Code Name: Kayla's Fire (27 page)

“I’m not going back.” Kayla made a little noise in her throat. “Not
until our son is born.”

Cobbs’ eyes flew open. “Son? It’s a boy?”

He nodded and then held his beer in the air, and Pat met him there
with his own.

“Figures, I get daughters and you get sons.”

“He only gets one,” Kayla said with emphasis.

Thane cleared his throat. “I’m going to make some lunch.”

“I’m in,” Pat said, but he kept his eyes on Kayla. “Want to join me
outside?”

“No.”

“Get your ass out there, Ms. Banks, we’re going to talk lieutenant to
lieutenant,” Pat said sternly. He reached a hand to help her up and she took
it. “See ya in a bit, old man.”

He couldn’t imagine what Pat wanted to say. Eavesdropping was a
thought, but for now, lunch. He was starving and bloody proud of himself.
Another step, this time a big one. There was no way she could ignore what just
happened between them. Together they were hotter than Hades. He just needed to
remind her of that. Leaning over the counter, he saw Pat and Kayla sit down on
the patio, and he whistled to himself as he turned for the fridge.

* * * *

“I don’t need a lecture. I’ve already received one from Thane. I’m
sorry I didn’t ask if I could stay here. I just needed time to plan.”

“I’m not pissed that you’re here. I’m pissed that you ran away. That’s
not you,” Cobbs said, pulling out a chair and motioning for her to sit in it.
“You will never win this battle if you think you’re going to keep Thane away
from you. Whether you know it or not, he’s plotting now, and he intends to win.
Heartbreak is not good for the baby. Neither is any emotional trauma and you’ve
got enough on your plate.

“He’s the one who won’t leave.”

“Why would he? I’m sure Thane explained to you what happened on the
mission.”

She nodded.

“What he didn’t tell you is that I was in the mansion, because he
didn’t know I was there. I heard him talking to her. In between assuring Zara
they were going to get out alive, and what his plans were, he talked about you.
He told her this was his last mission, because you needed him and he needed
you. Zara didn’t want to hear a word of it. She had a bad case of rescuer’s infatuation.
It’s natural in extreme situations to confuse emotions of gratitude for
something else. We’ve all been in that position before. Thane’s been on enough
missions through the years to deal with the psychology of it.”

“There was no confusion, Lieutenant. I saw what was in her eyes.”

“Yeah, but have you looked in Thane’s? Can’t you see what’s there? You’re
using this as an excuse. Kayla,” he leaned forward. “I’ve known Thane for a
long time. We’re closer than brothers. He would have never done what he did
unless it was the very last option. If he says he imagined you when he had to
do what he was
forced
to do, then I
believe him. Thane doesn’t lie, he never has. No matter how hard or what the
consequences are, he always tells the truth.”

“I know that,” she said quietly.

“Then why are you sitting eight feet apart? Before the mission, you
two didn’t leave the bedroom upstairs the entire time. You love him, and he
loves you. Is there anything else that really matters?”

Kayla watched a bee hover over the table checking for something sweet.
Cobbs brushed it away. “Yes, there is. I’m not enough,” she said quietly. “Zara
is regal, important, beautiful. She’s the type of woman who should stand beside
Thane.”

“Really?” Cobbs said, a grin pushing onto his lips. “It’s hard to
swallow certain things in life. You never really forget them, but you can’t let
them conquer you either. I’m betting that Thane never told you about Marg and
him.”

Kayla felt her eyes widen. “What?”

“Yeah, he met her first. We were eighteen. We’d just finished BUD/S
and were out partying our brains out. Marg was at the same club. Thane and Marg
left and spent the night together.”

Her mouth gaped.

“The next night, we ended up at the club again, because we were being
sent for our qualification training in a couple days. I saw Marg and Marg saw
Thane, and realized we were swim buddies. Thing was, I fell in love with her at
first sight. If ya don’t think I dwelled on the fact that he’d had her first
for a helluva long time, you’d be wrong. If you don’t think I wondered whether
they still wanted each other, you’d be wrong again. Thane didn’t want to settle
down, but I could see Marg was attracted to him.”

“Thane is a man I respect, and would do anything for. I drove myself
crazy, knowing he’d made love to her, even though it was before we met. I
couldn’t get the thought out of my head that maybe, just maybe, she wanted him
instead of me. Since Thane wasn’t the kind of guy to stick with one woman, I
was sloppy seconds.”

“Marg wouldn’t give in, and she had good reason to. Her family hated
my guts, because I was a sailor. I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth
like she was. She looks as soft as silk, but she’s tough as gator skin. She
wouldn’t let me ruin our future or my relationship with Thane. We moved on. I
had to have faith it was me she wanted.” Cobbs nodded. “No matter what, where
or when the details are, you have to look at the roots to see where the truth
grows. Thane never looked at another woman after he saw you. He had
opportunities Kayla, plenty.”

Her heart squeezed tight.

“He was loyal to you and your future together—even before he knew you
were his. In hindsight, it is kind of ironic. His mind had already settled on
you. The times he was offered no strings attached sex came from some real
beauties. They were the type of women he used to take to bed without a second
thought, but he didn’t slip once.” Tapping the edge of his beer bottle on the
table, he gave her a crooked smile. “If Thane said he had no other options,
than I believe him, and so should you.”

She swiveled in her chair and watched Thane as he worked in the
kitchen, putting together their lunch. Tears surfaced as she glanced back at
Cobbs. “But I’m…”

“Kayla, you are beautiful, inside and out, and Thane loves you just
the way you are.”

“Why? I’m so messed up. You know that, why doesn’t he?”

“It killed all of us to watch you come unleashed at Thane’s. You hide
your PTSD well, but while the rest of us feared there was too much damage,
Thane refused to believe it. No matter what road you travel down, Kayla, he’s
going to be right there beside you. You’re his one and only, just like Marg is
mine.”

Before she realized it, she was standing in front of Thane, her heart
hammering with fear. Thane glanced at her, and his expression morphed to
confusion, then doubt. “Kayla?”

She opened her mouth, but the words wouldn’t come out, yet the tears
sure did. Pregnancy was hell on a woman’s emotions.

“What’s wrong?” He took a careful step toward her. “Kayla, talk to
me.”

“Why me?” she squeaked. “Zara is….” All her insecurities unlocked at
one time, and they stampeded from the corral inside of her.

Thane looked over her head toward the patio, and then back at her.
“Because my heart chose you. I will always choose you, Kayla. You’re my
Achilles heel, the only woman who could cleave my armor in two and get inside
me. I’ll take all the bad with the good, and any second I can have with you.
It’s been that way since we met. It will be that way until one of us is gone.”

She wasn’t finished being angry as her emotions shot through her like
a fireworks display. “You hurt me,” she yelled. Thane leaned over, and kissed
her lips gently, remaining calm as she spun with anger.

“I know.” His gaze washed across hers nervously.

It wasn’t good enough, and she balled her fist, and whacked him as
hard as she could in his chest.

His chin dropped and his eyes squinted. “Sweetie, you’re not…,” his
teeth came together with an uncomfortable smile and arched brows. “You’re not
big enough to beat the crap out of me.” She hauled back, and he grabbed her by
the wrist. “You’re just going to hurt yourself.” With one finger he traced her
cheek, caressed her jaw, ending at her chin. “I can’t undo it, but I can
promise you, the only woman who will ever touch me again is you. You’re the
best decision I ever made.” A grin tightened his cheeks. “And Zara is a bitch.”
Thane’s eyes roved across hers. “Break our agreement.”

“I…” How could she do that? “That would mean….”

“That you have to admit you love me. That one day we’ll stand on our
porch and wave goodbye to our son, and hopefully daughter, as they make their
way in life. We’ll retire and travel, and do all the wonderful boring things a
couple whose made it through all the tough times and good times together does.
Our children will always have a home with a mom and dad who love them, and if
God cuts us a break, we’ll get to play with our grandchildren.” He tipped her
chin up to look in her eyes. “That’s the agreement I want.”

He sounded so sure, spinning a future for them, seeing it in his mind,
and showing her the threads of a life woven together with both of them. “Oh,
God,” she breathed as he lifted her in his arms. “What are you doing?”

“He can make his own damn lunch.”

Thane stepped around the massive island, and crossed the living room
with great strides, up the stairs, and into her bedroom. “Sweetheart, I need
you. I need us.”

Her baby-crazy pheromones flared as he slid his shirt from his golden
skin, his muscles flexing across his shoulders and down sculpted arms. Within
seconds, he’d undressed her and was laying her down. When she tried to pull the
sheet in front of her, he stopped her hand, his eyes slowly heating her skin as
he took her in. Thane hovered over her, and kissed her stomach, stroking her
roundness. God, she had a bulbous bow. Her brows flexed together with concern.
Her son was going to be just like his father—big.

“I don’t know what he said, but I love you, and I love my friend, and
my son. I don’t need anything else in this world, and I will never ask for
anything else ever again.” Thane’s hand rounded her belly, and slipped
sensually to her hips, following her curves. “You make me feel strong.” Thane
closed his eyes when his fingers touched the wetness between her thighs. “I
have never wanted you more than I do now, and considering what just happened at
the lake, I thought that was impossible.”

Following the angles of his strength, his body ruptured in small
quakes as she explored.

“I’m yours, Kayla, and you will always be mine.” Gently kissing her
thighs open, he made them one, and kept them there—crying out, falling again
and again as he stroked her carefully. Her mind spun as his lips sucked on her
swollen breasts. “You are so beautiful, so amazing.”

The depth of Thane’s words dove deep inside her, his gaze never
parting from hers. “Mine,” she breathed, wrapping her arms around his neck, and
pulling him down on top her. She wanted to feel him, all of him, but he
cautiously slid them to their sides.

“I’ve missed you, Kayla,” he whispered before bringing them to the
edge, and catapulting over it with her in his arms.

* * * *

Kayla slept soundly, but all he could do was stare up at the cedar
boards strung across the ceiling. He wanted to stay with her, but he knew he
should go downstairs and talk with Pat. Careful not to disturb her, he pulled
on his jeans and made his way to the living room. A note sat on the table.

Mission complete, returning to base. Keep in
touch this time, asshole.

Your friend always, P.

He saw the sandwich he’d made was gone—all but the crusts—Pat hated
them. He pulled out his phone.

“I didn’t mean today,” Pat answered when he picked up.

“I don’t know what you said, but I will be forever grateful.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Are you going to tell me?”

“Nope. Classified.”

He laughed. “Roger that.”

“I’ll give ya a week, and then I’m bringing Marg up, so you better prepare
Kayla, because she’s gonna get an earful.”

“She can’t tell a soul. The Shark’s still out there.”

“I know. We’re still working with Manchester. We’re going to find him,
so you both can come home.”

“Thanks for letting us stay here. We needed this, but if it wasn’t for
you, I was going to tie her up and drag her to the closest church to make her
believe me.”

“What’s mine is yours, buddy. All except one thing, and you know what
that is. I might be a bit selfish in all this, but I can finally rest easy.”

“You’re kidding me, Pat. Come on. I’d never do that, besides Marg
loves you past reason.”

“Maybe, but it doesn’t change the past. Keep that in mind with Kayla.
It doesn’t disappear, we just deal with it.”

“I hear ya, loud and clear.”

“Take care Frogman. I’ll see you in a week.”

He checked the house and locked the doors and windows, then slipped
back into bed before Kayla woke. A second chance, he thought resting a hand on
his son. They still had rough water ahead. The Shark had to be brought down,
then the rest of life would be a cakewalk. Cake!
Holy shit, her birthday.
How the heck could he make it special all
the way out here? He leaped from the bed.
Think
fast, SEAL
.