Targeted (Hostage Rescue Team Series Book 2) (29 page)

Except he still wasn’t ready to say goodbye yet. There was a hole inside him now, one he knew would never completely heal.

His father had told him early on after the Alzheimer’s diagnosis that when he died he wanted a full casket and a small service. No cremation, no fanfare. Didn’t mean his son would bury him without honoring his memory properly.

Tuck slipped the notecard into the pocket and looked back up at the church.

Celida stood on the top step next to the door with Evers and his girlfriend Rachel. Bauer, three days post-op after his spinal surgery, was there too, talking to Zoe. The rest of his teammates were inside already, along with DeLuca and Travers. It meant the world to him that the guys had come out to pay their respects today.

But Celida’s presence meant more to him than anything.

Right from the moment on that hellish night when he’d gotten the call, she’d been there. From the race to the hospital where they’d transported his father, through the seven hours after that when Tuck had been perched at his father’s bedside holding his frail hand, to those final, rasping breaths.

She’d been there. A quiet, solid support system for him to lean on. A woman who knew how it felt to lose a beloved parent, and knew to let him grieve alone until he was ready to walk out of that room. His sunshine.

When he’d finally found the strength to say goodbye and let go of that frail, cool hand, he’d left the room and found her waiting for him out in the hallway with Zoe. She’d stood and walked to him. Without a word he’d gone straight into her arms and held on tight, drowning in a thick fog of pain that engulfed him inside and out. Afterward she’d driven them back to his place and held him in the darkness, granting him the wordless comfort of her embrace and presence. The next morning she and Zoe had asked him what he wanted done about the funeral, then made all the arrangements while he dealt with the legal paperwork and tied up his father’s estate.

Celida had done all that without him asking, and she’d done it while still working her ass off to wrap up the Spivey case. She still faced a mountain of paperwork and a hearing to verify that lethal force had been necessary and justified since she’d been the one to take the fatal shots. He knew without a doubt she’d be cleared of everything, but he couldn’t wait to get her on that plane tonight and take her away from it all for a while.

He was the luckiest man in the world to have a woman like her at his side.

Tuck expelled a slow breath and checked his watch. Time to get his ass in there. He’d already seen his father’s body, but walking into that church and knowing he was inside that casket was going to be tough.

He’d been so young when his mom died. It had hurt and he remembered crying himself to sleep for the first little while, but back then he hadn’t really understood then what death meant and he’d adjusted to his new reality soon enough. Since then he’d gained a lot more experience with death and it never got any easier.

Saying a final goodbye to fallen teammates and friends was hard. Saying goodbye to the man he’d worshipped his entire life, who’d made countless sacrifices for his country and many more to ensure he gave his son everything he could? Tuck didn’t even know how to begin.

Picking up the suit coat from where he’d left it on the armrest, he climbed out of the truck. The summer heat and humidity hit him, the bright sunlight reflecting back at him off the black asphalt of the parking lot. He put on the coat anyway, buttoned it up and smoothed his tie down flat.

Celida and the others turned to look at him as he crossed to the steps and climbed them. Evers nodded and stuck out his hand. “Your dad was a helluva man. I’m sorry for your loss.”

Tuck shook the hand, nodded his thanks and accepted Rachel’s as well. They headed inside and Tuck turned to Bauer. His eyes were bruised black underneath and his freshly-shaven face was pale, the sheen of sweat on his upper lip and forehead likely having more to do with his pain level than the temperature outside.

“Thanks for coming,” Tuck said.

Bauer shook his hand. “Wouldn’t miss it. Al was a great guy.” He stepped back, a slight tension around his eyes and mouth and his stiff movements telling Tuck just how much he was hurting. “I’ll be inside. Can’t sit right now so I’ll stand at the back.” He flicked a glance at Zoe. “You’ll be okay up front?”

“It’s fine,” she answered with a little smile. “I’ll be with my parents and Tuck and Celida.”

Bauer nodded, glanced back at Tuck and slowly made his way inside.

“He should be at home resting,” Tuck said.

Zoe snorted. “He should still be in the freaking hospital. But he was coming here to support you come hell or high water. Without taking any pain meds, I might add. Stubborn ass. Personally, I think he just wanted to get away from his mom for a while. From what I’ve seen, that woman is a force to be reckoned with.” She reached up and wound her arms around his shoulders, gave him a squeeze. “See you guys inside.”

Celida nodded and cast him a questioning glance. Tuck snagged her hand and led her back down the steps, to the side of the church where they were away from prying eyes.

“What?” She stared up at him with those watchful gray eyes, and his heart suddenly felt full to bursting. “Did we forget something?”

“No.” He’d just been delaying something. Something that couldn’t wait any longer.

Her brow furrowed. “Don’t you dare thank me again. You’d have done the same for me if the roles were reversed, so just stop.” She reached out to fiddle with the knot on his tie, even though he knew it didn’t need adjusting. “I know how hard this is. I wish I could do something to make it easier on you, and I hate knowing I can’t.”

His heart squeezed so hard it hurt. He lifted a hand to her cheek, cradled it as he brushed his thumb across her high cheekbone. Her eyes flicked up to his, held. And he was so undone by the emotion he saw there that he couldn’t hold back any longer. “I love you,” he said simply. “Don’t know what I would have done without you these past few days.”

Surprise and gratitude registered in her eyes, then a joyous smile broke over her face, filling him with warmth. “Love you back.”

Tuck smiled. Hearing the words in return, especially today, made him feel twenty feet tall. Leaning in, he kissed those shiny pink lips, felt her arms wind around him, still careful of his bruises, then the soft give of her mouth beneath his. Melting for him. He kept this kiss slow, gentle, tender, infusing it with everything he felt for her. God, he could just eat her up.

When he lifted his head, her eyes glistened with tears. She blinked, let out a watery laugh and wiped beneath her eyes. “Don’t start me already,” she warned without heat.

Humming in agreement, he leaned down and kissed the bridge of her nose. Every day he saw more and more of the softness in her. Because she trusted him enough to let him see it. He knew exactly how precious a gift that was.

Exhaling, Tuck tipped his head back to look up at the clear blue sky.

Well, Dad, this is it. Glad you at least got to meet your future daughter-in-law and got to know her a little bit before you left us.

Because Tuck was so marrying Celida one day. Sooner than later if he had anything to say about it. She was his future.

He snagged her hand and laced his fingers through hers. Squeezed. “Let’s do this.”

She nodded, squeezed back.

Holding her hand tight in his, Tuck walked up those steps, bracing himself for the sight of that casket. It was the first thing he saw when he stepped into the open doorway. The silver casket sat front and center before the altar, a small table with a framed picture of him and his dad beside it, along with a display of his dad’s service medals.

The picture was Tuck’s favorite, taken at a military event, soon after he’d made Delta. Both of them in their Army dress uniforms, arms draped across one another’s shoulders, smiling at the camera.

As he stared at that image, everything else funneled out. His teammates, relatives, a couple friends and a few of the nursing home staff all turning in their seats to look at him. The sweet smell of the roses up front wafted back to him. He stared into his father’s eyes in that picture, and the weight of the grief in his chest suddenly eased.

Celida gave his hand a gentle squeeze in silent support. Breathing deep, Tuck started walking with her up the center aisle to take their seats in the front pew, his gaze pinned on that picture.

Love you, Dad. Thanks for everything
.

He was ready to say goodbye and start his future with the incredible woman at his side.

When Tuck came back to the cottage from the main building of the resort with a bucket of ice for the bottle of wine the concierge had left for them, all the lights were off. He paused at the end of the path that led to the front steps as the gentle swell of the surf crashed on the beach behind him and a soft, tropical breeze rustling the palm fronds overhead. She’d gone to sleep already?

Tuck climbed the wooden steps of the one-story cottage and stepped onto the porch, a little disappointed that Celida hadn’t waited up for him, since he’d only been gone fifteen minutes. On the other hand, sliding into bed beside her and waking her with a trail of kisses down her naked body had its merits.

Inside all was quiet. He slid off his flip-flops and set the bucket on the round table set off to the side of the small kitchen, grateful that he could do so with only a faint twinge from his almost healed shoulder muscles. He still had plenty of interesting bruises in interesting places, but at least they didn’t hurt all that much anymore.

He crossed the cool tile floor of the kitchen and hallway with quiet steps, then paused at the bedroom door where a faint band of light coming from underneath it gave him hope that she might still be up. As he reached for the doorknob, he got his answer.

“I’m not sleeping,” she called out, sounding alert and wide awake.

With a grin, he twisted the knob. It had been a helluva long day, with the funeral, reception and flight here. Now they could just relax and enjoy each other. They’d spent every night together since his dad had died, and each night he couldn’t wait to go home to her, but with so much shit to deal with and him healing they hadn’t been able to spend much quality time together. Being able to unwind with her here in this beautiful resort was exactly what they both needed.

The door swung open under the pressure of his hand. He stepped into the threshold—

And froze on the spot at the sight before him.

Celida reclined on her side on the comforter of the king size bed, her head propped on one hand. And she wore nothing but a skimpy black lace teddy, red high heels and a smile.

His mouth went dry, his pulse thudding in his ears as he took in that mouth-watering outfit, the way she’d done her hair so it curled loosely over one shoulder and trailed seductively over one full breast, pushed up to distracting heights by the lace. Lust punched through him, went to his head like a double shot of straight whiskey.

“It’s been a long day,” she said, trailing her fingertips over one bare hip and down the length of her thigh while his eyes tracked every inch of the movement, “so I thought I’d give you a special turn-down service before tucking you in for the night.”

While he stood there with his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth and his erection pushed hard against his fly, she rose to her knees with a knowing smile and swung her legs off the bed. God, those fuck-me heels made him hard all over. He couldn’t wait to feel them digging into his back as he settled his face between her legs and teased her with his tongue until she screamed.

Her soft laugh brought his gaze back to hers. She rose and took a step toward him, her movements sleek and feline, almost a prowl. Her eyes were aglow with desire, and also feminine power. The woman knew exactly what she was doing to him, and was enjoying the hell out of it.

His attention slid back to the generous swell of her breasts. He could see the outline of her hardened nipples against the fabric, proof that she was as turned on as him. And he knew exactly how much she loved his mouth on them, knew every sweet spot on that luscious body and how to use them to make her writhe and mewl and beg. His cock pulsed at the thought.

She raised one dark eyebrow in challenge, but she was fighting a smile. “I can see what you’re thinking, but that’s not what I had in mind for the turn-down service.” She held out a hand toward him. “Come over here, strip and lie down on your back.”

Well, twist his arm… “I think I’m gonna like this sex-kitten side of you.” He was so damn hard he hurt.

“Oh, you’re gonna
love
it,” she promised, giving him a sultry smile that hit him right in the heart.

He erased the distance between them, took her hand and brought it to his mouth for a slow, hot kiss against her palm, his eyes holding hers. He felt a shiver go through her, but then she tugged on his hand and tipped her head at the bed.

Yes, ma’am
, he thought, trying and failing to fight a smile. He stripped his shirt off as he rounded the end of it, tossed it aside and shucked his shorts and underwear before lying down. “Now what?” The anticipation was killing him.

She settled next to him on one hip and curled her legs beneath her. Her warm scent drifted up to tease him. “Now you lie back and let me love you the way I’ve wanted to for the last week.”

There was something in her eyes, a deep longing along with the arousal he read there that tugged at his heart. With everything going on they hadn’t seen much of each other except at night, and he’d been too damn sore and exhausted to do more than a little making out. It hadn’t been nearly enough for both of them. It felt like forever since he’d been buried inside her, staking his claim while she came undone beneath him.

He cupped a hand around the back of her neck, brushed his thumb along her jaw, up over the scar on her cheek as tenderness and need flooded him. She was so goddamn beautiful and sexy. So good to him. He was such a lucky bastard. “Come here, sunshine.”