Chapter Sixteen
A rcher held Addy close in his favorite nest-shaped lounge chair. With her back pressed against him, the steady rhythm of her breathing echoed along his chest. She’d slipped on a soft cotton dress that brushed her ankles, and her skin had a sun-kissed glow from being outside. He leaned in, drawing her even closer. The beachy scent of coconuts and banana from the suntan lotion his mother had fussed over still clung to her skin. He’d had the best day watching his mom and Addy bond. The invisible scars Addy’s mother left on her heart would always be there, but when the sweet woman who raised him doted on her, something seemed to lighten in the woman he loved. After she’d helped him come to terms with losing Quinn, he was grateful his mom had given her that peace.
The big lunch had helped both women sober up and they went for a long walk down the beach. Addy collected pieces of sea glass from along the shoreline and when they got back to the house, they both put on bathing suits and took advantage of the hot tub. His father made lasagna for dinner, and they’d played a game of cards before his parents announced they were both tired and going to bed early. He appreciated the chance to have some time alone with Addy. It was borderline painful to stop kissing her in the car, especially after she told him she loved him.
She turned to him as the moonlight glazed over the bay, highlighting the tiny ripples stirred by the soft breeze.
“I loved watching you with my mom and dad today. You belong here. Fit so perfectly just like I knew you would.” He saw her cheek curve and knew she was smiling.
“I don’t think I’ve ever laughed as hard as I did this afternoon with your mom. She’s effervescent.”
“What was it that set you two off?” he asked, slowly stroking her bare arms.
Addy giggled. “She said with the way the windows were steamed up I must be a good kisser.”
“Yeah, you are. Come here, sweetheart. I’ve been dying to have you against me all day.” He repositioned her so they were chest to chest. Their bodies were aligned, and she lithely wrapped her legs around his waist. Having her face-to-face, pressed so close to his body in the deep retreat of the giant chair, made his blood instantly heat. Her long turquoise sundress was bunched around her waist. One breath they were staring into each other’s eyes, and in the next they were devouring each other. Crickets chirped around them, and gentle evening gusts ruffled the leaves in the trees, a stark contrast to the desperation roaring through him. “Addy.” His voice was ragged. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” Her hands gripped his shoulders as she struggled to get closer. He shuddered as her core pressed against his erection. There was nothing beneath that dress but a pair of thin cotton panties. He groaned into her mouth, and she arched against him as he outlined the shape of her breasts. Slipping his fingers beneath the thin straps, he eased them down over her shoulders, gently tugging the silky material of her bra down with them.
He smoothed his rough palms over her soft skin, pausing when he passed over the stiff peaks. “Archer.” She trembled as he closed his mouth over one taut nipple. Her fingers were slipping past the waistband of his shorts, working them over his hips. Her hand closed around him, and he sucked in a quick breath at the sensation. With his lips still closed around the tip of one breast, he pushed the fabric of her underwear to the side, stroking her soaked folds. She immediately positioned him at her center, using the head of his cock to gather the wetness at her core and drag it up to her clit. He was shaking with effort not to explode from that alone.
“Help me?” The desperation in her voice nearly pushed him over the edge. Thank fuck. He gripped her hips and pulled her onto him. Her tight heat and frantic touches consumed him. Their breath quickened as they moved together in frenzied strokes. He couldn’t hold back the groan of pleasure as her fingers dug into his shoulders, and a strangled cry broke from her lips. She shuddered around him, bearing down to soak up every bit of pleasure. The way her sex gripped and quaked around him detonated his own release, tearing through him with such force a flash of white light burst behind his eyelids. He swore he momentarily blacked out, because when he opened his eyes, Addy was fast asleep against his chest. He was still inside her. “I love you,” he whispered and closed his eyes.
*
He wasn’t sure when he and Addy had moved off the deck and into bed. The sun was streaming through the windows, filtering the room with soft light. Addy had both arms wrapped around his waist and her face pressed into his chest. He’d never been more content than when she was wrapped around him. On the nightstand, his phone vibrated. Addy’s lashes fluttered against her cheek as she opened her eyes. “Morning, sweetheart.” She tilted her chin, staring up at him with sleep-blurry eyes. “Sorry my phone woke you.” He leaned down, kissing her.
She stretched, arching her back. “You should get it. Might be one of the guys.”
She was right, and he had a gut feeling the call was coming from one of his teammates to fill them in on the debriefing. The selfish part of him didn’t want this protective, peaceful bubble currently surrounding them to burst. The protector in him was grabbing the phone off the nightstand. The screen displayed the time. Couldn’t remember the last time he’d slept past nine.
“Hello.”
“Shit, Silver. We were just about to load up the cars and head toward Maryland. We’ve been calling you all morning,” Branch said without a lick of heat in his voice.
“Didn’t even hear it ring. Hang on. Putting you on speaker so Addy can be looped in.” Archer hit the button to take the phone off private mode and Branch’s voice filled the room.
“Yeah. No problem,” he was saying.
“Hi, Branch. How was the debrief?” Addy asked.
“Hey there. Well, it wasn’t what we expected.” Branch was drumming his fingers against the desk like he usually did when something was bothering him.
“Doesn’t sound good,” Silver said, wrapping his arm more firmly around Addy’s hips.
“Wyatt showed up before we did with the president of his—your—organization in tow. He was going on about protocol and safety measures. Told the lieutenant commander that we put people’s lives at risk by taking Addison’s suggestion of which tributary to use, all because she was involved with Silver, and we wanted her in our good graces.”
Addy shot up in bed. “That’s not true. By following Wyatt’s recommendation, we might have encountered dozens of indigenous people. The exact opposite of what we were trying to accomplish.” Addy stiffened.
“What is it?” Archer smoothed his hand over her side. She looked frozen in place and there was a crease in the middle of her forehead. The same one that appeared when she was thinking hard about something.
“What if that’s what Wyatt wanted? Last year, he was telling me about a trip to the Amazon that went wrong. He had an arrangement to capture one of the tribal leaders on film. The man had previously agreed but had a change of heart during Wyatt’s trip. That’s what happens sometimes, and as disappointing as it is, we can’t pressure people into talking to us. We just have to roll with it. Ultimately whether someone gives us an interview or photograph is their choice. It would be unethical to try to sway that decision.”
“Unethical, as in somehow getting your research organization to partner with the military so you can go back to the Amazon and try it again?”
“How would he have managed it, though?” Archer asked. “It’s not like Wyatt made up the women and children being trafficked along the river.”
Branch was silent for a long moment. “What if he took advantage of the current situation and was able to pull some strings to get at the top of the contractor list? Once he was on a mission to the same location, he must’ve thought he’d have the tools to influence what path we took.”
“I don’t know but he was quick to throw blame. He crossed a line in that meeting when he implied Addison should’ve been benched from the mission. We made sure everyone in the debriefing knew which researcher made that mission a success. He also was trying to spread some nasty rumors about the two of you that would just never stick. I don’t know who this guy thinks he is.”
“What kinds of things?” Addy flinched, voice sharp, and sat up straighter in bed.
He loved Branch like a brother, but he silently cursed his teammate’s honesty. Archer didn’t want to hear the shit that came out of that liar Wyatt’s mouth. He certainly didn’t want Addy to hear it either.
“Said you two got physical on the rescue boat, which is bullshit. That you were treating it like a honeymoon instead of a dangerous mission. That’s when the commander had enough and kicked them both out of the barracks.”
Her shoulders rolled forward and she put her head in her hands. A flash of rage snapped through him, violently tunneling his vision. He clenched his teeth, not wanting to scare Addy with his reaction. He drew her into his arms. How he wished he could spare her this humiliation. Her career was an integral part of her life. She’d worked too hard for her credibility to be undermined by lies.
“We all know it’s bullshit, but the research organization filed an official complaint,” Branch finished.
Addy let out a strangled cry. Her hands twitched as she clenched her fists into the sheets then loosened them again. “That’s ridiculous. There was a half dozen people around at any given time. Nothing inappropriate happened and I won’t let Wyatt tarnish Archer’s reputation or discredit anyone on the team.”
“That’s sweet of you to think of us first, honey, but don’t worry. The Navy stands by their own. Something feels off about this whole thing. We’re just trying to pinpoint what exactly that is,” Branch said gently.
Archer was touched that Addy thought of his reputation before her own, but he didn’t need her protection. Just her love. It was his job to protect and shield her. “His words will not touch you professionally or personally either, Addy. What did the lieutenant commander say?”
“Told them to take a hike. That his men had given their own reports, and if Wyatt was determined to air his grievances, then he better lawyer up with the best. He also shared the firsthand reports that Wyatt was a hindrance to the mission. Complaining and acting in poor character during the rescue.”
“Did he say anything about Archer and me not being there?” Addy said, taking a slow, deep breath.
“Oh, he had a lot to say about that.” Branch chuckled. “In his eyes, the two of you being absent proved his case and he wanted an official document stating the names of the people who weren’t present.”
“Was the president mad I wasn’t there?” Addy asked, turning into him.
Branch paused, surely weighing his words. “Unfortunately, he seemed to be drinking the Wyatt juice. The commander said you’d both received special permission to be out of state and you’d already given your debrief. The president asked the lieutenant commander what gave him the right to give privileges to one of his researchers.”
“Imagine that didn’t go over well.” Archer buried his face in Addy’s hair, breathing in her scent.
“He went ballistic. Said your homes had been targeted, which could be the result of the classified mission and that Addy was now under the protection of the Navy.”
Although he knew that wasn’t totally true, he appreciated his superior’s support.
“Wyatt piped in and said that was terrible news, but it had nothing to do with the issue at hand. He was a grade-A asshole the entire time. I thought Joker was going to tear the guy’s head off. Not that anyone would’ve complained. I didn’t like the smirk on Wyatt’s face when we brought up the vandalism. Unlike the other threatening situations that have dropped on our doorstep in the last year, though, this one seems to be of the legal variety.” Ransom yawned audibly. Between the mission and the late night at the hospital, it had been an exhausting week.
“I suppose that’s something at least.” Addy angled her head to look at him.
“I don’t want to get too comfortable thinking that’s all it might be.” There was nothing he wouldn’t do to protect Addy’s safety.
“I hear you on that,” Branch responded. “And we’re not going to drop our guard. How long do you plan to stay with your folks?”
There was a happy screech somewhere in the background and pounding feet. Collin never failed to make them smile with his exuberant personality. “I want this mess in Addy’s rearview mirror. We’ll probably leave this afternoon.”
“Let us know what you need. Hang in there, Addy,” Branch added.
“I will. Thank you for the update.”
They hung up with Branch and tossed his phone to the side. Archer instantly pulled Addy against his chest.
“I’m sorry you’re dealing with this. We’re going to get it sorted out and everything will be fine. I’m not opposed to calling in a few favors to make sure Wyatt and his lies disappear.”
“Archer! You can’t kill him.”
“No. Unfortunately. I was thinking of a persuasive message that would be impossible to ignore. Make no mistake, though, Addison—Wyatt makes one physical move against you, he’s dead.”
A long, troublesome sigh escaped her lips and she seemed to deflate. “It was never my intention to drag your team into this mess. I’m so sorry this is happening.”
“This has nothing to do with you.” He stroked her hair. “There’s something else in play here. We just need to put our finger on it.”
“I wish we didn’t have to leave so soon. I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed myself so much.” She leaned back, giving him some more of her weight. Her trust, the way she quickly leaped to his defense to safeguard his reputation, made his heart expand with love. He’d been given the most precious gift, and he intended to keep her safe and happy for the rest of his days.
If Wyatt thought he could interfere in that happiness, he was wrong. Dead wrong.