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“Anyway, we’re already running behind schedule. I hoped to make it back to base by tonight.”
“Uh-huh.”
He paused. “What’s that mean?”
“Alexia?” he drawled.
He pictured Guns with thatteasing glint in his eyes that belied the stoic expression he was known for. He expected that the entire team was talking about him. If it had been one of his buddies, Tripp would do the same. Being alone with a woman for days, let alone an attractive one, was cause for ribbing.
When he returned to base, the guys wouldn’t let up for weeks. Thing was, he didn’t want the guys to think of Alexia that way at all. She was honorable and amazing and…
Fuck. He’d caught feelings for her.
Whatever Guns said into his ear was lost because he was too busy staring at Alexia across the icy pavement.
She looked straight at him and finished the conversation with the officer, who climbed into his patrol car. Then she started toward Tripp.
“Gotta go. Tell Rafe I’ll be in touch.”
“Bye, asshole.”
“Dickhead.” He was grinning when he pocketed his phone and crossed the road to meet Alexia at the Humvee.
He searched her face for signs of distress. If he saw so much as a crease between her eyebrows, he would go back and give that cop an attitude adjustment.
But she smiled at him, and he felt his chest expand with a full breath he hadn’t been able to take in what felt like hours.
“God, that took longer than I thought it would,” she said.
“It usually does.”
“You’ve seen stuff like this?”
“A time or two.”
He scanned the roadway. Broken glass had been swept off to the side but glinted in the watery sunlight.
Fuck. This could have been really bad. That could have beenhimspinning out and Alexia could have died. Seeing that look of terror on the mother’s face brought it all home and hit hard.
Losing Alexia wasn’t something he wanted to think about—ever. She was too amazing. Too damn driven, smart…and perfect.
She took a step closer. She’d donned her coat again after covering the baby in it. As long as he lived, he’d never forget the sight of her wrapping up that baby.
Reaching out, he caught her fingers and folded his around them. A long moment stretched between them while they simply stared at each other.
With a glance at the time on his phone, he said, “Would you look at that? It’s almost two. I think it’s best to stop at the next hotel.”
“Definitely! You never know when you’ll come across another one.”
“Exactly. We don’t want to be spending another night in the Humvee.”
Her eyes widened with a look of innocence. “I don’t think we should take any chances.”
When he flashed a grin, she tipped her forehead against his chest and stifled a giggle.
His gut gripped with need even as his chest warmed with emotion. He tugged her hand. “Let’s go before I lose control and hang your panties off the rearview mirror again.”
The sight of her biting into her bottom lip had him groaning and his jeans getting a little too snug.
