A rush of relief took the wind out of her hurt and she reached a hand forward to caress his cheek. “He didn’t rape me. He tried, but I escaped.”
He pressed her hand against his face and a thrill ran up herarm. The touch connected them. Grounded them like a lightning rod in a storm.
All the want and need and pent up desire struck. Celine leaned down, trembling from the emotions, and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips.
Aaron blinked rapidly, moisture gathering in his gaze. “It was my fault you were there. I’m so damn sorry.”
Her heart gave a solid whack against her chest. “No, it’s not. It’s his fault, the man who kidnapped us. You’re the one who saved me.”
Aaron groaned and dropped his head into her lap. Unable to help herself, she threaded her fingers through his thick blond hair, savoring how it tickled her skin.
“You’re wrong, Celine. I should never have brought you in on the mission in the first place. Itismy fault and I’ll spend the rest of my life knowing I’m the reason for your bruises.”
She forced him to look up at her, cupping his jaw in her hands. “Is that why you pulled away from me just then? Because you were trying to be a gentleman?”
He gave her a wrenching half-smile. “Yeah.”
“Do us both a favor and stop treating me like a china doll, okay?”
“Are you sure you don’t need more space?”
“I don’t know what I need, but I do know I feel safer when you’re with me.”
Aaron shuddered again but he didn’t move away. Celine patted the seat beside her in invitation. He took her up on her invite and scooped her into his lap once again. “Do you care if I hold you like this for a little while?”
“I think I need you to.” Celine snuggled against his chest, savoring the feeling of his strong arms and warm, earthy scent. When she finally made it home and had some time to actually process him and his roller-coaster of emotions, she’d figure out what to do with him. For now, she intended to stay thereas long as she could.
The plane touched down at exactly midnight, a thick D.C. fog rolling around the ground like a scepter stalking its territory for intruders. As the pilot pulled up to the waiting staircase, Aaron had already gone back into full blown soldier mode, where he ordered people around and shielded her from everyone and everything, touching her but not really, more like he was afraid she'd shatter if he stepped too far out of reach.
Their one flight attendant opened the hatch and Celine shuffled out onto the deck on legs that felt like day-old Jell-O left out on the counter, ready to melt right out from beneath her body. Her chest throbbed and every time she bent her right arm, the swelling reminded her that she’d violently ripped out her I.V. If the wind picked up, she might blow right over.
“It's just an airport.” Aaron whispered near her ear, his warm breath sending a fresh wave of shivers down her neck and she leaned into him for support.
“I realize that, just give me a minute,” she whispered right back. She gazed out over the empty parking lot, fighting off the wave of dread pushing down on her from the inky moonless sky. Her breaths puffed out in front of her and she shivered from the cold. When they'd left Afghanistan, she'd been dressed for the desert heat, in a thin loose tunic provided by the good Sister Mary Catherine. Now she wished she'd stopped to grab a sweater and some pants. Celine glanced down at her worn leather sandals, wondering how they'd stand up against the light mist falling on the concrete.
“You'll do fine. Just put one foot in front of the other.” Aaron's hand wrapped around her waist, intimate and touching her deeper than he probably realized. She'd come to completely rely on him since the small hospital, even though she knew it was a weakness she couldn't hold on to forever, no matter how much she wished for it to never end.
“I remember how to walk. Just getting my air legs back.”
Aaron chuckled, “I believe they’re called sea legs, sweetheart, and that's for sailors who've been on a ship for months.”
“Shows what you know. My great-uncle C.W. flew in Vietnam. He talked all the time about getting his air legs.”
“Whatever you say, darlin', as long as you start working your way off this plane.” He nudged her forward and Celine purposefully leaned back. She'd go when she was ready. And right now, the empty black pavement wasn't exactly the welcome home party she'd imagined.
Not that she should have imagined anything since she technically wasn't here. Or anywhere. “What am I supposed to do? As soon as I go home, everyone will know. I don't have anywhere to hide out.”
“Don't you worry about that; I've got it all handled. As soon as our guys get here with our transport, I'll fill you in.”
She doubted very much that he'd tell her everything once they got in a car together. They'd had a whole plane ride to discuss her future, and yet, not. Every conversation seemed to change when she brought up what would happen when they touched down.
She needed to get back on her own two feet and stop standing on top of his. Celine drew in a shaky breath and took her first step down on the metal grated staircase, her legs as wobbly as the loose metal railing.
She reached the bottom, her feet officially on US soil for the first time in weeks. Celine tilted her head back and inhaled the sense of freedom. There would be no more cloying clothes or bowing to men and their fists. She could go where ever and whenever she pleased.
A black sedan pulled up next to them and two men got out, the word ‘government’ practically tattooed on their matching black suits.
“Miss Latimer? Mr. Speirs?” The nearest man, a big brutewith a black buzz cut asked.
