Page 15 of Raven’s Watch (Raven’s Cliff #1)

Chapter Six

“Damn it.”

Foster shook out his hand, rubbing his thumb as he tried to ease the stinging ache shooting through his palm. This was the third time he’d jammed his finger trying to get the shelving to slide through the groove, and he was about ready to toss the entire bookcase across the room.

Fatigue strained his shoulders, and he rolled them, acutely aware of how the right one clunked, the plates and screws shifting a bit with every rotation.

The wind howled outside, rattling the windows in what was shaping up to be another biblical-like storm raging across the coast. After spending so much time overseas, he’d forgotten how intense the Pacific Northwest was during the fall and winter.

While the thunderstorm they’d experienced a few weeks ago was a rare occurrence, fierce storms with punishing rain and damaging winds swept through often.

Though, it was also one of the reasons he loved this part of the country. It always seemed so alive.

Foster tossed the mallet onto the pile of wood then made his way over to the window.

Fog curled through the trees as they lashed against each other, rain already running in rivulets down the driveway.

The setting sun cast the entire area in an odd gray glow, the last remnants of daylight fading into the growing dusk.

He speared his fingers through his hair, unsure if it was the weather or his thoughts that had him on edge.

He and his buddies had patrolled the property ever since Mac had interrupted those men that night two weeks ago but hadn’t found any concrete evidence.

Nyx had picked up on some kind of scent more than a few times, but Kash had always come up empty.

Just the odd footprint to suggest they weren’t imagining the incidents.

Though nothing they could trace back to Carrington or GeneTide.

Hell, to anyone.

And the fact there hadn’t been any form of unwanted intrusions since that night seemed to suggest Foster and his team were making far more out of this than needed. That it was likely as benign as they’d guessed. More tech-savvy burglar ring and less mercenary out to cap one of them.

Foster hadn’t allowed the lack of activity to stop him from searching through his father’s stuff.

All the boxes he’d shoved in his dad’s office because he’d either been unable or unwilling to go through it.

Even now, almost five months later, simply looking at it gutted him.

Knowing he’d wasted those last few years.

More than a few if he were being honest. Not that his parents had ever complained.

They’d lived the life long before he was born, and Foster knew they were proud he’d chosen to dedicate his life to the service.

Continue his father’s legacy.

He swallowed. Maybe if he’d found something to connect their unexplained experiences with his current ones, he wouldn’t have this hollowness in the pit of his stomach. An emptiness that had only grown with Sean’s death and what threatened to eventually pull him under.

Except when he was with Mackenzie.

For some unknown reason she scattered all the guilt and hurt, filling that void with a sense of excitement he hadn’t felt outside of flying.

All the times he’d avoided a bogey or taken a crazy risk only to have it save his ass.

He’d only known her for a few weeks, and already she’d become a habit he wasn’t sure he could break.

Foster tipped back his head. He was losing it.

Slipping off the deep end because he wasn’t even sure if she liked him.

Sure, she’d found excuses to drop by most nights — just like he’d manufactured reasons to show up at the hanger.

Hell, he’d purchased more avionics and imaging equipment than she could probably fit in her helicopter, just so he could see her without looking as if he was trying to see her.

But there was something intoxicating about watching her face light up.

Knowing she was a thousand times safer than when he’d first flown with her.

He glanced at his watch, wondering how it seemed so dark when it was only five thirty.

Chase had texted him thirty minutes ago to say that with the intensity of the incoming system, they’d called it a day and that he and Zain were heading over to the sheriff’s station to meet up with Greer.

She’d hinted she might have some intel. Which meant Mackenzie would have been bouncing along the gravel driveway by now if she was going to show up.

There was no mistaking the instant punch of disappointment at the empty road.

He wandered into the kitchen and grabbed a pop, all that restless energy making his muscles twitch.

This was why he sucked at relationships.

He’d never figured out how to successfully navigate the airspace between friends and lovers without eventually crashing and burning.

How far to push that envelope until he’d inadvertently busted right through, usually with him getting the boot.

Not that he’d ever really been thoroughly invested, but this time felt distinctly different.

And he couldn’t help but wonder if he’d waited too long.

Left that part of him lonely and buried to the point it was beyond resurrecting.

If there wasn’t enough of his heart left to save.

He bounced the thoughts around, ambling back toward the sitting room when someone banged on the door. He placed his drink on a coaster then picked his way over to the entrance, yanking the slab open.

Mackenzie stood on the porch, hair dripping, a case of beer in one hand. She tilted her head to the side, her gaze traveling the length of him and back as she bit at her bottom lip, looking incredibly sexy in her obvious indecision.

Foster swung the door aside, leaning against the frame as he nodded at the six pack. “Do you plan on sharing that?”

Her mouth curved into a stunning smile, and he had to fist his hand against the wood to stop from grabbing her jacket and dragging her against him. Finally claiming those full lips with his. “It seemed like an appropriate offering in order to quell my curiosity.”

“Curiosity?”

“I needed to see for myself if you had a helicopter stashed in one of the rooms and were bringing it to the hanger one piece at a time.”

“Just the instrument panel.” He waved her in, shutting out the wind and rain before leaning against the door and wondering how the room felt suddenly full just by having her walk inside.

Mackenzie turned, brushing some of her wet hair off her face as she set the beer on the floor. She shook out her jacket, hanging it on one of the ornate hooks before turning to look at him, a hint of pink slowly coloring her cheeks.

She shifted on her feet, finally blowing out a rough breath when he just stood there, staring. “Have I got something on my face?”

He opened his mouth to utter a witty comeback but all that made it past the lump in his throat was a harsh rasp.

Her smile faded and she took a step closer. “Beckett?”

He moved. Covered the three steps separating them before snagging her around the waist and pulling her close.

She inhaled as he spun, backing her up until he’d effectively changed their places, her body pressed against the door.

Foster braced one arm above her head, palming his other hand beside her waist as he forced air in then blew it out.

Anything to try and regain some control.

Mackenzie blinked, as if she was still trying to get her bearings before she relaxed against the door, looking up at him with that brilliant blue gaze.

He leaned closer, getting his face even with hers when she lifted one hand and touched his cheek, her cold damp fingers sending shivers down his spine.

She waited, her gaze locked on his before she sighed and inched closer. “Foster.”

The way she said his first name… It pooled heat in his groin — had him picturing all the ways he wanted to touch her. Feel all that creamy skin pass beneath his hands.

He sucked in a shaky breath, muttering the first thing that formed on his tongue. “God, you’re beautiful.”

Her fingers curled against his jaw, the tips catching on the thick layer of stubble. “Have I gotten this all wrong or has there been something brewing between us since that first night in the chopper?”

“You haven’t gotten it wrong. It’s just…” He huffed, trying to find the right words. “I’m crap at this.”

She arched her brows. “At foreplay? Because that’s not the way I’d describe you.”

The corner of his mouth twitched. Just thinking she was on the same page as him messed with his head. Had him considering utterly foreign thoughts. “Then, let’s put that theory to the test.”

He brushed his mouth over hers, keeping the contact light. Drinking in her gasp of anticipation as she held her breath, the hand on his cheek shaking slightly before she closed her eyes — pressed her lips to his.

He lost it, that hint of increased contact setting him off.

He lifted his hand from the wall, fisting it in her hair as he ate at her mouth, tangling his tongue with hers until his lungs burned and he broke away.

Not that she gave him much time to suck in some air before she took control, her fingers slipping behind his neck, curling in his hair and dragging him closer until he had her crushed against the door, his chest heaving in sync with hers.

She nipped at his jaw, her breath nearly as rough as his as she stared up at him, that stunning blue looking more like steel in the warm lamp light.

She wet her lips, closing her eyes for a moment before smiling. “That was…”

He gave her a fleeting kiss. “Adequate?”

“Hard to gauge. I think I need you to do that again.”

“Your wish, sweetheart…”