Colton 911--Soldier's Return, page 10
“How much do you hurt?” she asked softly, wanting to be sure.
Turning his head, he met her mouth with his own. “Not that badly,” he murmured, kissing her deeply.
She kept her gaze on him as she removed her torn clothing, piece by piece, matter-of-factly with no attempt to shield herself from his heated gaze. Though he struggled, he watched her while he did the same, leaving on only his boxers. She straddled him, closing her eyes as she allowed the desire coursing through her veins to overtake her.
Pushing down his boxers, she freed him, allowing herself to marvel at the sheer force of his erection before she lowered herself over him, taking him deep inside her.
He made a sound, arching his back and driving himself into her. Laughing and wild, she pushed him down, pushing away her inhibitions, her worries and fears, everything but her desire for him.
Letting go. And holding on. As her climax slammed into her, she called his name. An instant later, he joined her. It wasn’t until she’d collapsed on top of him that she started to cry.
He held her while she let the tears fall, asking no questions, saying nothing. She wasn’t sure exactly of the reason for the waterworks, but her life had changed with her father’s and uncle’s murders and had continued to change up until this very moment.
Finally, she’d cried herself out. Sniffing, she wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand and sat back. “Sorry about that,” she said.
“No need to apologize.” Reaching up, he used his fingers to tuck a wayward strand of her hair behind her ear. “That was intense. I get it.”
“Intense.” She tested out the word. Not terrifying, or even frightening, but intense. “You’re right,” she said. “It was. All of it.”
“I didn’t use protection,” he murmured, his gaze locked on hers. “But I can assure you I haven’t been with anyone else and I was tested for everything before I left the hospital.”
She nodded. The last thing she wanted to do was bring up another man right now. “I’ve made sure I was always protected, as well,” she said, hoping that would suffice. “And I take birth control pills, too.”
Before he could respond, she got up and grabbed her discarded clothing, hurrying to the bathroom to get cleaned up.
Inside, she eyed her wild-haired, flushed self in the mirror, refusing to allow even the tiniest bit of regret. She stepped into the shower, rinsing herself off.
“Mind if I join you?” Micha’s voice, just outside the door.
Startled, she found herself grinning. “Come on in,” she said. “I’ll wash your back if you’ll wash mine.”
“Agreed,” he replied.
The intimacy of soaping each other off, wet bodies pressed so close together, aroused her again, to her stunned disbelief. When she felt Micha’s arousal pressing against her, she laughed out loud. “Again?” she asked, breathless with anticipation.
“Again,” he replied, his hands silky on her slick body.
They made love under the warm spray of water, this time taking their time, lingering over exploring each other, which drove Carly over the edge more quickly than she would have liked. Micha immediately followed, giving a primal cry of release.
Later, clean and dry and feeling human again, Carly opened a bottle of red wine she’d been saving for a special occasion. She figured being alive after narrowly missing being blown up in a car explosion qualified. Micha ordered a pizza, her favorite comfort food. Though she shouldn’t have been hungry, considering how much she’d eaten earlier, she managed to devour three slices. “I guess I worked up an appetite,” she said, smiling. Bridget lay curled at her feet, staring longingly at the remains of the pizza.
“Me, too.” Micha got up, moving restlessly around the room. He appeared distracted and unsettled, the opposite of a man who’d just made love to her twice.
“What’s wrong?” Carly finally asked, slipping Bridget a small bit of crust.
Micha stopped moving long enough to meet her gaze. “I’m worried that by trying to protect you, I’ve put you in danger. The more I think about it, the more likely that car explosion was meant for me. You could have been killed. Because of me.”
“I get that,” she replied. “But since we don’t know who might have been the target, it’s pointless to blame yourself. Besides that, do you have any enemies? Someone who hates you enough to want to kill you?”
“Not that I know of.” Voice as grim as his gaze, Micha shook his head. “But I’m thinking whoever rigged that car to blow had to be handy with explosives. I knew people like that over in Afghanistan. For whatever reason, I was the intended victim.”
“But what about that video camera?” she asked, genuinely perplexed.
“Maybe someone was watching you hoping I’d show up,” he told her. “No more secrets, Carly. What happened in the war seriously messed up people. While I was rescued, others lost their lives. I need to do some checking with some of my military contacts.”
Moving closer, he put his hands lightly on her shoulders. “I’ll keep watch over you, I promise. If there is someone after you, I’ll keep you safe. If there’s someone after me...” He paused. “I’ll deal with them. We need to be extra vigilant.”
Carly scratched Bridget’s head, right behind the ears. “I wonder if she was trying to warn us when she barked earlier,” she said. “We looked outside, but no one was there.”
“She probably was,” he replied. “Whoever rigged that car worked quickly and efficiently, which means highly skilled.”
She shuddered. “What if they do that to my car while I’m at work? I’m not sure what to do.”
“Let me use your car tomorrow,” he told her. “I’ll drop you at work and park it. I’ll stand guard. Maybe we can catch this person red-handed.”
Though his plan sounded dangerous, she agreed. She could see no other choice.
Chapter 7
Either way, Micha figured he had a good chance of catching the person who’d blown up his rental car. If the bomber was actually after Carly, Micha would watch out for her no matter what. He’d give his life for her if need be. And if Micha himself was the target, well, he’d already been to hell and back. Somehow, he’d survived. After that, nothing shook him. He’d actually welcome putting a rapid end to this craziness. Bring it on.
In the meantime, if any bright spot emerged from all of this, it was that the near-death experience had clearly caused Carly to push away her lingering misgivings about Micha. To his delight, for the first time since his return into her life, she invited him to spend the night with her, in her bed. His heart had leaped at the warmth in her bright blue eyes when she’d asked him to stay.
Not wanting to appear overly eager, he’d pretended to have to consider her offer, when in fact he could hardly contain his joy. For once, she wasn’t pushing him away. He hated that it had taken such a horrible event to cause this, but he also understood she’d made a choice. Instead of turning away, she’d leaned in. He’d take it. Hell, when it came to Carly, he’d take whatever she was willing to give. Somehow, he suspected she knew this.
That night he’d held her close while she slept. His heart was full.
In the morning, they made love again, this time with the comfortable ease of longtime lovers. Micha took his time pleasuring her, holding off on his own release until she’d had hers. After, she clung to him without talking, almost drifting off to sleep until her dog’s soft whine reminded Carly she had to get up and take care of Bridget.
As Carly stirred, Micha propped himself up on his elbow to watch her. He wasn’t sure what to expect—would she have regrets? To his relief, she glanced at him and grinned, her gaze bright and unabashed. “I’ve got to let Bridget out and feed her. Don’t you dare try to leave while I’m gone,” she said.
Astounded, he shook his head. “Carly, you know better. I’d never treat you—treat us—as a one-night stand. I’m not going anywhere except to take a quick shower.”
“Good,” she replied, calling her dog. “There are spare towels in the bathroom cabinet. Make yourself at home.”
Make yourself at home. Her choice of words humbled him. Profoundly grateful for his good fortune in the midst of this turmoil, Micha had a quick shower while Carly took care of Bridget. Then, while she showered, he puttered around her small kitchen, deciding to surprise her with breakfast.
By the time she emerged, hair still damp, he’d put together a skillet of scrambled eggs, made toast and fried up some turkey bacon.
“Wow!” she exclaimed, taking a seat as he poured her a glass of orange juice. “This all looks awesome. When did you learn to cook?”
Pleased, he lifted one shoulder. “I picked it up a little bit here and there over time.”
Making little sounds of pleasure, she devoured her breakfast, her dog lying under the table, gazing up at her hopefully. Micha ate quickly, too, unable to keep from watching her eat, wondering if she knew there was something sensual in the unabashed pleasure she took from the food.
When she finally pushed away her plate, he eyed her. More than anything he wanted to take her back to her bed and coax a response from her body. He couldn’t believe he was once again turned on, even after making love this morning and the night before.
She picked up on the heat in his gaze and shook her head. “I know what you’re thinking and I can’t. I’ve got to be on time for work.”
He didn’t try to hide his regret. “Too bad. Is there any way you can take a day off?”
“Just so we can go back to bed?” She laughed. “I’m flattered, but...”
“More than that.” He spread his hands, still hopeful. “I’m hoping to buy a new Jeep today, plus I’ve got to get to the car rental place and file an insurance claim. All of that would be a lot more enjoyable if you came with me.”
“A new Jeep?” she asked. “Let me guess. Jeep Wrangler?”
Her response made him grin. “Yep. How’d you know?”
Now her expression stilled. Her gaze skittered away before she raised her chin and looked at him again. “When I used to dream about our life together once we were married, I always pictured you driving a Jeep Wrangler. Silly, I know. But it just seemed to suit you.”
Touched, he nodded, unsure if he should try to force words past the lump in his throat.
Luckily, Carly didn’t seem to notice. “Anyway, I’d love to take a day off,” she told him, drinking the last of her juice. “But I can’t. I’d have to find someone to cover my shift and it’s too short of a notice. Working with the littles in the NICU, it’s imperative to have enough nurses on the floor.”
Though disappointed, her response made him love her even more, if such a thing was possible. Carly had been born to be a pediatric nurse. Her caring, nurturing nature guaranteed she’d been good at it. “I understand. Is it all right if I use your car to take care of everything?”
“Ahh, now we get to the real reason you wanted me to take off.” Her teasing tone let him know she didn’t mean it. “But yes, you can use my car. Just don’t let it—and you—get blown up.” Though she smiled as she spoke, he could tell she was serious.
“I won’t take my eyes off it,” he promised. “I’ll run my errands after I stand guard outside the hospital for a bit.”
“Guard outside?”
“Yes. I want to see if anyone tries to mess with your car. If so, I can catch them red-handed.”
With a sigh, she grimaced. “Be careful, okay?”
Touched by her concern, he promised he would.
He had her drive to work while he sat in the passenger seat, making no effort to hide. She parked in the covered parking garage. After turning off the ignition, she sat for a moment. “Now what?” she asked, checking her watch. “I can’t be late.”
He leaned over and kissed her cheek, inhaling the lightly floral scent of her. “Give me the keys. Then we’ll both go inside.”
“You will? I thought you were going to watch my car. How are you planning to do that?”
“Because after I go inside with you, I’ll stand just inside the entrance. If someone is watching with the idea of planting another bomb, I’ll see them.”
She shivered. “I don’t like that,” she said, dropping the keys into his hands. “Do you really think that same person will do that again?”
“You never know,” he replied. “It depends on how determined they are to get their target. Either me or you. You should be safe inside at work. And if anyone tries to mess with your vehicle, I’ll catch them red-handed. I’ll give it a few minutes. If nothing happens, I’ll go talk to the police and the car rental agency, and maybe swing by the dealership. I’ll be back in time to pick you up when your shift is over. Just don’t go outside until I come get you.”
Though she agreed, she grimaced, her expression troubled. “I don’t like not feeling safe,” she said. “And I hate having to worry about you, too.”
He kissed her again, this time a gentle press of his lips on hers. “We’ll all be fine,” he promised with an assurance he didn’t have to fake. “We’ve got Chicago PD, the FBI and my friends in special forces working on this. It won’t be long until this guy is caught.”
Appearing unconvinced, she nodded and then got out of the car. “I’ve got to go. I don’t want to be late.”
He walked just inside the automatic doors with her, watching until she entered an elevator. From inside here, he had a clear view of her car and anyone who went near it.
Though he watched and waited for thirty minutes, nothing happened. Finally, he walked back outside and got into her vehicle. He couldn’t help but brace himself as he started the ignition, half expecting to hear that familiar click before being blown to bits.
Instead, the engine started just fine. Glancing around him, he saw nothing out of the ordinary so he backed out of the parking spot and headed toward the car dealership he’d visited yesterday when they’d been closed.
Once he arrived, he parked and walked inside, pretending to inspect the vehicles on display in the showroom. Immediately, several salesmen appeared, talking quietly among themselves, their suits nearly identical in color and style. Finally, one man detached himself from the group and strolled over, smiling broadly. “Can I help you?” he asked. “I’m Johnnie.”
“As a matter of fact, you can,” Micha replied. “I’m interested in a Jeep Wrangler out on the lot.” He led the man over to the one he’d chosen.
“Would you like to take it for a test drive?” Johnnie asked.
Micha declined. “I’ve driven them before.” Instead, he asked the man to name his best price without doing the usual talk-to-my-manager dance. At first, Johnnie looked a bit startled, but then he grinned. “Give me a minute,” he said, jotting down the inventory number and motioning to Micha to come inside with him.
Two hours later, Micha found himself the proud owner of the sweet black Wrangler. Johnnie told him he’d have it cleaned up and ready to go by Tuesday morning, but Micha insisted he needed it now and was willing to wait. He planned to leave Carly’s car parked at the dealership until he could pick up Carly from work and swing back to get it. The lot had numerous cameras, so Micha figured that would be the safest option. And he’d be driving a vehicle that no one would associate with him.
“Now, huh?” Johnnie asked.
“Please.” Micha grimaced. “I really need it immediately. Or as soon as you can get it to me.”
With a shrug, Johnnie pointed toward the waiting area. “I’ll put a rush on it. Might be an hour or two. There’s coffee and snacks in there.”
Micha sat down to wait. He figured he could use this time to handle the car rental agency and the insurance. Just after he got a cup of coffee and took a seat, his cell phone rang. After glancing at it, he went ahead and answered, even though he didn’t recognize the number.
“This is Special Agent Brad Howard,” the caller said. “Is this Micha Harrison?”
After Micha replied in the affirmative, Brad got down to the reason for his call. “We have more information on the car explosion. It was a highly sophisticated setup, usually practiced by those with military experience. Rigged to detonate the instant the engine came on.”
“I suspected as much,” Micha said. “I saw a lot of similar bombings when I was stationed in Afghanistan.”
“Interesting background,” Brad allowed. “Which, of course, we looked into. I’m sure you guessed we’d be checking on you.”
“I’d have been disappointed if you hadn’t.”
“Could you provide us with a list of people who might hold a grudge against you?” Brad asked. “Even if some of the names seem improbable, they might be worth looking into.”
Micha thought back to his time in special ops. “Any enemies I made were terrorists or people working against the USA. None of them would have had reason enough to hunt me down two years later. If someone had wanted to take me out, their best bet would have been during my extended hospital stay. I was in a coma for a long time.”
“We’d still like you to compile a list,” the special agent requested. “It never hurts to check all angles.”
“I’ll get you something by the end of the day,” Micha promised. “Any news on the double homicide? The one that seemed similar to the elder Coltons’ murders?”
After a moment of hesitation, Brad replied. “The victims were older males, both shot in the head. We believe their murders were the work of two gunmen with rifles. I’ve been tasked with investigating a serial killer possibility. So far, I’m still working on that.”
Which meant he either had nothing, or he didn’t want to tell Micha. Understandable.
“I’ll save your number in my phone,” Micha said. “Is it okay with you if I text the list? It’s probably going to be really short, anyway.”
