“I’m sorry,” he said, needing to go to her, to hold her, but Skye’s discerning gaze stopped him in his tracks.
T gave a slight shake of her head. “I came out without a scratch, but”—her lower lip trembled—“they didn’t make it, and no one in my extended family wanted me. My parents weren’t close to their families.”
For the first time since he’d known T, a deep vulnerability exposed itself. Screw Skye and whatever conclusions she drew. He closed the distance and pulled T against his chest.
“I’m sorry, T. I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to dredge up bad memories.”
She wiped a tear from her cheek and then did the unthinkable. For the first time ever, she leaned her cheek against his shoulder. He’d expected her to push him away. T always pushed him away, and while her arms hung by her sides, she allowed him to hold her tight. No more tears came, but she relaxed into him. There was no other way of describing it. She didn’t lean on him. She absorbed the strength of his hug. He held perfectly still, afraid to even breathe. But he did breathe. He took in the light floral scent of her shampoo. She smelled like lilac and rose with a light citrus weaved in between. He’d found heaven in his arms, and he wanted the moment to never end.
Skye seemed to notice the tender moment and took up the story, perhaps sensing T had given her tacit agreement to do so. He didn’t really care because he had T in his arms, willingly, for the first time ever.
“Tia lost her family in a car accident,” Skye said. “There was no family, and with her being fifteen, she was placed in foster care. Most foster parents are loving and amazing people, but some are there only for the paycheck a foster child brings. Tia was unlucky tobe placed with that kind of family—not once, but twice. She ran away from the first and was taken away from the second.”
“Taken?” he asked.
“Yes,” T said, brushing her cheek against his shoulder. “I was removed by Forest.”
“Why?”
“It wasn’t what you’d call a happy home,” T said.
He wanted to press for more answers but sensed now wasn’t the time. T shifted and pulled away. She kept her eyes down, and he prayed it wasn’t because she was embarrassed by that hug.
“Anyway,” she said, “I graduated high school and went into nursing school. Forest has a way of encouraging you to do what you’re destined to do. Skye helped me get my first job, and we worked for a time in the emergency room together.”
“And you had so much potential,” Skye said.
“And here I am now,” T said.
“And here you are,” Skye said. “A fucking badass CRNA!”
Ash snorted and opened his eyes. “Damn, did I fall asleep?”
Skye bent down and kissed him on the lips. Ash wrapped an arm around her neck, deepening the kiss, leaving Ryker and T with nothing to do but watch. Standing beside T, he was close enough that it wouldn’t take much to brace her against the wall and taste her lips. He shifted and caught himself before his need overtook his common sense. Fortunately, Ash let up on his kiss. He sat and rubbed at his eyes.
“Damn, jet lag is a bitch.” Ash glanced around, looking disorientated for a split second, and then spread a cheeky grin. “I hope we’re bunking in something nicer than this.”
T’s throaty laughter bounced off the narrow walls. “This is about the top of the line in Bagram. I’m sure they’ve put you in the VIPquarters, but all that buys you is a cargo container a little bit longer than this one.”
“Is that what this thing is?”
“Yeah,” Ryker said. “Converted shipping containers make excellent shelters.”
“Ah,” Ash said with a frown, “I knew not to expect five-star accommodations, but I’m not sure this counts as even one star.”
“In theater, these are the five-star living facilities,” Tia said. “You should see what we have to put up with in the field.”
“Yes,” Skye chimed in, “about that. I want to talk to your team.”
“You’ve said that,” Ryker said. “What do you want to know?”
He was still curious. The conversation had drifted from topic to topic without ever returning to Skye’s interest in a special ops surgical team.
“Everything,” she said with a wistful sigh. “Forest has me taking a look into what we could set up. Initially, I didn’t really understand what he wanted, but he has teams around the world who can get into trouble. Rather than relying on local medical care, he’s interested in seeing how portable we can be with our own specialized teams. I said not possible, but then he reminded me about Tia. As I understand it, you’re able to perform on-the-spot surgeries with nothing but what you carry on your backs. That’s of interest to us.”
“Those packs are pretty heavy,” T said. “I struggle to carry my gear.” She eyed the much smaller Skye. “No offense, but I don’t think you could handle what I do.”
“Well, I don’t exactly have to meet the same physical standards as you.”
