by Callie Croix
Reid didn’t know what to say to that. It awed him to know she cared about him that much, but he also wanted to shake her. In silence he watched her change her jeans and put on some socks. She seemed steady enough, but her pallor and the tension around her mouth told him otherwise. When she walked almost mechanically into the bathroom to clean up, he made a snap decision and grabbed a small suitcase he spotted at the back of the closet. “While you’re in there, grab whatever you need for an overnight trip,” he called to her.
She poked her head out the bathroom door. “What for?”
“We’re getting out of here for a while, until the cops figure out what the hell is going on and I know you’ll be safe.”
“Where are we going?”
“A place my buddy owns on the coast.” Without waiting for a reply, he pulled out his phone and dialed Jason. The call hadn’t even connected yet when one of the cops called upstairs.
“Miss Andrews?”
“Coming,” Becca answered.
Reid hung up and followed her down, a bad feeling in his gut. He stood behind her at the foot of the stairs and set a hand on her shoulder just to remind her she wasn’t alone.
A cop wearing a suit studied Becca with sympathetic eyes a moment before speaking. “I’m sorry to tell you this after all that’s happened, but now that we’ve notified the family I thought you’d want to know.”
Her muscles went rigid beneath his hand, and for a second it seemed like she stopped breathing.
“David Hamilton died of his injuries at the scene. I’m sorry.”
Chapter Nine
Becca followed Reid into the third-floor condo and stepped past him while he shut and locked the door behind them. She took off her shoes and let some of the tension ease from her body, willing the ibuprofen she’d just taken to kick in and bring the pounding in her head down to a dull roar. They were finally here and she was safe now. That’s all she had to remember.
“Bedroom’s back here,” he said, taking their bags past a modern kitchen with chocolate-brown granite counters and stainless steel appliances then through the adjoining family room. “Do you want a shower or anything?”
“No thanks.” She’d rather crawl into bed with Reid and make the world go away for a while.
He disappeared through a door at the end of a short hallway. “Make yourself at home while I get us squared away.”
She gazed around at the neutral-toned paint and furnishings, the tall windows along the family room overlooking the rolling Atlantic. Although the view was breathtaking, she wasn’t in the mood to appreciate it. She was emotionally exhausted. On the two-hour drive here she’d spoken to her parents and fielded continuous calls from the police and detectives working the case. At least they’d caught the driver of the getaway car. Between him and the one who’d broken into her place this morning, she hoped they’d have more than enough evidence to nail them both and find whoever had hired them.
Her parents had been frantic, but she’d been insistent on getting away with Reid for the remainder of the weekend. They were coming to stay with her on Monday night, when Reid had to head back to base. Considering how her skin crawled at the thought of sleeping alone in her place right now, their company would be welcome over the next few weeks. Hopefully by then, everything would be over with and she could put most of this nightmare behind her.
You can start doing that right after you go to David’s funeral.
Along with the sense of unreality that kept hitting her—part of her still had trouble believing this had all happened to her—was a deep sense of guilt about David. While she hadn’t known him well, he’d seemed like a nice man and he certainly hadn’t deserved what happened to him. Would he still be alive if she’d answered his call this morning? She’d ignored the two calls from coworkers who had already heard about his murder. And if they knew, the firm’s partnership would know soon as well. If they didn’t already. Including the person responsible for his death. It only made her gladder to be far away from home until the police could get to the bottom of this. She hoped whoever had done this would rot in prison.
Sighing, she turned from the view of the rolling waves and crossed to the fireplace to study the framed photos on the white traditional mantle. Along with some family photos there was a picture of Reid and she assumed Jason, his swim buddy from BUD/S, whose family owned the condo. It looked like a recent shot. The two of them were in their desert cammies, thick beards covering their faces, arms draped across each other’s shoulder as they grinned at the camera. Knowing how much trust a SEAL had to place in his swim buddy, it didn’t surprise her that he and Reid were so close. Closer than a brother, Reid had told her on the way here.
He came out of the bedroom and stepped up behind her. She was grateful for his warmth as he wrapped his strong arms around her waist.
“That’s Jason?” she asked. He looked about the same age as Reid.
“Mmm-hmm. That was taken just before Christmas last year,” he answered.
“In Afghanistan?” She tipped her head back to see his face.
A half-smile quirked his lips. “Close.” The grin turned into a chuckle. “Your feet feeling up to a walk?”
They were a little sore, though not as bad as they had been. What she wanted was to crawl into bed and bury her head under her pillow, but she was wound so tightly she’d just keep replaying everything in her mind. David was gone. She’d told the police everything she knew. There was nothing more she could do for now. “As long as I keep my shoes on, yeah.”
“Come on.”
He took her by the hand and guided her down the outside staircase that led to the beach. Though the sand was damp from the rain and the sky was overcast, the fresh ocean breeze felt good on her face. She pulled in a deep, cleansing breath of salt-tinged air and closed her eyes for a moment, letting herself luxuriate in the sensation of being truly safe. With Reid beside her she had nothing to fear.
Until he leaves again on Monday.
She locked the thought away, telling herself he would be back and things would be different this time around. That he wouldn’t shut her out of his life again.
They didn’t talk for the longest time as they strolled along the water’s edge. The continuous crash of the waves and the cry of gulls soothed her rattled nerves. Reid’s gaze seemed to drink in the sight of the surf as they wandered hand in hand.
“You love it here, don’t you?” she asked.
“Yeah. I’ve spent a lot of time here over the years with Jay and his folks. Good times.”
“And I’ll bet you love it partly because it reminds you of your training up at Little Creek?”
He grinned at her. “Can’t deny that. I worked my ass off to get into the Teams. I’m totally at home in the ocean.”
Yes, he would be. What must it be like to be able to do the things he could? His accomplishments amazed her. “You see your parents much?”
“As often as I can. They’re in Florida, so I don’t get to see them as much as I’d like. My brother’s up in Oregon, so I don’t see him a lot either. We get together when we can. Sometimes that means celebrating Christmas in the middle of May, but we make it work.”
“Does your mom put up a tree and do the whole turkey dinner thing?”
“Oh yeah, she goes all out, no matter what time of year we have it. All that matters to her is having both her boys home at the same time to celebrate.” He smiled fondly.
Becca nodded in approval. “I like your mom already.” It was nice to know he came from such a loving family, though it didn’t surprise her, considering what kind of person he was. The stresses and dangers of his job made a solid support system even more important for him. Damn, how she’d love to be yet another pillar for him to lean on.
Over an hour had passed by the time they made it back to the condo, and she was
getting hungry and tired. Once they were inside, Reid nudged her toward the couch. “Go on and sit by the fire while I get us something to eat.”
“You sure?”
He cocked an eyebrow. “Don’t trust me not to poison us?”
She grinned. “I didn’t know you could cook, that’s all.”
“I bet I can do a lot of things that would surprise you.”
No doubt about that. Seeing the way he’d chased after the gunman this morning without a second’s hesitation, then that incredible display of upper-body strength as he’d jumped the fences with effortless ease had been eye-opening, to say the least. From her reading and the countless questions she’d asked him, she knew some of the things he was trained to do, but seeing him in action was something else entirely. Now that they were both out of harm’s way, in hindsight she had to admit the protective and masculine display of strength had been sexy as hell. At the time, though, it had scared the shit out of her.
Reid lit the fire for her while she snuggled up on the couch, enjoying the warmth of the flames while he cooked, pushing away any worries or thoughts about what had happened when they began to creep in. She had to stop thinking about it. She’d go crazy if she didn’t.
They ate a dinner of grilled chicken and veggies served over brown rice. He insisted on clearing up, despite her protests. She was cozy and replete, half asleep on the couch when he stretched out beside her and pulled her into his arms. Becca draped one thigh across his and snuggled her head into his shoulder, lulled by his body heat and the flicker of the fire in the grate.
“How’s the headache?” he asked softly, bringing one hand up to squeeze her nape.
In answer she let out a quiet moan and shifted to give him better access. “Better, but that feels so good—don’t stop.” Her eyes drifted shut as his strong fingers gently kneaded the back of her neck and shoulders. So much had happened in the past two days that she could hardly make sense of it all. The fear and emotional whiplash had taken a toll on her and this time away with Reid was exactly what she’d needed. “Thanks for bringing me here,” she mumbled sleepily.
“No thanks necessary.” He continued massaging her tender muscles in a slow, methodical way. If she hadn’t been so tired, there were a hundred more things she wanted to ask him about his childhood, his family, his life as a SEAL. Most importantly, she wanted to know what was going to happen between them after the weekend was over. She didn’t want him to stay in a relationship with her simply because he felt obligated to help her after all that had happened. With his strong protective streak, she wouldn’t put it past him.
Since the thought hurt too much, she forced it from her mind and allowed herself to drift. He was here now, holding her, and she’d make the most of it while she could. Safe in his arms, she fell asleep.
Her eyes snapped open sometime later when he slid out from beneath her and lifted her into his arms. “What are you doing?” she murmured, still half asleep.
“Taking you to bed,” he answered. He strode for the bedroom, carrying her like she weighed nothing. The show of strength made her lower belly tighten in feminine awareness. Becca leaned into him with a sigh and smiled as she rested her head in the hollow of his shoulder, breathing in his clean, familiar scent.
A few moments later he lowered her onto the bed and held the covers up while she stripped then scooted into place. In the darkness she heard the soft whisper of denim as he slid his jeans off and he eased in beside her to gather her into the curve of his naked body. He was hard against her bottom, his erection a hot, thick brand against her skin. Despite his obvious arousal, he didn’t make a move to do anything about it. Pressing a kiss to the curve of her neck just above the slope of her shoulder, he simply held her while she went back to sleep.
When she woke later in the darkness, her heart was pounding and a film of perspiration dotted her skin from a nightmare she couldn’t remember. Lifting her head, she checked the bedside clock to find she’d only been sleeping for a little over an hour. Reid was out cold beside her, stretched out on his stomach, and she didn’t want to wake him. She carefully climbed out of bed and took his T-shirt from the foot of the bed. Pulling it on, she eased the bedroom door open and shut it partway before making her way to the tall windows in the family room. In the past hour the fire had died down to tiny flames that licked at the glowing embers.
Beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, the sky was dark. Lights from other condos along the beach illuminated a thin strip of sand and she could hear the muted roar of the ocean from the waves beating continuously against the shore. Reid’s T-shirt covered her only to her upper thighs. She shivered slightly in the comparatively chilly air and wrapped her arms around her waist, taking in the view. Down one floor in the next complex, a group of people were out partying on the balcony. They stood against the railing and lounged on deck furniture, drinking what looked like beer and martinis.
For long minutes she watched them laugh and talk, a part of her envying their carefree evening. David was dead, and someone had tried to kill her. When she thought of all that was waiting for her once she got back home, it almost overwhelmed her.
She felt an impression of warmth behind her. Turning her head at the last second, she found Reid standing at her back. It surprised her that she hadn’t heart him come in.
He wrapped his arms around her to pull her back against his naked body. “Can’t sleep?” he murmured next to her ear.
“No.” She didn’t mention the bad dream, since she couldn’t remember it anyway and didn’t want to look weak. If Reid could handle combat and seeing his friends’ burned bodies in the wreckage of that helicopter, then she could handle this too. “Sorry I woke you.”
“Don’t be sorry.” He didn’t say anything for a few minutes, seeming content to hold her as they stared into the night. “You okay?”
She forced herself to nod. No, she wasn’t okay, but she wasn’t going to say it.
“Looks like they won’t be wrapping up any time soon,” he remarked as some of the partygoers one level down began to dance.
It felt good to be able to lean back into his strength. She laid her head against his shoulder with a soft sigh. “They just brought out a fresh cooler full of beer a couple of minutes ago.”
He shifted his hands to splay his long fingers across her belly, the warmth searing her through the soft cotton separating their skin. The imprint of his touch settled deep inside her, waking delicate nerve endings that suddenly demanded more contact. She wanted him. Needed him to push aside the darkness and replace it with something good, get her out of her head for a while. As though sensing her growing arousal, Reid dipped his head to nuzzle the juncture of her neck and shoulder. Becca sucked in a sharp breath and tipped her head to the side, closing her eyes.
Reid was like a furnace behind her, his big body hard all over. He was powerful and protective enough of her to put himself in danger to ensure her safety, yet gentle and considerate of her needs. As a lover he could be tender and rough by turns, depending on what she asked for. Right now she wanted to be taken, hard enough that she had no choice but to quit thinking and give over to sensation. She shivered in anticipation at the insistent press of his erection at the base of her spine and couldn’t resist rubbing against it.
“I love seeing you in nothing but my shirt,” he murmured against the side of her neck, responding to her subtle invitation with a slow roll of his hips.
The heavy throb of arousal burst into a pounding need that centered in her aching, swelling breasts and tingling clit. Closing her eyes, Becca raised her arms to surround his neck. Reid hummed in approval and moved his palm over her belly in a slow circle as his other hand crept down her waist and hip to skim the hem of the T-shirt. At the feel of cool air against her hip and belly, her eyes snapped open in dismay. There were people down there who could see them.
She grabbed his hand
to still it. “Reid, don’t.”
Reid didn’t release his grip on the shirt. “Why not?”
Flustered, aroused, she blew out a breath and tugged at his hand, to no avail. “Someone might see.” That naughty thought only made her hotter.
“So?” He nibbled the edge of her jaw, either oblivious to or ignoring the rigid set of her muscles.
“So, it makes me uncomfortable,” she whispered, knowing it was only partially true.
Instead of releasing her, Reid merely chuckled and eased the material up farther despite her attempts to stop him, exposing her pussy and belly up to the bottom of her ribcage. Becca tried to turn in his arms but he easily kept her in place, facing the window. Realizing he intended to have her right here in front of anyone at the party who cared to watch, her heart leaped against her ribs, partly from shock that she wanted this and partly from the need pulsing inside her.
“You’ll never see them again,” he murmured against her ear, sending another frisson of heat throughout her tingling nerve endings. “You’re so beautiful, Bec. If they want to watch, let ’em see how gorgeous you are when you come.”
Oh shit, they were really going to do this. A wicked, delicious thrill shot down her spine. Until now she would have sworn she didn’t have an exhibitionist bone in her body.
She was tense all over, her body and mind at war. She wanted him badly enough that despite the potential of being seen, she was already wet and throbbing for him. He was right; she would never see these people again. Being alone here with Reid was a respite from everything. It might be the last time they’d have together. Even if they stayed in a relationship, his job put him at constant risk. Was she going to miss out on the chance to experience this new thrill?
No, she realized, shocked at how willing she was to go outside her sexual comfort zone with him. Did he know just how much she trusted him?
As though he sensed her consent, Reid kissed the side of her neck and slowly, so slowly, drew the shirt up her body. The velvety cotton caressed her sensitive skin, stiffening her nipples as it brushed against the underside of her tight, swollen breasts. She had a moment of unreality when he drew it over her head and dropped it to the floor, leaving her standing before the tall windows completely naked.
