“And that’s good?” It sounded horrifying to Sierra.
Darci nodded. “Yeah, it could have been a lot worse.”
Sierra wasn’t sure what to do. Ask to see him? Go find someplace to sit and wait?
Darci hooked a thumb behind her. “You want to come in and sit with me?”
“Can I? Is that allowed?”
“Sure.” Darci nodded.
Roger hooked a thumb toward the hallway. “I’m going to find the cafeteria and see how bad the coffee looks. Can I get you ladies something?”
Sierra shook her head. The way she felt, anything she drank might come back up. “No thanks.”
Darci held up the can of soda in her hand. “I’m good. Thank you.”
“All right. I’ll be back.” Roger left them.
Darci moved toward a row of curtained partitions, glancing at Sierra as they walked. “He might be sleeping. The painkillers keep him pretty groggy.”
“You sure it’s okay I’m here?” Sierra felt so out of place. Darci was Rick’s sister. She could sit bedside vigil, but Sierra wasn’t a relative.
And when Rick woke up, what would he think seeing Sierra there? She was a client. She was a fling. She wasn’t a friend . . . but she could be.
Hell, she wanted to be. A friend. And more.
Why the hell hadn’t she realized that before this? She’d been so focused on getting back to work, and on regaining her freedom from stalkers and guards, she hadn’t thought about how things had changed between her and Rick. How his absence would leave a hole in her life, even if they had only been together for a short time.
Darci touched her arm. “Sure, it’s okay. The guys have been in and out all day. Brody and Chris are still here. I’m just warning you not to expect too much from Rick. He’s asleep one minute and then awake and bitching that he wants out of the hospital the next.”
That sounded about right. On the verge of tears, overwhelmed with guilt and worry, Sierra still had to laugh.
He was alive and felt good enough to complain. That was such good news, he could bitch all he wanted to and she wouldn’t say a word about it.
CHAPTER 23
“I don’t know, bro. You’re seeing a helluva lotta action for an old retired guy.” Brody’s comment to Chris had Rick letting out a short laugh, which he regretted immediately as pain shot through him.
Chris rolled his eyes. “Two shoot-outs in a month is not a lot.”
“Hell, yeah it is. I daresay, with the guys you took out on the yacht in Florida last month, you might have more kills under your belt while retired than you did when you were active duty.” Brody grinned, obviously enjoying teasing his older brother.
Chris scowled. “Eh, shut up. You know that’s not true. And I would have had that guy today if he wasn’t out of range.”
Brody tipped his head in concession to the point. “True. I guess you better start carrying your sniper rifle around town, not just your Kimber and Glock. Never know when there’s gonna be a shooter speeding away in a car while you’re on foot.”
“Fuck. If I’d been in the truck instead of on the sidewalk trying to stop Rick from bleeding out I’d have gotten him, even if I’d had to run him off the road to do it.”
“It’s okay. The cops got him.” Rick had to thank God for that, otherwise Sierra would still be in danger.
Brody let out a snort. “They damn well better have. It was the cops who arrested the wrong guy in the first place.”
“Now, we can’t blame our locals. Those were the assholes in Florida who did that,” Chris reminded them.
“Hey, guys. We have a visitor.” Darci walking around the partition’s curtain had Rick looking her way.
He’d expected one of the guys. Thom and Grant had promised to come back this evening. Who he didn’t expect to see was Sierra.
In spite of his shock, Rick managed to say, “Hey.”
“Hi. You’re awake. How do you feel?”
“Fine. That’s why I don’t know why they won’t let me go home.” He raised his voice in hopes a doctor with some authority would hear.
Of course, talking louder hurt like hell but it was worth it. He wasn’t pushing that morphine button again. It would only knock him out and he wanted to be awake. Especially now that Sierra was here.
“Rick, you were shot in the chest. I think you need to stay here as long as the doctors say you should.” Sierra stepped closer to the bed, making him hate even more than usual the hospital gown they forced him to wear.
He wasn’t a damn invalid. He could put on clothes. Okay, maybe not a shirt with all the tubes and stuff, but come on, give a guy a pair of sweatpants or PT shorts, at least.
Rick dismissed her concern. “I’m fine to go home.”
“I happen to agree with Sierra, Rick.” Darci, the biggest cheerleader for keeping him in the hospital, jumped in to defend Sierra’s opinion.
“It’s nothing. Tell her, guys. Back me up here.” He appealed to Brody and Chris.
Chris laughed. “He has had worse.”
“Worse than a shot in the chest?” Sierra’s eyes widened.
“Oh yeah.” Brody chuckled.
“Great. I really want to hear that.” Darci’s sarcasm was clear as she huffed and sent the two brothers a look to tell them how unhappy she was.
Rick had tried to keep her in the dark as much as possible when he was active duty. That plan was going out the window pretty fast now.
Chris nudged Brody with his elbow. “Hey, remember when he got that shrapnel in the ass?”
Brody blew out a breath. “How can I forget? I never thought he’d stop whining about it.”
Rick frowned. “I didn’t whine. And that shit hurt.” He glanced up and realized Sierra was watching the conversation with a completely baffled expression on her pretty face. “Uh, maybe we should change the subject.”
She shook her head. “Who are you GAPS guys? Because it’s obvious you’re not just run of the mill bodyguards.”
Brody held up his hands palms forward. “Don’t look at me. I’m not part of GAPS. And it’s time I get back to base. Text me when you get sprung. I’ll see y’all later.”
“I might not be home tonight,” Chris said as his brother reached for the curtain.
“What else is new?” Brody glanced back and nodded. “Darci. Miss Cox.”
Sierra crossed her arms and leveled a gaze on Rick, giving him the impression she wasn’t going to be happy until he told her the complete truth.
Chris must have gotten the same impression. He cleared his throat and moved toward Darci. “Come on, darlin’. Let’s go grab something to drink.”
“I have a—“ Darci’s eyes widened. “Oh. Okay. Yeah. See you guys in a while.”
That rushed exit so he’d be alone with Sierra was not too subtle, but at least he had some privacy. Or as much privacy as a room with walls made of curtains could have.
He swallowed and wracked his brain for small talk when all he wanted to do was grab Sierra and kiss her. “Thanks for coming. I didn’t expect a visit.”
“You got shot for me. Of course I’d come see you.”
“Well, thank you. I appreciate it.”
Her eyes looked a little glassy as she reached out, looking like she was about to take hold of his hand, before she pulled it back and crossed her arms. “Are you really okay?”
“Yeah. I’m fine. I mean, I won’t lie to you. It hurts like hell, but the bullet passed right through and didn’t hit any vital organs so it’s all good.” He lifted his one shoulder that wasn’t bandaged and in pain.
“How can you be so cavalier?”
“Because like the guys said, I’ve been shot before, and a lot worse than this.”
“How? Where? Why?”
That was a lot of questions for three short words. “Before GAPS, I was with the SEALs. We all were.”
Her eyes widened. “Why didn’t you tell me that?”
“Because it’s not something we go around telling peopl
e.”
“I’m just people?”
He saw the hurt in her eyes. “No. You’re not. You know you’re not. Look, it was obvious from the night I met you that you assumed I was some dumb mall cop wanna be, so I let you.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize. I could have told you right away. I didn’t. I thought it was better to prove to you I knew what I was doing. It doesn’t matter. You’re safe now. The real guy who was after you is dead and all evidence indicates he was working alone. They will have to let that other guy they’re holding go so you might still be getting love notes from him. Be careful, but my instinct tells me he’s most likely harmless.”
After today, Rick had learned to trust his instincts. If he had done so sooner, he would have paid more attention to the car that trailed them to the range. Hell, he would have never left Ocracoke with Sierra this morning.
“So the good news is, you can go back to your life safely now. And you’ll never have to see my ugly face again.” He made the joke that hid so much truth and pain.
She moved closer until the skirt of her dress touched the edge of the thin hospital mattress. God how he hated he was in bed for this conversation.
He forced his gaze up and found her biting her lip. “Sierra, it’s okay. It’s over now. I know it’s scary. Everything that’s happened—it’s going to stick with you for a long while. But it really is over.”
Her eyes filled with tears until one spilled over onto her cheek. Rick reached out and grabbed her hand. He’d been here before. Her crying. Him wiping her tear away. He remembered what had happened then. Not much chance of that happening now though. If only there was . . .
Sierra squeezed his hand. “Your face isn’t ugly.”
She’d picked up on the one silly thing he’d said. To cheer her up, he played up on the joke some more. “No? Maybe I can be in one of your movies.”
“I’d like that.”
Whoa. Was this Sierra’s way of trying to tell him something? Was the ridiculous pipedream of him and her together not so crazy after all?
“Sierra, I know it was a job, but I wanted to tell you that I enjoyed spending time with you. A lot.”
For the first time, she looked uncertain. Almost shy. Gone was the overwhelming public persona. “Maybe we should hang out again. That shack you rented wasn’t that bad.”
Wow. His heart picked up speed. “No, it wasn’t. And I’d love to hang out.”
“Oh, and by the way, my real name is Carey. Carey Jones. I thought maybe you might want to know that. You know, if we’re going to be hanging out together from now on.” She lifted one shoulder in a half shrug like it was no big deal.
It felt like a huge step, her confessing her real name to him. Like he’d been given the key to her real life, not just the public one.
“Carey.” Smiling, Rick repeated her name, liking how it felt on his tongue to say it. He pulled on her arm, drawing her closer. Wanting more of her to touch him. “Sit next to me.”
“I don’t want to hurt you.”
“You’re right. I really am in a lot of pain, but I think a kiss might make me feel much better. And you know, Miss Jones, I did get shot on account of you . . .” His lips twitched with a smile.
“You’re a brat.” She shook her head at him.
His gaze dropped to her lips as he remembered the feel of them. “I know. So are you.”
“I know.” She leaned lower and then those lips were pressed against his. He moaned at the feel of what he’d thought he’d never feel again. She pulled back, wide eyed. “Did I hurt you?”
“No. I never felt better.” He pulled her down to him again. “Kiss me some more.”
“What if your sister and Chris come back in?”
Rick blew out a breath. “They’ll deal with it, just like I’ve had to since they started dating.”
She lifted one perfectly shaped brow. “Are we dating?”
Maybe it was the painkillers making him delirious but Rick nodded. “Yup. You okay with that?”
She smiled. “Yes.”
“Good.” Rick palmed the back of her head and brought her mouth to his, not hating his hospital bed quite as much now that she was in it with him.
If you enjoyed Protected by a SEAL, please consider leaving a review.
Don’t miss the rest of the Hot SEALs!
Next up in the series, Brody’s story in Loved by a SEAL.
CLICK catjohnson.net/news for new release alerts.
ALSO BY CAT JOHNSON
Shop Cat’s Amazon Author Page HERE
Hot SEALs Series
in eBook, Print & Audio
Night with a SEAL
Saved by a SEAL
SEALed at Midnight
Kissed by a SEAL
Protected by a SEAL
Loved by a SEAL
Red, Hot & Blue Series
Trey
Jack
Jimmy
Red Blooded (print compilation)
BB Dalton (bonus read)
Jared
Cole
Bobby
Smalltown Heat (print compilation)
A Few Good Men
Model Soldier
A Prince Among Men
Bull
Matt
The Commander
USMC Military Romance Series
Crossing the Line
Cinderella Liberty
Oklahoma Nights Series
One Night with a Cowboy
Two Times as Hot
Three Weeks with a Bull Rider
Fish Out of Water (He's the One anthology)
Two for the Road (In a Cowboy's Bed anthology)
Midnight Cowboys
Midnight Ride
Midnight Wrangler
Midnight Heat
Studs in Spurs Series
Unridden
Bucked
Ride
Hooked
Flanked
Thrown
Champion
Spurred
Wrecked
Maverick Ranch Series
A Cowboy for Christmas
Valentine Cowboys
Texas Two-Step Series
Texas Two-Step
Cowboy Shuffle
The Trilogy Collection
Opposites Attract
Nice & Naughty
Just Desserts
Sex, Lies & Wedding Cake
New Orleans
Private Lies
Gillian's Island
Bundles/Anthologies
Olympus
Standalone Titles
Game On (Kindle Worlds)
The Ex Files
Beneath the Surface
The Naughty Billionaire's Virgin Fiancée
Rough Stock
Educating Ansley
Billionaire Bad Boys
Cat Haus ~ The Complete Story (Parts 1, 2, 3)
Before Cate ~ John’s Story
Cat Haus (Part 1)
Cat Haus (Part 2)
Cat Haus (Part 3)
ABOUT CAT JOHNSON
A New York Times & USA Today bestselling author, Cat Johnson writes contemporary romance featuring sexy alpha heroes, men in uniform, and cowboys. Known for her unique marketing and research practices, she has sponsored pro bull riders, owns a collection of camouflage and western wear for book signings, and a fair number of her friends/book consultants wear combat or cowboy boots for a living. She writes both full length and shorter works.
For more visit CatJohnson.net
Join the mailing list at catjohnson.net/news
PROTECTED BY A SEAL
Cat Johnson
Copyright © 2015 by CAT JOHNSON
All Rights Reserved
License Statement
This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for
each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to www.CatJohnson.net to find locations to purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Table of Contents
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 19
CHAPTER 20
CHAPTER 21
CHAPTER 22
CHAPTER 23
ALSO BY CAT JOHNSON
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
COPYRIGHT