Chapter 5 #2
Dag shrugged. “Yes and no. I mean, it makes sense that it’s someone who was court-martialed recently, but what if it’s not? There have been hundreds of sailors who have been disciplined over the years under my command.”
“What about the handwriting on the box? Can they somehow track that?” Jane asked, then blushed as both men looked at her. “Uh…sorry, I’m sure they’ve thought of that.”
“They have,” Dag said with a small smile.
“And it’s a no-go. The Navy doesn’t keep handwriting samples of their sailors.
As you know, there was no return address and the stamps were hand-canceled, so that makes it harder to track.
The ink was smudged and it’s unreadable, so there’s no way of knowing how the box got into the mail system in the first place. ”
Jane nodded. “Yeah, that does make it tougher. It could’ve been dropped off by hand or sent through the mail system off the base. Are you still in danger, Sir?”
Dag’s expression gentled. “I can take care of myself,” he said.
Which wasn’t an answer. “Of course you can,” Jane agreed.
“But forgive me for overstepping here—what if the person decides to step things up? Putting tear gas in a box is one thing, but they might decide to hand-deliver a box to your beautiful home on the ocean. It could be an actual bomb next time. What else is NCIS doing to find out who did this so you can be safe? The last thing you need to worry about when you leave work is someone coming after you, especially after all you’ve done for your country. ”
Her voice had risen by the time she was done, and Jane realized that she was practically shouting and blushed.
“I like her,” Dag said, looking at Storm.
“She’s likable,” Storm agreed. “And you’ve got your own, so eyes off.”
Jane looked between the two men, torn between embarrassment and disbelief at their banter.
“To answer your question, Jane,” Dag said, acting as if the exchange between him and Storm hadn’t happened, “NCIS is doing all they can to figure this out. The last thing I want is another innocent getting caught between whoever this is and myself. It’s dishonorable of him to put anyone else in danger because of his own grievances.
If I get a package delivered to my house that I’m not expecting, you can bet I’d never pick it up without making damn sure it was safe.
I haven’t had a chance to tell you personally yet, but I’m very sorry you got caught in the middle of this… whatever it is.”
“It’s not your fault, Sir,” she told him.
“Maybe, maybe not. That remains to be seen. But please stay extra vigilant. Until we find out how that package got through our mail system, no one is safe. Like you said, the last thing I want is to worry about someone else getting hurt,” the rear admiral said.
“I will. We will. We’re being very careful,” Jane told him.
“I saw your interview on the news,” Dag said. “Has the press backed off you yet?”
Jane nodded. “Yeah, they’ve been pretty good, actually. They wanted to know the details about what happened to me, but once they realized I was just a random victim, they lost interest pretty fast.”
“Just be careful, because whoever sent that package could’ve seen the coverage and might turn their ire on you.”
“Me?” Jane asked in surprise.
“Yeah. They didn’t succeed in getting to me, the person they were aiming for, and in their mind, they might think you prevented it.”
“That’s crazy,” Jane said.
“Sending a mail bomb is crazy,” Dag said with a shrug. “You should be extra careful until whoever sent the package has been caught.”
It had been a long time since someone had worried about her. And now in the span of two weeks, two larger-than-life men were trying to look out for her. She knew Dag was happily married, but it still felt good. Really good.
“He’s right,” Storm said. “I hadn’t really thought about that, but Dag’s exactly right.”
“Nothing’s happened,” Jane tried to reassure both of them. “I’m fine.”
“I’ll keep a closer eye on her,” Storm told Dag.
Jane wanted to be upset that he was talking around her, but she couldn’t bring herself to be. Not when it was obvious he was concerned.
“You need help going through the records of the recent court-martials?” Storm asked the rear admiral.
Jane winced, as she knew Storm’s plate was already more than full, but she wasn’t really surprised he’d offered.
“Thank you, but no. I know you have no extra time to look for a needle in a haystack. But I’ll keep you in the loop because I have a feeling this isn’t over.
Whoever sent that CS gas bomb wanted me to suffer, and because I didn’t, no doubt they aren’t happy.
It could be tomorrow or three months from now.
There’s no telling when whoever this is will try again. ”
Jane shivered, and Storm must’ve felt it because he squeezed her hips reassuringly.
Then the rear admiral changed the subject. “Your team’s getting home soon, right?”
“Yeah, tomorrow night if everything goes well,” Storm told him.
“I expect you to take at least forty-eight hours off,” Dag said sternly.
Storm opened his mouth to protest, but the rear admiral cut him off.
“No buts. I know you’ve got other teams and things to do, but you’ve been burning the candle at both ends lately.
Take the time off. Sleep. Relax. Read a damn book.
I don’t care what you do, but I don’t want to hear you’ve been at the office. Understand?”
“Yes, Sir,” Storm said.
Dag chuckled. “Most people would be pleased to get time off.”
“I am,” Storm insisted. “There’s nothing I’d like better than to spend time with Jane.”
“Good,” Dag said. “I just wish it was under better circumstances.
“As far as I’m concerned, there’s nothing I want to do more than hang out with Jane and make sure whoever is behind this bomb doesn’t get a second chance to cause havoc.”
His words made Jane feel good. She didn’t like keeping him from work, but she loved that he wasn’t upset about taking work off to spend with her.
“It’s not easy dating a sailor,” Dag said, looking at Jane again, “but I can guarantee that even when Storm’s not with you, he’s probably thinking about you. I know that’s how I feel about my Brenae. I’ll leave you two then.”
“You’ll let me know if you get any leads on the bomber?” Storm asked, standing up and reaching out to shake Dag’s hand as Jane stood as well.
“Of course,” the rear admiral said. Then he nodded at Storm and Jane and turned and left the office, closing the door behind him as he went.
Storm being Storm, he didn’t hesitate to act.
He turned to her and wrapped one arm around her waist, and the other snuck into the hair at her nape.
He pulled her into him, and Jane could feel every inch of his hard body against hers.
She flushed, wondering if this was even allowed…
an officer consorting with a contractor in his office.
But the door was shut, and it was just the two of them.
“Tomorrow night is Friday,” he said quietly.
“I know,” Jane said with a small frown.
“Apparently I’ve got the weekend off. After my men arrive home and we finish the debrief, I’m free for forty-eight hours.”
“Good. You need the break,” she said.
“I’d like to spend that time with you,” Storm said. “As much of it as you’ll give me.”
Jane wasn’t sure what he was asking, but she was more than willing to agree. “Okay.”
“Just like that?” he asked.
Jane nodded. “Yeah. I’m not into games. I like you, Storm. I want to spend time with you. Get to know you better. I know it’s not usual for you to have so much time off, so I’m okay with being greedy and wanting to hoard it all for myself.”
He grinned. “Good. We’ve had two dates,” he reminded her.
“You’re counting that lunch the other day as a date too?” she asked with a smile.
“Absolutely. And you told me before we had dinner you don’t kiss on the first date, but what about the third?”
Jane couldn’t help but smile. “I might…with the right man.”
He smiled back then said, “I didn’t mean to jump the gun earlier. It was instinctive. I saw you, and you were such a bright light in my exhaustion that I acted without thinking and kissed you.”
“You think that was a kiss?” Jane sassed.
His smile grew.
“I’ll have you know, Storm North, that a small peck on the lips isn’t a real kiss in my book.
I’m gonna want a true kiss on our third date,” she told him, feeling braver than she’d ever felt before.
She’d wanted this man forever, and she’d be damned if she acted like a shy ninny and let her heart’s desire slip through her fingers.
She’d learned over the years that if she wanted something, she had to work her ass off for it.
“Noted,” he said with such a look of desire on his face, it made her want to attack him right then and there. “So you won’t mind if I give you another peck, as you called it, before you leave to go back to work? Since that doesn’t count?”
“No,” Jane told him, holding her breath in anticipation.
He leaned toward her ever so slowly, his gaze not leaving hers. Jane couldn’t keep her eyes open, closing them seconds before his lips touched her forehead. Then he kissed her nose. Then her cheeks…
By the time he moved to her lips, she was ready to jump out of her skin.
Jane could feel her nipples harden under the sensible work polo she wore every day and dampness between her thighs.
She wanted Storm with every fiber of her being.
And it had been a very long time since she’d felt true desire for a man.
She’d been too busy, and besides, her vibrator took care of her urges when she had them.
But she had a feeling nothing could douse the lust coursing through her body except for the man holding her right that moment.
His lips finally brushed against her own, and she couldn’t stop the small whimper that escaped. She felt him smile against her lips as he kissed her again. Small little pecks that did nothing to assuage her need. All it did was stoke the flames higher.
When his lips brushed hers again, she licked them and felt his moan throughout her body. Smiling, she opened her eyes and stared into his own.
“For the first time in a very long time, I’m looking forward to my days off,” Storm told her quietly.
“Me too,” Jane echoed.
They heard the admin greeting someone else in the outer office, and Storm groaned. “That’s my next appointment.”
Jane nodded. She tried to step back, but Storm’s hands on her body didn’t let go. He held her to him for a brief moment, and she was happy to see the same disappointment she felt echoed in his gaze.
“I’m not sure how this happened, but I’m damn glad it did,” he said then leaned forward, kissed her hard on the lips, and dropped his arms before taking a step back.
“Me too,” Jane told him.
“I hope you really heard what Dag said,” Storm reminded her seriously. “Don’t take your safety for granted. Here at work or at home. All right?”
“I won’t,” Jane told him. She was always safety conscious.
Being a single woman with a daughter had forced her to see boogeymen behind every corner and to be hyper-aware of her surroundings.
As a man, a muscular, badass man, Storm probably had no idea the kinds of situations someone like her had to worry about on a daily basis.
But now wasn’t the time to get into that.
“Let me know when you get home?” she asked.
“I will. You do the same. I want to know that you’re safe and sound behind your door.”
Jane nodded. She liked that he worried about her.
“I’m glad your men are coming home,” she told him.
“Me too. I’ll talk to you later, and we can make plans for the weekend,” he said.
“Okay.” She backed up and turned at the last second to open the door.
“Thanks for bringing up my mail,” Storm said loud enough for the lieutenant who was waiting in the outer office to hear.
“You’re welcome,” she responded, knowing he was doing what he could to protect her reputation, not his own. She nodded at Storm’s admin, who winked at her, then she headed out into the hall and toward the stairs.
Bringing a hand to her lips, she touched them and smiled. Yeah, she could safely say she was looking forward to the weekend more than she had in a very long time.