Chapter 23
Aaron rolled to his side, pulling Celine with him so that her head laid against his chest, as they both tried to catch their breath. “That was amazing. Are you okay? Was I too rough?”
She hadn’t acted like he’d hurt her, but he’d gotten so lost in her sweet body that a bomb could've gone off and he would've missed it.
“Not even close.” She threaded her fingers through his, her breath fanning against the hollow of his neck. “I was thinking maybe I hurt you.”
Aaron chuckled and squeezed her tighter. “Honey, I’ll take that kind of hurt any day.”
Aaron rolled out of bed, went to the sink and quickly washed himself off. Then he returned, slipping back into the same position as before with her head lying on his chest.
Celine shifted against him, her leg sliding slowly up his thigh to nudge his already growing erection.
“Be careful, you need to rest,” Aaron said.
Celine leaned up on an elbow, her chin-length blonde hair fanning around her face, and he couldn't resist sifting his fingers through the silky links. “I'm not going to break, Aaron.”
The moonlight highlighted her delicate bone structure.
She had high cheekbones and the cutest curvy little nose.
Everything about her screamed dainty. He would crush her with one hand if he wasn't careful.
“You don't understand what your body's been through.
You were starved and abused, your body hasn't gotten its strength back yet.”
“Seriously?” Celine went to her knees next to him, her eyes wide. “You really think I can't handle a little screwing?”
Aaron growled and shot up straight so that he was eye level with Celine. “You really think what we just did was just sex? It was more than that and you know it.”
“No, it meant more than that to me. I was teasing you. Trying to get you to see I'm not weak.”
Aaron pushed her down and pulled her onto his chest so that she draped across his body once more. “No, you're one of the strongest women I know. You know what I do, I've seen women break under less strain. You’re amazing. I just want you to be safe and healthy.”
Celine stared up at him with her big emerald eyes. “I am safe. I'm with you.”
Overwhelming protectiveness surged. “Damn right, you are. I'll protect you with my life.”
Tears sprang to her eyes. She took his wave of power and crushed it, leaving him with an aching coldness in his chest. He released her hands and cradled her face between his palms. “What's wrong, sweetheart?”
Her hands went to his, holding him to her. “It just feels good to hear you say it.”
Aaron held her gaze, leaving his eyes open so she could see his sincerity. “It's my job to protect you.”
The hope shining in her eyes faded and he did a mad scramble to try to figure out how he could heal the hurt.
She sucked in a breath, her lips trembling, and said, “I know you'd rather be with your team. I understand. Who could blame you for wanting revenge against that horrible monster.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Your job.”
Aaron waited for her to continue, but after a few seconds it became obvious she was done. “What about my job?”
She looked away and he gently tipped her chin back to face him. A fresh tear tracked out of the corner of her eye and something inside him broke. He gently wiped the drop from her temple, and waited.
“I know that I’m just a job for you. That when it's safe, this will all be over and I'll probably never see you again. And I know you'd rather be back in Afghanistan right now, tracking down the man that killed your teammate.”
Her words doused his desire. “You really think I could just leave you?”
She nodded, another tear falling. “They always do.”
Aaron slammed his eyes shut and tilted his head back to hide the expression on his face. How could she think that he could just walk away after what they'd shared?
Because he had left her.
Aaron cupped her cheeks and gently tilted her tearful gaze to his, feeling his own eyes stinging in response.
“I will never leave you again. Do you hear me? Never. Not in one week, not in two weeks. Yes, I want to see Jack Mankel die, but the man who tried to destroy my life isn’t nearly as important as the woman who restored it. ”
Her gaze searched his and it was all he could do not to grab her and kiss the truth into her. If anyone should be worried it was him. He’d completely underestimated her. Celine Latimer was the strongest woman he’d ever seen. “It’s time I told you the truth.”
“The truth?”
“The reason I turned from you at the wedding had nothing to do with my commander walking in on us.” His gut tightened.
Shit, he’d only told a few guys on the team about his past. “My dad was in the Special Forces. He left all the time, didn’t call for days.
The worry drove my mom crazy. She started drinking and popping pills to deal with the loneliness. ”
“Oh Aaron…”
“After twenty years of begging my father not to go, he left again and she couldn’t take it.” A giant boulder seemed to form in his throat and he had to force the words out. “I found her in the bathroom. She’d killed herself.”
Celine lifted a trembling hand to his cheek. Drops spilled on the pillow beside her head and Aaron realized with shock it was his own tears falling.
“You thought that would happen to us?” she asked quietly.
“This job isn’t easy. I’ll be gone a lot.
I won’t be able to tell you where I am or what I’m doing.
That life destroyed my mother and I vowed I would never do that to anyone.
” He dropped his forehead to hers and closed his eyes, the understanding in hers pushing his emotions to new heights.
“The thought of doing that to you makes me insane.”
“Look at me,” she demanded in a soft tone. When he complied, she said, “I realize it will be hard, but I accept that. I’ve been alone my whole life. My dad kicked me out when I was fifteen and I had to fend for myself.”
She’d learned to take care of herself. Losing her father had devastated her, but she’d survived.
The few boyfriends she’d had lasted a few months here and there, but they always left – and she’d survived.
If Aaron had to leave on a mission, as long as she knew he wanted to come home to her, she’d survive.
The realization slammed into her with the force of a freight train.
“Aaron, I know I can handle your job because I’ve been training for it my whole life. You don’t have to worry. I’ll be here, waiting.” With each word, her voice grew stronger as the truth sunk in. “And I’ll be here waiting for you to come home from your revenge on Mr. J.”
“You amaze me, Celine. I can’t believe how much I underestimated you.” Aaron took her lips in a fierce kiss. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“I won’t take that from you,” she responded instantly.
“Before I had you, I wouldn't have missed it for the world. But you’re my world now and I’m not going to let that bastard steal another second from us.”
Her heart swelled so much she couldn’t breathe. I love you. The words stalled in her throat. She wanted him so badly, and she believed him, but…
“I know I hurt you, and I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you if you let me. I don’t expect you to forgive me yet, but can you love me?”
Had he read her mind? She stared up at him in mute shock. “What?”
“I love you and I swear I will never hurt you again.”
His honesty filled her lungs with air and gave her the courage she needed. “I love you, too.”
Aaron brushed his thumb over her cheek. “Why are you crying?”
She sniffled, completely ignoring her tears. “Because I’m happy.” And she was. Really, and truly happy.
He groaned and closed her in a tight hug. “Me, too sweetheart.”
Celine snuggled closer to him, reveling in the way his chest rumbled against her cheek. “What do you think will happen with Mr. J?”
“I think my team will catch him and I think we’ll find Caroline,” Aaron answered without hesitation.
“You seem so sure.”
“The information you were able to give us on Mr. J, who you knew as Jack Mankel, is going to help a lot. Up until now we didn’t know his current alias.” Aaron stroked her hair, sending delicious shivers down her spine.
Jack Mankel had seemed so smooth and charming, but when Celine really thought about it, she’d had a feeling about him in the beginning. Her instinct had been not to trust him. And then his daughter…She kept having dreams about her and Caroline being interchangeable.
“Aaron, has anyone been able to dig up any information on his daughter?”
“Not yet, honey, but Agent K and my whole team are looking into it.”
“It’s just that I keep seeing her in my mind and for some reason I think she looks like Caroline. Maybe I’m losing it.” There really wasn’t any other explanation. The worst nightmare that held her was of his daughter actually turning into Caroline, which was just insane.
“You went through a lot of trauma, both physically and mentally. Give yourself some more time to recover,” Aaron said.
But what if she could remember more – it would help their mission. Maybe even be what helped them find Caroline and safely return her home. “I want to help more.”
“You are, baby. More than you know.” Aaron’s stomach grumbled against her ear.
The loud sound turned her thoughts to a more immediate need. “You know what would make this night even more perfect?”
“Hmmm…”
“Food.”
“Hungry?”
“I think I’ll be hungry for the rest of my life,” she answered honestly.
He laughed, a deep and rich sound that made her own lips curl in response.
“I aim to please. Stay put, I’ll be right back.” Aaron eased her onto his pillow and went downstairs. She lay there, half on the verge of sleep and consciousness, listening to him move about in the kitchen.
She’d completely fallen for Aaron Speirs. A warm feeling that had nothing to do with the hot bath stole across her chest and left her fuzzy.
She’d known it would happen, known with every fiber in her being, and yet she'd been helpless to stop. Even after what he did. Even knowing from firsthand experience how dangerous his job was and that she’d chew her nails off with worry when he deployed – he was worth the pain.
Every single bit of it.