“I’m fine. It’s not that bad.” She inhaled slowly, drinking in the warmth of his presence, and the pain receded. “What happened with the mission?”
“It was a complete success.”
“That’s great.”
“Yeah. Juarez is in custody. The records we found at his compound are going to allow the Rocaman government to weed out every corrupt cop and politician on his payroll.”
“Was anyone hurt?”
“No casualties on our side except you.” He clenched his jaw. “I’m sorry, Glenna. After everything you did for the team, we should have been able to get to you sooner.”
“I knew you would come, Rafe.”
“When Juarez took you, nothing would keep me away.”
Of course. This was what he did for a living. He was an honorable man. He would feel responsible. She shouldn’t hope that it was more. He’d made himself clear before she’d gone back to New York.
Yes, well, she wasn’t going to give up that easily again. He was with her now, and whether they were in a hospital room or a basement prison, she still intended to make every minute count. Not because her life was about to end, but because it was just getting started. She braced her elbows on the mattress and began to sit up. “Rafe—”
“Glenna—”
They had both spoken at once. He reached beside the bed for the controls that would raise the mattress under her head. With a touch that was achingly tender, he adjusted her pillows behind her back and tucked the blanket around her waist. “I realize you need rest, Glenna, and this probably isn’t the best time or place to discuss this, but there’s something I need to say and I don’t want to take a chance that something else will happen to stop me again.”
“Again
“I tried to call you after you left. I know now why you never answered, but for a while I’d thought you just didn’t want to talk to me.”
“You called? Why?”
He sat down on the edge of the mattress and braced his fists on either side of her hips. “You made me think about John, really think about him, instead of burying it all under the scars and the hate.”
“I’m glad, Rafe.”
“When we first met, you said we had a bond. I didn’t believe you then, but it turns out that you were right about everything. I was letting my past keep me from having a future.” He regarded her in silence for a while, his gaze intense. “But not anymore, Glenna. The major gave me a ten-day leave. I hope that once you’re discharged and are feeling better, you and I could go someplace where we could talk about this in private.”
She tried to ignore the tickle of disappointment she felt. He meant they would get together when he was on leave. So what if he wanted to pick up where they left off? He was willingly talking about John and facing his past, which was a huge step forward for him. “That sounds great.”
“I realize we’ll have a lot of details to work through because of our careers, but given your gift for organization we’re bound to figure out something. If the Winston chain does go ahead with the resort in Rocama, I could volunteer to work with you as a local adviser or liaison. Then if you can’t transfer to a hotel in this area, the army public relations office could always use someone with your skills.”
The disappointment was quickly replaced by confusion. “Transfer? For a weekend?”
“Glenna, I didn’t mean…” He paused. “Damn, I’ve been going over this in my head for almost two days now and I still don’t know how to say it.”
“Say what, Rafe?”
The weariness eased from his face as his lips curved into a smile. “To be honest, I’d rather show you.”
Headache or no headache, his smile still knocked the breath from her lungs. “Show me?”
“That night we spent at my apartment, you were right about what we were doing, Glenna.” He leaned over and brought his lips to hers. “We were making love.”
His kiss was restrained, a mere brush of his mouth, yet she felt it clear through to her toes. The grogginess she’d awakened with was long gone as her heart began to race. This was her warrior lover, her real-life hero.
“I love you, Glenna.”
She wasn’t dreaming. She’d been through enough now to recognize reality. And this was more real than she’d dared to hope.
“I love you.” He pulled back to look at her, his smile growing. “And if you’ll have me, I promise I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to be a man you can love in return.”
Her eyes filled. “Oh, Rafe, you don’t have to try. You already are.”
He caught her tears with h fingertips. He didn’t say any more. He didn’t have to. Because he was showing her. Love trembled in the corners of his smile. Love gleamed in his pure blue gaze. Love softened the hard planes of his face and turned the lines and gullies of his ruined cheek into a reflection of the strength in his soul.
And in that moment Glenna knew she was looking at the handsomest man in the world.
ISBN: 978-1-4268-8256-2
EYE OF THE BEHOLDER
Copyright © 2003 by Ingrid Caris
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*Eagle Squadron
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Eye of the Beholder Page 23