SEALs Honor (10 page)

Most
of the women he'd pushed out of his life had been civilians, clueless about the
life he led as a SEAL. All they saw were his taut muscles and sharp uniform.
They never understood why he worked out, why he remained in top physical
condition, or the pressures of running an operation. They would never know what
killing someone felt like or understand the aftermath of losing a buddy in
combat. That hollow, aching feeling and the constant instant-replay going on a
SEAL's mind analyzing what went wrong, what he could have done differently that
would have saved his fallen comrade's life.

Delaney
would. She was as close to the action as she could get without being boots on
the ground. As a member of the 160th Night Stalkers, she flew into areas most
pilots would be afraid to fly. Being shot at was part of the job description.
She'd accepted the danger along with the responsibility and honor of being a
part of the squadron.

She
was a good pilot, a strong woman, and so beautiful she made Tuck ache. Then why
the hell had he pushed her away?

Because
she wanted what he couldn't give. Commitment. She'd never asked for it, but he
could see it in her face.

Damn
Reaper for exposing the elephant in the room. The one thing he'd always shied
away from. Now, if he didn't come to terms with his deep-seated aversion to
long-term relationships, he'd lose Delaney. Possibly to his best friend.

The
man foremost in his thoughts emerged from the tent, shirtless, wearing his PT
shorts and tennis shoes. "Hey, you up for a morning run before the temp
gets too hot?"

Exhausted
from a sleepless night, but too wound up to rest, Tuck grunted. "Yeah.
Might as well." He pulled his tank over his head, and tossed it into the
tent. "Let's go."

They
set off, heading for the perimeter of the compound, remaining inside the wire
where running was relatively safe without fear of tripping an improvised
explosive device (IED). For the first lap, they ran in silence.

Then,
breaking silence, Reaper said, "I've been thinking about how I can show
O'Connell I'm serious."

Tuck's
heart and feet missed a beat and he stumbled, righting himself immediately.
After several more paces, he responded. "Are you sure she's the right one
for you?"

"Never
more sure in my life. She's special."

Unfortunately,
Tuck couldn't argue with that. She was and he knew it. Then why the hell
couldn't he tell Reaper to back off, that, Delaney was his?

Reaper
shot a glance his way. "You think she's holding back because she's got
someone else in mind?"

"You'd
have to ask her." Tuck gritted his teeth.

"Not
that I'm afraid of a little competition. I know there are plenty of men for her
to choose from, and she's hot enough to have her pick of the litter."

"She's
not choosing puppies." Tuck wished Reaper would stop talking about
Delaney. "Hell, she might not be in the market to choose anyone. Seems to
me, she's pretty career-minded. Didn't she say she plans on being a lifer?"

"That
doesn't mean she can't have a relationship, get married, and have kids."

"Flying
for the 160th kinda precludes that, doesn't it?"

"The
kids part for the time being, but not necessarily the rest."

"You
two are in different branches of service. You'll never get stationed in the
same place."

"I
can live with a long-distance relationship. We won't be in the military
forever." His arms chugged at his side. "And when we do retire, we'll
have the rest of our lives to spend together."

"You
both have no less than ten years left on your commitment, right?"

"Right."
Reaper frowned at Tuck. "So?"

"That's
ten years of seeing each other on weekends, if you're stationed anywhere near
the other’s base, or once a month if you're not."

"If
a couple loves each other enough, they can make it happen. I'd be willing to
make the commute as often as possible. O'Connell is worth it."

Tuck
thought about what Reaper said. Right now, he'd move heaven and earth to be
with Delaney as often as possible. But would that longing last? For ten years
or more?

None
of his parents’ many marriages had lasted ten years. Five, tops. And they were
together every day. What were the chances he could keep a marriage alive that
long, if he dared to make the same foolish mistake as his parents and get
married to begin with?

"Hey,
isn't that O'Connell ahead?" Reaper's words knocked Tuck back into the
here and now.

His
pulse sped up at the sight of Delaney in her short, black shorts and gray army
T-shirt, jogging ahead of them.

"No
time like the present to start my campaign to win her heart." Reaper
picked up the pace to catch up to Delaney.

His
gut churning with anxiety, Tuck sped up as well.

"Uh,
Tuck." Reaper slowed and shot a sideways glance. "You're crampin' my
style, dude."

Tuck
nodded and slowed, giving Reaper the lead, when he really wanted to trip him
and take it himself. Without telling Reaper why he didn't want him to catch up
to Delaney, Tuck had no reason to be angry with his friend. But he was.

Angry,
tense and...jealous.

Fuck.

Reaper
caught up to Delaney and fell in step beside her.

Tuck
slowed, jogging at a distance far enough away he couldn't hear their
conversation, but close enough to hear Delaney's laughter. His chest tightened
and before long, he had a hard time regulating his breathing. Finally, he
slowed, turned, and ran in the opposite direction. He'd jog in the heat of the day
rather than watch Reaper woo his girl. Instead, he ran sprints near the
volleyball nets until he couldn't stand it a moment longer. After a while, he
walked back toward his quarters, the long way. The path that would take him
back by Delaney's tent. When he realized what he was doing, he almost turned
around and headed back for more sprints.

Until
he saw Delaney step out of the shower tent wearing clean shorts, a T-shirt and
carrying her robe, towel, and toiletries in hand. That robe was the clincher.

Tuck's
groin tightened on sight at how beautiful she'd been wearing it last night in
the moonlight. And how naked, soft, warm, and wet she'd been beneath.

He
sped up, determined to catch her. What he'd say when he did, he didn't know.
Tuck only knew he had to say something. This deal with Reaper was eating at him
and somehow the reaction had to stop.

Before
he reached her, Reaper jumped out from another path, carrying a giant  teddy
bear with a big red bow tied around its neck.

Delaney
ground to a halt and laughed.

At
the sound, Tuck's gut knotted. Even her laugh was sexy. Damn.

She
accepted the teddy bear, hugging it close and burying her nose in the soft fake
fur.

Where
in hell had Reaper gotten a teddy bear in the desert?

Wherever
he'd acquired it, Delaney was enjoying it more than Tuck liked. She leaned
around the bear in her arms, lips puckered, aiming for Reaper's cheek.

Reaper
turned at the last second and her kiss landed square on his lips. The asshole
grinned, captured Delaney's cheeks between his palms, and kissed her again. "I
knew you'd taste that sweet. And that's just the beginning."

Tuck's
fists balled and he lunged forward. Before he'd taken two steps, Delaney shook
her head. "Cory, I don't—"

"Don't
decide anything." Reaper pressed a finger to her lips. "I'm not done
yet. Be watching."

Reaper
left before Delaney could complete her sentence.

Damn.
Surely she'd been about to tell him to take a hike. After kissing her like
that, she should have slapped him.

Unless...

Tuck
stopped still in his tracks. Was it possible she could fall for Reaper?

After
last night?

Delaney
stared down at the bear. "What am I going to do with you?" She turned
toward her tent, her gaze finding Tuck standing like a lunk in the middle of
the path.

Her
smile immediately turned down at the corners. She marched toward the tent,
passing him with barely a glance. "What are you doing here, Tuck?"

"You
kissed him."

"So?"
She stopped in the doorway.

"Why
did you let him kiss you again?"

"Why
does it matter to you?" She hugged the bear closer, like a shield between
them.

Tuck
wanted to rip the damned bear from her arms and tear it to shreds. "You
don't love him."

"I
could
learn
to love him. At least, he cares enough about me to share his
feelings."

"Is
that what you want?" He gripped her arms, the fuzz of the bear's fake fur
burning against his skin. "You want me to share my feelings? I'll share.
I'm pissed as hell."

"I
don't see why?"

"You
know damn well why."

"I
know that you aren't into commitment. I know from your track record that  you've
pushed away every woman you've ever let closer than a one-night stand."

"I
didn't care about them."

"And
you care about me?"

His
grip tightened for a second then he loosened his fingers. "Yes."

"Enough
to say three simple words?"

"What
words?"

"Oh,
forget it. We have nothing left to say. I'm done." Shrugging away from his
grasp, she ducked into her tent and closed the door behind her.

"We're
not done until I say we're done," Tuck practically shouted, making the
group of soldiers in uniform passing by at that moment turn and stare. "What
are you looking at?"

"Man,
you need to turn down the volume. Some people are still asleep," a staff
sergeant said.

Tuck
wanted to tell the staff sergeant to shove it, but thought better of that
declaration. He outranked the guy and therefore had to set the example. And he
wasn't doing a good job of it. Which made him even madder.

When
the soldiers had disappeared around the corner, Tuck lowered his voice and
said, loud enough for Delaney to hear, "Delaney, be reasonable. Come out
and talk to me."

A
red-haired woman wearing a sand-colored T-shirt and her army combat uniform
pants poked her head out the tent door. "Captain O'Connell asked me to
tell you to get lost. Hey, don't shoot the messenger." She raised her
hands and shot a glance over her shoulder, then whispered. "But she's
kinda mad, and talking will do you little good. Try later. And if that doesn't
work, I'm off duty at seven tonight." She grinned and ducked back into the
tent.

Wanting
to rip the canvas off the structure, Tuck bit down on his tongue to keep from
shouting his frustration, performed a tight about-face, and marched back to the
tent he shared with Reaper. Damn right he'd be back later. Despite Delaney's
declaration, the relationship wasn't over until it was over.

"Oh
my, sweetie, he was mad." Lindsay dropped onto her bunk, a smile spreading
across her face. "He's the SEAL you were talking about last night?"

Delaney
set the teddy bear on the bed and replied through tight lips, "Yes.
Perhaps the most aggravating man on the face of the planet."

"And
the sexiest. Wow." She fanned herself.

The
movement made Delaney's anger spike even more. "Don't get too excited. The
man doesn't have a heart."

"No
heart?" Lindsay's eyes widened. "Who cares? With a body like that,
who needs a heart?" She reached for her boots and slipped a socked foot
into the left one.

"I
do." Delaney stared down at the stuffed animal.

"Did
he give you the bear?"

"No,
that was from his best friend."

"Oh."
Lindsay clamped her lips closed for a second, then opened them again. "The
one who proposed? I take it mister macho saw the whole thing and wasn't too
happy."

Delaney
nodded, the tension knotting her shoulders. She rolled her neck. "He has
no right to be mad. If he didn't want Cory to go after me, all he has to do is
tell Cory I'm his girl."

"But
he won't."

"No."

"And
you want him to."

"Yes."
Delaney slumped onto her cot. "I want it so much, it hurts."

"I'm
sorry."

"Me
too." Her lips twisted as she stared across the narrow aisle between their
cots. "You didn't sign on to hear my whining about men. I'll stop dumping
my troubles on you."

"Honey,
I've been eating sand for six months. Your love life is a breath of fresh air
and helps to break the monotony. Dump away." She shoved her foot into the other
boot and pulled the laces tight. "Unfortunately, I'm on duty in fifteen
and I want to stop by the mess tent for a bite on the way. Save it all for me
when I get off tonight. That is, if you're not working. Do be careful, if you
are. I like having a roommate."