Page 17 of SEAL's Sunshine
“I’m so surprised.”
“I told you that you were amazing,” Chrissy said as she poured another cup of coffee.
“You guys weren’t kidding when you said you drank a lot of coffee,” Miranda commented as she watched Chrissy set up another pot to brew.
“Nope. We’re hardcore.” Meghan giggled. “Maybe we should come up with a team name and get tattoos. We can be the Coffee Crew or something?”
“I’m up for it. I might have to be drunk first though.”
“You’re not allowed to be drunk when you get one.”
“Says who?”
“The rules.”
“And when have I followed them, or you for that matter. Hell, Beyotch, you went to Afghanistan to rescue your brother from the Taliban on your own. If that’s not breaking the rules then I don’t know what is.”
Miranda had to agree with Chrissy’s assessment, but she wasn’t too thrilled with the idea of a tattoo. Maybe the idea would grow on her like a butterfly emerging from a cocoon. She was coming into her real self.
“I’m going to grab my phone to see if Cam sent me a text. When I get back I’m going to make us something to eat before we float away on the coffee express.” Their laughter followed her down the hallway to her room.
There were several messages on her phone and not just from Cam. Her mother had called five times, texted three times, and sent email. She loved her, but dang it, she needed to start letting go. She’d always been over-protective but now it was crazy, and she felt stifled. It’s the main reason she’d been trying to figure out what she wanted.
Choosing to read Cam’s text messages first, she clicked on the first one.
Cam: We are almost back to the states. Can’t wait to see you.
Reading his words helped ease the worry that had been causing her stomach to do flip-flops. Not that she hadn’t believed Meghan, but she couldn’t help herself. She’d never felt about anyone the way she did with Cam.
Cam: We landed. Have to get clear then heading to Meghan’s.
Miranda: Can’t wait to see you. ??
Not expecting him to answer, she’d clicked on the first of her mom’s text messages. But then his message popped up.
Cam: It won’t be long now.
Miranda: Yay.
Before she had a chance to do anything else, she heard the apartment door open and Meghan’s squeal as she yelled Rafe’s name. Her mother’s messages ignored, she dropped the phone on the bed and ran out of the room.
Chapter 6
“Remember, nothing about her father.”
“Fuck you, Rafe. I’m a SEAL, not your little brother. I know not to say anything.”
“Just a sanity check, okay.”
“Got it. Now leave it alone. Or I’ll have Halo take a bite out of your happy ass and we’ll see how Meghan likes that.”
Rafe laughed. Halo wouldn’t bite him no matter what Cam said, but Rafe didn’t know that for sure. He hid his smile as he watched Rafe glance in the rearview to check on Halo.
The last couple of miles dragged until his Sunshine answered his text messages. Rafe told him they’d had a girl’s night and would most likely have drunk a lot. It explained why she hadn’t answered his earlier texts right away.
Not being able to see her more often was hard, and then the deployment complicated matters even further. Somehow she’d wormed her way into his heart. At first, it was all about keeping her calm, getting her out of that cave without hurting her further. But her toughness had impressed him. No whining as they’d expected, and she’d earned their respect.
The more time he spent with her the more he wanted to spend. She was like a breath of fresh air in his life. A special operator saw the worst in the world, and she was his sunshine. But would she want to deal with the life he led?
