His only thought had been getting to Brynnon. To be able to see her with his own two eyes and know for a fact, she really was okay.
“Well, it looks like you’ve got this under control,” Coop broke through his thoughts again. The guy tossed his empty can into the trash. “I’m gonna head over and relieve Derek so he can keep doing whatever the hell it is he does.”
Making his way back across the room, Grant shook his teammate’s hand. “Thanks for keeping her safe. And...I’m glad you’re not dead.”
Laughing, Coop reached out and gave him a half-hug. “Gee, thanks, Hill. That’s the sweetest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
Despite the situation, the corner of Grant’s lips curled. Though he may never admit it out loud, he really did love his team.
“Get out of here, jackass.” He pushed against his friend’s chest.
Grinning, Coop grabbed his go-bag and headed for the door. With a final, shared look, the young sniper left him to face Brynnon alone.
A few minutes later, Grant heard the water turn off. Pacing the room, he waited anxiously. Finally, after what felt like forever, Brynnon walked out of the bathroom.
Wearing a thin pair of pajama pants and a tank top, it came to no surprise when she stopped dead in her tracks at the sight of him. Her eyes landed on his, a giant fist wrapping its unforgiving fingers around his heart when he found hers red and swollen from crying.
Recovering quickly, Brynnon walked over to the room’s small desk. Pulling a folder from her computer bag, he waited silently as she began sorting through its contents.
Without looking at him, she sounded hollow when she spoke. “I’m fine. So, if you’re here out of some misguided guilt from not having been with me, you can leave. The bomb would’ve gone off whether you were with me or not.”
Grant took a moment to look at her. Though he couldn’t see her face, he knew she’d rather be anywhere but in this room. With him.
But she was alive. His princess was safe, and she was alive. The rest would hopefully work itself out soon.
Praying she’d listen to what he had to say, Grant licked his dry lips and admitted, “I couldn’t breathe.” Strong emotions left his deep voice rough. Unsteady.
Brynnon let the papers fall back onto the desk. Turned to face him, he watched as confusion caused her eyebrows to turn inward. “What?”
Grant took in the pure beauty that was his Brynnon and continued baring his soul.
“Coop called to let me know what happened.” He paused, needing to swallow past the painful knot in his throat in order to continue. “It was like my lungs froze inside my chest. Everything went numb.”
Brynnon just stood there, staring back at him with those mesmerizing eyes of jade. Taking a chance, Grant moved a little closer to her.
“He told me your cabin exploded. That you’d gone inside. For a second, I thought...” His voice broke as he worked to convey the unprecedented terror Coop’s words had created.
Some of her anger dissipated as she moved hesitantly toward him. “I-I’m okay,” she said again, her voice much softer than before.
Grant’s eyes fell on the fresh bruise darkening one side of her forehead. His vision blurred, the thought of her being violently thrown in the air from the blast creating a sudden, unfamiliar stinging.
Blinking against his unshed tears, Grant moved a few more inches in her direction and tried like hell to say what needed to be said.
“I was standing there, fighting to breathe, and all I could think of was that you’d died believing I didn’t care about you.” He shook his head, licking his lips to try and stop their quivering. “The truth is I don’t know what I’m feeling, but only because I’ve never felt anything like this before.”
Grant took another step, his lungs stuttering as he attempted to fill them. “What I do know is, in those few seconds I thought I’d lost you, I didn’t know how I was going to go on.”
“Grant.” Brynnon’s chin trembled.
Unable to keep from it, he closed the remaining distance between them in two long strides. He placed both hands on her bare shoulders, thankful as fuck when she didn’t pull away.
“Baby, when I got that call, I felt like my entire world had ended.” Raising a gentle palm to her face, he brushed his thumb back and forth over her flawless skin. “I don’t know what you’ve done to me, but I can’t”—he swallowed hard— “Iwon’twalk away from you again.”
A tear fell down her cheek, the silver streak hitting his thumb. Grant brushed it away gently.
With a hand to his chest, Brynnon looked up at him, the love in her eyes damn near bringing him to his knees. Blinking, she set more tears free.
“I don’t want you to walk away, Grant. I never did. I want you with me.” She bit her bottom lip nervously before adding a quiet, “Always.”
