Caitlyn cleared her throat, “I don’t know if you have some grand plan, and I know you’re better at this than I am,but I want and need to be included in the process. Otherwise I’ll go crazy.”
He nodded. “I understand. We’ll come up with a plan together.”
“Thank you.” She managed not to kiss him.
First step, find Rose. Simple.
Kurt studied the news, not hearing a word, far too aware of the woman next to him. The couch hadn’t been all that comfortable last night, but with Caitlyn draped across his body,he hadn’t cared. He’d lain awake for hours, unable to sleep, intoxicated and tortured by the feel of her soft skin, her breasts pressed to his chest, and her sweet scent.
The sensation had settled on him, an invisible layer of dust that wouldn’t wash away, and now anytime she moved near, his heart sped up, his throat turned dry.
She’d seen his stumps this morning, and she hadn’t been disgustedby them. Still, he’d waited until she went to the restroom to slide down from the couch and walk to his room.
His sister, Soham, and the nurses at the hospital had all assured him that the loss of height didn’t diminish him, that anyone who truly cared about him wouldn’t care about his legs. But it wasn’t so much being short that bothered him as the constant reminder of his vulnerability. Nomatter how strong he got in the gym, or how smart he was in any area of his life, he had lost the sense of invincibility that one has to cultivate as a PJ.
Neither he nor his teammates ever believed themselves bulletproof, but he wouldn’t have been able to leap from a plane or ride a helo into a village taking enemy fire if he’d been thinking about his mortality every moment. Now he was facedwith it every day, every morning when he pulled back the covers and every night when he removed his legs.
But he had lived. And after the initial shock and pain and anger that had come with his injuries, he was grateful for that. If nothing else, he had learned the fragility of life and how little he could count on tomorrow. He’d learned how important it was to go after what you wanted becauselife gave no promises.
Which was why he was willing to risk emotional evisceration for a second chance with Caitlyn. She was worth it.
For a brief moment when she’d joked with him about his company name, Kurt had thought she was going to lean in and kiss him the way his body was begging to be kissed. His muscles had gone rigid with the anticipation of tasting her lips again, every nerve on alert.But then something in her expression had changed and the thread had snapped, and she was all business, trying to wrest a shred of control from this crazy situation.
He sighed. His need to be in charge had blinded him to the fact that he hadn’t consulted her. This was her show. He might have the resources to help, but she had put everything in motion, and she deserved to have input and full sayon everything they did and everyone they involved. As long as he didn’t feel her decisions put him or anyone else in unnecessary danger, he would support her one hundred percent.
It was tougher than it should be to take a backseat, but—as his sister kept telling him—he could learn a little humility. Sara knew his heart was in the right place, but maybe Caitlyn assumed he was an arrogant asshole.Sometimes he didn’t even know why she and Terrell had put up with him when they were in the maintenance squadron together.
Maybe she knew she could trust him with her life. Maybe she instinctively got that part of him.
But did she realize much of a fool he was? Specifically, how much of a fool he was, and always had been, forher?
She had returned to the kitchen, and was now dishing oatmealinto bowls. He turned off the TV. Outside, the ocean caressed the shore with an insistent shushing sound, and the palm trees that divided the backyard from the airfield rustled in the wind. Inside, the house was quiet as they sat together at the breakfast bar and slowly ate the hot cereal, which she’d flavored with raisins and cinnamon and walnuts.
“Thanks for cooking.”
“Don’t get used to it.”
His laugh faded quickly. He wanted to get used to everything about her.
The doorbell rang. Kurt jerked at the sound. Who the hell would come knocking at seven a.m.?
He pushed to standing and slipped softly into the front hall where a video monitor showed two St. Isidore police officers standing on the front porch.Shit.
Caitlyn had followed to investigate and at his signal, she tiptoed closeto him, staying out of the line of sight of windows, and careful not to cast a shadow across the peephole in the door. The shutters were mostly closed, but they weren’t a solid screen.
Afraid to move lest they make any noise to give away their presence, they huddled in the hall, watching the monitor. Caitlyn’s green eyes were wide with concern but she didn’t tremble, or bite her lip. She stoodstrong and ready to take action. A warrior goddess with the beauty to match.
Had someone tipped off the police, or were they going door to door? Or was it unrelated to him and Caitlyn altogether?
Logically, if the police knew they were there, they’d have brought a bigger team. And they wouldn’t have come politely to the front door. Then again, maybe the house was surrounded by SWAT.
A loudknock echoed in the hall. She flinched at the noise, but didn’t make a sound.
His heart pounded as time slowly ticked forward, an eternity in the space of a minute.
Voices rumbled through the door, their words muffled, and then finally retreated as the men on camera left the porch. Silence descended on the house.
Another minute passed, interrupted only by the sound of Kurt’s pulse in his ears.
