Page 37 of SEAL's Tempest
“No, thanks. I’ve got it.”
Josh was up ahead with Doc. He looked over his shoulder at her and frowned. Doc hadn’t had time to check her out, but she was okay. As Quinn said, it was just another day at the office. Maybe she didn’t have these kind of days as often as their team, but she’d had more than her share over the last five years.
Ry and Whiskey took point but weren’t too far ahead when Ry held up his fist to stop. Machine gun fire echoed on the street, but Tempest couldn’t see where it was coming from.
Ry and Whiskey turned back toward them. “There’s a skirmish around the corner with at least twenty tangos.”
Quinn consulted his map. “Okay, we’ll head one klick east then, follow that road to the edge of town.”
Ry nodded and took off with Whiskey as the rest of them followed close behind. The gun fire faded as they moved farther away. but the shelling continued. Plumes of smoke rose in the air all around them.
Tempest wondered if the conflict would ever end. If it did what, would be left for the survivors? Neither side showed any mercy. Did they even know why they were fighting?
It took almost fifteen minutes before they cleared Zdolnihiv. Finally, the EXFIL point in sight. Then she heard the whoosh of the chopper blades as their helo approached. For the first time in hours, Tempest breathed easier.
The trip to the air base in Poland would take about an hour. Once they were airborne, Doc had Josh turn around so he could address the wounds on his back. It was the first time Tempest had a chance to see the damage, and she cringed..
Tempest watched as Doc stitched up the wounds and then bandaged Josh’s back. After he finished with Josh, he came to sit next to her.
“Time to check you out,” Doc said.
He moved a pen light back and forth in front of her eyes, and she winced. Her ears were still ringing, and her head pounded, but she didn’t feel like she was under water any longer.
“You’ve probably got a concussion. Not much I can do for that now. But if the pain gets worse, let me know right away.” He waited for her nod. “Now let me take a look at that shoulder. I saw the way you favor it when you climbed up here.”
Tempest sighed. “I’m fine, really. Nothing a little rest won’t fix.”
“I don’t think so. Lean forward.” Doc wasn’t going to take no for an answer.
She could feel Josh’s eyes on her, so she twisted in her seat to give Doc access. If they could get back from this mission without anyone knowing they’d slept together in that room, she’d be eternally grateful. The last thing she wanted to do was push Josh to say something if he thought she wasn’t cooperating.
As Doc examined her, Tempest tried to keep still. But when he pressed on her shoulder blade and then moved down to her ribs, she winced.
“Looks like you and Josh are twins.”
“What are you talking about?” Tempest asked.
“You’ve both have bruised ribs, though they might be fractured. You’ll need X-rays to know for sure. Either way, you’ll both be side-lined for about six weeks while they heal. Though it may take longer to pass your evals.”
“Six weeks?” Tempest sighed. “Prakeiktas.At least I’ll still be able to work. If I had to stay home for that whole time, I’d lose my mind.”
Doc laughed. “I’m sure you’ll just be tied to a desk.”
They reached Poland and then boarded the C-130 back to JEB. Once they got settled, it didn’t take long for Josh to fall asleep. Tempest wanted to sit with him, but she couldn’t bring herself to move. She’d only disturb him, and he needed to rest.
The rest of the team followed him into slumber not long after that. Tempest envied their ability to fall asleep anywhere. Even though she was exhausted, the horror of the last twelve hours kept replaying in her mind and kept her awake.
Never in a million years would she ever admit it to anyone, but when they’d been stuck in the lab, she’d been terrified. Each new explosion had made it harder for her to keep it from showing. When Josh had kissed her, she’d forgotten everything else.
No man had ever had that effect on her. No man’s kisses had ever curled her toes. She didn’t even want to think about the sex.Šventoji Dievo motina.He’d rocked her world. Even now, just thinking about how it felt made heat pool between her legs.
Even with all of that, she’d wanted to push him away. Then he’d pushedherout of the way as the ceiling had fallen, knocking him to the ground. He’d saved her. Like he’d promised he would. Seeing him on the floor under the wrenched at her heart, tearing open the walls she’d so painstakingly built.
She’d been so grateful he was alive. Nothing else had mattered. Sure, he’d said he would protect her, but he truly cared. She hadn’t believed it until that moment.
But even as the warmth rushed through her, the floodgates opened on her memories. Once again she was a ten-year-old standing in the street and looking down at her mother’s bloodied and broken body. Screaming for her as he dad picked her up and carried her away. Watching her mother’s body get smaller as her father ran with her in his arms. She’d hated him that day and for years after that. She’d never told him.
It wasn’t until years later that she realized she’d held it against him. She understood he couldn’t have done anything else—her beloved mama was gone. He’d done what he was necessary to save her and Grace. For that she was more than grateful.
