Chapter 14 #2
Rhys watched the easy way the two women linked arms and disappeared into the house, then he turned to Nick. “She’s been doing too much thinking. With what she’s found out about her father, I don’t know how she’s still standing.”
“That’s why I want to keep the debrief for tomorrow,” Nick said, his tone grim. “The shit’s about to hit the fan, and she doesn’t need to start dealing with it tonight. Let’s walk.”
Rhys fell into step beside his boss as they made their way back to the house. “What’s happened?”
“We’ve put the pieces together, and let’s just say, we’re looking at a number of federal crimes.
The kidnapping’s an added complication, but Rachel Thompson’s on the case.
She has a contact at the FBI field office in San Antonio—Cruz Livingston—and she’s set up a meeting for tomorrow afternoon.
We have to move fast. We only have as long as it takes the kidnappers to contact Taylor.
The only way they can do it, I believe, will bring them to town. ”
There was no sign of the women when they entered the great room. Nick led the way to the dining area by the kitchen. “We thought we’d keep it informal tonight.”
“Good idea.” Rhys paused. “How serious is this? What did you find?”
Nick’s expression became even more somber.
“A lot, and none of it good. Rachel gave this Livingston a brief outline, and let’s just say, he wasn’t happy.
Look, try not to dwell on it. Taylor in particular is going to need a good night’s sleep before we start unpacking this mess.
We’ll keep it brief tonight, keep the conversation light, and leave the heavy stuff for tomorrow. ”
“She should know about the trip to San Antonio, though,” Rhys said. “If we don’t tell her until tomorrow, she won’t be happy that we kept it from her.”
Nick concurred. “I wouldn’t be happy, either, if I were in her position. We’ll tell her about the trip, but with luck, we can reassure her we don’t need to hash it out tonight.”
“Okay, you can stop talking about us now. We’re back.”
Charity’s teasing voice alerted them to the return of their women. Both men pivoted as one, and for Rhys, it was like being sucker punched by a sledgehammer. His whole world was there in front of him, and she deserved to know it before their meeting with the federal agent.
“As if we’d do that.” Nick stepped forward and kissed his wife. “I’m ravenous. Let’s eat.”
Dinner was delicious and entertaining. Nick regaled them with some of the funnier stories from his time in the Household Cavalry, mostly when he’d been assigned to ceremonial duties, and encouraged Rhys to share some of the cleaner tales from his service with the SAS.
When a group of men faced life or death together on a regular basis, their collective sense of humor could be described as dubious at best. And at worst?
A dark coping mechanism to deal with the worst of humanity.
When the meal was over and the dishes stacked in the dishwasher, Nick yawned and stretched. “Sorry, folks, but I think I’m going to need an early night, if that’s okay?”
“That sounds like a good idea,” Taylor said. “Thanks for dinner—it was great.”
“Yes, thanks,” Rhys added. “We’ll see you tomorrow—any particular time?”
“Nine will be fine,” Nick said. “It should give us plenty of time to talk before we have to leave for San Antonio. See you in the morning.”
Having wished Nick and Charity goodnight, Rhys escorted Taylor back to the pickup and drove her over to her cabin.
He carried her bag inside, then returned to the front door, where he remained, wanting to stay with her but acutely aware that the privileges he’d enjoyed with her while they were away didn’t necessarily confer any rights to share her bed here, on home turf.
In the real world, reputations mattered.
Taylor took a couple of steps toward him, stopping about four or five feet away. “I guess it’s goodnight, then.”
The distance she kept between them told him what happened in San Diego was going to stay in San Diego. “We could both use some sleep, I think.”
Rhys wasn’t sure who he was trying to convince.
Although exhaustion haunted her gaze, he somehow doubted his woman would get much rest tonight.
He closed the gap between, just enough for him to deliver a brief kiss.
“Try not to worry too much, Tay. We’ll find your father and get to the bottom of this. You have my word.”
“Thank you. Rhys?”
He’d been about to leave, but the hope in the way she spoke his name rooted him to the spot. It looked as if he might have the chance to stay with her after all.
She licked her lips. “Please stay. I don’t want to be alone tonight. And… I need to talk to you. I have something to tell you, and it can’t wait.”
Rhys dragged in a breath. “I don’t want to leave you alone, either,” he said. “Why don’t I make us some coffee, and you can sit down and relax?”
Her slow, gentle smile eased the tension between them. “I have a better idea. You don’t know where I keep the coffee, so why don’t we make it together?”
“Sounds good to me.”
A few minutes later, they were seated together on the sofa, two mugs of coffee on the low table in front of them. Rhys sat sideways, so he could get his fill of the woman he’d come to adore. “So, what did you want to tell me? If it helps, I promise I won’t bite.”
“It helps. The thing is…” She laughed nervously. “The thing is, I need to tell you this, because we don’t know what’s going to happen, and… I don’t want to have any regrets over things I should have done but didn’t.”
Rhys leaned toward her, cradled her face between his palms, and angled his head for the deep, lingering kiss he’d been longing to share since they’d finished dinner. When their lips parted, he placed a second kiss on her forehead. “Tell me.”
She sighed. “I know this doesn’t make sense. I mean, we fought since day one, but…”
Taylor broke eye contact and lowered her gaze, to some point on his chest. Since Rhys didn’t want to speak to the top of her head, he cupped her cheek and coaxed her into looking him in the eye again.
“How about if I go first? Because there’s something I need to tell you, too.
Crazy though it is, I’ve fallen in love with you, Taylor Markham. Like it or not, I’m all yours.”
For a second that lasted a lifetime, she simply stared at him, then she reached up and traced the side of his face with her fingertips.
“I like it,” she whispered. “A lot. And you’re right, it is crazy, because I’m in love with you.
That’s what I was going to tell you. And I want you to stay.
I know I said I don’t want to be alone, but that’s not the real reason. It’s because of how I feel about you.”
“Now there’s a handy coincidence.” He tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “Like I said, I’m all yours… if you want me.”
She lifted her chin and looked him straight in the eye. “I want you.”