Chapter 3
Chapter Three
Jane wanted to die. Hours earlier, she’d been giddy about her conversation with Storm, and now she wanted to sink into the ground and disappear.
Knowing he’d been the one who’d found her on her hands and knees, puking her guts out and covered in CS gas, was already embarrassing as hell.
And if that wasn’t enough, he’d stripped off her clothes and seen her in all her fifty-one-year-old glory.
She didn’t expect herself to look like she had at twenty, but she wasn’t sure being practically naked in front of the man she’d been crushing on before they’d even enjoyed more than small talk was the way to catch his attention.
And she certainly didn’t want to be scrubbed down like she was in a car wash, but protocol was protocol.
She’d almost had a heart attack when she’d looked to her left and saw Storm standing next to her in nothing but his underwear.
He’d given her a lopsided smile and shrugged…
and something inside her had melted in that moment.
He didn’t have to strip, and they’d both known that.
He wasn’t there when the box had exploded, and any pepper spray on him was secondary transfer from her own clothes and hands. But he’d done it anyway.
That right there had been enough to earn her loyalty and undying support from here to eternity.
Now she was sitting in the medical clinic on base, wrapped in a huge blanket and wearing a pair of scrubs someone had scrounged up for her, waiting to be discharged.
Her eyes still burned, and she hadn’t been able to stop coughing, but at least she didn’t feel as if she were going to bring up her lungs with every cough anymore.
Naval Criminal Investigative Services was looking into the package and trying to figure out who’d sent it. Rear Admiral Creasy and his wife had been alerted that he’d been the target of a mail bomb, and they were taking precautions until the sender could be identified and apprehended.
The mail room was under quarantine until further notice, and Jane knew she’d have a ton of extra work to do to get things up and running in the temporary room they’d been given.
She was extremely proud of her staff for acting immediately and doing exactly what they were trained to do.
Namely, leaving her in the room and going to get help.
The last thing anyone wanted was for a contaminant to spread and hurt or kill more people.
This time the bomb only held pepper spray, but next time it could be anthrax or sarin.
If she was being honest with herself…she was lucky.
Still, everything about the last few hours had sucked.
She literally thought that was it, she was dead.
When the box exploded, she’d had a split second to regret all the things she hadn’t done in her life, and some of the things she had.
Then, instead of dying, when she’d fallen to the ground in the most pain she’d ever felt in her life and couldn’t breathe, she’d wished she was dead.
And to make things worse, the man she admired more than anyone in the world, who she wanted to impress, had come in when she had snot running down her face and a pile of vomit in front of her and couldn’t do anything to help herself.
But…Storm had been amazing. Strong when she’d been weak.
He’d taken over and done what needed to be done.
It had been a very long time since she’d been able to rely on anyone.
The only thing she’d had to think about when Storm had arrived was doing exactly as he said.
She’d felt safe in his arms, and even though it had hurt like hell to open her eyes, she’d done it when he’d ordered her to, grateful to see him.
Of course, wishing she was about thirty pounds lighter now was useless, given the fact that she’d been almost naked in front of him. But she couldn’t be too upset when she recalled the look in his eyes when she’d last seen him. Respect and admiration.
Or she could’ve just been delirious and it was actually pity.
Closing her eyes—because it still felt better than having them open—Jane put her head on the back of the chair she was sitting in and prayed the doctors would hurry up with her discharge papers.
The minutes inched by slowly. Her head hurt. All she wanted to do was go home and take another shower—she didn’t think she’d ever feel clean again—and sleep. She was exhausted and didn’t want to think about anything anymore.
Her stomach growled, but she ignored it. She’d attempt an apple or something when she got home, but truthfully, the thought of eating turned her stomach.
“Hey.”
The one word was said softly, but she still startled badly.
Eyes flying open, Jane stared at Admiral Storm North. He was leaning against the doorjamb of her room, staring at her. She had no idea how long he’d been standing there, but she had the feeling it had been a while.
“Hi,” she croaked. Her throat was scratchy from all the coughing, sounding funny to her own ears.
Storm frowned. “What are you still doing here?”
“I’m waiting to be discharged.”
He looked at his watch. “It’s eight-thirty.”
Jane raised an eyebrow. “I know.”
“Damn,” he muttered. “I’ll be right back.”
Too tired to care where he was going, Jane closed her eyes again and rested her head on the back of the chair once more.
It could’ve been five minutes or an hour when Storm returned. “The doctor should be here with your discharge papers in a minute or two.”
Jane opened her eyes and looked at him. “What’d you do, threaten to court-martial him?”
When Storm didn’t even crack a smile, Jane frowned. “You didn’t…did you?”
“No,” he said, coming toward her. He squatted in front of her chair and stared into her eyes. “How’re you feeling?” he asked quietly.
Jane shrugged. “I’m okay.”
He frowned at her answer. “How about you try that again…and be honest this time?”
Jane sighed. “I’m okay, Sir. A little tired, my head hurts, and my eyes still sting a bit, but I’ll be fine in the morning.”
“I told you to call me Storm,” he told her.
Jane licked her lips. She saw his eyes dart down to her mouth, then back up to meet her gaze once more. She couldn’t read the look in his eyes. “I’m not sure that’s appropriate.”
“You don’t work for me. You aren’t even in the Navy. And after what we went through today, I’d say it’s more than appropriate.”
Jane couldn’t argue that. “I haven’t thanked you, have I?” she asked.
Storm shook his head. “No need.”
She snorted. “I’d say there is.”
Then he shocked the shit out of her by bringing his hand up and palming the side of her neck. His thumb brushed against the underside of her jaw lightly as he said, “How have I known you for so long without ever really seeing you?”
The question was said softly, and Jane wasn’t sure if he really wanted her to answer or if he was talking to himself. Either way, goose bumps broke out on her arms.
“I’m glad I was there,” he went on. “When I heard something had happened in the mail room, I couldn’t even think about evacuating the building.”
“Why?” Jane whispered.
“Because I just knew you’d be down there, working to contain whatever happened, and that you might need help.”
“That wasn’t smart,” she scolded. “If that had been anthrax or something worse, you would’ve gotten hurt as well.”
“But it wasn’t, and you did need help,” he said easily.
“And I couldn’t not go. I can’t explain it.
I suddenly feel as if I’ve known you forever, but at the same time I know next to nothing.
I had decided after our talk this morning to take things slow.
Get to know you better. Maybe ask you out after a month or so.
You’re funny. Beautiful. Smart. Independent. All traits that I admire and respect.
“What happened today feels like someone smacking me upside the back of my head and telling me to get my shit together. I, more than most, know how short life can be. I’m normally a go-after-what-I-want kind of guy, but I thought I should go slow with you.
I mean, why would you think I was seriously interested if, after knowing you for so long, I suddenly asked you out? So I’d decided to wait. But…fuck that.”
Jane stared at Storm with huge eyes. Was he serious? He couldn’t be.
“Want to go out to dinner tomorrow night?”
“With you?” she blurted.
He chuckled. “Yeah. With me.”
She opened her mouth to say not only yes, but hell yes, when the doctor chose that moment to enter.
Storm stood but didn’t leave the room.
“Sorry about the delay. I’ve signed your papers and you can head home.
If your eyes continue to burn after another eight hours, please come back, and we’ll check you out again.
And I’m serious about that. Don’t think it’ll just go away.
CS gas is caustic, and you took a direct hit to the face.
You could lose your eyesight if you don’t take it seriously. ”
Jane nodded at the doctor. “I will.”
“And you should rinse them out at least every three hours tonight. Set an alarm to get up and do it. Don’t go home and fall asleep and forget. It’s important, Ms. Hamilton. Do you have someone who can make sure you get home all right?”
Jane opened her mouth to tell the doctor that she was a grown-ass woman and could manage to get a taxi and get herself home, but Storm beat her to it.
“I’m taking her home.”
“Great.” The doctor turned to the admiral and handed over her discharge papers, explaining in detail what she should be watching for in the next twenty-four hours. “Any questions or concerns?”
The question was aimed at Storm, which annoyed her. To his credit, though, Storm looked at her and raised an eyebrow. She shook her head, just wanting to go home instead of getting into an argument about misogyny.
“Okay. Again, come back if you start feeling more pain or have other symptoms. I’m very glad you’re all right, Ms. Hamilton. People who send mail bombs are cowards, and it’s a relief no one got hurt worse.” And with that, the doctor, turned and left the room.