Delta Force Rescue - Elle James Page 0,23
enough off the beaten path to discourage intruders from stumbling in.”
Hank returned, holding a phone, which he handed to Rafe. “Based on what you told me about the weapons you own, I brought additional ammo and a small .40 caliber handgun for Briana.”
Rafe smiled at Briana. “Good. We’ll get right on those lessons.”
Hank’s jaw hardened. “Hopefully, she won’t have to use it.”
“Better to know how and not need it than need it and not know how to use it,” Rafe said.
“Exactly.” Sadie nodded. “I have my own little pistol. I take it out every week and shoot to keep up my skills.”
Briana nodded. “That’s what I’ll have to do. First, I need to learn how to handle it.”
“Look out, world.” Rafe chuckled.
“Why are you laughing?” Briana demanded. “You’re the one who’ll be teaching me.”
His face sobered so quickly, it was Briana’s turn to laugh.
Her lips twisted. “See, it’s not so funny when you’re forced to teach the city girl how to shoot.”
“That’s not why I quit laughing. It is serious, and we need to start those lessons today.”
“I’ll get that gun and ammo,” Hank said and ducked out of the cabin, again.
“I’d prefer to wait until Sadie and Emma are out of here,” Briana said. “I don’t want to scare them with my ineptitude.”
“Oh, sweetie,” Sadie grinned, “everyone has to start somewhere. But yes, the loud noises will scare Emma. We need to be going anyway. She’ll be ready for a nap right after lunch. And I could use one, too.” Sadie patted her perfectly rounded belly. “I find myself easily tired, these days.”
A twinge of envy had Briana questioning her life choices. Soon, she’d be twenty-eight. She wasn’t dating, didn’t have a husband prospect, and she wasn’t getting any younger.
Wasn’t the big three-zero about the time her biological clock should start ticking? She’d known so many of her women friends who’d waited until they were in their thirties to have children, only to discover they’d waited too long. Some, even after long months of fertility treatments had yet to get pregnant. “When is your baby due?”
Sadie smiled. “Two months. But you’d think it was any day as big as I’m getting.”
“You’re all baby,” Briana said.
Suddenly, Sadie’s eyes widened. “Oh, well, there he goes, kicking me. I think he’ll be a football player, as active as he is. Or maybe she’ll go for hockey, as violently as she plays in my belly.”
Hank stepped back through the door and handed a small case, and what appeared to be a shoulder holster, to Rafe. Then he dug in his front shirt pocket and his back jeans pockets for boxes of ammunition. “I’ll bring more tomorrow. You’ll burn through a lot, practicing. The good news is that there aren’t any neighbors to disturb way out here.”
“Sweetie, we need to get going,” Sadie said, as Emma tugged on her hand. “Your daughter is restless.”
Rafe set the gun, holster and bullets on the hand-hewn table and reached down to take Emma’s hands. “Wanna come up with Uncle Rafe?”
Emma raised her arms without hesitation.
Rafe swung her up into the crook of his arm and walked with her out into the yard. “You need to come visit Uncle Rafe often.”
“After the threat is past,” Briana reminded him.
“After the mean ol’ bad guys are gone,” he said, blowing a raspberry on the toddler’s belly.
Emma giggled and grabbed Rafe’s ears.
“Hey, those are mine, and they don’t come off easily.” Rafe nuzzled the child’s neck and blew a loud sound against her throat.
The toddler laughed and squirmed.
Briana watched, mesmerized by how easily the big Delta Force soldier interacted with the toddler.
“You’re a natural, Rafe,” Sadie said, echoing Briana’s thoughts. “You don’t have children, do you?”
“No. Never considered it. But I love playing with other people’s kids. And they seem to like me.” He grinned at the little girl in his arms. “You’re a cutie,” he said, “aren’t you?”
“Come here, Emma.” Hank reached for his daughter. “We need to get going before those giggles turn into angry squalling. She’s a good baby, but she needs her recharge naps to keep those pretty lips smiling.”
Hank settled Emma into the car seat in the middle of the back seat of his truck.
“If you come up with a list of items you’d like to have,” Sadie said, “call us on the satellite phone. We’ll pick them up in town and run them out to you.”
“Thank you,” Briana said. “I hate to ask for anything else. You’ve done so much already.”
“Nonsense. We don’t get that