Page 41 of Loved by a SEAL

“I’m scared,” she cried, clutching onto him. “I just don’t understand how this could happen. Patrick said they were all well-trained. He said it would be okay!”

“Sweetheart, please don’t cry.”

She took a shuddering breath and pulled away, looking up at him with teary eyes. “You should go find Rebecca.”

“I can’t leave you here like this—”

“I’m fine. I’ll be fine,” she said, wiping her tears away.

“Sarah,” he said, hesitating. His eyes swept over the room, taking in her makeshift bed on the sofa. She’d tossed her clothes onto the armchair earlier, so her bra and panties were on display, too. Lovely.

“Look, you already said you came here looking for Rebecca. She deserves to hear it from you in person. Don’t worry about me.”

“I am worried about you,” he said in a low voice.

“Well, you don’t need to be,” she insisted, fighting back more tears. “Either you go find her or I’m calling her right now. And she shouldn’t hear about this over the phone.”

“All right,” he said in a low voice. “I’ll tell her. Go back to bed. I’ll let you know when I find out more information.”

“What? No.”

“No?”

“How do you expect me to sleep after hearing about something like this?” Her tears began to fall again, and he suddenly bent down and lifted her into his arms.

She gasped as he held her to his broad chest, pulling her cardigan tighter around herself as strong arms held her close.

“Jesus, woman,” he grumbled, carrying her toward the sofa. “Don’t you ever wear actual clothes?”

“It’s the middle of the night,” she said in disbelief. “What are you doing?”

“Putting you back to bed,” he said, placing her down amongst the pillows she’d piled on the sofa and tucking a blanket around her. His hands brushed against her ribcage as he tucked her in, and she resisted the urge to shudder as she looked up at him in confusion. “I’m not leaving you standing there crying in the hallway. And so help me God, Sweetheart, the next time I carry you to bed, it’ll be mine.”

She gasped as he turned to go, his large frame walking to the front door in a few long strides.

“What?” she whispered.

“Call me if you need anything. I’ll find Rebecca and fill her in.”

“I don’t have your phone number.”

“I’ll text it to you.”

“You don’t have mine—”

He leveled her with a gaze. “I have it.” Before she could think of a response or even begin the long list of questions she had for him, he turned and shut the door behind him.

***

Ryan cursed as he climbed into his SUV, pulling his phone from his pocket. He thumbed through his contact list and texted Sarah so she’d have his number. Jesus Christ. What the hell had gotten into him? The next time he took her to bed, it would be his? He needed to get his damn head on straight.

He backed down the driveway, grumbling to himself. His eyes swept the road, and sure enough, there was Sarah’s mini cruiser parked down the street.

As if he didn’t have enough on his mind with the rescue op gone FUBAR and Patrick injured, seeing Sarah standing there crying in the hallway had nearly slayed him. He wanted to hold her to him, assure her that everything would be okay. Breathe in her sweet scent and kiss away her tears. But he needed to tell Patrick’s girlfriend he’d been injured. Needed to return to base and get updates on the hostage they’d rescued from the insurgent’s camp. He had an entire team of men waiting for word on what happened next. He had people at the Pentagon expecting updates and answers.

He’d be tied up for hours handling the next steps of this mission.

So why the hell did his gut drop at the look of fear in Sarah’s eyes?

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