He transferred his gun into the nightstand drawer and turned off the lights.
Stella spooned into him, and he grimaced as her cute ass bumped into his erection.
“Stop moving too much,” he breathed into her hair.
She gave a soft giggle.
His whole body engulfed hers and he liked that. His fighter girl. A warrior all on her own, but with vulnerabilities he’d die to protect. His logical brain was yelling at him to put the brakes on his free fall. Jake didn’t understand where these impulses were coming from. It never happened to him before. He wasn’t sure if it was everything Stella represented that hit all his buttons. She was a firecracker, his fighter girl. She was smart, she loved her gram so much it gave her panic attacks with the thought that she’d worry her.
Stella was brave and everything about her heart-shaped face appealed to him.
More than appealed to him.
He knew what everlasting love looked like in his parents. His mom and dad still tended the farm in Nebraska, but they were getting along in years and his brother was set to take over. It was Jake who felt the need to serve his country. But being here with Stella reminded him of that one summer night when he was atop one of the tractors looking at the stars and slugging back a beer with his old man after a long hot day working the fields.
“You just know it. That one woman who makes you feel everything,” his father said. “You finally know you’ve found the one.”
He had dismissed that as his father having had too much sun and beer, but now he was seeing that conversation clearly.
His arms tightened around her and hers did the same, giving his forearm a squeeze. Her breathing slowly fell into the rhythm of sleep, and he soon followed her under.
11
Stella stared at the television, but she wasn’t paying attention, flashes from her hot night with Jake creeping into her thoughts. She woke up alone in bed this morning and found him in the kitchen preparing breakfast. There was a bit of awkwardness, but maybe it was more of morning-after shyness. Over their morning meal, Jake said he needed to do some work in the control room and go over intel with Viktor, Tex, and their AGS analyst. After another web session with Gram, she retired to the apartment. Jake came back close to lunchtime mumbling about getting real food and said he needed to run some errands. He wouldn’t expound on it, said he was going to get her some clothes and maybe more. He left around two.
The exit door to Castle Rock clanged.
Jake was back.
He’d been gone for five hours.
She switched the channel to the building monitors and spotted his big form passing the first-floor cameras going straight for the stairs. Her pulse quickened as she remembered that strong body wrapped around her in sleep. She had awakened in the early hours of dawn feeling like a furnace had melted her back. They separated reluctantly to let the cool air pass between them. And then contented themselves to sleep side by side. Jake’s nose buried in her hair, his arm slung over her belly.
The door to the apartment opened and Jake walked in and with him, the aroma of Chinese food. On one hand, he was holding the takeout, while the other fisted an assortment of shopping bags.
She got up to help him. “Wow. Did you buy the entire store?”
“I hope they fit you,” Jake said. “Got you all the essentials.”
She peeked into the bags. “These look like they’re all for me.”
“I have a go-bag,” he said. “Why don’t you try them on?”
Stella glanced longingly at the Chinese food. “Can we eat first? The last time I had a meal was this morning and then a protein bar at three.”
“Long day for you, huh?”
“Not as long as yours. You did all the running around.”
She peeked into another shopping bag and two boxes of condoms fell out. Her cheeks flamed as she bent down and picked them up to return them to the bag.
It was impossible not to look at him afterwards and they stared at each other for a few seconds before he broke the lock of their gazes and glanced away, but not before she saw the flash of his teeth. “Let me get the dishes—”
“Jake.” She said his name louder than normal and he turned to her, a grin still lurking at the corners of his mouth. “Don’t you want to eat Chinese takeout the way you see on TV?”
He shot her a maddening smile that gave her a deep belly flutter.
“Chopsticks?”
She grabbed the paper bag and walked over to the couch. “Is there any other way to eat it? Go get our drinks. Coke for me.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he drawled as he turned away and headed to the kitchen. Damn, that was more than a belly flutter. Stella contemplated her choices: food or jumping his bones.
She contemplated doing that last night when she heard him in the shower calling her name in the dirtiest way. She looked forward to exploring more and it looked like he was too, given he bought two boxes of condoms. Two!
Jake wasn’t a classically handsome man, but he was dangerously attractive and intensely masculine.
Intense. Now that was a word that described him perfectly. Nothing was middling about him. His bulk, the blueness of his eyes, his hardness—especially that hardness that pressed against her butt last night when they cuddled. Now she couldn’t stop thinking about it. What it would do inside her?
Heat rose up her face.
Shaking her head, and grinning in self-deprecation, she lowered the takeout bag to the coffee table.
“Whatcha smiling at?”
“Oh my god.” Startled, she clasped a hand to her chest. “Don’t sneak up on me!”
“I didn’t.” Dark brows shot up in puzzled amusement. “You were deep in thought. Like you remembered something funny.”
Oh, Stella wouldn’t call it funny. She’d call it X-rated. Her own personal Jake-porn.
After a series of nonsensical words tumbled out of her mouth, she managed one coherent sentence. “You’re imagining things.”
“You’re blushing.” His brows lowered, his amusement morphing into a pleased expression. He set the drinks on the table and casually started taking out the containers of food. “Sure you want to eat?”
“Yes, I’m hungry.” Her mouth was dry though as the muscles of his biceps flexed over taut skin. She grabbed the can of pop, flicked the tab open, and took a gulp.
He opened the first box and handed it to her. “Shrimp lo mein for the lady.”
“What did you get?”
“Kung pao chicken and beef broccoli.”
“What? Two dishes?”
“And two egg rolls.” He grinned sheepishly. “I’m a big man.”
“I noticed.” And for some reason that made her blush harder. Sheesh.
“You feeling warm, Stella? Need me to turn down the heat?” His mouth turned into the beginnings of a smirk.
“Depends what heat we’re talking about,” she sassed.
“What?” He laughed. His eyes danced with mischief and sexual innuendo, and she was helpless in stopping herself from flirting back.
“I know what you’re doing.” She extracted the chopsticks from its paper sleeve. “You’re trying to soften me up so you can get into my pants. Oh wait, you already did.” She winked at him.
He shot her a dirty look full of promise before tackling the chicken dish. Then he put it down and started on his beef and broccoli. He held out a piece. “Wanna taste?”
Stella kept a straight face, her mouth twitching. “You think that’s how you’re going to get back into my pants again?”
Jake chuckled, dropping the morsel back into the container and reached for his beer, giving it a hearty swig. “Is it gonna work?”
“I’m worth more than Chinese takeout, Mister,” she demurred.
His face turned serious. Stella quickly did a rewind of what she’d just said and there was nothing out of the ordinary, just the easy banter. As the silence stretched into seconds without a comeback from him, she dropped her gaze to her lo mien, conti
nued to eat, even when her face was as red as a ghost pepper or felt like she’d eaten one.
“Stella?”
“Hmm?” She didn’t look at him, pretending to search for a shrimp in the noodles.
“Stella.” His voice was firm, commanding, and her gaze snapped to his.
“I like you. A lot,” he said. “I know we did things backwards, but after last night, I want to make it clear that sex isn’t all that I want from you. Get me?”
She nodded once.
Jake sighed. “After this business with Schneider is over, I want to take you out on a proper date.” He smiled when her eyes widened. “Yes, I’m capable of taking a woman out on a date, and no, I’ve never slept with anyone I’ve worked with.”
“Are we working together?”
“Yes.” Then his face turned apologetic. “Please don’t take my protectiveness of you the wrong way. You’re just too tiny—no, don’t glare at me.”
She put down the takeout container and stood, hands on her hips and stared him down. “I get enough of that crap from people I work with.”
Jake leaned back. “Did you ever think it’s because you’re only eight months out of the Academy? Some people are assholes, but you’re still green. Let’s be frank here. There’s nothing to be ashamed of—freezing up that time you shot Gould? It’s mandatory after every officer-involved shooting to see a shrink, right?”
“I’m sure my L-T would’ve arranged that if you had not kidnapped me.”
“You need to talk to someone, Stella. You can talk to me. You know that, right?” The intensity of his gaze made her heart tighten. “You saved my life. You put yourself between a bullet and me. That’s courage right there, fighter girl. You have what it takes.”
His words should make her proud, but it deflated her, poking at the balloon of doubt that had been plaguing her ever since shooting Gould. She pushed the food around with her chopsticks. “Sometimes … sometimes I feel like a fraud.”
The air shifted between them and she wondered if it was because Jake stood from the chair across from her and sat beside her on the long couch, consuming all available space—at least it felt that way. “Tell me.”
She nodded at the food. “I will. But eat first. We don’t want the food to get cold.”
He did as he was told, and they ate in silence for a few minutes. With the gnawing pangs of hunger satisfied, Stella lowered the carton and turned to him. “A degree in chemistry wasn’t my first choice. I did two years of community college then I took a couple of units in marine science. Dropped out and worked in the beach tourism business for a while. I was twenty-eight by the time I decided to follow Pearl’s footsteps.
“Caroline, Pearl, and I would exchange emails and talk shop. And Gram? You wouldn’t believe how much time she spends online. Everything was going fine. My brother had quit the SEALs, was living in the area fulfilling his dream to be a fireman. He became a SEAL because he wanted to serve his country, but being a fireman was his ultimate goal.”
She glanced at Jake who had a patient understanding look on his face. “I’m getting to my point.”
“Take your time, fighter girl,” he said gently.
“Anyway, I was home from college. Sam and I were doing our brother-sister bonding time and planned to camp at the beach, but he got called on duty for a three-alarm fire. He promised he’d be back as quickly as he could. He saw the disappointment on my face and hugged me and said ‘Stel-Bear, I’m coming back … promise.’” She took a couple of deep exhalations. Stella had cried a lot of tears over those words. “The fire was in a condemned building being used by the gangs. The fire investigator declared it arson, but the case was never solved. Gangs are a problem the VB leadership wouldn’t acknowledge we have. Just the smuggling alone. I mean you know this, right?”
“Yeah.”
“We’re close to the ports and all that.” Stella blew out a breath. “I wanted to make a difference, help with the gang problem. Do my part policing the streets. But after shooting Gould and how you easily abducted me, I’m not sure I’m cut out for this job. Gram wasn’t happy about it. It wasn’t because I quit my chemistry degree. It’s because I’m all she has.”
“Understandable.”
“That’s why I feel like a fraud.” Tears brimmed her eyes as her gaze lifted to Jake’s. “I’m not sure if I’m a cop for the right reasons. Is it my own misguided sense of justice? Am I putting more people in danger because of it for my own selfish reasons?”
Without hesitation, he gathered her into his arms. “No, Stella. Going after something you believe you can make a difference in isn’t being selfish. I was a sophomore in high school when September eleven happened and I couldn’t wait to join the Navy. Be a SEAL.” His voice turned low. “And you’re not a fraud. You put yourself between me and a bullet, remember? You have every right to wear that uniform just like anyone in the VBPD.” He canted his head and stared into her eyes. “Know what I think?”
“What?”
“I think you’re one of the smart ones. One of those people who, when they set their mind to do something, they do it and knock it out of the park. It could be chemistry or marine science or law enforcement. Not many people have that skill. The adaptability. It takes a certain personality and brain power to achieve that.”
“Now you’re making me sound like a MENSA genius,” she teased, but she was feeling better and less of an impostor. Stella felt if there was one more cop to prevent the gangs from proliferating, then maybe she could make a difference. Made it so she could save a family the anguish from losing a loved one because of these criminal organizations.
“Calling it how I see it.” Jake leaned against the couch, taking her with him. “Were you close to your brother?”
“Very. He was six years older than me and had one more year of high school when our parents died.” Stella took a deep breath. Might as well unload everything. “They took a trip to New York, got lost in the borough of Queens. Stopped for gas and …”
“Shh, you don’t have to tell me.”
Stella squeezed her eyes and whispered, “I wanted to go. Mom promised we’d go together next time. Just a girl’s trip.”
“Oh, Stella …”
“That’s why I hate promises, Jake. Something bad always happens.”
Warm fingers tucked away strands of hair from her face and that same hand tilted her chin up. “But I came back, don’t you see? Coincidences happen. Don’t be afraid of promises, Stella.”
They fell into conversation, exchanged stories of their growing-up years. His time on his parents’ Nebraska farm, her time when her family was whole. Good times.
After a while, Jake angled his torso away so he could reach for his beer and finish it. He turned in her direction, gaze assessing. He wasn’t looking at her in that heated lustful gaze but more in a critical way, like she was a science experiment he was trying to dissect.
Stella made a face. “What?”
“I’m not sure I like you with black hair.” His face looked pained.
“What are you talking about?”
“We need to dye your hair.”
Stella paled. She loved her chestnut brown tresses. They had natural blond highlights. “We are not touching my hair.”
“Perfect.” Jake jumped up from the couch, lithe like a jungle cat. “Then tomorrow, you’re staying here while I check out the lead on Schneider.”
“Wait. What?” She got up from the couch too and glared at him. “I thought we’re working as a team.”
“We are, but I have reservations about messing up your hair.”
She turned to look at the plastic bags on the counter. “So you bought me hair color?”
“Uh, yeah.” He looked suddenly embarrassed. “Maia told me it’d be easier for you to go from brown to black than bleaching your hair blond and I quote ‘You don’t want her hair to turn green on your first bleach job, do you, Banning?’”
“Maia?”
“She’s a Guardian like
I am. She’s stepped back from doing grunt work and does most of the new-hire training. So, are we doing this or not?”
In a way, Stella was thankful for Maia’s advice to just go dark. She’d had a bad experience with going blond in high school. Her hair felt like steel wool afterward, super brassy and when she got into the swimming pool, it turned green. She ended up cutting it short, cried for a month and never took her natural hair color for granted ever again. Teenage hair bleaching disasters were a real trauma. She never attempted to dye her hair again or even go to a salon to have it done. Staying in Virginia Beach did the trick, and in the summer, it gave her golden highlights.
And now a man with a questionable haircut, proposed to give her a dye job.
She weighed her options, but it was a no-brainer.
Staying in this apartment because of vanity was not in her genes. If worse comes to worse, she could just shave her head. Her hair would grow back. See? She was pragmatic. She glanced at the shopping bags again before turning to look at Jake.
The expression on his face wasn’t very reassuring, wasn’t confident in his skills with the make-over apparently, but the other choice was to hide out in this facility and wait for something to happen.
Well, tough.
12
“Out.”
Jake stared at his spitfire with her hair sticking up at all corners. He apparently didn’t know how to apply dye neatly.
“Why?” he asked sullenly. “I can just stay here with you, right? You need another twenty minutes.”
“Jake, sometimes a girl needs privacy to do her stuff.”
“Like what?”
“Like shave!”
A brow shot up. “And where will you get the razor?”
They were in his bathroom because it was bigger. She nodded at his assorted grooming devices. “Well, I could use yours of course. Looks like you’re not using them anyway.”
Jake touched his unruly beard. It had been three weeks since he’d taken a blade to it. “Ouch. Is that your way of complaining? After the way I gave you oral pleasure last night.”
Protecting Stella (Special Forces: Operation Alpha) Page 9
