Page 20 of Rescuing Mary

“I just thought—” Ruth began, but Truck cut her off.

“That’s the problem. You clearly didn’t think. You’re not hard on the eyes, but it’s damn presumptuous of you to think any man you want will choose you over the woman he’s already with. Let me make it clear. I don’t want you. I want Mary. I’m with Mary, and I’ll always be with Mary.”

“Uh…okay…sorry…my mistake.” Ruth looked behind her desperately. “I gotta go. Be sure to see your personal physician if you get headaches or feel dizzy or anything.” And with that, she turned on her heel and headed for one of the ambulances.

“Fuck,” Truck said, closing his eyes, frustration easy to see on his face. “You were right here. I can’t believe she did that. I mean, it’s more than obvious I’m crazy about you. Stupid bitch.”

Mary smiled up at Truck. She wasn’t thrilled that the other woman had hit on him, but she’d be dead if she wasn’t happy with the way he’d immediately rebuffed her. “Are you okay?” she asked softly, raising a hand and trying to wipe off the blood on the side of his head she hadn’t really noticed before the paramedic had brought it to her attention.

Truck took her hand in his and brought it to his mouth. He kissed her palm and nodded. “I’m fine.”

“He always did have a hard head,” Trigger quipped.

“Damn straight,” Truck retorted.

Mary nodded and turned to the other Delta Force team. “If it’s okay with you guys, I think I’m gonna have Truck take me home now. It was nice meeting you. Take care of my husband this weekend, yeah?”

They were all smiling at her now, as if she were a comedian on a stage rather than someone who was trying to regain her dignity.

“Of course we will,” Doc said. “It’s what we do.”

After a last round of “Nice to meet yous,” Truck took Mary’s hand and led her away.

“God, shoot me now,” Mary muttered.

Truck wrapped an arm around her neck and pulled her into his side. She threw one of her arms around his waist to keep her balance and leaned against him. “You’re amazing,” Truck told her as they walked toward his car.

He opened the passenger door for her and got her settled then walked around the front to the other side. After he closed his door and started the engine, Truck turned to Mary. “Wait until I tell the guys that you told Trigger to look after me like I was a wayward child.”

“You’d better not,” Mary warned, as threateningly as she could.

“Or what?”

“I don’t know. But I’ll think of something,” she said, trying hard to think of a suitable threat, but coming up blank.

Truck reached out and snagged her behind the neck and brought her into his personal space. “I can’t wait,” Truck said against her lips, before pulling her the rest of the way into his arms and kissing her senseless.

When Mary was breathing hard and trying to remember they were in a public parking lot, Truck finally let her go. It made her feel better that he was breathing just as hard as she was.

“Thank you for coming for me,” Mary said softly.

“I’ll always come for you,” Truck returned.

“I’m sorry I’ve been a pain in the ass,” she continued. “I’m not sorry I married you, and I want to make this marriage work.” The words were some of the hardest she’d ever said, but the way Truck’s eyes lit up made them all worth it.

“You have no idea what that means to me,” he told her before kissing her on the forehead then settling back into his seat. “Unfortunately, I have to get back to post. There’s nothing I’d like more than to stay home with you, but I can’t. We’re in the middle of planning the op and we’re running out of time before we have to leave.”

“I understand.”

“But hear this, Mary. When I get back, I’m going to do everything in my power to show you how much you mean to me. That includes in our bedroom. You okay with that?”

“Yeah, Truck. I’m definitely okay with that,” Mary told him, even if she wasn’t one hundred percent okay with him seeing her naked yet.

They drove home in a comfortable silence, fingers intertwined. Mary was scared out of her mind that she’d somehow screw things up, but for the first time in her life, she felt as if she was making the right decision.

Truck loved her. That somehow made things easier. He’d be more forgiving if she made some mistakes in their relationship. Hell, he’d already been more forgiving than he should’ve been. She knew that.

Truck knew about her double mastectomy. He knew she was standoffish with most people. Knew she used snark as a shield. She had no idea how he’d fallen in love with her in the first place, but was extremely thankful he had. He’d done all the hard work in their relationship and had made all the first moves.