SEAL's RESOLVE - Rebecca Deel Page 0,42
Jackson asked.
“Asleep. I’ll check on her in a few minutes. I don’t want to be gone long in case she needs anything.”
Eli studied him. “Have something to share with the class, Torres?”
He frowned. Did he have a neon sign on his forehead? “My business, not yours.”
“If you’re emotionally compromised, we need to know.”
“Doesn’t matter if I am or not. Neither you nor anyone else is tossing me off her protection detail.”
“No one said a word about replacing you,” Jon said. “If she’s more than an assignment to you, assigning someone for backup protects you and Kristi.”
Rafe glared at his teammate, then sighed. “Yeah, okay. I’m involved with Kristi. Happy now?”
“That was quick,” Jackson muttered. “Did you smooth-talk her into dating while you ran for your lives on that mountainside?”
He knew how it looked. His jaw clenched. Too bad. Life wasn’t guaranteed. He wasn’t passing up a chance to know Kristi better.
Whether this relationship deepened beyond explosive chemistry and into love was anyone’s guess. Rafe wanted a chance to see where this went. “She was Callie’s friend. I’ve known her for a few years.” Truthfully, Rafe knew her through Callie. Perhaps that explained why he felt comfortable with her. Even thinking in terms of a relationship after the past three years of mourning Callie felt strange but right.
“Your judgment is compromised,” Jackson accused.
“Like Cal’s judgment was compromised with Rachelle, or Eli’s with Brenna and Jon’s with Dana? They handled the distraction. Do you think I’m incapable of staying focused when the situation demands it?”
His friend’s cheeks reddened. Along with anger, though, pain and hurt roiled in the depths of his eyes. What caused those emotions in the medic?
“Rafe, if you reach a point where you can’t focus, I need to know.” Eli folded his arms across his chest.
He gritted his teeth, hating that his teammates questioned his judgment. Rafe understood, but he didn’t like it. “Yes, sir.” He vowed to make sure that particular talk with his team leader wasn’t necessary.
“Now that you’ve joined us, we need to work out a plan for tomorrow. When do you want to leave for Bakerhill?”
“Earlier is better. I’d rather arrive in Bakerhill under cover of night.”
“She can sleep on the way to her home,” Jon said. He turned to Eli. “Rafe’s right. Darkness is safer for her and for us.”
“I agree.” Wolf Pack’s leader checked his watch. “You didn’t sleep last night, Rafe. Will four hours be enough to recharge?”
He scowled. Seriously? He’d operated for days at a time without sleep on missions. Just because a beautiful woman had captured his interest didn’t mean he couldn’t function as an operative while short on sleep. “As long as I have coffee, I’ll be good to go.”
“I’ll make sure it’s ready for you,” Rio said, amusement twinkling in his eyes.
With a nod of thanks, Rafe turned back to Eli. “Kristi’s luggage and vehicle are at the Sandoval.”
“Jackson, you and Cal ride together and stop by the hotel. Rafe, we’ll need Kristi to call the Sandoval and alert security that Cal and Jackson are coming. We don’t want trouble with hotel security or the local cops.”
He snorted. “They weren’t much good when she was kidnapped. Security won’t be able to stop Cal and Jackson.”
“While that’s true, we don’t want the local cops brought in. The less they suspect you and Durango were involved with the trouble on Hart Mountain, the better. Could get complicated if they haul you in for questioning.”
Rafe could justify every action he’d taken on the mountain as protecting his principal. However, if he was arrested or questioned, he wouldn’t be at Kristi’s side, leaving her vulnerable. That was unacceptable. “Understood.”
Eli inclined his head toward the stairs. “Sleep while you can. The rest of us will split the watch.” He grinned. “You’re on duty tomorrow night.”
“Yes, sir.” Rafe pushed away from the table and headed for the stairs. The voices of his teammates discussing possible avenues of investigation followed him to the third floor. His first stop was Kristi’s room. She hadn’t moved since he left her.
He breathed easier. Hopefully, she would stay asleep until he had to wake her after midnight. Rafe went to his own room across the hall. After washing his face and brushing his teeth, he opened the door again, removed his tactical boots, and stretched out on the bed. He fell asleep between one breath and the next.
His internal alarm woke him at 1:30. After a two-minute shower, he dressed in the standard Fortress uniform of black t-shirt and