Breaking Out (Military Romantic Suspense) (SEAL Team Heartbreakers Book 6)

by Teresa Reasor

  “I’ll come by tomorrow to see Gracie.”

  “I’ll tell Sherry to expect you.”

  She closed out the call and focused on the next patient, but it didn’t keep his masculine jaw and emerald green eyes from coming to mind off and on for the rest of the afternoon.

  Chapter 4

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  Kathleen O’Connor manipulated the image on the screen of her computer while she held the telephone in the bend of her neck.

  “Can you give me a haircut, sis?”

  Distracted by the design she was working on, she barely heard what her brother was saying.

  “Hum?”

  “Do you have time to give me a haircut?”

  Once she had the support pieces in place, she lifted her finger from the pad. “You know they have barbers on the base.”

  “I prefer the way you cut my hair, as in, I still have some once you’re done.”

  “Obviously you don’t give them clear instructions.”

  “I don’t have to give you any.”

  Kathleen shook her head. How could Zach expend so much energy in everything else he did and leave his hair to sprout from his head like a red bush? It was thick, coarse, and had enough natural curl to be a pain to cut, and took at least an hour to style.

  “All right. Be at the house in an hour, and we’ll eat dinner, then I’ll cut your hair.” Did she even have anything to fix? Maybe…

  “Cal coming?” he asked.

  “Cal’s brother, Douglas, is visiting and they’ve gone to a ball game. They’re going to grill steaks after, but I begged off to give them some brother bonding time.”

  “Okay.”

  She couldn’t ask for specifics about Zach’s schedule for training or deployment, but she could ask in broad terms. “Is this sudden desire for a haircut inspired by some event you want to share with me?”

  “Yeah. It’s called being hotter than hell in the desert during training. I’ll buy you dinner after you cut it. Better yet, I’ll show up with dinner.”

  He was up to something. His usual check-in call lasted five minutes, and typically included her talking about what she was designing at work, while his was about maybe something funny one of the guys said or did, but little about anything else. He had so little in his life other than his team and his work.

  She’d pump him for info at dinner. “I’ll see you in an hour at my apartment.”

  “I’ll be there.”

  Kathleen worked another forty minutes, then saved her design to the server, an off-site storage e-site, and an external hard drive. Would she ever be able to relax again at work?

  Since Hillary Bryant and Paul Warren—two ex-coworkers, both deceased—had played fast and loose with her architectural designs at work, then damn near killed her, she felt more than a little anxiety about continuing to work for Wiley Design. But she couldn’t afford to quit her job.

  She’d been moved to a different pod with three other architects, Jack Sutton, Tyler Unger, and Kenton Frasier. The work space was very similar to the one she’d occupied before, but she was on the other side of the building.

  The change in location did help. The three men she worked with did their best to treat her with understanding. They were careful to knock on the side of her work area before entering it, since the short dividers between their workstations provided the only walls in the room. She’d been easily startled and noticeably tense at first. She was more at ease now, but still not back one hundred percent.

  She said good night to her three pod mates and rode the elevator down to the lobby. The reception area reminded her of her last run-in with Paul Warren, and instead of crossing it, she turned toward the rear exit.

  She took a deep breath as she shoved out the door. She didn’t mind that it was warm and a touch muggy from the summer heat, or that the smell of the new surface they just put on the parking lot reeked of oil. She closed her car door, and the tension inside her released.

  What could she do to get past this? She’d fought the PTSD caused by her kidnapping, and believed she’d made strides in overcoming it. This residual anxiety she experienced at work just would not go away. In fact, if she was honest with herself, she had never truly been happy at Wiley Design. The work was challenging and the pay good, but she couldn’t shake the feeling she needed to watch her back every minute. Would it be different somewhere else?

  She pressed the heels of her hands against her eyes and rested them for a minute. She had to get past this or make a change.

  Maybe leaving would be for the best.

  She could research some of the other design firms in the area and submit her resume. Her supervisor, Mr. Allison, had expressed surprise when she said she’d stay. She’d done good work for the company, and was sure he’d give her a recommendation so she could move on.

  But she couldn’t worry about this now. Zach would be waiting for her.

  Twenty minutes later she parked in front of her apartment to find Zach sitting on the steps, a large takeout bag next to him. She ought to give him a copy of her key in case of an emergency, especially since she still had a copy of his.

  He was dressed in jeans and a pullover knit shirt with a collar. It had been so long since she’d seen him clean-shaven, she studied his square-jawed face with interest. He looked younger without the beard, though just as masculine. His features were strong like her father’s, with thick brows and a firm mouth, eager to smile.

  “Hey, stranger,” she greeted him. Though they’d talked on the phone, it had been nearly three weeks since she saw him last. She frowned when he eased to his feet much more slowly than usual, and her heart gave a sisterly thump.

  “Hey.” Zach leaned forward and brushed her cheek with a brotherly kiss. “You look good.”

  She braced a hand against his chest. “You look like you’re in pain. What’s wrong?”

  “I had a small accident. I made a clumsy landing after a skydive, tripped, and fell on a fucking rock.”

  “Ouch!” She reached past him to unlock the door and motioned him in.

  “That’s not what I said.” He bent and scooped up the bag and preceded her into the apartment. He limped noticeably as he bypassed the living room and went directly into the kitchen area.

  Knowing his creative vocabulary, she could imagine. “Have you been checked out by a doctor?” She tossed her purse on the table next to the door and followed in his wake. She knew how stubborn he was about going to the hospital for anything short of bleeding to death.

  “Yeah.” He placed the bag on the counter. “They X-rayed my hip, and I’m bruised, but nothing’s broken.”

  “Good. Are you on pain meds?” She opened the refrigerator.

  “Yeah. The pills are taking the edge off.”

  Which meant the pain level was probably just below a scream for anyone else. She reached for the pitcher of iced tea on the top shelf. He wasn’t drinking beer on top of his pills on her watch. She fixed them both a glass, added a wedge of lemon to soften the blow, and set the sugar bowl next to him with a long-handled iced-tea spoon.

  Zach grimaced, but scooped some into his drink and stirred it.

  “Come have a seat.” She urged him toward the living room. “Can I get you an ice pack?”

  He hesitated. “That would be good.” He lowered himself carefully into one of her overstuffed chairs.

  She got a package of frozen peas out of the freezer and wrapped it in a dishtowel. He smiled as he wedged it against his hip. “I found the package of peas you left in the door of the freezer at home. It came in handy about two o’clock today.”

  “I left them for you to eat, but they do come in handy for other things.” She settled on the couch, toed off her shoes, and propped her feet on the coffee table. “So, what’s the big rush for the haircut?”

  “No rush. Needed a trim, and I haven’t seen you in a few weeks.”

  “So you decided to kill two birds with one stone.” She narrowed her eyes at him. Typical brother.


  “And I did bring dinner to pay you back.”

  She smiled. “You did.” As brothers went, he was pretty good, though she didn’t get to see him often enough, even though he only lived thirty minutes away. “So how long will you be off your feet?”

  “A couple of weeks, maybe three.”

  He’d go insane at home with nothing to do. “What will you do with your time?”

  “Well, I sort of had two accidents this morning. One sent me to the hospital, and one sent the dog I hit on the way home to the vet.”

  Darn. He’d be upset about the dog. He had a soft spot for them. Or had when they were growing up. “You’ve had a rough day.”

  “Yeah. I feel like shit that I hit her. After you cut my hair and we eat, I thought I’d roll by and check on her on my way home.”

  “Will the office be open so late?”

  “Yep, until nine tonight.”

  “I guess we’d better get started on the haircut so you’re not late.” She rose to get a towel and the spray bottle, scissors, clips, clippers, a mirror, and comb. By the time she returned, Zach had moved from the chair to one of the dining table chairs. Kathleen spread the towel over his shoulders and wet his hair. “What’s the name of the vet you’re getting cleaned up to go see?”

  Zach looked over his shoulder at her and quirked a brow.

  Kathleen’s lips twitched in amusement. “You didn’t press your shirt to go see a dog, Zach.”

  A wry smile flickered. “Her name is Francesca, but everyone calls her Piper.”

  Kathleen pinned up part of his hair. “Blonde or brunette?

  “Brunette with just a hint of red.”

  “Blue eyes or green?”

  “A kind of sherry brown. She’s Italian. But I’m going by to see the dog, too.”

  Kathleen controlled her smile with an effort. Sherry brown? Her brother was actually waxing poetic about a woman’s eyes. “I’m sure you are. You know you’re allowed to have a life outside of your job, right?”

  His expression closed, and she avoided saying anything else. If she pushed too hard, he might change his mind about going to the vet’s office. She concentrated on layering his thick hair without gapping it.

  “The dog’s owner is in the hospital and won’t be able to care for her until he gets out himself. So I’ve volunteered to take her until he’s on his feet and she is too.”

  “You’ll need to be ambulatory yourself if you intend to take her. You’re not moving very well.”

  “I’ll heal. I’m doing okay. She’s not going to be moving very fast either for a while. Her leg is pretty banged up and her hip is broken.” He changed the direction of the conversation. “Remember Rusty?”

  “Yeah, I remember him.” How could she ever forget him? He’d slept at the foot of her bed from the time she was four until she was sixteen. Her eyes stung and she blinked fast to clear her vision.

  “He was a great dog. Not trained like Gracie, but smart. He’d catch a ball until my arm felt like rubber from throwing it and his tongue hung out of his head like it might fall off.”

  She chuckled. “I remember. What’s Gracie trained to do?” She thinned the thick hair at the back of his head and trimmed it close, but left just a little length on top so it would lie nicely.

  “Take down the bad guys and sniff out explosives or weapons.”

  “So, she’s a military war dog.”

  “Yeah. Retired. We’ve got handlers who train with the dogs. I can’t tell you how many times the dog has gone in first and saved us from walking into an IED. Having them in our unit gives us an edge on the job, and they provide us with a little piece of normal when everything’s all fucked up. The dogs are trained, but they still like to be scratched behind the ears and loved on. Sometimes it helps a lot just to love on a dog.”

  Wow! He was giving her a small peek into his world. She paused in mid-clip until she had her emotions under control. “Dogs do seem to offer comfort when you need it the most. Like they have some kind of sixth sense.”

  “Yeah, they do.”

  She finished sculpting around his ears and shaved the back of his neck, then handed him a mirror so he wouldn’t have to walk all the way to the bathroom to check it out.

  He turned his head one way, then another. “It looks good. If you ever give up architecture, you can open up your own barbershop. Thanks, Kathleen.”

  “You’re welcome. If you’d come by more often for a trim, it wouldn’t get so out of control.” She removed the towel and shook the big tufts of hair onto the floor at her feet, then brushed his shirt off here and there. Crossing the narrow kitchen space to get the broom, she glanced over her shoulder at him. “Now, what did you bring to eat?”

  “I got veal Parmesan from Bertinelli’s.” He stood and returned the chair to its usual place at the table.

  Kathleen couldn’t help but smile. “Did you buy your vet something to eat?”

  “Yeah. It’s in a container so she can reheat it in a microwave.”

  “Smart man. If she’s anything like me, the way to her heart will be through her stomach.” He had so few people in his life. If he was trying to make a connection with someone, she’d encourage him. He was so alone, too alone when he wasn’t with his team. “I won’t mind if you want to go on over and take the food with you so you can share a meal with her instead of me.”

  “Are you trying to get rid of me?” he asked.

  “No. But I’m your sister, and you’d probably enjoy other female company more.”

  He looked away. “I just want a date. I’m not shooting for love at first sight.”

  “It wouldn’t be bad to have both, would it?”

  The uncertainty she read in his expression gave her heart a little squeeze. Was he still hung up on Patricia? Or was it something else?

  “Let’s eat. Then I’ll run the food by to Piper and visit the dog.” He carried the takeout bag to the dining table.

  It was his call, but she’d like to know why he was reluctant to go the extra step. Not just with this woman, but with anyone. What had happened to make him so wary of getting involved with someone on a long-term basis? Had his breakup with Patricia been so painful?

  She knew all about painful breakups. Hers had been contentious, and she’d lost her best friend along with her fiancé. How could she spur him into getting out of the rut he’d fallen into? She gathered silverware, napkins and their drinks.

  “How’s Cal?” He asked as soon as she sat down across from him.

  “He’s good.” Good try, but he couldn’t get her off topic so easily.

  “Every other man I know your age, besides Bowie, has a steady girlfriend. I haven’t seen you go out even once since I’ve lived here, and I’ve been here five months. All you do is work. And when you finally find someone you’d like to go out with, you’re hem-hawing around about it.”

  Zach leaned forward. “Would you want to go out with someone who might be called up at any moment, knowing if you got involved you’d have to put your love life on hold until they got back? If you’d even be willing to do it.”

  His last sentence said more than the rest. “If Cal were active duty, I’d still love him, Zach. I knew the day I met him he was special. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have gone out with him when he called me two days later. And all we’d had was a two-minute conversation, and we had to practically yell at each other to be heard over the rumble of heavy construction equipment, too. So, yeah, if I didn’t already have Cal, I’d take a chance on someone. But how’s she supposed to know you’re unique unless you show her you are?”

  There was a question brewing behind his masculine features, but he didn’t ask it.

  Kathleen sighed inwardly. He just wasn’t going to open up to her. With eight siblings, there was always some kind of drama going on to talk about. Their oldest brother’s family was experiencing the latest. “Maggie’s having another baby,” she announced.

  “Michael Junior’s wife?”

  “Yeah.”

/>   “Isn’t she almost forty?”

  “Thirty-seven.”

  “Isn’t she a little old to have a baby?”

  “For some, but they’re all a blessing, aren’t they?”

  “Sure, but how does Trey feel about it? He’s sixteen, isn’t he?”

  “Yeah. He’s embarrassed because everyone knows his parents still have sex.”

  Zach’s hoot of laughter triggered a grin.

  “Wonder how Mike senior feels about being a dad at forty,” Kathleen mused.

  “There’s two ways it can go. He could be in a panic, or he could be strutting around like he’s done all the heavy lifting himself. How much you want to bet that’s the one he’s going with?”

  Kathleen grinned. “Is that how you’d feel?”

  “Hell, no. I’d be breathing into a paper bag.”

  Kathleen laughed.

  “The closest I’ve ever been to a woman in labor was when we landed at Miramar and Zoe went into labor. Scared the hell out of me, and it’s the only time I’ve ever seen Hawk freaked out.”

  His expression stilled, and Kathleen wondered what thought had suddenly arrested his attention.

  She filled him in on the other family news she learned from her mother’s call the night before. In a way it was a curse and a blessing to be so far away. Living in the maelstrom of Clan O’Connor had been emotionally exhausting. None of the family members thought a thing about sticking their nose in each other’s business. At least this far away she didn’t have to hear anyone’s thoughts about whether or not she was or should be sleeping with Cal. It was nobody’s business but her own.

  In fact, she wished Cal was here now, because her brother’s loneliness had triggered a need to be held close. Zach deserved better. He’d put his entire life on hold to serve his country. If there was anyone who deserved to be loved, it was him.

  She waited until they cleared the table before she said. “Thank you for dinner and the company. I appreciate it.”

  “Me too.”

  “You have exactly two and a half hours before the vet’s office closes. I bet it’s quiet there this time of night, and you might even get to hang with Piper while she eats.” She brushed her fingers through the short ruff across his forehead, combing it in place. “I bet she’ll take one look at you and think, ‘gee, he cleans up pretty good and has a killer smile. I want to see what else he has to offer.’”