And it's a good thing you've finally found a woman who'll get your grumpy ass under control," Mason countered.

Mike, rather than feeling chastised, looked at Joe with both heat and joy in his gaze. "Yeah. You got me. It certainly is."