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"Whoops, sorry," she lad that he couldn’t see the blush that she kneas on her cheeks She had lost a few racefulhih the streets of Myrtle Beach Gwen relaxed her death grip on Doothi at first, but now she was able to enjoy the wind in her hair and the freedo when he slowed to make a turn She looked around in interest and was surprised by what she saw When he parked the bike in a busy lot, she hugged hi to the zoo?" God, she couldn’t remember the last tian, but they always begged for Chuck E Cheese instead

He turned in his seat, looking at her over his shoulder "Yeah, is this okay with you?"

"Oh, yes! This is wonderful" She laughed "I can’t believe you thought of it"

Do "I was just here last week They’re interested in hiring us to replace their current security company There’s also a park and so you’d like"

"Thank you," she beae"

Do her hand in his "I takeamused, he added, "I think the zoo there is about ready to pay ain Last time ere there, they had theto i to get kicked out"

Gwen laughed, i the scene he had described It sounded like the perfect day to her "I’ot me a yearlythe day there studying when I was in school It ht not sound ideal, but I would find a bench in one of the quieter areas and spreadin a dark corner of the library for hours"

Do, "Where did you go to school?"

Snuggling into his side as he dropped his arm around her, Gwen said, "I went to the University of South Carolina" Pointing to her chest, she added, "You’ve got a loyal Gao to college or straight into theher close as they walked toward a bird exhibit, Dominic said ruefully, "I was fully educated by Uncle Saree in life"

They stopped for a few h at the parrots before Gwen asked softly, "Was it hard? Your ti, she was starting to wonder if he’d heard her Then he began speaking slowly as if searching for the right words "It was--tough so of unity and trust because I would have died to save a brother or a sister and I know that they would have also, without thought We were a family, and as such, there were days you would want to choke one another and would give anything for just some peace But none of that mattered ere on patrol Then we just watched our partner’s back no matter what" His voice thickened as he continued "As careful as ere, we still lost people, and that’s so career military, but when Mac and the others left, I just didn’t have it in e"

Running her hand soothingly up and down his back, Gwen said, "So, here you are"

"That’s right," he agreed, "and I can’t think of anywhere else I’d rather be"

"Me, either" Thinking they needed to change the subject to sorabbed his hand "If I don’t see those penguins now, I’ to freak out!"

Dominic’s face, which had been so somber a minute earlier, now carried an easy smile "Well, we certainly can’t have that And it’s funny you should mention that because it’s one of the surprises I have for you"

Gwen had juht herself Yikes, shebraless in a zoo full of children When she glanced down, she was grateful to see her jacket still covering enough to keep her PG-rated "What is it?" She tugged on his hand as he looked at her indulgently

He checked his watch before answering "In about fifteen uins" When she could only stare at hiet your own bucket of fish"

Squealing loud enough to pop a few nearby eardru her arered for ahis ar her even closer "I can’t believe that," she shrieked Her heavy boots started to lose purchase, and she would have slipped down if not for his hands tightening on her hips and holding her steady

"Me thinks my baby likes," he teased as he dropped a kiss on her upturned ently onto her feet "If I’d known it was this easy to io"