SEAL's Embrace - Makenna Jameison Page 0,49

be worried about, but my gut is telling me it’s a problem. I don’t think it’s some sort of dumb prank. You’re being targeted.”

“I never got texts like this before. I mean, sure, I’ll have the stray spam message or something that everyone else gets, but nothing like this. It’s creepy.”

He nodded. “We want to get to the bottom of it. I can’t tell you about what we do on our missions, but you saw us there in Bagram.”

“You’re involved with the bombings,” she said. “Not responsible for them,” she hastily added. “Just there looking for the bad guys.”

Grayson pressed his lips together and nodded. It killed him that he couldn’t say much about it, especially given the fact that she was a DOD employee that had been working there. She had a clearance. But the investigators would probably bring her up to speed soon enough if necessary. And hell. He’d already told her they suspected it was someone in the general’s office given the things that had happened. She’d be asked about her colleagues soon enough.

“Well, enough depressing thoughts for the night,” she said. “We’ll meet with your teammates tomorrow.”

“Yes. And you’ll be fine here, in case you’re worried.”

“I trust you,” she said. “Why don’t we watch that movie. I’ll probably fall asleep or something, but we could start one at least.”

“It’s fine. Sleep, relax, whatever you want. I’m just still in disbelief that you’re here in my apartment after all those nights of talking on the phone. The last thing I expected when I got home from my mission was for you to already be in San Diego. I was looking forward to just hearing your voice, but to see you in person?” He smiled gently at her. “That was a hell of a surprise.”

“It’s been a crazy couple of weeks,” she admitted. “I wasn’t planning to come early, but I guess it worked out in a strange sort of way.” She yawned, and Grayson chuckled as she pulled a blanket up and over herself.

“You’re cute all cuddled up like that,” he teased.

“Just what all women want to be—cute,” she scoffed.

“Hell, sweetheart. You’re beautiful—injuries and all. But I like having you here.” He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and Hailey willingly relaxed into him. His dick twitched at her closeness, but he ignored it. Hailey was here. Safe. He loved how right it felt just to hold her. She was safe in his arms, and there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do to keep her that way.

Chapter 13

Hailey thrashed around, tossing and turning, as she tried to escape the heat and flames. Something was twisted around her legs, and it was so damn hot, she knew she needed to get out before her entire room burned down. The building was still on fire, the heat overwhelming, and she was trapped.

She cried out, kicking harder, before suddenly waking up and opening her eyes in the darkness. She was panting, her heart racing, but she wasn’t in the middle of a fire.

The room was dark. Quiet. There were no flames or smoke.

She was lying in bed, not back in Bagram.

The bedroom door opened and Grayson came rushing in, flipping on the light as he moved toward her. She pushed the confining blankets off her sweaty body, struggling to sit up in bed as she shook.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“Yeah, I just—it was just a bad dream.”

He eased down onto the bed beside her, his feet still on the floor. “You’re burning up,” he murmured, lightly resting his hand on her forehead. “I thought your fever broke earlier.”

“I guess not. I’m burning up.” She pulled off the sweatshirt she’d worn to bed, so that she was in nothing but a camisole and sleep shorts. Grayson’s gaze briefly dropped to her chest, and her body instantly responded. She didn’t have a bra on to sleep, obviously, and he could probably see her nipples through the thin cotton.

He didn’t comment though, just stood and said he’d get her some medicine.

Hailey reached over to the nightstand and grabbed a few tissues, blowing her nose as she tried to calm down.

She was sweaty and gross, although she felt slightly better now that she’d taken off Grayson’s sweatshirt. The cool air washed over her overheated skin. Glancing around his bedroom, she realized she didn’t remember walking in here earlier. “Did I fall asleep on the sofa?” she asked as he came back into the room.

He nodded, handing her a water bottle and some Tylenol. “I carried