SEAL's RESOLVE - Rebecca Deel Page 0,39
the doorway Darcy had walked through as though positioning himself to protect her, too.
Had more kidnappers had found her already? Her stomach knotted. Kristi didn’t want to endanger Darcy. Maybe she should insist that Rafe and the others take her home tonight.
But Rafe hadn’t slept at all overnight. Every time she woke in the hospital, he was alert at her bedside. She suspected that he’d insist on driving to Bakerhill to watch for trouble and take evasive action if necessary.
“It’s Rio. I’m coming in soft.” Seconds later, Rio walked in with two large bags filled with takeout containers. He set the bags on the kitchen counter. “Delaney’s special for everyone except Darcy. Plastic utensils along with napkins are in the bags, too.” He looked around. “Where’s Darcy?”
“She’s getting clothes for me,” Kristi said, then turned to Rafe. “I need my bags from the Sandoval as well as my SUV.”
“We’ll take care of it. How to do that safely will be part of our discussion after dinner.”
“I’ll check on Darcy,” Rio said. “The takeout box marked with a D is hers. The rest of the boxes contain the special of the day.”
Except for Rafe, Wolf Pack surged toward the bags on the counter. When Kristi started to rise, Rafe held her in place with a hand to her shoulder. “I’ll get yours. What do you want to drink?”
She handed him her empty glass. “Iced herbal tea.”
He kissed the top of her head and headed to the counter. When he returned with a takeout container and utensils for her, Darcy and Rio walked into the kitchen, holding hands.
Kristi smiled. That’s the kind of relationship she wanted, a true partnership with a man she adored. Her gaze shifted to Rafe. Would he be that kind of partner?
She cautioned herself to slow down. Their relationship was so new they hadn’t been on one date. Unless, of course, she counted running for their lives through a disgusting dank cave and racing down a mountainside with stone-cold killers hunting her.
How he’d handled the kidnappers and the way he treated her proved Rafe Torres was a man of honor, one any woman would be proud to call her own. Butterflies took flight in her stomach. Rafe gave her the right to call him hers.
“This is my favorite meal at Delaney’s,” Cal said to Rio.
Kristi tore her gaze from her dark-haired operative and eyed the meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and green beans in the takeout container. The food looked and smelled wonderful. Rafe set a glass of iced green tea on the table for her. “Thanks.”
He trailed a hand over her hair and returned for his own meal as Rio seated Darcy across the table from Kristi.
“I’ll bring your dinner,” Rio murmured. “Sit and relax.”
“You don’t have to do that, sweetheart. I had a good day.”
“I like to spoil you. Let me.” He winked. “You can return the favor later.”
When Darcy’s cheeks flushed a pretty pink and her eyes sparkled with unspoken secrets, Kristi felt as though she watched a private moment between the husband and wife, and longed for a similar strong relationship of her own.
She turned her attention to the takeout container and dug into her meal. Kristi sighed. Oh, man. The meatloaf was fabulous. “Now I know why this is your favorite meal, Cal. I can’t remember when I’ve tasted better.” And she’d eaten plenty of five-star meals in her lifetime. None of them compared to this simple, comforting meal.
“The cook at Delaney’s is a genius. The meatloaf recipe was passed down from his grandmother, and he won’t share the recipe.”
“He won’t even tell me the secret,” Darcy said. “Believe me, I’ve tried to bribe him with one of my recipes. He’s not cooperating.”
“Would Nate have better luck?” Jackson asked. “His cooking is legendary around Otter Creek. Some of his recipes might tempt Ralph to share.”
“I don’t think so.” She smiled. “Pitting Nate’s determination against Ralph’s stubbornness would be fun to watch, though.”
“Don’t alienate Ralph,” Cal said. “He might refuse to serve meatloaf to PSI and Fortress operatives. That would be a tragedy. I wouldn’t survive my next rotation at PSI without Ralph’s meatloaf.”
Rio snorted. “Nate’s one of the best interrogator’s in the business. If he can’t get the information, no one can.”
Cal turned to Jon, one eyebrow raised.
“No way. I’m not getting into the middle of this battle of wills.” He forked up a bite of meatloaf. “I’ll just enjoy the food. Besides, some things are better off left alone. Wouldn’t want to upset the