Rising Storm (Westin Force #2) - Julie Trettel Page 0,54
told Emma I’d be up for lunch, but when I got there she was gone. I waited for a few minutes but could tell she hadn’t come back. I tried to fight down the panic. What if she finally did it? What if she left me to go back to her gorilla family?
I considered going down to the lobby to see if Sondra or Cal had seen her, but then I remembered she said she might go for a walk. I was the one that always plotted every possible bad scenario for my team and just then, I was frozen by all the possibilities and trouble Emma could find on a walk around this place.
What if she stumbled into pack territory and came across a wolf? Not all of them were happy about our presence here.
What if she tried swinging from the trees not realizing that many weren’t safe? She could be laying out there on the ground injured with no way to alert me.
What if she was bit by a rattlesnake or a black widow spider or a million other natural dangerous creatures in the area?
My gorilla was sensing my fears and together our protective natures combined. I was ready to kill anything that got in my way of finding Emma.
I checked the time. We were rolling out in thirty minutes. That didn’t leave much time. If my worst fears became a reality, I wouldn’t be going anywhere anyway. Not if Emma needed me here instead.
The familiar beep on the keypad outside my room halted my pacing.
The door swung open and Emma ran inside.
I growled loudly, pushing her to the side and checking for the cause of her hurry.
“What’s wrong with you?” she asked.
Seeing nothing in the hallway, I took a couple deep breaths and turned to check her out. I couldn’t find any signs of injury, so I crushed her to me.
“Where were you?” I asked in a strained voice.
“I told you I was going for a walk. I took a climb and ended up at the nest. Are you okay?”
I hugged her close, and then pulled back just enough to kiss her until my world started to right itself again. “I am now.”
“What was that all about?”
“You weren’t here. I was worried.” I didn’t want to freak her out with everything I’d been thinking about. Hell, she’d never leave the apartment again if I took her down that path.
“I met Shawn in the woods, and he told me you’re being deployed so I rushed back as fast as I could. Sorry. I always seem to lose track of time outdoors.”
“Shawn?”
“He’s on Echo team.”
“Oh, yeah, I know the kid.” Shawn was a young wolf training with Elliot. Good guy. He liked to talk a lot. I shouldn’t be surprised he’d given confidential information to a total stranger. I’d have to have a talk with Elliot about that.
“Do you have time for a quick lunch?”
“Um, yeah, sure.”
I didn’t want her to leave the safety of my arms, but I knew I had to let her go. I’d be leaving in just a few minutes.
While she made lunch, I packed my bag.
When I came back to the kitchen, I was surprised to find her sitting there with a bag packed for me.
“Shawn told me you were leaving soon. I packed it for the road with extra snacks instead. Do you know where you’re going?”
I shook my head. “Won’t know until full briefing on the plane. I can tell you that we’re expected to be gone for three days, but it could run a little longer. I’ll be in touch as much as I can. You won’t have Taylor here, but you do have Shelby. You know how to get into town by yourself now.”
“And I know where the coffee is.”
I chuckled. “That is apparently important too.”
“I’ll miss you,” she said sadly. “Try to come back without a hole in your leg this time.”
“No promises, but I’ll try.”
She stood up and wrapped her arms around my neck. “I’ll be waiting when you return.”
My entire body relaxed. “You have no idea how badly I needed to hear that.”
“Bring them all home safe.”
“That’s my plan.”
“I love you, Painter.”
My heart nearly exploded. I had no idea how much I’d longed to hear those words until she said them.
I squeezed her a little tighter. “I love you too, sweetheart. You behave and be safe while I’m gone, okay?”
She nodded against my shoulder.
“You better be ready for lots of orgasms when I get back,” I teased