Hunter's Heart (17 page)

“Tell you what, since this is your first time, I’ll give you twenty minutes,” he said, going out the door. “Have fun.”

He got busy and called Celia. She was working from home and answered right away with, “I miss you.”

“You look good.”

“So do you,” she said and gave him an air kiss. “Hold the phone at arm’s length. I want to see as much of you as I can while we talk.”

“Babe, do me a favor and go into the bedroom.”

“I’m here.” She moved the cell around so he could see.

“Take your top off.”

She blinked several times then licked her lips and smiled. “Tell me what else you want.”

Twenty minutes later Hunter stared at the dark screen. He’d wanted to say he loved her but thought it was better to be with her the first time he did. He’d almost said it Sunday. But he’d copped out and whispered the words when she was asleep. He also didn’t want it to seem like he was making up for what happened in the storm and her telling him about her father.

It was definitely time. She’d meet the team family Sunday. The following weekend he’d take her to meet his family in DC. Then he’d ask her to move in together at his place. Her job was the tricky part. They’d have to work on that. Nothing was insurmountable.

Bambi poked his head in. “You
talk
?”

“Yeah.” He tossed the phone on the table.

“Bro, what’s up? You don’t sound so happy.” Bambi put the ice bucket down then dropped onto the sofa.

“I…eh.” He looked at his friend. “Never felt this way before.”

“Son of a bitch.” A wide grin spread across Bambi’s face. “The big man has fallen,” he said with dramatic emphasis on each word. “Question is, how hard?”

“All the way. Picking up a ring Saturday.”

“For real?”

“Yeah. Gonna ask her Sunday after the get together.”

Bambi knuckled his eyes and sniffled. “My brother’s getting married.”

Hunter flung the other flip flop. This time nailing him in the chest. Bambi tackled him to the floor and pinched his nose. “Congrats man. Happy for ya. Wait till everyone else hears.”

Their Coastie brothers did not like being skunked the first night. Second night both teams were discovered before they reached their targets. Next night he and Bambi made it back but Kirk and Andy were caught on their way out. They made a run for it and with SEAL ingenuity managed to slip by the guys on the surface. Their last day in Florida was spent brainstorming with the Coasties, talking evasion and detection tactics. Both sides learning a few things.

She hadn’t expected to miss Hunter so much it hurt. There were a lot of things she hadn’t expected—most of all, trusting him. Unfamiliar feelings, thoughts, swirled like a storm in her brain, making it difficult to focus. She called the head doc. What a life when you had to pay someone to help you sort out your feelings. The first available appointment was three weeks out and she took it.

Hunter was due back sometime in the early hours of Saturday morning and he asked her to meet him at his place. She agreed, mostly because his place was closer to base and that meant she’d be with him sooner.

It was weird being surrounded by his things and he wasn’t there. He hadn’t give her an arrive time, so when he didn’t show by midnight she stripped and curled up in bed to watch a movie.

She woke with his unique masculine scent filling her nostrils and soft “smooches” on her shoulder. Hunter introduced her to that word. She loved it because it so fit what he did. She didn’t open her eyes but took a slow deep breath in anticipation. The sheets rasped softly. The bed moved. There was a brief rush of cool air, replaced immediately with the heat from his body.

“I missed you,” he said in a gravelly voice between hungry open-mouthed kisses, giving her goose flesh.

“I missed
you
,” she said, running her hands over the curve of his shoulder, down the indentation of his spine to his ass. “And I’m horny.”

“I know the feeling.” His kisses grew more demanding, leaving a burning trail from her mouth, down to her breasts.

“I got in my truck and caught your scent.” His hand cupped a breast. “So much blood left my brain going south I had trouble remembering how to get home.” He squeezed the captured breast then sucked.

“You’re torturing me.” She groaned as she arched against him, frantically attempting to get as much of her body in contact with his. “I need you in me.”

He stopped torturing her.

In the morning they made love again, then showered together—where one thing led to another and ended with her pinned against the shower wall, both of them panting.

“Can we stay like this forever?” she gasped. “I like…being wrapped around you…like this and…you in me.”

“Every man’s dream.” He kissed where her neck met her shoulder. “Believe me, if there was a way, one of us guys would have found it.”

“Then just for today?” She wiggled her hips and gave him a wicked smile. “Right here.”

“I have to go take care of some gear.”

“No.” She tightened her grip.

He laughed, slipped out and leaned back to regard her. “Stop with the sad face. It’s only for two or three hours. Tops.”

“Okay. But, I’ll keep the sad face.” Her legs slid down his sides.

Chapter 11

You could never let me down.

Sunday, they left town then drove past developments into a semi-rural area. Large homes on large lots eventually gave way to pastures with horses and cows grazing on grass lush from spring rains. The houses here were older with stone exteriors and many had barns.

“I can’t get over this being forty-five minutes from my house.” She buzzed down the window and put out a hand to ride the wind.

Hunter turned up a dirt driveway lined with cars. The cab filled with the sweet smell of fresh cut grass.

“There’s a place to park,” she said as he passed an open space.

“Don’t worry. They saved a place for me.”

“Why?” The truck bumped up onto a large expanse of concrete and he drove right up to an open garage filled with bicycles, motor bikes, ATVs and water-craft things on trailers.

He turned off the ignition and country music replaced the engine sound.

“Because of you,” he said.

“Me?” Her head whipped around to face him.

“You’re the only one who hasn’t been here. They want to make a good impression.”

She narrowed her eyes. “I doubt that.”

“Honest to God, truth.” He swiveled to look at her. “Don’t be nervous.”

She wasn’t until he said that.

“Remember what I told you about the teasing.”

“The more they tease the more they like me.” This made no sense to her. She released the seatbelt and leaned across the console, putting a hand on his cheek. “I’ll be good,” she said softly. It struck her he was the nervous one. This was important to
him.
“I won’t let you down.” Saying that made her slightly uneasy.

He put a hand to the back of her neck, pulled them together and kissed her nose. “You could never let me down.” He was going for her lips when the passenger door opened. She turned to find a long-haired, bearded man with piercing blue eyes grinning and giving her a good look see.

“Cuz, what took you so long?” he asked, without taking his gaze from her. “We were ready to send a SAR after you. That’s a Search and Rescue, ma’am.”

“Yes, I know what a SAR is,” she said.

“I see my man here has been giving you an education in military terms,” he said.

Hunter obviously hadn’t told them about her job.

“Welcome to the party. I’m Bambi, your official greeter today.” He offered his hand.

She turned in the seat and took the offered hand. “Nice to meet you,
Bambi
. I’m Celia.” His hand was like Hunter’s, tough skin, warm, with a strong grip.

“Oh, man.” His free hand went to his chest over his heart. “No wonder you kept her away. Afraid of competition.”

Away? Competition?

“Can it, Bro. She knows everyone here is taken,” Hunter said, exiting the truck. He opened the door behind him where the coolers were.

“May I help you de-truck, ma’am?” Bambi said.

“Certainly.” She offered a hand that he totally ignored. Instead, his hands circled her waist lifting her from the seat then gently putting her down. She hadn’t expected that.

“Get your hands off my woman and get over here and help me,” Hunter called.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Bambi released her. “I’m really glad you came,” he said with a wink then went to help Hunter.

“What can I carry?” she asked, following Bambi.

“We got it. Stay there,” Hunter said.

“Okay.” She watched as he and Bambi spoke in low tones. “Are you talking about me?” she asked the third time they glanced her direction.

“Yeah.” Hunter waved and gave her an impossibly big grin. “We’re coming.”

Hunter and Bambi carried the coolers holding the pasta salad they’d made that morning and the strawberry and rhubarb pies she’d ordered from a bakery.

They walked through the open garage into a neatly manicured, humongous backyard. Fifty feet behind the house on a slight rise, stood a large shelter house. A roof with support poles on a concrete pad. At the far end of the pad, four beat-up sofas were positioned around a stone fireplace. As they drew closer, she saw twinkle lights crisscrossing the entire ceiling with an occasional odd chandelier and ceiling fan interspersed. Spread out over the concrete was an eclectic collection of wood tables and chairs. In the middle, two old fridges stood back to back surrounded with long tables covered with food. Men, women, and what seemed like hundreds of children, were everywhere. Already overwhelmed, she kept as close to Hunter as possible.

“Glad to see ya, big brother.” A man built like Hunter but about six inches shorter came to them with arms spread. “We thought you weren’t going to show,” he said, keeping his gaze on her.

“Haven’t missed one of these yet,” Hunter said.

“Ya been gone a few days.” He clapped Hunter on the shoulder. “Bambi and I thought maybe you’d want to spend it
alone
with this beautiful lady.”

His voice dripped with sexual innuendo and Celia felt heat creeping up her neck. She also felt Hunter tense then relax. He looked at her and smiled, ignoring the man’s remark.

“Celia, meet Pete Bartholomew. This is his place. Hobbit, meet Celia.”

“Do you want me to call you Pete, or Hobbit?”

“Pete,” one of two women coming their way, said. “I’ve got a sex fantasy going on this week using Hobbit. So it’s all mine.” The woman gave
Pete
a peck on the cheek. He laughed and wrapped an arm around her slender waist.

“Celia, this is Sienna, the lady who was crazy enough to marry me and have my children.” The woman was a stunner, model beautiful, and a good five inches taller than her husband.

“Hi,” the second woman said, “I’m Di, Senior’s wife.”

Di immediately gave Celia a hug. “Glad to have you here.”

Celia was taken aback. The woman had hugged her without even knowing her.

Di turned to Hunter and opened the cooler he held. “What is it? Does it need to be refrigerated?”

“Pasta salad. Probably should be put in the fridge,” he said.

“Your mom’s recipe?” Sienna asked Hunter.

“Yeah,” he said, an odd tone in his voice.

“Then no need to put it in the fridge.” Di took the cooler. “It’ll be gone soon.” She hustled off with Bambi close behind.

“Let’s go up and get everyone on deck to meet you,” Pete said.

Hunter took Celia’s hand and they followed their hosts to the shelter. Pete rang a bell that was attached to a support pole until a large group of people stood on the grass in front of them. Hunter emitted a shrill whistle and the group fell quiet. “Everybody, this is Celia.” Then he started on their names.

“That’s LT and his wife Sarah. Next to them, Pops and his wife Trudy. That baby-faced dude is Andy and his lady, Bliss. Senior and Di. Next is Doc and his wife Barbara. Kirk and Page, Bug and Jenny. You already met Bambi and next to him is his lady, Amanda. Red and Natalie. Hawkeye and Kate, and little Hawkeye. Kate, by the way, is thirteen months pregnant.” There was laughter all around. Celia knew that was impossible but the woman really looked it. She was frighteningly huge.

“You get all that?” Hunter squeezed her hand.

“Yes.” She was silently grateful for her good memory. “What about the children?”

“Honey,” Sienna came to her. “There are too many. Their parents can hardly remember their names.”

The adults milled around, chatting for a few minutes before the little people demanded the men play with them.

“Come on Hunter.” A boy pulled his hand, attempting to lead him away. “We need you for our team.”

“You okay if I go and play?” Hunter asked.

She had to laugh. “Yes. Go play with your little friends.”

He kissed her cheek then let the boy lead him away. As he walked, a girl with dark, curly hair took Hunter’s other hand, skipping beside him. Bug ran and scooped up a giggling child. Her mind overlaid the scene with another picture. One in which these men were in battle, firing weapons, killing. Impossible to reconcile the two.