“More wine, Sunshine?” Cam’s voice was filled with concern. No wonder he’d been moody, he’d been worried about her reaction on top of not knowing where the threat would come from next.
“Yes, please.”
“I still can’t believe Robert Redford is an actual octopus?”
“I know.”
“Do you want to watch something else? It’s obvious you’re not paying attention.”
“What?”
“You just agreed that Robert Redford is a real octopus.”
“Dang, sorry. I do want to see this. I was just thinking.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“Not yet. I’m fine, really, and we will. But right now, I want to snuggle and watch the movie.”
“You got it, nothing I enjoy more, okay, maybe there’s one thing,” he answered and lifted her chin for a quick kiss.
“I hope that option isn’t off the table?”
“Are you kidding me? It’s always on the table and can literally be if you want to give it a try.” He waggled his eyebrows and it cracked her up. They moved so much it was hysterical. The laughter helped her unwind a bit. The wine did the rest.
Sharing the remainder of the bottle of wine and the bowl of popcorn, then watched the movie. As the afternoon wore on, Miranda relaxed, the threats pushed back into the recess of her mind, for now.
“I never get tired of that movie. But damn what Hydra did to Bucky, fuck.”
“He was a jerk at the end of the other movie. Jealous of Cap. But you’re right, no one deserves to go through what they did to him.”
“What do you want to do now? Watch another movie? Grab an early dinner? Go out for a drink? Stay in for more drinks?”
“Wow so many options. What to do, what to do?” She tapped her finger against her lips and batted her eyelashes. The wine and the movie had helped her relax. But the thought of going out set her heart racing. “I have an idea. Since we were in ‘Mexico’ for lunch how about ‘China’ or ‘Japan’ for dinner? Someone must deliver, right?”
“Yeah, or I can go and pick it up.”
“Delivery is better. We’ve had a few glasses of wine, it’s safer to not drive.” She doubted that she fooled him, but he didn’t disagree.
“That’s true. I have some menus, let’s see which country appeals to you more based on food choices.” She was relieved he played along. They could have a picnic in the living room and watch another movie.
After much back and forth, they decided on Chinese and Cam called in the order. “It’ll be here in twenty minutes.”
“That’s so funny.”
“What is?”
“It’s just I can’t remember a time when I ordered Chinese food and they didn’t say twenty minutes, can you? It’s like their standard response.”
Cam laughed. “You’re right, they always say it. Sometimes they get here faster sometimes longer, but you’re right. They always say twenty. I wonder if it’s on a post-it next to all phones in Chinese restaurants.”
“You know, we’re going to have to experiment. Every time we order, let’s order from a different restaurant and see what they say, just to prove our hypothesis.”
“Are you going to want that much Chinese food while you’re here?”
“I didn’t mean all on this trip. We can order from my house too, and when I’m back. And I’ve been meaning to talk to you about something.”
“You have?”
“Don’t freak out. It’s nothing bad. Well, I don’t think it is. Not sure how you’ll feel about it.”
“Dammit, woman. Spit it out already. For fuck's sake. Now I know how you were feeling.”
“It sucks doesn’t it,” she said with a smile. She hadn’t meant to torture him, but it was a little payback for earlier. “I think I’m going to move here if I can find a job.” Silence. His face was unreadable. Maybe he didn’t want her around all the time. It’s not like she said she was going to move in with him. Just to the same state.
“Or not. I thought it would be nice to see you more often. Chrissy offered to let me stay with her while I look for a job and apartment.”
“It’s wonderful. But why stay with Chrissy or look for an apartment? Don’t you want to move in with me?”
“I didn’t want to push myself on you. We haven’t been around each other all that much, and I didn’t want you to feel obligated. I’m not sure you’re even happy about the idea of me moving here.”
“Of course I’m happy, thrilled. Ecstatic, even.” Then he scooped her off the couch and swung her around. Halo started jumping up and down and barking. He proved his point and made her dizzy. If he didn’t stop soon he was going to be wearing the wine and popcorn she’d eaten. Thankfully, the buzzer rang, and she was saved.
Cam put her down then stopped by the front door and took a gun from the table drawer. After looking through the peephole, he tucked it into the back of his waistband and grabbed his wallet. Seeing the gun surprised her and reminded her of what he’d said about being vigilant. She needed to calm down before she gave herself a heart attack. A nice headline that would be, ‘Senator’s daughter scares herself to death, news at eleven.’ Yeah her father would be thrilled, and her mother would drag her back to life just so she could give her hell.
After he closed and locked the door, he slipped the gun back into the drawer and carried the bag over to the coffee table. “Did you want to eat in here and watch another movie?”
“Yes, it’ll be like a picnic.”
“How do you like to eat yours? Chopsticks, fork, on a plate, or from the container.”
“I’d love to eat it from the container with chopsticks. I’ve always wanted to do that after seeing them do it in movies.”
“Chopsticks it is then,” he said with a smile. “Anything for my Sunshine.” They pushed the table farther from the couch and sat on the floor. Cam unpacked the food and then got some napkins and another bottle of wine from the kitchen.”
“Do you always keep this much wine around?
“No, not so much. I don’t drink that much when I’m home. But it’s usually beer if I do. But I knew you liked wine and I bought a few bottles yesterday.”
“I can tell. We can drink beer if you want. It goes good with this food.”
“Nah, we started with wine and I am enjoying it.”
The food smelled delicious and they’d ordered way more than they could eat. Until she remembered how little Cam had eaten at lunch and changed her mind about how much would be left. As much as she wanted to dig in, she thought they should finish their conversation.
Cam grabbed a pot sticker and was about to pop it into his mouth when he looked at her. “Something wrong?”
“No, it looks great, but I wondered if we should finish our conversation first.”
“Oh. We can but how about we eat and talk because I’m starving.” The look on his face reminded her of a little boy, and she couldn’t refuse him. She was hungry too which surprised her since she’d stuffed herself at lunch.
“Okay. I don’t want to keep food from a growing boy.” Grabbing a set of chopsticks, she opened the container of General Tso’s chicken. It was perfect, crispy with just the right amount of heat and sweetness. “This is so good.”
“Yeah? I haven’t tried it yet.” Before she realized what he was doing, he’d reached into the box with his chopsticks and grabbed a piece. Then he popped it into his mouth. “Mmmm, you’re right, it’s fucking wonderful.”
“Hey, that’s my food. Hands off.”
“Sorry.” He tried to look contrite, but he didn’t come close to pulling it off.
“No, you’re not. But I’m watching you. Try it again and I’ll bite your fingers.”
“You’d deny a starving SEAL a bit of food.”
“Yes, because there’s a ton of other food on this table, Mr. Badass.”
“Mr. Badass, huh?” Before she realized, he’d put down his food and tackled her onto the floor, leaning over her and l
aughing. “I’ll show you badass.”
“Holy crap you can move fast,” she said between giggles.
“You ain’t seen nothing, sweetheart,” Cam said in a Humphrey Bogart impersonation. It was terrible and made her laugh even harder.
“I haven’t?”
“Not even a little bit.” Then he leaned down and molded his lips against hers, their passion igniting like wildfire. When he released her, they were out of breath. “That was just a taste, later you’ll be getting the whole lesson.”
The pure desire in his voice, heated her to her core and her hunger wasn’t for the food now she wanted the man.
After helping her sit back up, he handed her a fresh pair of chopsticks since hers had been tossed when he tackled her. Was he sorry? Not even a little bit. The woman took his breath away. She’d surprised him when she brought up moving. He’d been wondering how to broach the subject. He’d come up with the idea while he was bored in Afghanistan.
Atlanta was just a few hours away by plane, but it might as well have been California. It was hard for him to get away for days at a time, his schedule was frenetic and fluid, and he couldn’t put in for time off whenever he wanted to see her. He needed her in his life. Why wouldn’t she think he wanted her to move in? He thought he’d made it clear that he wanted her. Maybe he needed to lay it out there. The only thing holding him back was worry that it would scare her away. She led such a different life, and her parents were more uptight than the colonel and that was saying something.
“Miranda, nothing would make me happier than for you to move in here. I’ve been trying to figure out how to bring it up for the last few weeks.”
“While you were away?”
“Yes. You’re too far away in Atlanta. But I know your roots are there, your friends, and family. I wasn’t sure how you’d feel. Or if it was too soon to bring it up.”
“I was worried that coming here would make you feel boxed in. We haven’t talked about our relationship, or where it could go. I didn’t know if this was a casual thing for you. I didn’t want you to feel forced into a relationship you weren’t looking to have.”
“Never, Sunshine. I thought I’d made it clear how much I wanted you.”
“Wanted, yes you did. But wanting doesn’t mean a relationship. It could have been just about the sex.”
“No. It was never about that. From the first moment, I saw you in that cave you had me. I wasn’t lying when I told you that. You were so brave even though you’d been through hell.”
“That’s not special.”
“Yes, it is. I’ve been part of many rescues and most women who’d been through what you had would have been basket cases, broken, sometimes they won’t even let us touch them. So yes, you are very special.”
As he watched her take in his words, every emotion played across her face. There was no way he’d ever let her play poker. She couldn’t hide anything.
“Okay, then. Looks like we might have some plans to make before I go back.”
“Hell yeah.” Leaning over, he kissed her. “We should celebrate.”
“We are, Chinese picnic and wine.”
“I have something a little different in mind.”
“But I’m hungry, and you’re eating all the food,” she said with a smile. When he looked at the table, he realized she was right. He had eaten most of the food.
“Damn, I’m so sorry. I guess I was hungrier than I thought.”
Laughing, she held up her box of General Tso’s. She’d been clutching it like a favorite doll. “You didn’t get everything, though. I still have this and no, you’re not getting anymore.”
“No problem,” Cam said as he popped the last pot sticker into his mouth. Then searched in the bag for the fortune cookies. Cracking one open, he pulled out his fortune.
“What does it say,” she asked as she picked up another piece of chicken.
Cam read it twice before he read the words out loud, “Your life will be filled with sunshine.”
Chapter 14
“Let me see, that can’t be real,” Miranda demanded as she held out her hand. He had to be making that up.
“I swear, it is. Look.” He dropped the little white slip of paper into her palm and sure enough, that is exactly what it said.
“That’s kind of freaky.”
“I don’t think so. It’s my fortune, and for a change, I’d say they nailed it. This is one I’m going to hold on to. Just have to figure out a way to frame it.”
“We’ll figure something out. It’s just so bizarre. Wait till I tell Meghan, she’s not going to believe it either.”
“She might. Stranger things have happened for all of us. Look how she and Rafe met.”
“I don’t know their story.”
“Oh, I thought she might have told you. They met while stuck in Norfolk Airport. Their plane was delayed for something like twelve hours. If that’s not fate, I don’t know what is. He was with her when she found out about the abduction. It was on TV.”
“Wow. That sure seems like fate. I can’t imagine how she felt when she found out, especially that way.”
“Me either. Rafe put her in touch with a friend of ours to try to help her find out more information. We weren’t involved until we got sent for you.”
“I guess I can thank my dad for that.”
“Yes, but it’s what we do.”
“You were supposed to save the others from the group too, right?”
“You know I can’t talk about my missions, except the one you were there for.”
“Sorry.” He was hiding something. The way he answered that question was odd. The rest of the missionary group was rescued after they found her. Didn’t that mean it was the same mission?
“No worries. There is one other thing I need to tell you. I should have told you before.”
“What is it? Do we have to have the Band-Aid talk again?”
“No,” Cam said and grinned. He might be smiling now, but she’d bet anything that they’d be talking about those sticky things way too much.
“So…spit it out then.”
“The friend Rafe told Meghan about? His name is Tex. He’s an ex-SEAL, lost his leg on a mission. But he’s a computer genius.”
While he spoke, she continued eating the spicy chicken. It was weird he was stalling.
“Anyway, I put a tracker on your phone when I visited you in Atlanta.”
“You’re spying on me?”
“No, and I figured that’s what you’d think. It was only that if something happened so we could find you. It’s for your protection. We have Meghan’s phone tracked too.”
“Does she know?”
“Yeah, Rafe told her a while ago.” Miranda wasn’t sure if she was upset or not about being tracked. It was understandable after everything, but why not just tell her?
“And you didn’t want to tell me?”
“I was going to, but I didn’t want you worrying you were still in danger.” She would have too. Even without knowing, she worried.
“Okay.”
“Okay? You’re not mad?”
“Nope. It makes sense, and you’re right. I would have worried. When will you stop?”
“I don’t know. I’d prefer not to. It took the edge off knowing Tex could locate you if something happened, especially while I was on a mission.”
“I guess it’s okay for now. I’d like to meet or at least talk to him though. It’s weird he knows what I’m doing. I’m sure my dad would have a fit.”
“Oh yeah, no doubts there. But you don’t have to tell him either. We’ll call Tex tomorrow so you can talk to him. And he doesn’t constantly watch you. But if something happened, he could find you as long as you have your phone with you.”
“No cameras though, right? He’s not a peeping Tex is he?”
Cam chuckled. She loved that sound. “No peeping Tex, but I’m going to have to tell him that. He’ll get a kick out of it and so will his wife, Melody.”
“Can I
ask you something?”
“Always, as long as it’s not about work, I don’t have any secrets anymore.”
“Why tell me now? Is there more going on than what you said earlier?”
“No. But because of that, I thought it might reassure you. That you’re really safe.”
As she dug around inside the cardboard box for just the right piece of chicken, she considered his words. Did it make her feel safer or just spied on? She wasn’t sure yet, but if the Tex person wasn’t actually watching her, it didn’t feel as creepy.
“I’m not sure if it does or not. I’ll let you know. But I’m not mad if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“Tex is one of the good guys. I promise.”
“If you trust him, then I suppose I need to trust him too. Now, did you save me a fortune cookie, or did you eat them all?”
“Here you go.”
“Thanks. I wonder what visionary words I will find.” Her phone rang with a familiar tone before she had a chance to tear open the plastic wrapper.
“Hi, Mom.” Cam grinned and then picked up the empty containers and took them in the kitchen.
“You didn’t call me back.”
“We were busy running around today. And just finished dinner.”
“Is everything okay there? Is he treating you well?”
“Mom, I’m not fifteen on my first date with Thad.”
“Of course you’re not. But it doesn’t mean I can’t worry.” She loved her mom. She truly did but sometimes the woman drove her crazy.
“I’m safe here, I am surrounded by Navy SEALs. I doubt I’d be safer in the White House.”
“I don’t know about that,” Cherise Stanhope said.
“How are things there? Is Dad home?”
“Yes, he got in this morning and he’s staying for the weekend. He was sorry he missed you.”
SEAL's Sunshine - Lynne St Jame Page 11