Chapter 2
As quietly andunobtrusively as possible, Cord slipped from the melee of his teammates’ joint baby shower and into the quiet of the kitchen. One of the pregnant women was his cousin, Amy, who was now married to Ranger James, so the shindig was being held at her home. His buddies had asked him to stop by on his way to the ranch in Texas, and he’d caved in. If all went well, he’d be joining the team again soon enough, so it was as good a time as any to reconnect. After his lunch with Fury, he was convinced the job would be beyondeasy.
But one of the kids had whacked his leg with a toy pistol earlier, and he’d needed to get away for a moment’s peace. This was hardly the first time he’d escaped to his cousin Amy’s peaceful black-and-white checkered country kitchen. He’d snuck in multiple times to escape his dad’s fist. His lack of experience with family life couldn’t be more starkly contrasted than right now. He’d rather be stuck in the suck overseas low on ammo than in the middle of this melee. The all-out assault of female hormones unfolding at this very moment terrified him to the core…but it also kind of fascinatedhim.
Other than him, each and every member of his team, Task Force Scorpion, had fallen hard for the women of Mercy, Mississippi. They’d been twisted and turned into knots worrying and fretting aboutfeelings. Cord had held a front row seat to the entire downfall of raw grit and masculinity, watching helplessly as it slid into the sidelines of softness and emotion. Which was the main reason he’d taken that mission almost a year ago with another unit. He’d had to get out before he’d gotten sucked into thevoid.
They were all present with their women, and he was back to hiding like the kid he’dbeen.
“Cord, you scoot that chair any farther back you’ll be in my backyard.” Amy Carter-James, his eight-months-pregnant cousin, pushed through the swinging kitchen door, a hand pressed into her lower back and, in what could only be described as a waddle, moved in hisdirection.
“If you’d unlock the back door, I’d already be out there.” Cord rose from his chair and gestured for her to sit. “Why don’t you take a load off, let your husband do some of thework.”
She smiled gratefully and levered herself down. “You’ve always been such a gentleman. You know, maybe it’s the hormones, but I’ve been thinking a lot about youlately.”
Cord’s initial instinct was to slide an arm around her and help her sit, but he resisted. Amy’s independent streak had apparently tripled with her pregnancy and he had no intention of sticking his hand out only to have it snapped off. Besides, he understood her need to take care of herself. “Howso?”
“Well, we’ve all got someone. I want you to have someone,too.”
Cord snorted. “Likewho?”
“Like Samantha,” shesaid.
His chest squeezed, but he shook it off. “Wow, that’s reaching even for your crazyhormones.”
“She’s the only girl you ever really loved,” Amy saidcasually.
“Loved? We never even dated. Youarelosing it.” But he’d never stopped thinking about her. Not every day – but when he was alone and too tired to fight off the memories, he thought ofher.
Amy smiled absently. “Maybe.”
A loud crash sounded from the living room and she spun in that direction. “I don’t think Ranger is keeping them incontrol.”
Cord arched an eyebrow in amusement, grateful for the distraction. “You actually think he’s running anything out there?” He hooked the thumb in the direction of the living room, which was adjacent to the kitchen. Muffled squeals of delight and constant squeals streamed out from under the closeddoor.
“Of course, Ranger can handle anything. He’s a soldier.” Amy’s green eyes twinkled and her lips pressed into a line as she fought to hide hergrin.
Cord snorted and leaned against the corner. “What do you want to bet he takes off in the nextminute?”
“I’d say thirty seconds,” she replied and slid her arms across her belly, spreading her fingerstogether.
She really did glow. He’d always heard that about pregnant women, but in the past he’d dismissed it as some sad husband’s attempt to make his wife feel better about her ever-growing size. “Pregnancy looks good on you, youknow?”
“Thank you,” she said softly. Amy ran her hand over her belly in a slow circle. “I wasn’t sure if I was ready for this again, afterShane.”
Amy had been married before, to Shane, an original member of TF-S. Like the rest of TF-S, Cord had believed Shane was dead, killed in action, only he’d actually been taken hostage by terrorists. They’d held him for months, twisting and turning him against his own country. He’d returned home, a complete surprise for everyone, including his wife, who’d fallen in love with his teammate,Ranger.
It had taken them less than a week to figure out he wasn’t the Shane Carter any of them had known before. He’d been brainwashed and sent on a mission to take out Task Force Scorpion and his family. One of their teammates had been forced to put a bullet in his brain to stophim.
The memories were heavy for all ofthem.
“I’m glad you did.” Cord pulled a seat up beside her, taking his first up close look at her belly. “Mostly because I’m enjoying watching Ranger sweat somuch.”
“Do you want to feel her kick?” Amyasked.
Cord shot to his feet and quickly put a little distance between them. “Maybe later.” In truth, the whole pregnancy thing freaked him out. The possibility that something might go wrong in birth made his stomach roll. Amy was just about the only family member he had that he actually caredabout.
She chuckled, somehow managing to look content and uncomfortable at the same time. “Are you that scared of a littlebaby?”
