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He wasn’t in the mood to talk, but that didn’t stop Coop. “We’ll make a sniper out of you yet, bro.”
Travis had just raised his cup but set it down when his hands started to shake. All eyes were on him, and he rubbed his palms on his thighs, hoping no one had noticed his reaction. His heart had dropped into his stomach when he’d heard Jordan scream, the echo ping-ponging off the rimrocks at his back. At least a thousand yards away, he’d brought up the scoped sniper rifle, searched the rock face, and saw nothing.
The Blackhawk had dropped over the rim an instant later. He’d waved them toward the cave, giving a hand signal they’d used in his SEAL unit to indicatetargets ahead. They were flying blind with no idea where he and Jordan had sheltered overnight, but somehow the helo had been fifty feet away when Jordan charged out of the dark cavern.
Thirty seconds later, someone appeared behind her. Travis had dropped to his stomach, preparing to take the shot, but Jordan stood directly between him and his target.
She’d stepped off the ledge and slid until she managed to grab something solid enough to stop her descent and scramble to her feet. Kyle had stood behind her with his weapon drawn. There’d been no question whether the asshole would shoot her. Frustration and fear threatened to overwhelm him as Kyle raised his gun to aim at Jordan. From his angle, Travis’s shot would have to pass close over her head, and he couldn’t take the risk.
Suddenly, Jordan hit the deck, and Travis squeezed the trigger.
On the way to the hospital, he'd learned Coop had signaled her to go down, and she’d obeyed without hesitation. His best friend had saved Jordan’s life again.
He clasped Coop’s arm. “Thanks for what you did, man. All of you.” He swept his gaze around the table. That was all he could get out, already on the edge of losing his shit. Thankfully, his buddies were intuitive enough to give him a few minutes of quiet to collect himself.
“So, what’s the plan, bro? Are you getting the girl, or what?” Coop finally broke the silence, which led to good-natured questions from the others.
“How do you always manage to find a gorgeous woman, even in the middle of nowhere?” Blake shook his head.
“Is this one a keeper?” MacGyver delivered his question with a healthy dose of skepticism, which Travis totally deserved.
Luke was more serious. “Since you obviously like her, what are you doing about it?”
Travis groaned. There was nothing he enjoyed more than a personal talk with these clowns.Not!But he needed to have a similar conversation with Jordan sooner rather than later, so why not run it by his friends? They’d only rib him about it for the rest of his life.
“Okay, you jackasses, but the first one of you with a smartass comment is going down.” To his surprise, no one said a word. He sighed and fidgeted with his coffee mug. “I like her, okay? Maybe I’m in love. Hell, I don’t know. It’s been many years since I felt something for a woman, and it wasn’t anything like this.” His friends snickered until he frowned.
“How does she feel?” Luke, always the voice of reason, cut to the heart of things.
“There’s definitely chemistry, but we haven’t had a chance to talk.” Travis wasn’t about to tell these asshats what had happened in the cave. “There’s a ton of shit that’s gone down. Hell, I punched her and kidnapped her. She’s got every reason to slam the door on my ass. Is it possible for a woman to forgive something like that?”
“You saved her life. That should count for something,” Blake said.
“It might take her a while to process everything that’s happened,” MacGyver added.
“Take as long as you need to figure this out. MacGyver’s right—her past few days have been rough.” Luke stretched back in his chair.
“I think you’re all underestimating the lady,” Coop said. “She’s a fighter, stubborn to the bone, and braver than many guys I know.” He bumped shoulders with Travis. “Did I tell you she snuck out of FBI headquarters to warn you that Halstead had set a trap at the ranch? Roberts wasn’t moving fast enough for her, and she wasn’t going to sit by and wait for you to die. She’s kind and caring and has a soft spot for you...and Jake, of course.” Coop laughed. “All I’m saying is I think she’s more than capable of forgiving you for being an ass.”
Everyone laughed, including Travis. Then he stood and dropped a few bucks for the person who bussed the tables. “I don’t want to miss the doc after he sees Jordan. I’ll text you when they release her.”
The doctor turned out to be a woman. Dr. Jolene Griffith entered the waiting room a few seconds after Travis returned. She smiled when he stood and strode toward her. “You must be Travis Monroe?”
He nodded. “How’s Jordan?”
“In addition to moderate dehydration, she has a mild concussion, a hyperextended wrist, and numerous lacerations and contusions. We’re giving her intravenous fluids now, and her lethargy and disorientation should improve quickly. Those are the physical manifestations, but she’s also suffered mental trauma and may need treatment for PTSD going forward. She’s anxious to go home, but I think it best that she is not alone tonight under the circumstances. Do you know if she has someone who can keep an eye on her for the next twenty-four hours?”
“Yeah, of course. I’ll stay with her.”
“Okay. As long as Jordan agrees, I’ll release her after the IV finishes. I’ll check back in a few minutes. You can go in and wait with her if you’d like. She’s been asking for you.”
“Thanks, Dr. Griffith.” Travis wanted to hug the doctor but refrained. Her parting words had done more to unclench his gut than anything since he’d heard Jordan scream.She asked for me.That had to be good, right?
Travis sent a quick text to update Coop and then went to find Jordan. The door of her room was cracked open, and when he tapped lightly and pushed it inward, a smile brightened her face. An IV needle taped to her left hand was connected to a bag of saline hanging at the corner of the bed, and her right wrist sported a brace.
“You’re still here. I was afraid maybe you’d left without saying goodbye.” Jordan reached out her hand, realized it was the one attached to the IV, and returned it to the bed beside her.
Travis touched her arm as he bent and brushed a kiss on her lips. “No way in hell I’m leaving. The doctor said you could go home in a few minutes if someone stays with you, so it looks like you’re stuck with me for a while longer.”Don’t argue. Don’t argue.
