Her mind screamed “Yes” even though her nether region was sore, unused to the attention it had received.
“You could try,” she taunted. She was officially out of her mind.
She’d expected he’d kiss her until she was breathless, but when he planted a gentle kiss on her forehead and turned back to the stove, disappointment washed over her.
“Giving up so easily?” Gwen was just asking for trouble now.
“Nope, but after last night, we’ll need more time than we have before you have to go to work.”
The thoughts of what he would have done to her in that time made her shudder with longing.
As she tried to get her libido under control, she ate. Would he hang out with her at the bookstore all day? Or did he have to go back to Killeen? Torn between wanting him to stay and needing time to process all the feelings churning inside her, she didn’t know what to hope would happen.
If he was around, she couldn’t call Belle and tell her what an amazing time they’d had. She also knew without a doubt that Grams would figure out that something had changed. The woman had eagle eyes and a keen bullshit meter.
Gwen wondered if she looked different. She felt like she was walking on air, but it scared her a little. What if she was falling in love with Luke? It was too fast, but being around him made her breathless, and she craved his touch. And when he wasn’t with her, she couldn’t get him out of her mind.
After refilling her coffee, he grabbed his plate and sat next to her at the kitchen island. His omelet looked more like a calzone, thick with fillings and twice the size of hers.
Unable to resist, she teased, “Ohhh, someone must have worked up an appetite last night.”
“Princess, you don’t understand. That was just dessert. Imagine when we have time for the whole meal.”
The smoldering look he gave her sent heat straight to her core and made her squirm on her chair, leaving her wet and needy. She’d definitely have to change her panties before she went to work.
After breakfast, she tried to help Luke clean up the kitchen, but he gave her a kiss and told her not to worry about it. When he said no, there was nothing she could do to change his mind. The man had a stubborn streak a mile wide, and she already knew they’d be butting heads in the future.
The morning passed quickly as they chatted in the kitchen and played with Sir Galahad. Luke told her stories about growing up with his sisters. Some of them were so funny she’d laughed until she had tears in her eyes.
When she quieted, Luke asked, “When will I get to meet your parents? After meeting your grandparents, I’m looking forward to it. Plus, since we’re dating, it’s the right thing to do.”
“Are we dating? I mean, we’ve only seen each other a few times…”
In two steps, he stood in front of her and tipped up her chin so she couldn’t avoid his gaze. “Yes, princess, we’re dating. Do you have an issue with that? Because if you do, I will do what it takes to change your mind.”
Of course, she didn’t have a problem dating him. Not only no, but hell, no. But knowing he felt the same way lightened her heart.
“Nope, no problem.”
“Good, because I will be more than happy to make you late for work while I prove it to you.”
Damn him. Need tingled along her nerve endings. When he said things like that, it was like her teenage dreams had come true. He was the epitome of all of her book boyfriends with a harder edge.
“Umm, no. As much as I’d enjoy that, I don’t like to leave my grandparents to handle the store alone. They’re getting too old, not that they’d agree,” she answered as heat flooded her cheeks, and her palms grew damp.
“You never answered about your parents. When will they be back?”
It was a little weird he was so concerned about meeting them, but considering his manners, it kind of made sense. “I’m not sure. They were supposed to be back next week. But they took a detour to locate some artifact that was off their itinerary.”
“Do they do that often?” Luke asked. The sexy boyfriend was gone, replaced with the badass soldier.
“Sometimes, but it’s been a while. This was their first time in Egypt since the Arab Spring riots.”
Luke’s brows shot up. “Their first time going back, and they went off on their own? That seems dangerous.”
“I thought so, too. I wrote to my Dad, asking him not to go.”
“But they went anyway?”
“I think so. I haven’t heard from them since Saturday. And he never replied to my email.”
“Is that usual?”
“Yes, sometimes. They are both horrible at keeping in touch. But not usually like this. I can’t shake the feeling that something has happened. I’ve had a bad feeling about this trip from the moment they started planning it.”
“Hopefully, everything is fine,” he soothed. “Did you check your email this morning?”
“Yes, and still no reply.” Gwen tried not to worry. Dwelling on it wouldn’t do her any good. It wasn’t nearly as dangerous in Egypt as Iraq or Iran, and her parents had traveled there frequently. So many of their artifacts came from those locations. Sometimes, Gwen wished they’d go back to only selling books as searching for those wasn’t nearly as dangerous.
Luke pulled her into his arms and held her tight. Resting her head on his firm chest, Gwen listened to the steady beat of his heart and let it ease her worry. He was right; they were probably fine.
Shaking off her apprehension, she plastered a smile on her face as she pulled out of his embrace. “You’re probably right. And it’s time for me to head over to the bookstore. Did you want to come…or?”
“How about I follow you over there and say hi to your grandparents? Then I’ll check in with my team and make sure nothing has come up. Later, I can make you dinner.”
If he took her to work, her grandparents would know he stayed the night. Not that it bothered her. She was an adult. Grams would probably squeal with joy. Gramps, maybe not so much. Luke didn’t realize what he’d be getting himself into.
“Sure, that sounds good. But you’d better prepare yourself to run the Gauntlet.”
“The Gauntlet?” Luke looked intrigued. “Are they going to skewer me for spending the night with you?”
Gwen struggled not to giggle. Every boyfriend she’d brought home went through the Gauntlet. None had passed. Gramps had a list of questions, and he didn’t pull any punches. By the time Gramps finished, he would know the color of Luke’s baby blanket. It would be fun to see if they could make him squirm. Even though it was a little late in the process with Luke since they’d already slept together.
“It’s not that extreme.” Gwen snickered.
“Are you going to explain?”
“Nope,” Gwen said with an enormous smile. This should be fun.
After Luke made sure she locked all the doors, he followed for the short drive to the bookstore. She parked her car and watched as he ran across the street so he could open her door. Apparently, it was in his genes, and protesting was futile. But she had to admit, it made her feel spoiled.
It was just after nine when Gwen unlocked the front door to the bookstore. Considering the night and morning she’d had, it amazed her she showed up on time.
“Ready?” She smiled up at Luke. It was fun to make him antsy. He did it to her often enough. Besides, since Gramps already liked him, he might not bother with the Gauntlet.
“I think you’re teasing about the Gauntlet. I can’t see that nice, old man—”
“Who are you calling old?” Gramps asked as he met them near the door.
“No one, sir. Good morning.” Luke shook hands with the older man, and Gwen tried to hide her grin.
“Morning, Gramps.” Gwen greeted him with a hug. “Did everything go okay yesterday?”
“No problems. You act like you’re the only one who can do this. I think you forget that Grams and I ran this store for years without any help. I think we can handle things well enough
still.”
“I know, but…”
“No buts about it. Grams has coffee ready in the kitchen. You, too, Luke. We figured you’d be coming in this morning,” Gramps said with a twinkle in his eye.
Of course, they did. Sometimes, Gwen wondered if they knew her better than she knew herself.
Grams didn’t squeal when she saw Luke, but it was close. Gwen poured coffee for them and listened as the questions started. They hadn’t had a lot of sleep last night, but then again, Luke was probably special forces and a super badass. He’d be able to handle himself.
The bookstore wasn’t open yet, so when the phone rang at nine thirty Gwen picked up the extension in the kitchen.
“Camelot Rare Books and Antiquities, how may I help you?” Gwen answered in her professional voice.
The three heads at the table turned to watch. It was odd to get calls before normal hours.
“Is this Guinevere Dedmond?” an accented voice asked. It sounded like the same guy as yesterday. Maybe he’d decided that she could help him.
“Yes, this is Gwen. Is there something I can help you with?” A chill slid down her spine and raised the little hairs on the back of her neck.
“It’s more what you can do to help your parents.”
“What do you mean? What about my parents?” Fear knotted her stomach. She met Luke’s gaze, and whatever he saw on her face made him race to her side.
“If you ever want to see them again, you need to bring one million dollars to Cairo in three days. Otherwise, we’ll kill them.”
“Three days? How am I supposed to get that kind of money and bring it halfway around the world in three days?”
Luke wrapped his arm around her waist, and his strength helped steady her.
“I guess you should figure that out. If you’re not here in three days, you will never see your parents alive again.”
“How will I know where to go in Cairo?”
“We will be in touch when you get here.”
“Wait, I need proof of life. How do I know you even have them?” Recalling all the TV shows she’d seen over the years, she knew she should get proof. Who knew that watching Crime TV would come in handy one day?
“Check your email; you’ll have your proof. Don’t be late, Guinevere, you won’t like the results.”
The phone went dead.
The room spun. If Luke hadn’t been holding her, she would have landed on the floor.
Chapter 14
“Who was that? What’s going on?” Merlin asked as Gwen trembled in his arms.
She buried her face into his chest, and he held her tighter in his embrace. Her hands clung onto him like her life depended on it.
What the hell was going on? One moment, they’d been sitting at the table, drinking coffee as Gramps put him through the infamous Gauntlet Gwen had warned him about, then the phone had rung. The color had drained from her face, and she’d started shaking. He’d tried to hear the conversation, but the voice on the other end was too low.
“Gwenie-bee, what happened?” The expression on Gramps’ face filled with worry.
“How about we sit down, and you tell us what’s going on?” Merlin led her to the table and sat in the chair next to her.
Grams pushed a glass of water into Gwen’s hands, but she remained silent, her face pale and her eyes wide. Whoever had been on the phone had scared the shit out of her.
Merlin took her ice-cold hand and twined their fingers together. Helpless to do more until he understood the situation, frustration roiled in his stomach. The need to protect her surged along his nerves. He swallowed it back; he was the calm one, but she was his, and no one would hurt her.
“Gwen, can you tell us what happened?” Merlin asked as gently as possible. He slid his other hand along her back, trying to offer support as she trembled. She was definitely in shock.
As if finally realizing she was holding a glass of water, she took a drink and then a deep breath. When her fear-filled eyes met his, the coffee he’d been drinking turned to acid in his belly.
“Gwen?” Grams prodded as she reached across the table and laid her hand over Gwen’s, still wrapped around the glass. “What happened, baby girl?”
“I have to check my email. Where did I leave my phone?”
“I’ll get it. Stay here with your grandparents.” She’d left her bag at the desk in the store before they’d come back into the kitchen for coffee. It was less than twenty feet away, but he hated to leave her side. “I’ll be right back.”
Gramps nodded and focused on his granddaughter.
It only took a few moments to find her purse and bring it back. Gwen took it and rummaged through it for her phone. With a sigh of relief, she pulled it out and typed in her code.
Merlin stood behind her to see what was so important to find. Then she opened an email. A photograph of her parents surprised him. There was something more going on. Could the Dedmonds be the kidnapping that was step one of the terrorist plan? Holy fuck.
Tears ran down Gwen’s cheeks as she read the email.
“Who was on the phone?” Merlin asked.
“Yes. Gwen, you need to tell us what the hell is going on,” Gramps said, his voice filled with concern.
“Someone kidnapped Mom and Dad.” Gwen pushed the phone toward her grandfather.
“How?” Grams asked, tears filling her eyes.
Merlin wasn’t sure if they were for Gwen or her parents. But he worried about the feisty octogenarians.
Gwen shook her head. “I don’t know. Maybe when they went off with the other guide. But this is definitely a photo of Mom and Dad. They want me to bring a million dollars to Cairo and be there in three days, or they’ll kill them. How am I supposed to do that?” Gwen’s tear-filled voice quivered.
Torn between wanting to stay and comfort Gwen and the need to get back to post to discuss this development with his team, Merlin wanted to pound something. He couldn’t shake the niggling feeling that the Dedmonds’ kidnapping was the missing piece of the puzzle. But he couldn’t leave Gwen and her family to deal with this themselves. Then, he got an idea. It wasn’t the best, but hopefully it would be enough.
Gwen and her grandparents were hugging each other when Merlin walked to the front of the bookstore. While he waited for Zip to pick up his phone, he found some paper and made a quick sign saying the bookstore was closed due to a family emergency.
“Hey, what’s up, dude? Having too much fun to come back?” Zip teased.
“We have a problem,” Merlin said, his voice grim.
“What happened? Do you need us there?” No longer jovial, Zip was battle ready. It was one of many things Merlin loved about the team.
“Do you think Destiny would come and stay with Gwen and her grandparents at the bookstore for a while? It looks like someone has kidnapped her parents. It’s complicated. We need to talk to Roe, but I don’t want to leave them alone here.”
Zip must have been with the team, probably finishing up PT. The low whistle and murmurs meant he was on speaker. “Fuck.”
“Exactly. Can you call her and see if she can come?”
“Yeah. She’ll probably be there in about a half hour.”
“Great. Can you also call Roe? We need a meeting with Sand ASAP. I’m fairly sure I figured out the missing piece. If I’m right, the motherfucker has been lying through his teeth.”
“Did you expect anything else from the CIA?” Duff asked.
Merlin hadn’t. They all knew better than to trust the CIA. “They gave Gwen three days to get a million dollars in cash to Cairo to pay the ransom. She was smart and asked for proof of life. They sent her a photo. I will grab a copy. Maybe we can get something from it.”
“Can we do anything else?” Woof asked.
“Go through the second packet of intel and see what you can find about the two operatives they’ve been keeping under wraps.”
“Copy that,” they answered.
“I’ll head back as soon as Destiny gets here
. Later.” Merlin disconnected the call and returned to the kitchen in mission mode, his head clear of the earlier anger and ready to handle anything. Control was his middle name. And if he was correct, and this time the danger was personal, he had to keep his shit together.
The little family huddled together, holding tight to each other at the table. It tugged at his heartstrings, and he wished that he could tell them it would be okay, that he’d fix it. But even though his gut knew the kidnapping and the mission were related, he didn’t have proof. And even if he did, he still couldn’t say anything. All he could do was tell them he’d see if he could find out anything.
“We’ll figure this out,” Merlin said as he approached the little group. Then he kneeled next to Gwen. “Unfortunately, as much as I don’t want to leave you, I have to go to post. I’m so sorry. I asked Destiny to come and stay with you until I can get back. Okay?”
Gwen sniffled, then nodded, but she avoided his gaze.
“I put a sign on the front door saying that you were closed for a family emergency. So you don’t have to worry about the store.”
“Thank you, Luke. I appreciate that,” Gramps said. He looked like he’d aged twenty years in the last half hour, and Grams didn’t look much better.
“Gwen? Look at me, princess,” Merlin pleaded. When she finally lifted her tear-stained face, the pain ripped a hole in his heart. “It’ll be okay. We’ll get through this, and your parents will be okay.”
As the words left his mouth, he prayed he was right. He knew better than to make that promise, but he couldn’t avoid it. He’d move heaven and Earth to make sure she got her parents back alive.
“No one can make that promise,” Gwen murmured softly.
“Then I promise to do everything in my power to make it happen. Can you forward that email to me? I want to see if some people I know can help.”
“Yes, of course. Thank you. I just can’t believe this is happening.” Her voice was stronger this time, more herself as she typed in his email address and forwarded the proof of life.
“Our government doesn’t negotiate with terrorists,” he warned.
“I know. The man on the phone didn’t even mention not involving anyone. That’s weird, right? But who would we tell?”
Gwen's Delta (Special Forces: Operation Alpha) (Delta Team Three Book 3) Page 13
