Kidnapped by a SEAL - Makenna Jameison Page 0,26
on. He assumed her bedroom was down the hallway, not that he was planning to go check.
He walked into her living room, looking around. “She left you here alone?” he asked.
Emily followed him into the room, and his gaze locked on her face. He certainly didn’t look at her silky brown hair, or the way the tee shirt and joggers she had on skimmed over her curves. Both articles of clothing were a bit loose, and he assumed that was because she’d lost weight over the past month.
That didn’t stop her from being a goddamn knockout though.
Her nipples pebbled beneath her top, and he felt like a jackass for looking. The bruise on her forehead had finally begun to fade, and he hoped like hell the rest of her injuries had as well. He noticed her breasts bounced as she walked toward him.
Hell. Was she even wearing a bra? Probably not if her ribs had been hurting.
He forced himself to meet her gaze.
He shouldn’t be looking over her body like she was just another conquest for him to take to bed. He was here for her safety. Nothing more. Sure, she was beautiful, but so were the women back home. He didn’t need this one, tempting as though she was.
“Caroline knew you were coming tonight, and she’s been stuck with me all week. I told her to head home. I still can’t believe you drove all the way up here from Virginia Beach. That seems a little…unnecessary.”
“Unnecessary?” he asked, raising his eyebrows.
“Not to mention overprotective. When I spoke with Hunter yesterday, he assured me you guys didn’t have any new information. He told me to be careful, but there was no mention of needing a full-time babysitter.”
Ryker chuckled, enjoying the way she bantered with him. “I assure you, I’m more highly trained than a babysitter.”
“As am I,” Emily said.
“Not to mention a hell of a lot better looking than any babysitters I ever had,” he said gruffly.
A hint of pink colored her cheeks, her full lips pursed, as if she was unsure how to reply to that.
“We don’t have any new information,” Ryker admitted with a frown. “They’re still investigating a few leads from our sources.”
“And that bothered you enough to come up the day I was released from the hospital?” She sank down onto the sofa, pulling a blanket up and over herself. Ryker crossed the room to the armchair, stretching his long legs out in front of him.
“Hell yeah it bothered me. We already told you that asshole is vindictive as hell. And now that your name’s been splashed all over the news? It’s too damn easy to find you.”
“And he’s vindictive because I was rescued? That’s ridiculous. If anything, he’d be coming after you.”
“Maybe so, but we can take care of ourselves. And last I checked, he was trying to make you one of his wives.”
“And he couldn’t just find another woman over there? He’d fly across a damn ocean to come find me? I don’t buy it,” she said, shaking her head.
“It’s just a feeling I have,” Ryker said in a low voice. “Look, I know you were surprised when I said I’d come up for the weekend. Let’s just give it a few days. I’ll crash on the sofa or something while you rest. I can chase down any leads here just as easily as back home.”
“And that’s somehow part of your mission?” Emily asked doubtfully. “That’s what analysts usually are for. I’ve never heard of a Navy SEAL conducting his own investigation.”
Ryker leaned forward, resting his arms on his legs. “This is personal,” he said. “We went there twice to rescue you. The first time, you slipped right through our fingers. The second time there was blood outside the building they’d stashed you in. What would’ve happened if we didn’t get there in time?”
“It’s not your job to watch out for me,” she protested. “To rescue me, sure. I’ll forever be grateful for that.”
“Humor me. I’ll be here this weekend while we run a few new leads and things settle down. If I’m wrong, I’m wrong.”
“Look, Ryker, I’m not some helpless victim. I mean, yes, I needed your help when I was being held hostage, but I’m home now. I’ve got a gun. I’ve got locks on my doors. I’ve got a ridiculous number of other federal agents on speed dial. There’s no need to go all alpha male on me and act like I can’t take care of myself.”
“How many nights have you