Forget Me Not (35 page)

"Shhh. Don't think about it," she advised. "You're trying too hard."

"How can I not think about it?" he demanded, glancing at Mallory.

Helen made up her mind. "I'll help you forget," she promised, her resolve strong and steady. "Come home with me tonight." She'd made her decision in that instant: she was going to risk everything to hold her marriage together—her heart and even her life, if necessary. Gabe had suffered alone too long. The least she could do, as his wife and as the woman who loved him, was to defend him from those who wanted him dead.

He lifted his head and looked at her, his eyes gleaming like a cat's in the shadows. "I'm dangerous to know," he warned her.

A warm shiver stole over her. "So I've realized," she admitted. "But there are some things worth fighting for, Gabe. And our love is definitely one of them."

His arms tightened around her. "I needed to hear that," he said with wrenching gratitude. He pulled her forward and kissed her thoroughly. Their tips merged in a perfect, sensual caress. Desire flared between them, somehow heightened by the events of the evening and the threat that still lingered.

In the kiss, Helen tried to convey her newfound commitment. Tonight and every night, whether Gabe regained his memories or not; whether he became an active-duty SEAL again or remained permanently disabled, she would stand by him. He'd proven that despite the horror he'd endured, he was capable of tremendous generosity and devotion. She'd be a fool to ever let him go.

"You win," Gabe announced, breaking off the kiss. He rose to his feet, easing her intentionally against him as her feet approached the floor.

Helen stepped over to Mallory's bed, reluctant to leave her.

"Hey, Dad?" Mallory murmured, surprising them both by proving herself to be awake.

"Yeah, kiddo." Gabe was right there, looking anxious.

"Are you coming home?" she asked.

He hesitated, clearly still reluctant to involve his family in the vendetta against him. "There's nowhere in the world I'd rather be," he answered honestly. Leaning over the bed rail, he kissed Mallory on the cheek. "You're the greatest, you know that?" he told her. "Your warning saved my life."

Her green eyes slitted open and she smiled. "I couldn't let 'em kill you," she replied.

"You did good," he said. "A couple of my men are going to stand outside, and we'll be back here in the morning. Are you okay with that, or do you want me to stay?"

"You can go," she said, closing her eyes as if it hurt to keep them open. "You need to rest."

Her thoughtfulness struck him mute. He glanced up at Helen with tears in his eyes.

"Good night, sweetheart," she said, kissing Mallory's other cheek. "We'll be back first thing in the morning."

" 'Kay," Mallory said peacefully.

Stepping from Mallory's room into the hallway, Helen blinked furiously to keep her tears subdued. In contrast to the hospital room, the hallway was bright with recessed lights and crowded with people.

Taking stock of them, she realized Gabe's eight-man squad was present, minus Jason Miller, whose absence was certainly conspicuous. Some of Gabe's men had taken up residence along the benches. Others lounged against the wall. Master Chief was off to one side in earnest conversation with Leila, who stared over his shoulder with a blank expression. Catching sight of Helen, she broke away from him while he was still in midsentence.

"How is she?" Leila wanted to know.

Helen still couldn't get over Leila's long black dress. "She'll be fine," she assured her friend. "I'm just sorry we had to ruin your date," she added, sending a questioning look at the master chief.

The man's eyes blazed with emotion—something Helen had never before witnessed. He looked capable of picking up the potted plant beside him and throwing it.
Easy, boy.
Helen looked back at Leila, noticing for the first time the lines of strain around her friend's lovely eyes. "Are you okay?"

Leila shrugged. "I'm fine, just worried about you and Mallory."

Helen gave her a searching look. "We'll talk later," she promised.

"There's nothing to talk about," Leila said.

Oh, sure.
Given the fury glittering in Master Chief's eyes, there was plenty to talk about. "I'll call you tomorrow," she insisted. Maybe after a good night's sleep, Leila would view her evening with a fresh perspective.

A murder on the first date wasn't the best way to start.

Helen turned toward Gabe and found him sharing words with Chief Westy McCaffrey. The Counterterrorist SEAL never failed to rattle Helen's sensibilities. She was used to SEALs being clean-cut military issue, but since Westy had to infiltrate terrorist regimes, he was allowed to grow his hair long. He wore a pair of jeans and a white T-shirt that failed to disguise the fearsome tattoo on his left arm. He wore a total of three hoops in his ears and a grim expression that made him look like Lucifer himself.

"I'll follow your car," Helen heard him say, letting her know that Westy intended to keep watch over their home. "Vinny and Bear have permission to park their butts here in the hall."

"Thanks, Chief," said Gabe, clapping the man on his shoulder. "But you're not going to sit in your car. No need to get harassed by the police, who'll be stepping up security outside my door."

"Whatever you want, sir." Westy caught Helen's eye and winked at her, putting her at ease. The guy wasn't as scary as he looked.

Gabe bid good night to his squad. He approached his master chief to thank him again for his help.

With an unaccustomed frown, Sebastian was nonetheless civil. "Good night," he said, putting a fatherly hand on Gabe's shoulder. He nodded at Helen and sent another scalding look at Leila, before stalking toward the rear elevator, preferring his own company as he left the hospital.

Helen and Gabe trailed Leila toward the main elevators. Westy following behind them like a guardian angel from hell. Gabe surprised Helen by reaching for her hand in plain sight of his men.

Despite Westy's added protection, Helen felt an icy finger of fear rake her spine as they exited the hospital doors en route toward the parking garage.

Someone wanted Gabe dead, and the police seemed more outraged over civilians impersonating law enforcement officers than they were over Mallory's abduction.

With renewed trepidation, she clung to Gabe's hand. She wasn't the only one scanning the shadows for potential assassins.

G
abe found a message from his commander on the answering machine at home.
"I heard you had a rough evening, Lieutenant, and that your daughter is still at the hospital. Sorry to hear that. You'll have to tell me what the hell's going on when we meet on Sunday. I'm out of town for the rest of the week; otherwise, 1 would have been there to show my support. Take care of yourself and your family, and I'll see you at our appointment. Out."

Gabe deleted the message.

"Sounds like the CO wants you back on active duty," Westy noted.

"I hope so," Gabe replied. "Can I get you anything to eat or drink, Chief?"

"No, sir, I'm fine."

"Let me show you where you're sleeping." Gabe led the way down the hall toward the study.

It gave him tremendous satisfaction to hand off the room he'd slept in, alone, for weeks. Helen had made it clear that she expected him to sleep with her, in their bedroom, for the rest of their lives. "The couch is a little lumpy," he apologized.

"Not a problem," Westy replied, testing the softness of the plaid cushion. "I won't be sleeping anyway."

The chief was going to keep watch, with his SIG Sauer P226 across his lap, so his lieutenant could relax. What a guy.

"Yeah, well, don't panic if you hear strange noises coming from the bedroom," Gabe warned him, dryly. Westy flashed him a grin that made Gabe feel incredibly good about himself. "Chase," he added, calling Westy by his real name.

"Sir?" The man's blue gaze invited confidence.

"Whoever's responsible for what happened tonight isn't going to stop until he's caught or I'm killed. If that happens, I want you guys to watch over Helen like you did before."

Determination hardened the lines of Westy's jaw. "We're not going to let you die again, sir. We took our eyes off you last time. We're not going to make the same mistake twice."

Gratitude swamped Gabe. "Thank you," he said roughly. "Good night." He turned toward his bedroom and his waiting wife.

Helen was naked. Gabe savored the view of her curled up on her side, fast asleep. One corner of the blanket was pulled over her torso, leaving her tanned thighs and silken shoulders bare. He could just make out the tops of her breasts. Her hair spilled over the pillow like spun gold.

Lying there like that, she took his breath away.

It took all his discipline to turn away and take a shower. He emerged in record time and dimmed the lights, so that the only light remaining was a soft pink tulip bulb beside the bed. With a towel around his hips, he eased onto the mattress and peeled back the blanket covering her.
Exquisite.

She stirred and unfolded, her limbs lithe and firm and nicely tanned, except in some very private places. Offering him a sleepy smile, she raised her arms over her head, so that her breasts rose invitingly. Growling with anticipation, he caught her by the waist and fastened his mouth on them, suckling with intent.

She'd given herself to him in Annapolis, but that had only been a maybe. Tonight was different. In Helen's amber eyes was an unqualified invitation to forever.

He promised himself she would never,
ever
look back on this night and regret giving him a second chance. He knew he was a lucky man. Some might disagree, considering what he'd gone through in North Korea. But the truth was he'd been given the opportunity to review who he was and what he'd done with his life. He'd done well as a SEAL, carving a reputation for himself as a dedicated leader, selflessly serving his country. But as a father and a husband, he'd failed miserably. Only when he'd been captured and tortured had he come to understand that it was love that gave him the strength to defy his captors; it was family that gave him a reason to survive.

And so, tonight was more than an opportunity to make love to his gorgeous wife. Tonight was a reaffirmation, a new beginning. Desire crackled between them, as palpable as ever, drawing them together with urgency. Pushing himself deep inside her, Gabe gazed into Helen's radiant eyes. His fingers threaded through hers as she convulsed delicately around him. In her pupils he saw the reflection of his own face. "I'm sorry I didn't believe you, Gabe," she apologized.

He kissed her, not wanting to be reminded of the events that brought him here. Sliding a hand between their bodies, he touched her in a way that made speech impossible for her. He wanted tonight to be a cherished memory for years to come.

But she managed to speak anyway. "I love you, Gabe!" she gasped, climaxing with gratifying force.

Her confession short-circuited his intent to make love to her for hours. Scalding pleasure burst through him, rocketing him to the stars and back again, proving that he might be Navy SEAL but he was still only human.

Leila pushed her sunglasses back up her slippery nose and realigned her body on the poolside lounge chair so that the slats didn't gouge her hip bones. The book she was reading failed to capture her imagination, and she found herself reflecting on the previous evening.

It had been a date like no other—that much was certain. She'd gone out with Sebastian, swearing a private oath that she wouldn't sleep with him. To guard herself, she'd pulled out her ugliest black dress—one that Altul had bought her, if only to remind her how a man could break a woman's heart

It had taken Sebastian less than an hour to convince her to take it off.

Stupid!
she seethed, jamming the errant glasses up on her nose again. She was so easily led astray where Sebastian León was concerned. He'd probably laugh if he knew she'd been a virgin on her wedding night. To him, she must look like an easy conquest. All he had to do was to dangle a carrot in front of her and she'd strip for him!

Bastard!

Of course, it was a very big carrot one that no man of her acquaintance had ever offered her: a baby. No strings attached.

No visible strings anyway.

She'd come to her senses mere seconds after climaxing. She'd realized the truth the minute he'd pulled out of her and disappeared to help a frantic Helen.

The strings were in her heart.

She was incapable of letting Sebastian make love to her without falling in love. In that crystalline moment, when he was buried deep inside her and she was drowning in bliss, she had caught herself doing it: falling in love with him. Just as she had last May, when she'd seduced him.

The realization was sufficiently terrifying to make her change her mind. She didn't want to fall in love with a SEAL. Because every time he left to go on a mission, she would feel as if he were leaving her. Leila had seen what that lifestyle had done to Helen and Gabe's marriage!—although, now they seemed to have reconciled. Time would tell the truth in that situation.

In Leila's experience, the future was always worse than anyone suspected. With a troubled sigh, she blinked down at the book she was reading and tried once more to involve herself in the heavy text. A shadow fell across the pages, distracting her. She refused to look up, knowing it had to be George, the annoying Greek man who lived in the condo next to hers.

"Go away," she said. Her waspish tongue had, unfortunately, not deterred George yet. Nor did it deter him now.

With her nerves already taut, Leila whipped off her sunglasses and glared up at the interloper. "I am not in the mood..." Her voice trailed away as she beheld not George the Greek, but Sebastian the SEAL, looking very appealing in a short-sleeved knit shirt that was impossibly white and navy shorts that looked like they'd been ironed.

He sat, uninvited, on the lounge chair next to hers. "I'm afraid you have no choice," he said, icily polite.

Leila winced, hearing determination and a strong dose of wounded ego in his tone. She'd tried to tell him last night at the hospital that she'd changed her mind about their agreement.