ES_ebook_8.2.19

by Kell, Sheila

  After drying off, she pulled her damp hair back into a ponytail and donned the donated clothes. The pants were a size too big but came with a belt and the blouse a size too small. Worried the buttons might fly, she sought out Jesse for a T-shirt.

  Wearing Jesse’s overlarge T-shirt, she set off with Franks and Stone, who’d returned from cleaning up at HQ.

  As she climbed in the back of the SUV, she realized not only hadn’t she asked Jesse how severe Ken’s condition was, she hadn’t brought any identification or a phone.

  The man addled her brain. With a smile, she admitted to herself that she wouldn’t change it for the world.

  32

  Ken sat up in the hospital bed wondering how he’d let the doctor convince him to stay overnight with a damn IV attached to him. Both his leg wound and burns showed small signs of infection, which didn’t surprise him with the sweat, blood, humidity, and temperatures he’d endured.

  The doctor had called him “Lucky” considering his leg wound left him with minimal damage. The doctor cleaned out the wound using a big tweezer in the hole to grab fabric. It’d been torture; they had to staple the entry and exit wounds since the injury had been open for so long that sutures wouldn’t work. Thankfully, they’d made it happen with some grumbling about how he’d made their job more difficult by waiting.

  Once again, he’d walk out of the hospital with a cane as the muscle damage didn’t appear to be too extensive. He’d gladly take that if it meant Cody and Sam were safe.

  Besides, he had to convince Sam to marry him. If his wounds worsened, he’d have a hard time of it. With Sam came Cody. Being a father to the boy didn’t faze him. While he’d never considered a family, Cody, however, was Adam’s son. He’d respected Adam and would be honored to do right by his boy.

  The question of whether Sam would allow it turned itself over in his mind. Being independent, she may want to go it alone first. He wouldn’t give up. He wouldn’t let her go a second time.

  After another lousy hand of poker with Doc, he tossed down his losing hand and looked at the clock on the wall. Sam should arrive soon. Not fast enough.

  Doc’s deep chuckle bounced around the room. “Time won’t move faster because you keep checking it.”

  Ken wiped a hand over his face and sighed. Doc was right. His friend kept him company, and he wouldn’t discount the time with him. “Deal. My luck is about to change,” he joked.

  Picking up his newly dealt cards, he silently cursed. Another shitty hand. That reminded him. “Did you hear if Jesse talked to Reagan about her swear jar?”

  “Oh yeah.” Doc laughed hard, and Ken impatiently waited for more. “Now, I heard this secondhand since you and I came straight here. Anyhow,” Doc continued, “Reagan had been in HQ with Devon. She jumped up when the teams strode in and asked how much money they owed her.”

  Ken closed his eyes and laughed. He hoped Cody wasn’t as precocious as Reagan. “What happened?”

  “Jesse took her into his office.” He shrugged. “No one knows what was said, but Reagan came and asked for a meeting. Of course the teams complied. She informed them that while they were on ops, it wasn’t okay to cuss, but they didn’t have to pay her. Vaughn said she tacked onto that with unless they wanted to pay her.”

  Ken chuckled. “Leave it to her to find a way around what her daddy undoubtedly told her.”

  “Do you think you’ll be a parent soon?” Doc asked as though an afterthought while he drew more cards.

  Yes, he would. “If she’ll have me.”

  “Oh, I think she will.”

  His stomach unsettled with nerves. “They’re taking a long time. They left—”

  Laughing, Doc cut him off. “I know how long ago they left. Did they put a worry drug in that bag? They probably just got caught in traffic.”

  Before he could respond, the door swung open with a force that almost sent it crashing against the wall. Only the mechanism on top of the door stopped it.

  Sam, wearing an overly large T-shirt and jeans, came to a screeching halt and stared at him, her eyes never straying to Doc. Her wide-eyed gaze gradually warmed and electricity zinged between them.

  While he’d been the one physically injured, he’d worried more about her and the emotional turmoil this whole incident had caused. Maybe asking her to marry him so soon hadn’t been wise, but with her, he didn’t always think right. His mouth tended to run away with itself.

  Dropping the cards still in his hand while Doc moved, Ken presented her with one of the widest grins he could muster. He’d only been given a low painkiller, so the smile truly came from within.

  Moving farther into the room, she halted at his side, leaned down and kissed him as if no one else was in the room. Maybe Doc had already left. He didn’t care.

  Her lips brushed his in a soft, lingering kiss, enough to set a tingling through his body. Much more of this, he’d yank her on the bed with him and show her how much he loved her.

  “Now that’s the best greeting I’ve received since I was held here against my will.” While not completely true—the last part—it sounded good.

  “I can’t imagine how the team or the hospital staff would greet you, but I do hope this was best.” Her eyes were alight with mischief.

  With their gazes locked, love and desire flowed in a perfect balance between the calm of a lake and the raging of waves of an ocean. He’d given up so many years with her, but finally, he had her.

  Reaching out, she took his hand and threaded her fingers through his before she sat in the chair beside his bed. “I would’ve been here sooner, but—”

  “It’s okay. You’re here now. How are you? And how’s Cody?”

  Her gaze remained riveted on their joined hands, and something gripped his insides. What did she fear?

  “We’re fine. We’re going to stay at Jesse’s for now.”

  “That’s a good idea.”

  The sadness on her face when she finally looked up at him caught his breath. “I’m sorry, Ken. I—”

  Hoping to reassure her, he squeezed her hand and smiled. “Sam, don’t. There’s nothing to be sorry about. Not for Beverly’s actions or yours.”

  “But—”

  He cut her off and steeled his voice to stop this craziness. “What’s done is done. Some things don’t need revisiting.”

  When she dropped her head, he changed the topic. “Since you wore your nightgown to visit, does that mean you’re crawling into bed with me?”

  She looked down at the black HIS T-shirt that he knew couldn’t be hers. “It’s not a nightshirt. It’s Jesse’s T-shirt. Kate’s shirts didn’t quite fit.”

  Redness crept up her cheeks, and he found it adorable. Trying not to chuckle at what she’d said because anyone with eyes—especially a red-blooded male—knew the difference in the women. “I see.” He bit his tongue so as not to say something that might land him in the doghouse, especially since his mind had wandered to holding them in his hands and having them against his chest.

  Squirming because his thoughts were derailing, he cleared his throat, then smiled and went all in. “Why don’t you climb into bed with me and let me see why the other shirts wouldn’t fit.”

  She laughed, and he couldn’t decide if he preferred the sound or the expression on her face at the action.

  Her eyes twinkled in merriment, but a deep longing sat on the edges. “While getting caught with my pants down by the team doesn’t appeal to me, getting caught by a hospital worker seems ten times worse.”

  “Well, come lie in my arms. I need to feel you and know that after everything, you’re safe.”

  After a glance up and down the blanket covering his body, she bit her lip. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “You won’t. I’m not that bad. Now come here.”

  Relief that she’d stood to join him whipped through him. He ha
dn’t realized how important that step was to easing his fears.

  A knock sounded on the door, and she stopped her progress. Alarm flashed across her eyes before she spun around, her hand slapping her thigh where she kept her holster. Only now, she didn’t have one.

  He had little concern because his weapons rested under his pillow. When the doctor had taken him back for care, Doc had sought the approval through the security department. Although unorthodox, at one time Jesse had approval for HIS because of prior security details. So there’d been no problem with him retaining his weapon.

  Besides, his men already watched the door so it shouldn’t be anyone not approved. Still, with one hand gripping on the stock, he said, “Come in.” If it was trouble, he could whip it around and fire in no time.

  The door opened to Franks and Stone. Both wore frowns. Before he could greet them, Franks glowered at Sam. “You were supposed to wait.”

  His eyes widened as he knew Franks’s pain. “I take it your clearance ran into a snag and Sam didn’t wait?”

  Turning to Ken, Stone said, “New guard. We had to almost threaten to call his boss to get our standing approval.”

  Sam reached down and slid her hand into his. While she probably didn’t realize it, her small action made him feel ten feet tall.

  “Thanks for seeing Sam here,” he told the men in unison. “I know you’d have liked to go home after this.”

  Stone shook his head. “No. We want to be here so that crazy woman doesn’t catch up to Sugar.” Obviously realizing the possible impact of his words, he turned to Sam and sheepishly said, “No offense.”

  She laughed, and the music of it touched him deep down. “It’s okay. Bev is crazy.”

  “We’re here until you’re ready to leave, Sugar.”

  “Thanks, Franks. I want to stay all night if we can twist an arm and get approval. Is that a problem?”

  His slow smile appeared. “No problem. We’ll take care of the approval and take over for Romeo and Celeb. We’ll just be outside.”

  “But—”

  Ken cut her off. “Thanks.”

  Once the men exited, she turned to him. “Why did you stop me from offering the couch or the chair? I can’t sit on both at the same time.”

  “Because we need the privacy.”

  “Ken, I told you we couldn’t here.”

  He grinned as mischief grabbed hold of him. “I’m not talking about that. I’m talking about you coming over here and lifting your shirt so I can see the evidence of why you couldn’t wear something from the other women.”

  33

  After a night of dozing in one of the most uncomfortable hospital beds he’d encountered, Ken woke early enough to watch Sam sleeping in the chair beside his bed. Again, she had that peaceful glow about her.

  The Sam he knew… the Sam he loved… the Sam who loved him. He’d endure most anything for her happiness.

  When she’d invited Franks and Stone to take turns on the couch, he’d hoped their arguments would win. Sam had been more persuasive, and Franks slept on it now, his feet hanging over the edge.

  As if an alarm clock had buzzed, Sam and Franks awoke at the same time. She smiled at Ken with a warmth and love that reached deep and fed his soul. He may have loved her before, but the woman she’d become completed him.

  He closed his eyes and groaned. Had he really just used a corny movie line to describe the two of them? If the team found out, he’d lose his man card.

  Franks sat with his legs over the edge of the couch, running his hand through his blond hair. It did nothing for his rumpled appearance.

  When he stood and stretched, Sam shifted in her chair, dropping her feet to the floor. “Is it true you’re going to helicopter school?” she asked Franks. Until now, Ken had been the only one who knew for certain as he’d given Franks time off for training. The team had their own rumors, making it near impossible to keep something from them… the men and women who made up a family.

  Franks shrugged as if it meant nothing. “I have been for a while. Our schedules don’t always make it easy to attend regularly.”

  Stone entered the room, pushing a phone into his pocket. His gaze zipped across the small space in an instant and Ken would bet his agent hadn’t missed a thing. “The doc is doing rounds early and will be here in a couple minutes. Will you be ready?”

  With a nod, Ken turned to Sam. “Why don’t you take Franks to get some breakfast then bring something up for us?”

  Sam opened her mouth, probably to argue, but Franks stopped her. “I sure could use something to eat. Dinner last night left a lot to be desired.”

  Once Franks led Sam out of the room with a backward look and nod, Ken turned to Stone knowing Franks would keep her away for a while. “Tell me.”

  “Nothing. From what Cowboy says, Devon’s about to pull his hair out since he can’t locate her.” He shifted, looking uncomfortable, and a cold hand gripped Ken’s insides. “Well, I know now isn’t the best time, but remember when Devon talked about having someone on each team that could help with the load at HQ?”

  Relief whooshed through him. He’d already had an inkling that Stone would be the person on his team that’d be interested. With mostly military special operators, Ken knew those veterans wouldn’t ride a desk, but Stone had been FBI, and, from what Ken had learned, pretty damn good with computers and research. “Uh-huh.” He paused and assessed his agent. “And you want to work at HQ. Be our Devon?”

  “I do.”

  “As long as you realize it’s when we’re up, you’re boots on the ground with us unless Devon and I decide you’d benefit us better behind the wheel. Or, until we expand the team.”

  “I know it might get busy, but I want to help more. I’m no Devon, but I had a lot of practice at some of that computer magic he’s capable of doing.”

  “When we get back—”

  A doctor, who seemed way too cheerful that early in the morning, interrupted them. With a great deal of patience, Ken allowed the man to examine every wound, then poke and prod him until he wanted to lash out.

  With a prescription for pain medicine and some ointment for his burns, Ken waited for the nurse to speak with him and all the stuff that went with checkout. As his release papers were finally placed in his hand, Sam and Franks arrived.

  Never happier to leave, he hustled them out. He wanted her secure once again.

  When they drove through Jesse’s gate, Sam directed them to take her to the house first so she could check on Cody. Even though they’d discussed the security measures on Jesse’s land, she still worried about his safety.

  Kate met them at the door, and Franks and Stone turned down the path to HQ. As she, Kate, and Ken walked by the family room, he stopped at the mess.

  “They created blanket tents last night,” Kate informed them. “I just haven’t gotten to it. They were up most of the night trying to keep everything from falling. Once they conked out, Jesse shored it all up so it didn’t drop during the night.”

  “Where’s Cody?”

  Kate’s pleasing smile eased his tension. “He’s with Reagan, riding Winglet.”

  Sam frowned. “What’s a Winglet?” Kate had to be messing with their heads. Then again, if Reagan was involved, there was no telling.

  “He’s a horse,” Kate said like he should know that. “Haven’t you heard her mention him? She talks nonstop about it.”

  “I didn’t realize it’d be here. I thought she rode at a training place.”

  “She did, but she drove me nuts wanting to go all the time. It was easier to buy the horse and hire a groom. The barn’s been unused for so long, so we didn’t have to build anything.”

  While not well versed on the cost of keeping a horse, he knew it to be an expense someone like him couldn’t afford. But with how down-to-earth Kate acted, he often forgot she was a multi-millionaire.
She didn’t usually spoil Reagan to this extent so the little girl must’ve been a big pest. “So why the name Winglet? It’s not a usual one.”

  “Reagan just comes up with these things. I never question her creativity or the originality unless I’ve prepared for a long, and I mean long, justification.”

  “I want to see Cody,” Sam said with determination.

  He did too and even though security was tight, he wanted someone with the boy at all times.

  “Sure. Go out the back and take a golf cart down the winding path to the left. It’s back a little to keep the smell away.”

  Sam took a step in that direction.

  “Oh, I know how hard it is to sleep in the hospital with either the uncomfortable chair or a nurse checking in every couple of hours. After you’ve seen Cody, go up and rest. He’ll be busy for a long time. When he’s back, I’ll watch him until you wake.”

  “Wait,” Ken asked Kate but also directed the word to Sam, “who’s with them?”

  “Brett, the trainer, and Rylee.”

  “Is she—”

  Before Ken finished, Kate anticipated his question and nodded. “She is.”

  A small weight lifted from his chest that someone was close to Cody and armed.

  “One more thing in case I miss you when you come back inside, Sam, while you were gone, Emily went to your place and picked up some clothes, and I grabbed a few things from your locker. It’s all in the chair in the guest room.”

  With that parting speech, she walked away without a backward glance. She hadn’t asked if they’d need two rooms. The family respected their privacy.

  The one thing he had to figure out was why Sam hadn’t argued to go to HQ after seeing Cody. From what he’d learned from Franks, Sam had a determined drive to go after Beverly.

  He’d have to keep an eye on her and hope he did what was right by her and Cody.

  Jesse met them on the path and inquired about his health. Realizing something was up, he exited the cart and told Sam to go ahead. Despite the curiosity in her eyes, it was clear she was torn between staying and going to Cody.