Marine's Mission - Rebecca Deel Page 0,38
at 6:00 tomorrow morning.”
“No problem.”
“Owen, if anything happens overnight, I expect to hear about immediately.”
“Of course.” He bussed Emma’s cheek with a light kiss. “Take him home, Em. If he gives you trouble, rat him out to one of my brothers.”
Two minutes later, David, Emma, and Caleb drove away from the B & B. Owen locked the door and turned to Gigi. “You ready to turn in for the night or do you need to prepare for tomorrow?”
“I planned to bake scones, but I’m not up to it.”
“I have an easier option.”
“What do you have in mind?”
“You usually have pre-made biscuits, eggs, and cheese slices on hand, right?”
She nodded.
“I’ll help you make breakfast sandwiches in the morning. Sound good?”
“That sounds great. Thank you, Owen.”
“If I help with the biscuits, will you feed me before I return to Nashville?” Jackson asked.
“Of course.” Gigi smiled at the medic. “If you don’t mind sleeping on my couch, you can take a nap before you leave.”
“Deal. Run along, kids. I’ll keep an eye on things tonight.”
Gigi pulled out her coffee supplies and started a fresh pot. “When you run out of coffee, feel free to make another pot, Jackson. I also have bottled water in the refrigerator along with iced tea. If you get hungry, you’re welcome to anything you find.”
“Thanks, Gigi.”
Owen held out his hand to her. “Jackson, if anything happens, come get me.”
“Yep.” The medic waved them on.
Inside Gigi’s apartment, Owen pushed the door almost closed. “Get ready for bed, baby,” he murmured.
Her cheeks flushed. “I thought you might want to go first. You’re faster than I am.”
“All right.” He grabbed his bag. “I’ll only be a couple of minutes.” Owen brushed his mouth over hers and closed himself in the bathroom. After making quick work of his shower and brushing his teeth, he returned to the sitting room.
Gigi’s gaze swept over him, taking in his attire. “You’re in work clothes.”
“In case of a problem.” Owen cupped her chin and kissed her. “What time do we start breakfast in the morning?”
“Five o’clock. One of my guests is leaving around 6:00.”
Owen wanted more kisses, but didn’t dare initiate them. His self-control was thin at the moment. He nudged Gigi toward the bedroom. “Leave your door open in case I need to reach you quickly.”
“Good night, Owen.”
He remained motionless until she was in the bathroom. He needed to contact Brent Maddox and request backup to rescue Toni. Owen grabbed his phone and called the Fortress CEO.
“Maddox.”
“This is Owen Montgomery. Hope I’m not calling too late, sir.”
“I have a few minutes before my daughter will want her bedtime story. What do you need?”
“Backup.”
“Explain.”
Owen told him everything that happened since his return from PSI. “When we locate Toni, I’ll need a team to help me free her and her boyfriend. All but two deputies left today for vacation, so my brothers can’t go.”
“You’ll have backup, even if I have to activate a team in a training cycle.”
He relaxed. “Thank you, sir. Jackson Conner is staying overnight for night watch. He said Wolf Pack would be willing to serve as backup.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. How’s Gigi?”
Owen’s gaze shifted to the closed bathroom door. “Sore and battling headaches, but not complaining. Jackson ferreted out the information about the headaches from her.” That still irked him. Owen should have seen the signs himself.
“I’m not surprised. Jackson’s a great medic. I understand you and Gigi are a couple now.”
His grip tightened around the phone, uneasiness coiling in his gut. “Yes, sir. Is that a problem?” If it was, Owen would part ways with Fortress. He’d been an idiot to wait so long to date Gigi. Walking away from her now wasn’t an option.
“Of course not. I want my operatives happy. If their home life is stable, they’re more productive on the job. How does Gigi feel about your Fortress work?”
He stilled. “I haven’t broached the subject with her yet, but she knew our arrangement when she agreed to date me. I don’t think it’s a problem.”
“Is she important to you?”
“She’s everything,” he said simply.
“Ah, like that, is it?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Does she know?”
“I don’t want to spook Gigi before convincing her to keep me.”
Maddox chuckled. “I felt the same about Rowan.” A pause, then, “I have to go. Alexa is ready for her story. Keep me updated on your progress. In the meantime, I’ll look into which teams might be available to help you. One of the jets will be fueled up and ready when you pinpoint Toni and Ellis’s location.”