Red Zone

by Sherri Hayes

  Seeming to notice her silence, Trent turned his attention to Rebecca. “Are you always this quiet?” he asked. His tone was light, joking.

  She could tell he was trying to put her at ease. It wasn’t working. She felt out of place. Somewhere along the line, personal and professional had gotten blurred. She didn’t know what the proper response was anymore, the right reaction.

  Gage turned his head, looked over at her, and frowned. He set Chloe’s feet on the floor, releasing her, and crossed over to where Rebecca stood. “What are you over here saying to my girlfriend?” he asked his brother as he wrapped his arms around Rebecca’s waist, pulling her back against his chest. His warmth comforted her, and she took a deep breath. She could do this.

  “Oh!”

  At Trent’s exclamation, Rebecca glanced up at him, wondering what had caused his reaction. He was looking at her. She also noticed that the rest of his family was staring at her—the both of them—eyes wide.

  “What?” Gage asked, pulling her even closer, molding her body to his as much as possible through the clothing they wore. The hard muscles of his chest and arms pressed against her back as he stood behind her, his hands resting on her stomach.

  “I just . . .” Trent paused and swallowed nervously. “It’s just . . .”

  “We thought Megan was your girlfriend,” Paul stated, and by the faces of the rest of his family, they agreed. For some reason, that stung.

  “Why would you think that?” Gage demanded.

  “Megan’s just . . .” Chris didn’t finish.

  “Never mind,” Mary said, stepping in front of her son. “Gage, why don’t you show Rebecca to your room. You can put all your luggage up there for now, at least until after dinner. Megan, would you like to help Elizabeth and me in the kitchen? Dinner should be ready soon, and we still have a few items to put out.”

  “Yeah. Okay. Sure,” Megan answered, looking over at her sister.

  Rebecca tried to put on a brave face, letting Megan know it was all right. She must have failed, because she saw her sister frown.

  “Come on,” Gage whispered in her ear, pulling her attention away from Megan. Without waiting for her to respond, he took her hand, quickly grabbed the luggage he’d deposited on the floor earlier, led her around his family, and up a flight of stairs.

  Gage was irritated with Trent for making Rebecca feel uncomfortable. Sure, she wasn’t the type of woman he normally went for, but so what? Trent didn’t have to point that out.

  Taking his mother’s suggestion, Gage quickly gathered their things and led Rebecca upstairs to his childhood bedroom. His old room was still covered in pictures and trophies from his high school days. It was almost like stepping back in time.

  He was the only one of his brothers who’d ever lived in this house. Trent and Chris had already been off to college by the time their parents had moved. Paul had been well on his way to establishing a life in Indianapolis with Melissa. They’d just gotten engaged and bought a house of their own.

  Once the door was shut behind them and they were safely inside his bedroom, Gage threw the luggage on the double bed and gathered her into his arms. “Are you okay, beautiful?”

  She didn’t answer.

  Leaning back so that he could see her face, he noticed the blank mask was back. She was looking at him but not, at the same time. He didn’t like it. “Look, I’m sorry about what Trent said. He didn’t mean anything by it.”

  “It doesn’t matter.”

  “Of course it does.” Gage didn’t understand why what had happened downstairs irritated him as much as it did, but he was going with it.

  “No. It doesn’t.” She tried to back away from him, but he followed her step for step until she was pressed up against the door. There wasn’t anywhere else to go. “We should get back downstairs.”

  He could hear a hint of desperation in her voice. No matter what she said, she was as aware of him as he was of her. She wanted him. He just had to figure out how to get past that brain of hers that was always overthinking things.

  Deciding to go with his instincts, he cupped her face with his hands, tilting up her head until her lips were right there, ripe for the taking. He took.

  To his surprise, she didn’t fight it nearly as much as he thought she would. There was only a moment’s hesitation from her before she released a sigh and kissed him back. She wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him as their lips and tongues moved together. He had no idea how long they stood there, kissing. It seemed that whenever he had her in his arms, time and everything else outside her failed to register. Somewhere along the line he heard a noise out in the hall. If he didn’t end it soon, they were going to be interrupted.

  He released her mouth, trailing his lips down her jaw and neck before giving her a gentle bite near the collar of her shirt. She dug her fingers into his neck. He chuckled. “As much as I’d love to continue this, beautiful, we really should get back downstairs.”

  Her body went rigid under his hands, and she dropped her arms to her side.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked. “Talk to me.”

  “Your family is never going to believe we’re a couple.”

  “Sure they will.”

  She gave him a skeptical look.

  “Why do you think they won’t?” he asked, continuing to touch her. Even at that moment, standing there having a serious conversation with her, he was thinking how soft her skin was and wondering how she felt where he’d yet to touch.

  “You heard your brother. I’m not . . .” She took a deep breath, causing her chest to rise and fall beneath her sweater. His lower half took notice. He tried very hard to ignore it. “I’m not your type.”

  “That’s where you’re wrong. You’re exactly my type.” He brushed his lips against hers. “Shall I show you again?” he asked, giving her a half smile.

  She laughed. “No.”

  “Because I’m more than willing to make the sacrifice,” he said, half joking, pulling her body more firmly against his.

  “Didn’t you say something about needing to get back downstairs?”

  He sighed, stepped away, and reached for the door handle. Before opening it, he turned his head and met her gaze. “Later, then.”

  Chapter 17

  He could tell she was nervous as they walked back down the stairs to where his family was waiting, even though she was doing her best to hide it. Over the last three weeks, he’d learned her tells. She held her back drill-sergeant straight and her jaw set in an overly serious pose. He loved to tease her, yes, but he didn’t want her to feel uncomfortable around his family. Not only would they notice, but he also wanted them to get along. He wasn’t going to question why that was.

  When they reached the bottom of the stairs, he paused and turned around, facing her. She was two steps higher than he was, so he had to look up. “You ready for this?” he asked, taking hold of her hands.

  “Yes,” she said, sounding a lot more confident than he knew she really was.

  He smiled and pulled her arms around his waist. “Just relax and be yourself.” She nodded but didn’t speak. Realizing that was all he was going to get, he changed his hold to take one of her hands, and led them both into the dining room.

  His family was gathered around the large table. Some were standing, but most had already taken a seat and were very obviously waiting for the okay from their mom before digging in.

  Gage recalled times when they were younger where each one of them had tried to help themselves before their mom had given the go-ahead. Each time, no matter which one of them it was, they got a hasty reminder of manners when their mom took whatever serving utensil was nearby and gave their fingers a solid slap. Man, had that stung. Even after watching his brother’s endure their mother’s wrath, he’d still tested his luck. Now that they were older, they knew better.

  One by one, the family noticed their arrival. They all glanced up from whatever they were doing, including Trent, who looked properly apologetic. He gav
e his brother a small smile, letting him know there weren’t any hard feelings. Trent nodded.

  Deciding it was probably best to ignore the elephant in the room for the time being, he walked over to the two unoccupied chairs on the right with Rebecca in tow. He released her hand and pulled her chair out for her. She paused, glancing down at it as if it might bite her, before taking a seat. He waited until she was settled before taking his place beside her. Everyone followed suit.

  His mom had fixed stuffed chicken breasts for dinner, with rice, two different kinds of vegetables, rolls, and a large bowl of mixed fruit. It was a lot of food, but he knew from experience there’d be little to none left by the time they were finished. They all dug in, and conversation, at least for the time being, was forgotten as they filled their plates and bellies.

  Slowly, conversation resumed. Megan sat at the other end of the table talking with Trent, Paul, and Chloe. The little girl seemed fascinated by Rebecca’s sister, questioning her nonstop. He heard Paul remind his daughter several times to eat her food, since she kept getting distracted. Megan seemed completely comfortable with the attention. At one point, trying to get Chloe to eat more of her food, she’d made a game of it with her. It had worked better than her father’s constant reminders.

  Rebecca, on the other hand, ate quietly beside him. She laughed and smiled at the appropriate times, but he could tell it was forced. Apparently, so could his mother.

  “So, Rebecca,” his mom said. “Tell us a little about yourself. What do you do for a living?”

  This got the attention of the entire table. All other talking ceased, with the exception of Megan and Chloe, as everyone waited for Rebecca’s answer.

  Gage watched Rebecca’s defenses go up again. He placed his hand on her leg to show his support. “I’m an FBI agent,” she said, without missing a beat.

  “How did you two meet?” Paul asked. Gage could see the wheels turning in his brother’s head from where he sat.

  She covered the hand Gage had placed on her leg with her own. He laced their fingers together as she answered his brother. “I was working on a case in Nashville that brought me to the football stadium. The team was there practicing.”

  “Sounds like you were both in the right place at the right time.”

  Paul let the subject drop, but Gage knew it wasn’t over. His brother wasn’t rude, and their mom wouldn’t be happy if he interrogated Gage’s girlfriend at the dinner table. More questions would come later.

  In order to curb any further inquiry for a while, he turned his attention to Chris. “I hear congratulations are in order.”

  “Yeah,” Chris said, looking a little guilty. “Ma told me she’d let the cat out of the bag. We were going to wait and announce it this weekend, but then Jan found out, and she shared the news with Ma before we could stop her.”

  “Why you’d keep news like that quiet for so long is a mystery to me,” their mom said, exasperated.

  “We thought something as important as this should be done in person, that’s all.”

  Jan was an old family friend, and Chris’s landlord. Their mom and Jan kept in regular contact, so why Chris thought he’d be able to keep in under wraps, Gage had no idea. As the one who began this conversation though, Gage thought maybe he should take some of the pressure off his brother. He picked up his glass. “I don’t know you that well, Elizabeth. Hopefully, after this weekend, that will change. Either way, I haven’t seen my brother this happy in a while, so welcome to the family.”

  Everyone picked up their glasses as well and joined in the impromptu toast. Even Chloe raised her pink plastic cup in the air, a huge smile plastered on her face.

  “Have you two decided on a date?” Paul asked.

  “We’re thinking March,” Elizabeth said. “The weather should be warming up by then. Chris also thought it would be before training camp started for you, Gage, and that hopefully, you’d be able to come?”

  Gage smiled. “Camp’s not till April. Just let me know the date as soon as you have it, and I’ll make sure to clear my schedule.”

  Both Chris and Elizabeth smiled, and Chris leaned over to give her a soft kiss. Gage noticed his mother’s silent sigh as she watched the exchange. He was happy for his brother. Chris’s first marriage had been a nightmare almost from the start. Even before things had gone south with his brother’s ex, he couldn’t remember Chris ever beaming like he was at that moment. His whole face radiated his happiness.

  As she sat and listened to Chris and Elizabeth’s wedding plans, Rebecca began to relax a little. She’d known the personal questions would come, and she’d tried to prepare herself. With any luck, she’d been convincing enough. She would be surprised if that was the end of it, though. From the little she’d read on Paul, the man was good at his job, and that usually meant not settling for half answers. No, she knew that either she or Gage would have more questions to answer before the weekend was finished.

  Gage continued to touch her on and off throughout dessert, even though he’d released her hand shortly after the toast. Something about having him there, knowing he was supporting her, had given her the boost she needed to answer his mother and brother’s questions. She still didn’t understand this hold he seemed to have on her, but she was quickly coming to the conclusion that fighting it, no matter how logical it may be, was a losing battle. For whatever reason, fate had thrown them together. At least for a while.

  She allowed her gaze to linger on his form at her left. The memory of their kiss upstairs made her lips tingle again. No matter how much she tried to deny it, she wanted him. Even if there was no future for them, Megan was right. Why shouldn’t she have some fun? She’d been responsible all her life. Of course, she’d be responsible with Gage as well, but she could do that and enjoy herself at the same time, right?

  He caught her gawking at him and smirked. She was encouraging him, and for once, she didn’t care.

  The evening seemed to drag on forever. After the table was cleared, the men gathered in the kitchen to do the dishes, while the women went into the living room with coffee. Talk continued about the wedding. Even Megan joined in, offering her opinion on flowers and tuxedos.

  Rebecca was only half paying attention. It didn’t matter anyway. She wouldn’t be around come spring. Who knew where she’d be in March? Her job took her all over the United States. Of course, that all depended on whether or not she ever got clearance from psych.

  Eventually, the men joined them in the living room. Gage came to sit beside her on the couch, placing his arm behind her and resting it on her shoulders. He pulled her closer, and she let him. She wasn’t quite sure how she was going to act on her epiphany exactly, considering they were going to be staying at his parents’ house the next few days, but she wasn’t too worried about that. It was only a matter of time before Gage would initiate something again. When he did, she would go with it.

  Everyone was so caught up in conversation, they didn’t realize the late hour until Chloe began rubbing her eyes. Paul checked his watch, and a few others did the same. It was already after ten.

  Paul stood, Chloe hanging tightly to her father’s neck. “If you’ll excuse us, I need to get someone here ready for bed.”

  Paul began walking out of the room. “Meg . . . mmm.” Chloe whined against her father’s shirt.

  He stopped.

  “What? You have to turn your head so I can understand you, sweetheart.”

  “Meg . . . in.” This time she twisted her body and reached for what she wanted. Megan.

  “Megan’s going to stay down here and talk with everyone else. We need to get you a bath and into bed.”

  The little girl shook her head. “Sleep with Meg . . . mmm.”

  Paul glanced over his shoulder at his mom. Then at Megan. “Um . . .”

  “I don’t mind,” Megan said, answering the unspoken question. “I mean, I don’t know where I’m sleeping, but it’s fine with me if she wants to share.”

  Mary stood. “I was
going to let you and Chloe have the pullout downstairs and let Megan have the couch in here.”

  He nodded. “I’ll take the couch, then, and they can have the downstairs,” he said, then turned to Megan. “If that works for you.”

  “Works for me.” She smiled.

  “Happy now?” Paul asked his daughter. “We’ll go get your bath and get you ready for bed. Then I’ll put you downstairs, and Megan can join you when she’s ready.” The little girl began to whine. “Stop.” He didn’t raise his voice, but it was enough for Chloe to end her fussing. Before she could say anything more, Paul turned back around and walked up the stairs.

  “Well, that was interesting,” Chris said.

  “Yes, it was. I’ve never seen Chloe get so attached that quickly before,” Mary added.

  “She’s a great kid.” Megan smiled.

  “You’ll get no arguments from anyone here. Now, if we could only get a few more grandchildren just like her,” Mike said, looking pointedly at his sons.

  “And on that note . . .” Trent stood. “I should be heading out.”

  “You’re not staying here tonight?” Gage asked.

  “Nope. I figured the house was full enough. Plus, I have to run and check on a sprinkler system that’s been malfunctioning, first thing. No reason I need to be waking any of you up at the crack of dawn.”

  Trent leaving sparked another round of activity. There were hugs given by each of the Daniels family, including Elizabeth. The only two left out of the commotion were Rebecca and Megan.

  After good-byes were said and Trent was on his way, Chris leaned over and whispered something in Elizabeth’s ear, causing her to giggle. “Um. I think we’re going to call it a night as well. I know how this house is in the mornings.”

  Then Gage was standing. “That’s not a bad idea.” He reached out his hand, encouraging Rebecca to join him. She took it and stood.

  Mary, still over by the door, shook her head, smiling. “Megan, why don’t I show you where you’re going to be sleeping. There’s a bathroom down there where you can get changed.”