Page 49

Chapter 49

Jay

C ate called her dad out of the bedroom. We didn’t have to tell him we’d worked out our issues; it was pathetically obvious from the way we looked at each other.

That, and I refused to let go of her hand until it was time to eat.

When I listed off the options, Cate did the predicable thing and chose the Cobb salad. I told her to start while I warmed up the sandwiches and fries.

When I reached for the microwave door, she said, “Heat them in the oven so they don’t get soggy.”

“Yes, ma’am.” I braced for the incoming correction, but it never came. Cate was quiet. Too quiet.

When I turned to see her expression, she said, “Don’t call me ma’am.”

“Yes, sir.” I winked. It was fun riling her up. Images of how a riled up Cate would act in the bedroom flashed through my mind. Nope, can’t think like that . My body didn’t get the message. It didn’t care that it hurt to kiss her or that our busted up ribs would make sex painful instead of pleasurable.

Luckily, one look at her father was enough to kill my desire.

During lunch, Cate practically drooled over my fries as she picked at her salad.

I pushed my plate in her direction. “Go ahead, you know you want one.”

Her dad chuckled when she grabbed two and shoved them in her mouth.

“Have as may as you want.” I said. I’d warmed up all the fries and the third sandwich, knowing I’d eat whatever she didn’t want.

“I’m trying to be good. The doctor said I should ease my way back to my normal diet.”

I grabbed a knife and cut my sandwich in half. “Here.”

She looked at her dad, then back at the plate. “I probably shouldn’t.”

“Eat as much or as little as you want. I’ll finish the rest.” My wink brought a blush to her lightly freckled cheeks. Damn, that’s sexy . I’d never considered a woman’s blush sexy before, but I had a feeling I’d be discreetly adjusting my pants whenever I saw Cate blush.

“I don’t want to steal your lunch,” she said, reaching for it.

Her eyes rounded when I grabbed the other plate off the counter.

“What? I’m starving. ”

“You’re always hungry.” She laughed before taking a small bite. “So good.”

Her father watched, amusement written all over his face.

We talked until Cate started yawning, and I encouraged her to take a nap.

“Will you come back for dinner?” she asked.

“I can. I’m all yours after I give my father his phone back. It’s blowing up.”

Cate made a face. “Who’s calling that wouldn’t know you have his phone?” She realized how silly it sounded and corrected herself. “Right, there are probably a ton of people who wouldn’t know.”

She was right on both accounts, everyone at SSI knew, but clients and friends didn’t. Knowing my family might be texting me, I ignored the calls and voicemail alerts and opened the text app. It felt weird looking through my father’s messages, but my only purpose was to find for the ones meant for me.

Like the family group chat Jamie started.

Jamie: Jay, Dad wants to know how things are going.

Jack: That’s what you’re going with?

Meg: We all want to know.

Ma: Leave him alone so he can focus on Cate.

I typed in a quick reply, letting them know I’d fill them in later.

Jack: That bad, huh?

Meg: Or that good!

Meg, the resident hopeless romantic was right. It was that good.

There were other messages meant for me, from AJ and Doug, because of course they knew why I was here, wishing me luck. A small town wasn’t so different from a spec ops unit—everyone knew everyone else’s business. I replied with a quick thanks, then forgetting it wasn’t my phone, I read the next message.

I was halfway through Nathan Blaszek’s message when it clicked— This isn’t my phone . Blaszek was an applicant, so I figured it was okay to read the rest. According to the message, he was okay postponing his interview and wished everyone well.

I’d completely forgotten we’d scheduled his interview for this week. Blaszek was a former Navy SEAL, turned black ops civilian contractor. We all agreed he’d be a good addition to the team, but wanted to know why he was leaving the black ops unit. The job paid better than SSI, but was high risk. I knew because I considered signing a contract with one instead of joining the family business.

I’m glad I didn’t .

I shut off the screen.

“Everything okay?” Cate asked. “You look contemplative. ”

“Yeah, reading Blaszek’s message reminded me of transitioning to civilian life.”

“We missed his interview.” She stated it as a fact, but it sounded like a question.

“No, Dad asked him to reschedule.” Cate yawned. “Go rest, I’ll help your father clean up, return the phone, and be back before you know it.”

“Okay.” She stood and kissed my cheek. “Thank you.”

I nodded. “Want me to pick up dinner on my way back?”

“You don’t need to do that,” her father said.

“I know I don’t need to, but I want to,” I answered. Turning to Cate, I asked, “How does a T-bone steak sound?”

“Like heaven,” she answered. I fell a little more in love when she added, “With a loaded baked potato.”

“Of course.”

Kissing Cate on the forehead, I promised to be back as soon as I could.

The first thing I did when I got back to the office was give my father his phone. Then, after setting up my replacement, I told a captive audience how things went with Cate. Leaving out the personal details.

“Is she still going to DC?”

Leave it to Meg to ask the hard question. “I don’t know. We didn’t have time to talk about it.” Yet. If I had any say, she wouldn’t go. At least not without me. We still had a lot to work out.

“But you two are definitely a thing?” AJ asked.

I didn’t love the phrasing, but answered anyway. “We’re together, yes. ”

“So no more trying to kill each other?” Jack asked.

I laughed. “I wouldn’t go that far.” I waited for the laughter to die down. “I’ll be at Cate’s if you need me.”

“Tell her to file an expense report for her phone and I’ll reimburse her,” Dad said.

“Will do.” I grabbed my new phone, shocked at the number of messages. I’ll read them later.

As I was leaving, Dad said, “Your mother wants you to invite Cate and her father over for dinner before he leaves.”

“Copy that.” I ordered three steak dinners with loaded baked potatoes, roasted vegetables, and side salads to pick up on my way to Cate’s. There wasn’t much I could do to help her, but I could feed her and keep her company.

During dinner, Cate gave me an earful when I offered to cut her steak, but then had to eat humble pie when she realized it was a bitch trying to cut meat with only one good arm. I didn’t rub it in too much as I cut the fillet portion into bite size pieces and put them on her plate before cutting the rest.

Her father found the whole situation amusing. After helping her father clean the kitchen, we headed to the living room.

“Have you ordered replacement cards and IDs?” I asked, resting my arm on the back of the couch, behind Cate.

“I did. Luckily, the only things in my purse were my driver’s license, PI ID, one credit card and some cash.” She yawned. “What about you? ”

“Everything except buy a new truck.” I winced at the thought. “Dad wanted me to tell you to fill out an expense report, he’ll reimburse you for your phone.”

“He doesn’t have to do that,” she argued. Just like I knew she would.

“You lost your phone on the job, so he feels like he does.”

“I’d argue, but I know better,” she said before looking at the TV. “What do you want to watch?”

“How about a comedy?” I suggested, we could all use a laugh.

“Sounds good. I’m down with whatever since I’ll be filling out paperwork and catching up on emails while we watch.”

“Catelyn, I’m sure the paperwork can wait until tomorrow,” her father said.

“It can, but I won’t be able to relax until I do it.”

Her father watched me, making me feel like I was being tested. Only I had no idea what I was supposed to say or do. What’s the right thing to do, according to General Maxwell?

It didn’t matter. I had to be true to myself and do the right thing for Cate.

“Why don’t you fill out your expense report, then relax for a bit?” It was a compromise that allowed her to check something off her to-do list while encouraging her not to overdo it.

“Are you two going to gang up on me if I try to do more?”

“I wouldn’t say we’ll gang up…” her father said.

“But we’ll work together to convince you.” I finished.

“Fine. Start the movie, I’ll be done with the report by the end of the opening credits.”

After Cate put her laptop away, I encouraged her to lie down and use my leg as a pillow. She fell asleep less than twenty minutes later as I rubbed her arm and back.

I didn’t last much longer.

When I woke up, General Maxwell was reading. At some point, he must have covered Cate with a blanket and turned the TV off.

“How long was I out?” I asked around a yawn.

He looked at his watch. “Just shy of an hour.”

Unwilling to disturb Cate, I stretched as much as I could without moving my leg.

When she whimpered in her sleep, I stroked her hair and sang, just like I had in the cage. It had the desired affect, lulling her back into a restful sleep.

“You speak Arabic?” her father asked, after I stopped.

“Yes, sir.”

He watched his daughter, tracking my hand as I caressed her back, before saying, “She trusts you.”

It wasn’t a question, so, I didn’t respond, but I held my head a little higher at the compliment. I looked back at Cate, grateful pain and fear were absent from her features as she slept. For now . Experience taught me the nightmares would not only return, they’d overstay their welcome. My own nightmares had intensified since coming home from the hospital. Pain management wasn’t the only benefit of the drugs that knocked me out.

He looked at his daughter, lying battered and bruised on the couch, and my hand brushing hair off her face. He made eye contact before asking, “You’ll take care of her? Protect her?”

Yes, sir wasn’t strong enough. I held eye contact as I said, “Until I take my last breath.” It wasn’t a promise, it was a vow. Even though I knew it’d piss her off if she heard me say it.

“I expected a yes, sir.” His chuckle woke Cate.

“What’s so funny?” she asked, rubbing sleep from her eyes. When she noticed she’d drooled on my leg she apologized.

“No need to apologize.” I smiled. She could drool on me whenever she wanted.

Pink colored her cheeks before she smiled and repeated the question.

“Just me, surprising your father,” I answered.

“You surprise a lot of people.”

That I do . But only because I’d hidden who I was. Now that I’d finally opened up, there’d be fewer surprises in the future.

“Your bandage is leaking. Want me to help change it?” I asked as I helped Cate sit up.

She tried looking at the bandage on her back, but the movement made her wince.

“Come on.” I stood and offered her a hand. “Let’s go.”

“Catelyn?” her father asked.

“It’s okay, Dad.”

Why wouldn’t it be?

“The instructions are with the supplies in the bathroom,” he said.

He’d helped her before, but it was my job to take care of her now. Probably shouldn’t say that out loud . Cate would kill me .

“Sit.” I pointed at the toilet.

“Don’t tell me what to do,” she said as she sat.

I smirked.

God, I love this woman . Only Cate would tell me off while following directions.

“Can you remove your shirt?”

Her eyes widened in panic.

“What’s the matter?”

“I’m not wearing a bra.”

The idea of seeing her perfect breasts sent all the blood in my body to the last place it needed to be. She didn’t miss me adjusting myself to hide my attraction.

“Did you seriously just get an erection?”

“Are you seriously asking me that? I’m a healthy, young, hetero male, Cate. Of course I got an erection when a gorgeous woman with a great rack tells me she’s not wearing a bra when I ask her to take off her shirt.”

The un-bruised parts of her cheeks turned the cutest shade of pink. “Well, don’t.”

“Seriously?” How could I not?

“I look awful.” Her whisper low enough that I almost missed it.

“Christ, Cate, just take the compliment.”

“Thank you.” She looked down at her legging covered legs. “Now think about something else,” she insisted.

Like that’d be possible. “I’ll try.” I said as I washed my hands and pulled on blue medical gloves. I wasn’t worried about Cate having a disease, but after years of training, it was a habit .

When she struggled, I stood behind her and helped her out of her shirt. She hugged the loose fabric over her chest with her left arm before sitting back down.

Guilt surged at the sight of the large circular wound on her back. I still felt like I should’ve tried harder. It didn’t matter that I was drugged and couldn’t move to stop it.

I thanked God Franks was a bad shot—Cate may not have survived if he’d punctured her lung.

“You’re surprisingly gentle.”

“Thanks, I think.” I applied the last piece of medical tape. “You’re all set.”

“It’s a good thing.” She turned. “You can go, I’ll change the front.”

“You sure? I promise to be a perfect gentleman.”

When she hesitated, I said, “You don’t have to uncover for me to help.

She nodded. Afterwards, she watched as I cleaned out the sink before removing the gloves and washing my hands. Unwilling to leave in case she still needed help, I turned towards the wall so she could put her shirt back on.

“Thanks.”

When she swore, I asked if she wanted help. Reluctantly, she said yes.

I pulled her up and helped her from behind.

Once she was ready, I said, “You’re welcome.” I leaned in and kissed her forehead, the tip of her nose, and finally her lips. “Thank you for letting me take care of you.”

“Don’t get used to it.” She huffed out a laugh .

“I wouldn’t dare.” Never in a million years would I have expected the woman of my dreams to challenge my patience so damn much. But here I am. And I wouldn’t change a thing.

“Can you stay for a while?” she asked.

“I’ll stay for as long as you want.”

Before I left, we made plans to have dinner with my parents on Friday night.