Code Name: Kayla's Fire (18 page)

“Anyway, I was looking for your input, but we made the decision
without you—figured you had other things on your mind.”

Thane reached for his phone and spun through the emails, stopping on
the one that said,
Nina’s got the job
.
“Good choice, the other two guys didn’t impress me very much.”

“Agreed,” Red said.

“Mind if I share the news?” Thane asked.

“Be my guest, and then we talk.”

“Yes, sir,” he said, and headed for the house, before Red changed his
mind.

* * * *

Kayla pulled herself out from underneath the sink, a wet cloth in hand,
hearing a familiar voice. A noisy entrance by Carrie Watson drew a lot of
attention, but until she stood to look for herself, Kayla couldn’t understand
why.

Carrie came in with three more girlfriends in tow, two ‘D’ cups and a
‘C’, all of it hanging out the tops of their blouses. Marg had told her it was
common practice for the wives to bring along sisters or friends to keep the
single SEALs company, but she hadn’t said she’d invited Miss Sweater-too-tight.

“Isn’t that the secretary?” Nina asked, taking the cloth from Kayla’s
hand and flopping it into the sink.

“Yup.”

“God, she’s really on the prowl, isn’t she? She better think twice
before shoving those in the Captain’s face.”

“She’s what?” Marg, Cobbs’ wife said, leaning against the counter. “I
didn’t invite her, Kayla, believe me. The gals who come aren’t sidelining at
the local strip joint.”

Kayla tried to burn the grin.

“Let me have a go at her,” Nina said, under her breath.

Nina was all for it and took a step in their direction, but Kayla
grabbed her arm. “Stand down, girl, Carrie can do what she wants and so can the
Captain.”

Nina’s mouth popped to say something, but Marg beat her to it. “Like
hell.”

They watched the women plopping premade dishes and paper bags filled
with junk food on Marg’s large island. The women talked too loud as they
shuffled their contributions into plastic bowls and paper plates. Carrie caught
sight of her and stopped, tilting her head and sizing her up as usual. Kayla
didn’t bother to paste on a fake smile. Carrie leaned over to her bleach bottle
friend and whispered something to her. The girl cranked a look over her
shoulder, and they both laughed.

“Wonder how many boxes of condoms they got in those bags?” Nina
wondered aloud.

Lydia, Captain Redding’s wife, approached with a graceful stride and a
dishtowel hung over her shoulder. “Kitchen looks in order.” She followed their
gaze. “Friends of yours, Marg?”

“Please—I don’t think so, but someone invited them,” She paused. “Or
hired them. I guess I should make nice, but I like Nina’s idea better. Think it
would prove more fruitful,” she drawled.

Nina nodded and grinned. “I like these friends of yours, Kayla.”

They all watched as Marg graciously introduced herself, and saw the
hesitation in Carrie’s eyes realizing this wasn’t a bang fest,
twenty-somethings “girls gone wild” party. Two of the friends standing behind
Marg pulled their lips together in a snide mewl behind her back.

“Oh, fuck, they’re dead,” Nina hissed.

Lydia’s eyes widened with that.

“She’s kidding,” Kayla said quickly, placing a hand against her
stomach. Nausea was not her best friend. Driving up she’d fought the need to
ask Thane to pull over at least five times.

A small glint slipped into Lydia’s eyes. “We take our husband’s jobs
very seriously. Our position as their wives loyally, but what we don’t take is
bullshit,” she said, emphasizing the word. A surprising comment, especially
from a woman who wore a set of pearls, a stylish summer dress, and a neat
Jackie Kennedy hairstyle. Lydia turned her beautiful aging eyes on Kayla. “As a
SEAL wife we are as strong as our husbands, maybe stronger of heart, and we
fight dirty, if necessary, when it comes to a threat. Like our husbands, we
don’t give up.” Lydia’s gaze darted to her hand pressed against her stomach and
she dropped it immediately.

“Hi, Captain,” a girly drawl sounded from somewhere across the
kitchen, followed by a few others.

“Ladies,” Thane answered. Dressed in a T-shirt wrapped against his square,
thick shoulders, he strode into the room. Rounded pecs filtered down to a waist
that’d make any girl dream about indecent things. He looked like he was on a
mission, his strong jaw set and his steely eyes locked on her.

Carrie stepped right into his path. “Captain, can I make you a drink?”

“No, thank you, Ms. Watson.” He put his beer down on the counter and
stepped around her, but she took one to match.

Rolling her head up at him with an obvious ‘see-my-D cups-close up’
look in her eyes, she said, “I’m good at,”—she paused, her eyes raking over his
chest—“whatever it is you like.”

Thane nodded slowly and his lips cocked into a one-sided grin. Placing
his hands on her shoulders, Carrie tried to melt against him, he gently, but
firmly pushed her aside. “I’d like you to get out of my way, so I can get to my
beautiful woman over there.”

Carrie’s expression morphed from temptress to shock. Guess she really
thought she had a shot, but Carrie wasn’t a quitter. Her head twisted on a
swivel watching his backside and popping her brows at her girlfriends.

Thane’s gaze stretched across the kitchen to hers and warmed.
Oh, crap!

Reaching them, he leaned over and kissed Lydia on the cheek. “Thane,”
she said sweetly giving him a pat on his.

“You look lovely as always.”

“What is that woman doing here?” Lydia didn’t mince words.

He shrugged. “Don’t know, don’t care.” He turned his attention on
Kayla. “I have a message I thought you might want to see, sweetheart.”

Marg joined them and she and Lydia shot a glance at each other. What
the hell was he doing calling her that in front of everyone? “Me?” She read the
text Thane held up for her to see on his phone, smiling broadly, she took it
from his fingers. “It’s actually for you,” she said, turning and letting Nina
see it.

“No way,” Nina squealed and hugged her. Spinning on the spot, she held
her hand out. “Thank you, sir.”

“You owe Captain Redding the thanks. We were a little busy last
night—remember? He and the rest of the board members selected you, but I was
impressed with your abilities as well. I believe you’ll make an excellent
addition to Base Command.”

“Oh sure, I get raked through the coals, but she just glides on in,”
Kayla said, throwing her arm out. She was teasing of course.

“I was wrong,” Thane said, lifting his oversized shoulders in a shrug.

“Wha…what was that again?” she said, coiling a hand to her ear and
squinting. “Did I just feel the earth wobble?” The women cleaning and prepping
around them tuned in on their exact frequency. She leaned closer. “You were what?”
not wanting to let the moment go.

A huge grin crawled across his face, and he tongued the front of his
teeth. “Hey, I admit when I’m wrong.” He leaned forward until they were almost
nose to nose. “Do you?” His voice lowered to a hot, low timbre that made her
shiver.

“No.” She gave him a quick pat on the cheek. His lips split into a
wolf grin, and before she could backup, he snared her in his arms.
Oh, shit!
His mouth covered hers, long,
hard, and he moaned, for God’s sake. A flush spread through her from toes to
fingertips. He’d just exposed them to the entire room full of women. “What are
you doing?” she breathed against his cheek.

“No more walking in the shadows, Kayla.”

Nina, Marg and Lydia sprouted enormous grins.

“Besides, I heard more than a few of my SEALs making mention you’re
here. You’re mine, and I’d hate to fracture their jaws, but I’d damn well do
it.”

The look in his eyes practically melted her underwear. Ignoring him,
okay trying to ignore him, she turned to Nina. “Are you sure you want the job,
Nina? With everything going on, I wouldn’t blame you for retreating.”

“Of course I do. I’m in, I’m in,” Nina said doing a little jig.

Kayla laughed when she saw the Captain’s expression. “She always does
that when she’s happy.”

“Good to know.” The Captain turned her, keeping her tight to his side,
his hand stilling for a second on her stomach. “Can I steal her for a while?”
he asked Lydia and Marg, but kept his attention on her.

Lydia practically beamed. “Of course.” Placing a hand on both of them she
said, “You two should take a walk, a long one. Dinner won’t be ready for
another two hours.” She looked up at Thane. “Time passes quickly, don’t waste a
second of it.”

He chuckled. “Don’t plan to.”

Sweeping the back of her hand across her forehead, she said, “I think
I could use the air. Unless it’s hotter out there.”

Thane didn’t answer until they were abreast of Carrie and her friends.
“It’s always hot when you’re around, sweetheart.”

Chapter Sixteen

Holding her hand, Thane led them down a trail carpeted with needles
and hubs of weeds weaving through the forest. She was content to follow and
enjoy the scenery. The late February afternoon seemed lazy in its passing, with
the sounds of birds and a warm wind filtering through the trees. They met couples
coming from the other direction. The men nodded, and added a “Captain, Snow
White.”

She only knew one or two of them, but obviously, they knew her. Thane
offered a polite hello and acknowledged their wives. They bumped into
Lieutenant Law and his wife.

“Alina, nice to see you,” Thane greeted.

“Captain.” She leaned forward, and he gave her a peck on the cheek. “This
must be Snow White,” she said with a friendly smile. Her blonde hair framed a
sweet, young-looking face, but she had to be in her mid-thirties, and she was
very pregnant.

“How does everyone know who I am?” she asked, unable to stop from
staring at Alina’s belly.

“You’re quite the subject actually, among a lot of the SEAL wives.”
Alina grinned up at Thane.

“Why is that?” Kayla asked.

Alina blushed slightly and she gave a small shrug. “We get together
often and chat. You should join us sometime.”

“Gossip, you mean,” Law said, twisting a grin at Thane.

“Are you going to have children, Kayla…I mean—” Alina’s forehead
wrinkled and her cheeks tinged.

Thane chuckled, and slid his arm around her shoulders. He wasn’t even
trying to hold back the shit-eating grin on his face. “It’s a possibility, I
suppose,” she said.

Thane nodded. “Definitely a possibility.”

Law looked over at Thane, and they were mirror images of each other,
both looking extremely happy with themselves. Whoever said a woman glowed when
she was pregnant forgot to mention the caveman ego aura that flared around the
fathers.

“I’m taking Kayla down to the lake. We’ll see you later,” Thane said,
his hand falling to the hollow in her back.

When they weren’t more than two paces away, she gave him a swat on his
ass.

“Close one, hey, sweetheart?” Weaving their way through the trees, he
said, “Sounds like you’re the topic of a few conversations.”

“Me! More like you,” placing her hand on his back as he took the lead,
the trail narrowing tightly. Thane held the branches back for her before
releasing them.

“There might be a lottery.”

“Seriously?”

He turned and looked down at her, a warm smile in his eyes. “Nope.”

“I bet there is. Wonder if it’s too late for me to get in on it?” she
grumbled.

“Kiss me.”

“Nope.”

“Ya think you’re going to play hard to get for the rest of our lives?”
Thane let go of a branch and it swung back draping over them. Thane’s kiss was
harsh but loving, and it made everything inside her tremble. He threaded his
fingers through her hair, and a small growl escaped his throat. “I can’t stop
thinking about her, Kayla.” His palm rested against her stomach. “Our little
girl’s right there.”

“Thane, don’t—get too attached.” She didn’t know how else to put it,
but he needed to take a step back. She stepped away from him, but not far
enough that she couldn’t press her hand to his heart. “Thane, I know Manchester
or Fox told you about my childhood.”

Thane’s mouth cracked open for extra air, and nodded his assent, but
he also looked away from her.

“My uncle didn’t just…use me. He shared me. The only reason I’m
telling you this is because it’s unlikely that I can keep the baby. Some of them,
most of them, were pretty boozed up or high, and they didn’t just rape me, they
used things…”

“Aw, God” he groaned. “Kayla, stop—I can’t—” He snatched her into his
arms, and squeezed the life out of her, a silent appeal that he couldn’t listen
anymore. She let him come to terms with it. “She’s going to make it,” he
whispered to her. “I’ll admit, I’m a little scared, but only because I don’t
want to screw up.”

“That’s not possible.” Thane would be a wonderful father if he had the
chance.

“This might sound strange, but I am honored that you are the mother of
my child. That you’ve let me in your life.”

“We should have used pro—” His finger rose to her lips.

He swayed his head. “I had some in my wallet,” he said gazing at her,
“but unless you asked…ah man, I’m not very good at this communicating stuff.
What I’m trying to say is I’ve never
not
used protection. I wanted…I’d decided.” Looking unnerved, and that just didn’t
happen with Thane, he took a big swallow of air before saying, “Is that
selfish? To want what everyone else has, and to have it with you?”

“No, it isn’t.”

“I know it’s our child, but I also know it’s your body.” He brushed a
wave of hair over her shoulder. “It’s important to me that you know I can
already feel her little hand in mine as she takes her first shaky steps. I want
to cuddle you and her against me until you both fall asleep in my arms.” He
shook his head. “It’s the craziest fucking thing. I’m probably going to suck at
being a father, but I need both of you.” He gently palmed her jaw. “Come on.”

 
Breaking from the trail, she
paused, looking out over the lake and the trees close by, hungry to get their
roots to the water. “It’s very beautiful here.” On the other side, a group of
young people splashed around, the girls shrieking and the boys laughing.
“Remind you of anyone?” she asked.

“Yuh, our daughter’s being home schooled, and she isn’t leaving the
house until she reaches twenty-one, deal?”

“Seriously?”

“I am serious. If she’s going to look like her mother, we’ll have a
lineup at our front door.” He drew her behind him, and they wandered down the
path following the shore. Once they’d found a secluded area among a crowding of
trees, Thane reached for her hands, and pulled them to his chest. “Kayla, I
thought about what you said last night. You’re right. I guess you’re thinking
with your head not your heart like me.”

“I know you’re thinking with your heart, but you shouldn’t. Your team
needs you more than me.”

“That’s debatable.” He cast a concerned gaze across her features.
“You’ve never been worried before, why now?”

Could she rally enough courage to tell him? She was scared to death
something would go wrong. They’d been very lucky in the past. No one had been
seriously injured since she’d come. “I’ve always worried about you.”

Thane swallowed heavily. “You never showed it.”

“I understand what being a SEAL means to you…” she faltered, seeing a
fetching smile lighten his features.

“It used to, but I have a more important mission, one that needs my
absolute attention.” He surprised her by kneeling down and kissing her stomach.
Grazing a gentle hand across her hip, he said, “Your mom and I love you, and I
can’t wait to hold you in my arms.”

She gawked. The hard-assed warrior with piercing eyes was nowhere to
be found. “Nina asked me yesterday whether or not I’ve fallen in love with
you.” Thane’s attention shot up to hers. She twisted a sprig of grass, wrapping
it tightly around her index finger, concentrating on it instead of him. Thane
unraveled it, and restrung it around her ring finger, then twined their hands
together.

“And?” he said quietly.

“You keep your mind on your work, and do what you have to do to come
home,” she said in a rush of words. Thane’s massive, but tender strength
wrapped around her. She released the resistance she wore like a cape, and
rested her head against his chest.

“I know you love me in your own very guarded way, Kayla. You’re
probably the only woman I know who doesn’t want to share her feelings.”

That shocked her. “I—” She did show her feelings, at least she thought
she did.

“No, you don’t,” he said. “You never have. You’re as resolute as you
are beautiful, but I also understand why.”

Aw, dammit. The tears sprouted in her eyes again, and she tried to
turn away, but he wouldn’t let her.

“Tell me once,” his voice hushed. His brow buckled, and he held her
tighter. “Break the curse.”

She swallowed deeply, and her stupid chin began to tremble, feeling a
horrible tearing inside her. If she said it, something terrible was going to
happen. She knew it as well as she knew the sky was blue.

“I’m a patient man.”

“No, you’re not,” she argued weakly.

He chuckled. “You are such a hard-ass.”

“I am not. I’m all weepy and stupid, and your daughter is
responsible.”

“
Our
daughter, Kayla—and
when we made her, we loved each other.”

Doh, she couldn’t fight with him when he was like this. Three moves,
and he had her cornered. “Yes, I love you. How the hell could I not fall in
love with you? This is all your fault. Don’t you dare die on me.”

Passion always stood ready to deploy between them, and when she said
those words, Thane went crazy on her. Clothing flew, and in seconds they were
naked and coiled in each other’s arms. His sharp blue gaze penetrated her, as
he gently seated himself deep inside her, rocking his hips. Always aware of his
size compared to her, he kept his muscled strength from crushing her. His
fingers brushed a tendril of hair from her cheek. “Even like this I’m not close
enough.”

He drew her nipple into his mouth, flicking his tongue against the
tender tip. She thrust her hips to drive him deeper, squeezing his thickness
inside. Thane’s hands followed the curve at her waist and around her backside,
holding her captive, swaying with a slow seductive rhythm. He filled her,
stretched her, took command of her, every time he made love to her.

“No man has a right to feel this good or be this happy,” he whispered
against her ear.

“You do,” she said, finally losing herself to emotion. His hand drew
delicious circles around her sex, sending her pulse soaring, her heart hanging
on to the meteor-like tail it left behind. Her deepest fears percolated to the
surface. “You’re going to be taken from me.”

“No. Kayla, open your eyes. See me.” He stopped the sweet movement of
his hips, buried to the hilt inside her.

The intensity of his thoughts radiated on his rugged features. The man
and the warrior had merged into someone she’d never seen before.

Searching her eyes, his deep timbre rumbled through her, “There isn’t
a moment more perfect than now. When we’re apart, remember it. Hold on to it,
and I’ll be home soon.” His long, slow, deep thrust seared a mark inside her.

Thane’s sensual power obliterated everything in its path. “I’ll
remember.” She watched him explode in an orgasm that gripped her hard, and
pushed her into a blinding kind of forever—with him.

* * * *

The bonfire licked high into the night as everyone gathered round,
folding chairs and blankets held cuddling couples. The conversations mingled
with the crackle of flames and snapped with bursts of laughter. Thane leaned
against one of the logs surrounding the fire, and Kayla sat between his legs.
He rested his hand gently against her stomach to let his daughter know he was
there.

Barry and Gord had arrived an hour ago, and Barry found Nina before
finding a beer. Mace wasn’t far away and kept darting looks in Nina’s
direction. The other members of the squad and their families were sprinkled
among the gathering.

A shout went up and heads turned. The SEAL named Dickerson, whose band
often played at Breakers, came strolling into the circle, a guitar clutched in
his hands. Everyone shimmied to make room.

“Hey, Snow White,” he called over. “What d’ya say?”

She nodded and scrambled to her feet. “I’m not going it alone, and she
stretched her hand out. Nina jumped over a few bodies and wrapped an arm around
her waist. “Well?”

“How about
Perfect
, by
Pink,” Nina said, with a huge smile.

Thane leaned back, content. A warm syrupy feeling had taken over
inside him, hearing Kayla admit she loved him. He’d turned into a big sap.
Nervous energy coalesced in his gut, the mission... Kayla had instinctively
known it was dangerous. Damn dangerous, starting with a HALO jump.
High Altitude Low Opening,
and it would
get tougher from there. This one was going to take longer, and draw on every
skill the men had, including his own. Coming home to Kayla would drive him
hard, and in turn, he’d drive the men harder. He was going to make it home to
his girls, no matter God’s plan.

Kayla began singing a cappella. Dickerson began strumming the guitar with
the third line, but what blew everyone’s doors off was when Nina joined her,
and both women sounded like an entire musical chorus. It was incredible. They
finished with a powerful ending, and his heart shuddered in resonance with
them.

Nina worked her way back through the crowd, and nestled down beside
Mace. Barry looked annoyed, but Mace wore a cocksure grin. Sealing the deal, he
palmed Nina’s cheeks, and berthed his lips against hers like a ship alongside a
dock, snug and tight.