The American. Andrew Britton
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Название: The American
Автор: Andrew Britton
Издательство: Ingram
Жанр: Шпионские детективы
isbn: 9780786022601
isbn:
He sighed in exasperation. He didn’t mean to, and it was barely audible, but she caught the implication immediately. “And who’s Naomi?”
“Katie—”
“Is she pretty? I’m sure she is…You don’t need to answer that.”
Ryan looked over at her. From high above, streetlights positioned along the road occasionally cut deep into the shadowed interior of the car. Passing under one now, light flickered through the windows and clearly illuminated the expressions within. He briefly saw tears welling in her eyes, but the anger and suspicion he expected were not spread across her delicate features. Instead, her face was clouded with fear.
The next exit was for Rock Creek Park, and he abruptly swung the car into the lane on the far right. The road hummed quietly beneath the tires as Ryan eased off the accelerator. It was not the way to the hotel.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“You’ll see.” They drove on for a few minutes more until he parked the BMW on a road adjacent to the park. Getting out of the car, he helped her into her black woolen peacoat. He noticed that she walked by his side, but stayed several steps away as they moved deeper into the park. The distance was a gulf between them. The trees lining the footpath towered far above like sentinels keeping a silent watch on the troubled couple below.
Katie slipped twice, Ryan catching her on both occasions before she fell. After the second fall, he couldn’t help himself: “You’re a little drunk.”
Despite herself, she smiled reluctantly. “I think you’re right.” They were approaching a bridge running over the partially frozen water. There were fewer lamps here, but the moonlight cast a serene glow over the park and glittered on the ice covering the low stone walls. The stars were bright in the clear sky. They were halfway over the bridge when Ryan stopped walking. He noticed that Katie was shivering and pulled her close, rubbing her slender arms beneath the heavy coat.
“You’re freezing…I’m sorry to bring you out here like this, but I wanted to talk. Not in the car, and not in the hotel.” She looked up into his eyes, and Ryan went on: “I do understand how you feel. I’ve lost a lot of people I’ve been close to. I’ll tell you about it sometime, but not now. Not tonight.
“You asked about Naomi. I barely know her, Katie, but let me tell you what I do know. She’s blunt, sarcastic, and ungrateful. She means nothing to me. Let me repeat that. She means nothing to me, and that’s not going to change. I saved her life at the Kennedy-Warren and she didn’t even thank me. Now I’m stuck with her for at least the next couple weeks when I want nothing more than to be here with you. I want you to be able to trust me, because I trust no one more than you.” She opened her mouth to speak, but he held up a hand to stop her.
“Let me finish. I know that you’re afraid. Tonight I told John that this is the last thing I’m doing for the Agency, and I meant it. A few more weeks at the most, and I’m done. I need you to be strong in the meantime. It’s just a job for me. It’s important that you see that. There’s a lot I want to do when it’s over, and I want—no, I need you by my side.
“Katie, I love you more than anything and I have to know: will you marry me?”
Ryan pulled a small burgundy box out of his pocket and opened it. He was scared to death, but Katie’s mouth dropped open in amazement, her bright blue eyes sparkling with surprise and happiness. She flung her arms around him, causing the box to tumble out of his hand. He laughed and they kissed deeply. He had been terrified to ask, almost certain that she would refuse him. Now, breathing in the fresh, clean scent of her, he knew that he would never regret his decision. He was only angry that he had to leave the next day.
“I take it that’s a yes?”
Katie kissed him again in place of an answer. They held each other for what seemed like an eternity until Ryan finally broke away.
“Now,” he said with another relieved laugh, “let’s find that ring.”
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