Cash parked at the end of the long driveway, then made his way up the flower-lined path to the front door. He wiped his damp palms on his jeans, rang the doorbell, and waited.
Jen’s mother Laura answered the door with a delighted smile. “Cash! What are you doing here?” She immediately went pale. “Is everything all right? Is Jen all right?”
“Jen’s fine,” he said quickly. For now, he almost blurted out. Instead, he cleared his throat, awkwardly shifting his feet. “Is the admiral around? I wanted to run something by him.”
Laura’s features relaxed, the smile returning to her face. She had Jen’s smile. And Jen’s eyes. Jen’s hair. His heart squeezed as he stared at the older version of the woman he loved. He liked knowing what Jen would look like when she got older.
And he planned on making sure she got older, instead of dying on some risky job assignment. They’d live well into their eighties, in a house just like this one, with a big porch where they’d sit on rocking chairs and sip their fucking lemonade.
“Gary’s in the study,” Laura told him. “Why don’t you go on in? Do you want something to drink, sweetie? Coffee? Juice?”
“No thanks. I won’t be staying long.”
She paused in the hall, studying him intently. “Are you sure everything’s okay? You look upset.”
“No, I’m fine.” He swallowed the panicky lump in his throat. “I just needed some, uh, fatherly advice.”
Laura beamed at him. “I’m sure Gary will be happy to give it.”
Yeah, right. From what Cash had seen, Gary Scott wasn’t a candidate for father of the year. He was tough as hell on Carson, Cash’s commanding officer, and insanely protective of Jen—which was exactly what Cash was banking on now.
He found Jen’s father in the den, sitting in an armchair and reading a biography on George S. Patton. Figured. Of course the scariest man on the planet would be drawn to the scariest military general in history.
Gary was in crazy-good shape for a man his age. Tall, broad, and muscular, with threads of silver in his short blond hair and blue eyes that sharpened when he saw Cash. “I didn’t realize you and Jen were coming over today.” He frowned. “Laura didn’t mention it.”
“Um, we’re not.” Cash stumbled on the words. “I mean, Jen’s not here. It’s just me, sir.”
Gary narrowed his eyes. “I see.”
“I, uh, wanted to talk to you about something. It’s kinda important.”
Gary set his book on the end table and nodded to the chair across from his. Cash instantly planted his butt down on it, because when the admiral said jump, you didn’t even pause to ask how high.
“I’ve been expecting this,” the older man said. “And I have to admit, you took your sweet-ass time, son.”
Cash blinked in confusion. “Sorry, what?”
“My blessing.” Gary cocked his head “That’s why you’re here, right? To ask for my blessing to marry my daughter?”
A flash flood of panic swept through Cash’s body. Oh shit. Of course the admiral assumed he’d come here for that. And the man wasn’t wrong—Cash had planned on asking him for Jen’s hand in marriage. Just not today.
But hell, why not? He might as well save himself another visit, because God knew he didn’t want to spend any more quality time with Gary Scott than he had to.
“Yes,” he said clumsily. “And no. I mean, yes, I do want your blessing. But that’s not the only reason I’m here.”
Gary seemed like he was fighting a smile, and the humorous expression looked completely foreign on his face. “Let’s focus on one issue at a time.” Jen’s dad leaned back in his chair and crossed his bulky arms. “You want to marry my daughter?”
“Yes, sir.” Cash reached into his pocket and pulled out the black-velvet ring box. He hesitated, then held it out. “I bought her this today.”
“I see.” Gary tsked in disapproval. “You purchased a ring before you came to me. You must have been confident I’d approve.”
Cash had to grin. “We both know you approve of me, sir.”
“Really? And why would you think that?”
“Because I make her happy,” he said simply.
Gary flipped opened the box. To Cash’s shock, genuine emotion flickered in his eyes. “You know her well,” he said gruffly.
He swallowed. “Do you think she’ll like it?”
Jen’s dad examined the ring, then snapped the case shut and handed it back to Cash. “She’ll love it. And I can’t argue with what you just said. You do make Jenny happy. She loves you.”
“I love her, too. So fuc—frickin’ much.”
“Then let’s not waste time. You have my blessing, Petty Officer McCoy.” Jen’s father shrugged. “With that said, if you cause her even an iota of pain, I will drown you.”
Cash resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He’d just been issued the Scott family’s standard threat, one he’d received from both Carson and the admiral on more than one occasion.
“Trust me, sir, I will spend every day for the rest of my life making sure she’s happy and safe.” He choked on the last word. “The, ah, safety part…that’s actually the other reason I came here.”
“What do you mean?”
He hurriedly explained what had happened between him and Jen, and how determined she was to take the assignment, and he was gratified to see the concern flickering in the other man’s eyes. Thank God. Maybe the admiral would succeed in talking some sense into his daughter where Cash had failed.
“Hell.” Gary reached for the whiskey tumbler on the oak side table and took a deep swig. “It’s a wonder I have any hair left with all the stress that girl causes me. Did you know I started going gray when she turned sixteen?”
“So you’ll talk her out of it?”
“No.”
The shock nearly knocked Cash off his chair. “Why not?”
“Because she’s not a teenager anymore. She’s a grown woman, and I have to let her make her own decisions.” A rueful look flitted across Gary’s face. “The last time I tried interfering in Jenny’s life, both my wife and daughter gave me hell for it.”
“This isn’t interfering,” Cash protested, his panic returning full force. “It’s not safe for her to go, sir. You know that. And I know you still have connections. You can get the magazine to pull the plug on the story, and…”
And then Jen would never speak to either one of them again, Cash realized in dismay. He could forget about putting a ring on her finger—she’d rip his balls off, throw them in the Pacific, and then toss the rest of him in right along with them.
Gary was quick to voice what Cash was thinking. “My daughter is a forgiving person, Cash, but she’ll never forgive either one of us if we take this away from her.”
He bit the inside of his cheek so hard he tasted blood. “Aren’t you worried?”
“Of course I am. I always worry about Jenny. I also worry about you and my son every time you’re OCONUS. But I would never dream of intruding on one of your ops, or pulling strings to make sure your team is deployed to a lower-risk region.” Gary sighed. “Jenny chose this as her career, and it’s important to her. I won’t interfere.”
As Jen’s father restated his position, Cash had no choice but to admit defeat. Because if the admiral wasn’t going to step in to change Jen’s mind, then there really was no hope left.
Jen would take the assignment and fly off to a hot zone, and there was nothing Cash could do to stop her.
4
Jen was in bed when she heard the front door open, and even though she’d known where Cash was, a rush of relief still flooded her chest at knowing he was safe and sound. He’d texted hours ago to say he was going over to Jackson and Mia’s for the evening, but it was nearly eleven o’clock now, and she’d been getting worried.
But she supposed it made sense that he’d stayed away this long. He’d probably been hoping to delay the fight they’d be having tonight.
And there was absolutely going to be a fi
ght. She was still pissed off at the way he’d behaved earlier, and she’d gotten even angrier when her father called to tell her that Cash had stopped by. Her dad hadn’t provided any details, but Jen didn’t need to be a genius to figure out why Cash had gone there.
He’d wanted the admiral to talk her out of the assignment, and involving her father was not only insulting, but humiliating.
Cash didn’t turn on the light when he entered the bedroom, but the bedside lamp was on and Jen could easily make out his expression. Sorrow. Embarrassment. And anger—yep, the anger was still there, and seeing it triggered her own.
“I’m surprised you didn’t just crash at Jackson’s,” she said tersely. “You were there long enough.”
He looked over at her, but ignored the accusation. He stripped off his shirt and headed for the bathroom. “I’m taking a shower.”
Her mouth fell open as he disappeared through the doorway. He was shutting her out. Literally—he’d actually closed the bathroom door.
She sat up in amazement, listened to the sound of the faucet creaking on. She was tempted to storm in there, yank the shower curtain open, and tell him off. Or maybe she’d just flush the toilet, which would turn the water from hot to scalding, as they’d discovered when they’d first moved in. Yeah, he definitely deserved lobster skin for the way he was behaving right now.
But his shower was lightning fast, and he strode out a few minutes later with a towel wrapped around his waist.
“You’re acting like a child,” she informed him.
His blue eyes flashed. “No, I’m acting like a concerned boyfriend.”
“Overbearing boyfriend, more like it.”
“I’m sorry that I’m worried about your safety,” he said flatly. “I can’t exactly help it.”
He quickly dried off and slipped into a pair of boxer briefs, then walked to his side of the bed and slid under the covers. Keeping a foot of distance between them. It was so strange for their bodies not to be touching. They always snuggled in bed, even when one of them was reading or watching TV.
But Jen couldn’t bring herself to bridge the distance between them. It might as well have been a gaping chasm, and neither one of them was trying to cross it.
“So you’ve made up your mind then?” he said in a tired voice. “You’re going?”
“Yes.” She stared up at the ceiling. “My flight leaves at seven a.m.”
He didn’t answer.
“Oh, and don’t think I don’t know about that stunt you pulled earlier. My dad called and told me you went over there.” When Cash didn’t deny it, her irritation flared. “That was a dick move, cowboy. What, did you think he’d talk me out of it? Or, let me guess, you thought he’d pull some strings and kill the story.”
“Wouldn’t be the worst thing,” Cash muttered.
Pinpricks of anger traveled up her spine. “You’re not being fair, you know. My work is important to me.”
“Yeah? Well, your life is important to me.”
“Oh my God, Cash, it’s not like I’m going on a suicide mission. I’m visiting a couple of towns—with a military escort, I might add—taking some pictures, and then I’m coming home. End of story.”
“Okay, fine. End of story.” His voice grew bitter. “And my opinion means nothing, right?”
She sighed. “Of course it means something. But in case you forgot, you didn’t offer me your opinion earlier. You gave me an order. But I’m still going, which means you can either support me, or you can continue to sulk about it.”
“I can’t support something I disagree with.”
“Then I guess you’re choosing door number two—sulking.” Tears stung her eyes, and she quickly rolled over so he wouldn’t see them.
She and Cash never fought. They never went to bed angry. But she had no idea how to make things better, short of giving in and agreeing to turn down the job. She couldn’t, though. She wanted to go. She understood that he was worried, but she’d dealt with her fair share of worrying. She was in love with a SEAL, for God’s sake. Cash was constantly risking his life for something important and she accepted that. But now that the roles were reversed, he couldn’t do the same.
Blinking away her tears, she reached over and turned off the bedside lamp.
“Good night,” she mumbled.
“Night,” he mumbled back.
Darkness enveloped the bedroom. Jen lay there, waiting, hoping Cash would say something. When he didn’t, she closed her eyes and let her pillow soak up her tears.
* * *
She was roused at four in the morning by rough-skinned fingers stroking her shoulder.
Jen groggily opened her eyes, feeling Cash’s warm body spooning her from behind. She twisted her head and made out his anguished eyes in the faint light coming in through the curtains.
“I have to go,” he said softly.
She blinked a few times to wake herself up, trying to make sense of his words. He’d been running training missions with the team all week, up long before dawn and gone long before she awoke, but this was the first time he’d gotten her up before he left.
“I can’t go when we’re like this,” he added, and his voice cracked so hard that her heart wobbled in response.
She rolled over and touched his face, running her fingers over the scratchy stubble on his strong jaw. “Me neither,” she whispered.
“I don’t want you to go.”
“I know. But I’m still going.”
“I know.” He rubbed his cheek against hers, his whiskers scraping her chin. “Be careful, okay?”
“I always am.”
“Be extra careful this time,” he said firmly. “And promise you’ll call me the second you land. Leave a message if I don’t pick up.”
“Okay.”
“Promise, babe.”
“I promise.” She slid closer, all her anger and resentment melting away as their lips met.
The kiss was soft and sweet, but it wasn’t long before it turned hot and desperate. His tongue hungrily found hers, and she kissed him back with the same urgency, her breasts crushed against his hard chest as they lay there kissing. God, she loved him. She loved him so much and she hated fighting with him.
But surrendering to him now, welcoming the intimacy…it didn’t mean she’d forgotten everything else.
“We’ll talk when I get back,” she said when they broke apart.
He nodded, looking pained. “Yes, we will.”
She kissed him again, losing herself in his warmth, his strength. Powerful arms wrapped around her and held her tight to his body, his lips brushing her temple as he murmured, “Love you.”
“Love you, too.”
He slid out of bed, and Jen closed her eyes, burrowing under the blanket and sleepily listening to the sounds of him getting ready. He came back, and she felt his lips brush her forehead. “Don’t forget to call when you land.”
“I won’t,” she promised.
A warm hand swept over her cheek, and then he was gone.
* * *
When she woke up again, it was to the loud, persistent buzz of the alarm. Groaning, she slapped the clock until she managed to hit the snooze button, but she didn’t lounge in bed. Her flight was at seven, which gave her an hour to wash up, get dressed and drive to the private airfield where her charter awaited.
She was traveling light; the small bag she’d packed last night already sat by the front door. She popped into the kitchen only to brew some coffee and fill up her travel mug, and then she was on the road.
Despite the way she and Cash had left things, her spirits were surprisingly high. This assignment felt more like an adventure than a job, and she was excited to get to work. Still, she made a point to text Cash when she reached the airstrip. Then she tucked her phone away and climbed aboard the private plane that would take her to La Ceiba.
The flight itself was uneventful. She was the sole passenger on the small aircraft, and she ended up sleeping for the duration of the five-and-a-ha
lf-hour journey.
When the pilot began their descent, Jen straightened up in her seat and turned to gaze out the window. She’d been warned that October was the rainy season, but the sun was out and the sky was clear, and the sparkling turquoise water of the Caribbean Sea looked calm and beautiful. From above, the north coast looked like a tropical paradise. As the plane dipped lower, she made out the colorful rooftops of the resorts dotting the shoreline, the lush greenery, the pristine white sand.
It was hard to imagine that people were suffering down there. She forced herself to remember that as she admired the scenery—she wasn’t here for a fun beach vacation.
Twenty minutes later, she was thanking her pilot for a smooth landing and getting off the plane via a set of rickety metal steps that creaked beneath her hiking boots. After a quick visit to the customs officer inside the hangar, she came face-to-face with the military escort the magazine had arranged for her.
The uniform-clad marine introduced himself as Private First Class Jamie Holbrook, and he was a lot younger than she’d expected. With his ruddy cheeks and ginger hair, he gave off a fresh-faced preppy vibe, and he was visibly awestruck as his gaze swept over her.
“Oh. Wow,” he blurted. “I wasn’t expecting you to be so…um, young.”
Jen knew that wasn’t at all what he’d wanted to say. He was blushing like a preteen, clearly affected by her looks.
“Yeah,” she said lightly. “It’s hard to believe I’m pushing thirty, huh?” When he tried to reach for her small canvas bag, she declined the gesture. “Don’t worry, I’ve got it. It’s not heavy.”
“Did you have a good flight?” he asked as they headed for the olive-green military Jeep parked outside the hangar.
“Yep. I slept the entire time.” Sunshine warmed her face, and she tipped her head to peer up at the cloudless sky. “It’s gorgeous out.”
“You must have brought the good weather with you,” Jamie said with a laugh. “It’s been pouring buckets all month. The sun finally decided to make an appearance.”
Out of Uniform Box Set: Books 4-6 plus 2 Bonus Novellas Page 86
