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FOUR DAYS LATER, GRAYSON jogged along the beach with his teammates in Coronado. They’d met up at five in the morning for PT, before they went onto base for the day, and his heart was pumping as he pushed himself harder.
It had been days since he’d seen Hailey back in Germany. He’d texted her when he got home, knowing he wouldn’t hear from her for a while, but now he was getting antsy. Even though she’d been injured, it wasn’t severe. He knew they’d be sending her home sooner rather than later, and he probably hadn’t heard from her because she hadn’t gotten a new phone yet.
Cursing to himself, he watched his teammates playfully joking with one another as they finished their run.
Hell.
Normally he didn’t mind shooting the shit with them, but he was tense as hell now. Anxious to know that Hailey had gotten back to the States all right. And wasn’t that an uncomfortable feeling. Normally he had women chasing after him. Hell, Shawna had been practically pawing at him when they’d gotten back from Colombia. That of course had fizzled out as quickly as it had started, but damn. He wasn’t used to worrying about a woman, much less one he wouldn’t even see for weeks.
He knew things would progress slowly with Hailey, but he welcomed it. Relished the idea of getting to know her simply by dating. She seemed like the type of woman who wouldn’t let just any man into her life or bed, and he loved the idea of patiently getting to know her and breaking down all her walls.
And then?
The idea of letting the heat simmer between them before finally making her his was appealing as hell. He’d had plenty of hot and heavy relationships in the past, but after the initial “wow” factor in the bedroom, they’d fizzled out immediately.
He was ready to explore something different this time around, because damn if a woman hadn’t intrigued him as much as Hailey in a long time. He’d been scared when he’d carried her out of her building in Afghanistan, but when he’d seen for himself that she was okay at the hospital in Germany?
Heat had coursed through him. He’d taken her hand in his, unable to resist touching her. And wasn’t that a shock—normally he’d be kissing a woman intensely after meeting her at a bar, then taking her home to his bed.
He’d actually gone out and bought Hailey flowers. Him.
Imagining kissing her, undressing her, and slowly exploring her body was making his groin tighten. If the chemistry between them so far was any indication, when they finally made love, it would be explosive.
“Yo, Ghost!” Troy called out, drawing him out of his musings. “Over here!”
Glancing up, he realized his teammates had finished their stretches and were heading back to the parking lot. Damn. He needed to get his head in the game. He stopped along with them after their run but was standing there like a lovestruck fool or something.
“Any word from Hailey?” Blake asked, the corner of his mouth tugging up in a smile.
“Nope.”
The other men chuckled.
“You could check with the hospital,” Logan suggested. “Maybe she wasn’t released yet.”
“Nah. She’s probably back, just getting reacclimated to life here. She’s staying with her parents, so I’m not too concerned. It’s not like she’s alone somewhere without anyone to help her while she heals. Hopefully she’ll get a new cell phone soon. I sent her a text the other day but haven’t heard back.”
“Maybe she’s ghosting you,” Ethan said, his lips quirking.
Troy guffawed. “A woman ghosting Ghost? You can’t make this shit up.”
“She’s not ghosting me,” Grayson ground out. “She lost half her stuff in the bombing, including her phone.”
“We know,” Blake assured him. “She’s been through a hell of a lot, especially considering she’s a civilian and didn’t sign up for any of that. We’re just not used to seeing you pining away over a woman.”
“Who said I’m pining?” Grayson asked with a chuckle as they walked back toward the parking lot. “I’m worried about her.”
“Pining, worrying, same damn thing.”
Grayson grunted, not bothering to respond.
“Hell, I understand. It killed me to leave Clarissa. Usually I’m gung-ho when we leave for a mission, but this time? It was brutal. She was worried, and I couldn’t tell her where we were going. Of course she understands better than most considering we rescued her.”
“She’s a tough woman,” Jackson commented.
“Yep. Didn’t make it any easier to leave her though. We’re meeting with the commander later this afternoon,” Blake commented, changing the subject.
“I heard,” Grayson said. “I was hoping they found Sayed, not to mention the asshole responsible for bombing their fellow Americans, but it sure doesn’t sound like it.”
“They haven’t found him yet,” Blake said in a low voice.
“How do you know it was another American? There are Afghanis working on base, too,” Jackson said with a frown. “It could’ve been a number of different people.”
“Just a hunch,” Grayson said. “Sayed seemed to anticipate our every move. No Afghani would have that sort of intel,” he added in a low voice. “Most people on base didn’t even know we were there.”
“How are things progressing back in Bagram anyway? Anyone know?” Ethan asked as the men all stopped at their cars.
“I think they’ve finished searching the building for victims,” Troy said, crossing his arms as the men stood there. “There were two casualties that I know of, multiple injuries of course.”
Ethan took a long pull of his water, and the other men frowned, their minds on the damage and destruction that had been caused.
“Hell, I need to look into that friend of Hailey’s,” Grayson muttered.
“What friend?” Blake asked, glancing over at him.
“I didn’t get a chance to tell you guys in the confusion, but a friend of hers is missing. We assumed she was injured and taken to a hospital, but she never turned up. Hailey asked about her in Bagram and when she was flown to the hospital in Germany. Her friend was listed among the missing, but there was no sign of her. It doesn’t make much sense. That part of the building was damaged, yes, but the fire was actually under control rather quickly. It’s not like the whole damn thing burned down.”
“You think she was involved in this somehow?” Logan asked, raising his eyebrows.
“No. I don’t think so, but it’s not normal for someone to just vanish. Hailey was sure the hell worried.”
“You like her,” Blake said, biting back a smile.
“Of course I like her,” Grayson said. “Is that supposed to be some kind of secret? I was asking her out in the cafeteria, remember?”
“I wonder how she and Clarissa will get along,” Blake mused.
“Hell. I’m taking her out, not marrying the woman.”
“You guys are getting married?” Troy asked, his gaze whipping over to Blake.
Blake chuckled, holding up his hands. “Hold up. She just moved in with me for the summer. I’m trying to convince her to stay this fall—teach classes online or something. Work remotely. We’re taking things one step at a time.”
“Well, send us a wedding invitation,” Ethan quipped.
Grayson shook his head, smirking. “I’ll catch you guys on base. I need to go home, shower, and change. Maybe I’ll try calling Hailey, too.”
“See you in an hour,” Blake said, and the other men said their goodbyes and climbed into their cars. Grayson glanced at the cell phone he’d left there, frowning when there weren’t any new messages. He’d assumed by now Hailey was back in the States, and he hoped like hell that he’d hear from her soon.
***
“YOU WERE VERY LUCKY,” the doctor said that afternoon, examining Hailey’s injured ribs. Her gloved fingers moved lightly over Hailey’s skin, and she tried not to wince. “I know you’re still in some pain, but these are healing up nicely.”
“God, I never thought broken ribs could hurt so much,” Hailey mumbled.
The doctor nodded sympathetically. “You can’t immobilize them like with other broken bones. It’s makes recovery slower and more painful.”
“Yeah, I guess that’s a problem with moving and breathing and all,” Hailey said dryly.
The doctor smiled. “Your head wound has healed nicely, though,” she commented, examining her forehead. “The stiches will dissolve completely on their own.”
“Well, thank God for small miracles.”
“I’d tell you to schedule another follow-up, but it sounds like you’re moving soon?”
“That’s right. I’ve accepted a position in California. I had planned on it before all this, actually. I just got sent home sooner than expected.”
“Well, good luck to you. Make sure you see someone out there.”
“I will,” Hailey assured her.
The doctor gave her a few additional instructions and then left the exam room. After slowly getting dressed again, Hailey grabbed her purse and walked to the front desk. Her parents had dropped her off earlier for her appointment, and she was planning to go to the store down the block to finally get a new cell phone before they picked her up later.
They’d been flustered and worried about leaving her, but she was a grown woman for goodness sakes. She’d been working halfway around the world. It’s not like they could escort her everywhere she needed to go.
It was weird being back in Arlington without her car or apartment to head home to, she thought as she walked down the block. Most of her things were in storage, and her clothing in Bagram had all been ruined in the fire. Her mom had picked up some things for her at the store, but after Hailey’s purse had arrived, she’d made sure to order some things online to tide herself over. Everything else, she’d probably just get when she was in San Diego.
After explaining some of her crazy situation to the guy at the cell phone store—namely that her old phone had been destroyed—she was able to get a new phone and keep her old number. She was worried that wouldn’t be possible and she’d lose all her contacts. He was able to migrate some of the data over—how, she didn’t even know. But she was more thrilled than she could say that she had a cell phone again. She needed to get in touch with some friends now that she was temporarily back in Virginia and try to find out about Kim.
Briefly, she wondered if Grayson had texted or called her. She hadn’t let herself think of him too much over the past few days. He’d flown home to San Diego, no doubt, and her own return home to Arlington had been a whirlwind of activity. She’d cried when she’d gotten to her parents’ house, and she’d been too tired to do much more than eat or sleep the first few days.
She was still sore, but fortunately she’d only needed Tylenol today. And she was hoping later in the week to go meet with someone at the Pentagon to discuss what had happened. They wanted her to recover from her injuries, of course, but they also needed her account of what had happened.
Walking outside of the cell phone store, she sank down onto a bench and looked down at her phone. Her ribs ached, and she wondered if she hadn’t overdone things today. Her parents would be coming in another half an hour, but now that she had a phone, she could text and let them know she was done.
The guy who worked at the store had suggested rebooting the phone again, so she patiently waited to see what would happen. It felt like forever, but she finally was able to access her email and text messages. Technology was amazing, and she’d felt lost not having her connection to the world.
An unknown number had texted her twice, and her heart fluttered as she clicked on the message.
Hi sweetheart. We made it back to San Diego. Let me know when you’re home. -Grayson
The message had been sent a few days ago—he’d texted her as soon as he got back, she realized. Heat bloomed across her skin. She’d sort of assumed he’d go home and go about with his life. Sure, he’d said he’d text her, but it was a long flight back. He could’ve changed his mind, gotten busy with work, or any number of things.
Clearly, he’d been thinking of her for him to text almost immediately. And he’d texted her again this morning.
I hope you’re okay, sweetheart. I’m guessing you’re back but just don’t have a phone yet. Text me when you do. -Grayson
She smiled despite herself. Hearing from him twice was a pleasant surprise. Sure, he’d been sweet and attentive back in Germany, but she knew when he was home he could easily fall back into his old life and routine.
She quickly thumbed a response:
I just got my new phone! You’re the first person I texted. :) -Hailey
She was surprised when Grayson texted her back almost immediately, assuming he’d be busy with work.
I’m honored. Just grabbing a quick lunch with my team and then I’ll be busy in training all afternoon. Can I call you tonight?
She replied right away:
Yes. Of course you can call.
Her phone buzzed with his reply:
I can’t wait to hear your voice, sweetheart. I’ll call at 8:00 your time.
Smiling, she replied before calling her parents:
I can’t wait.
Her phone buzzed once more:
Me either.
Smiling to herself, she dialed her mom’s cell number, ready to have her parents come pick her up. The past week had been a whirlwind of activity, but hearing from Grayson warmed her from head to toe.
“I’m all done!” Hailey said happily as her mom answered the phone. “My appointment went well, and I just got a new cell phone.”
“Well, you certainly sound like you’re feeling better,” her mom said with a laugh. “What on Earth did the doctor do?”
“Nothing. After I got my phone connected, I saw that the guy I told you about had texted me.”
“The one who saved you? I need to meet this young man.”
Hailey shook her head, smiling. “He doesn’t live here, Mom.”
“I know, I know. So are you ready for us to come get you?”
“I am. I’m outside the cell phone store, just down the block from where you dropped me earlier. Can you meet me here?”
“Sure thing, honey. I wish you would’ve let us come with you.”
“Mom, I’m twenty-eight years old,” Hailey said, exasperated. “That would look kind of silly to have you with me at the doctor’s office.”
“Not if you needed help,” she insisted. “But no matter. We’re on our way. We’ll pick up some lunch on the way home so you can rest this afternoon.”
“That sounds perfect. See you soon!”
Hours later, she was lying on her childhood bed in her old room waiting for Grayson to call. She’d had lunch with her parents earlier and just finished dinner. Her mom had made her favorite homemade spaghetti, but Hailey hadn’t minded being taken care of. It had been a long time since she’d been home, and she’d be on her own again out in California before she knew it.
She’d texted a few of her friends to let them know she was back in town, but at the moment, she didn’t feel up for much of anything aside from just recovering at her parents’ house.
She took a couple more Tylenol and leaned back in her bed again, relaxing. She’d told her parents she needed to rest, and the truth was, she did. She was exhausted after her day, and it felt good to stretch out and just do nothing for the evening. Her body was still sore, but she was excited to talk to Grayson.
She hoped whenever she saw him, she wouldn’t have a nasty scar on her forehead, but that would probably take much longer than she wanted to fully heal. He certainly hadn’t seemed to mind how she looked in Germany.
She anxiously looked at her phone for the millionth time, wondering why the minutes were ticking by so slowly. She felt like she was back in high school or something, waiting for the boy she liked to call. At 8:00 on the dot, her phone buzzed, and she smiled as Grayson’s name flashed on the screen. She’d keyed in his contact info earlier, and it made her heart flutter to see his name there on her phone.
She knew he was just checking on her, and that the sparks between them when they’d met could’ve been from the adrenaline coursing through them and the emotionally-charged situation. Sure, she’d noticed when he’d shown up in her office that afternoon, but everything afterward had been a whirlwind.
Still, she hoped they did eventually have their date when she moved out to California. She liked him—and even if nothing ever came from it other than a single dinner out, she wanted to see him again. Her body responded instantly whenever he was near, and she felt safe with him. Comfortable. She was attracted to him, yes, but it felt like something deeper was there. They’d shared a connection, and she’d be crazy to ignore it when he clearly had felt something, too.
“Hello?” she said as she picked up her phone, immediately feeling silly. Of course she knew it was him.
“Hi, sweetheart,” Grayson said, his low, husky voice making her stomach do flips. “It’s so good to hear your voice again. How are you feeling? You’re back at home?”
“Yeah, I’m at my parents’ house in Virginia. And honestly? Sore. I had a doctor appointment today and got my new phone. My ribs are healing though, so it’ll just take some time. I might’ve overdone it.”
“I’m sorry you’re still in pain, but you can’t know how relieved I am to hear that you’re home and not any worse. When did you get back?”
“A few days ago,” she admitted. “I mostly just slept through the first couple of days home though.”
“I was worried about you,” Grayson admitted in a low voice. “The guys and I got back, but I didn’t like not knowing if you were okay. I didn’t feel like I could call and check with the hospital, but damn. It was hell waiting to hear from you.”
“I still can’t believe you came to see me in Germany,” she said softly.
Grayson chuckled. “Yeah, I pulled some strings with our commander. But we were flying back through there, so it wasn’t as completely crazy at it seemed.”
“Just kind of crazy,” she joked.
“I took some ribbing from the guys, but they understood. Hell, we all saw the damage after the explosion.”
She nodded, realizing he couldn’t see her. “Yeah.”
“I’m sorry—I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories.”
“You didn’t,” she assured him. “I mean, that would be hard to forget. I’m supposed to go into the Pentagon in a few days to meet with some people about it all. I need to give my statement and whatnot, plus I never really closed out my assignment there.”
“You’re okay for that? For going in I mean?”
“Yeah, I guess. A friend is going to pick me up—a woman I used to work with. I won’t have to drive there, which is good, since I don’t have a car. I sold it before I went to Bagram.”
“And you’re still planning to move out to California after all this?”
“Yeah,” she said lightly. “It’s kind of crazy that you live out there, too, but this transfer has been in the works for a while. I wanted a change of pace after I got back from my year-long assignment in Afghanistan. I wish I wasn’t injured, but I’m looking forward to it more than ever now,” she admitted.
“Hell, sweetheart. While things didn’t go as planned when my team and I were there, I’ll never regret that I got to meet you because of it.”
“Me either. I’m moving in three weeks,” she said.
“So you are.” Hailey could practically hear his smile on the other end of the line. “I know you’ll need to get settled after you get here, but hell. I can’t wait to see you again and take you out on an actual date.”
“Aren’t you worried?”
“Worried about what, sweetheart?”
“This. Us. It was kind of a crazy situation. I mean—I’m excited to see you,” she admitted. “It’s just, everything happened so quickly. Never mind, it’s silly for me to be worried,” she hastily added.
“It’s not silly,” he said. “We did have an instant connection, and that doesn’t usually happen. Hell, I don’t know if that’s ever happened to me before. But Hailey? It’s just dinner. I’ll take you out, show you around San Diego, and we’ll see where things go after that. I have a feeling that I’ll be taking you out again—for more than just dinner. But I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable or worry—if I’m moving too fast or something, just say so.”
“It’s not too fast,” she assured him. “And you’re right—it’s dinner. We were going to have dinner back in Bagram anyway, right?”
Grayson chuckled. “Right. But don’t worry, I’m taking you somewhere a hell of a lot better than the chow hall.”
“Well, thank goodness for small miracles,” she teased. “So tell me about San Diego. Do you have an apartment there or what?”
“Apartment,” he confirmed. “It’s down by the water. What can I say? I love the beach. The other guys on my team aren’t too far away. You’ve met them all, so you’ll know a few people when you come. And I’m sure you’ll meet Blake’s girlfriend Clarissa at some point. I think you’ll like her. And I know the guys will all want to see you again and know that you’re okay.”
“That’s sweet.” She yawned, and Grayson muttered something under his breath.
“I should let you get some rest, sweetheart. You already said you had a busy day and were sore. Your body needs time to recover.”
“I am a little tired,” she admitted.
“We’ll talk again soon,” he promised. “And I want to know your address and everything for when you get here.”
“Yeah, I’ll text you my address. I wonder how far apart I’ll be living from you? It’s kind of surreal—here I thought I was moving across the country without knowing anyone.”
“You know me. And I promise that no matter what happens—whatever happens between us, you’ll have a friend out here. I’m not ashamed to admit I hope we’ll be much more than that, but even if it doesn’t work out for whatever reason, I’m here for you. You went through a lot, and I was right there living it, too. Same with the other guys. If you need someone, we’re here. I’ll get you their numbers too when you move.”
“Their numbers?”
“Yeah. I don’t want you to ever feel like you’re alone out here. It’s damn crazy that we met halfway around the world right before you were moving out here, but hell. I’m thrilled you’ll be in San Diego soon. What are the chances of something like that?”
She laughed softly. “I don’t know. Astronomical I suppose.”
“Exactly. It’s like fate that you were there for me to find.”
“You saved my life, Grayson.”
“So I did. And I want to get to know you more. I can’t wait until I can see you in person, take you out on a real date, kiss you goodnight.”
She flushed, smiling. “I can’t wait, either. And thanks Grayson. I mean it. I don’t know how long it would’ve taken someone to find me in the building, but you rushed in there after me. I can never thank you enough for that.”
“You don’t need to thank me,” he said, his voice husky.
“I do,” she insisted.
“You’re welcome, sweetheart. I can’t wait to see you in person in a few short weeks. We’ll talk again soon, okay?”
“Okay.”
“Sweet dreams.”
She laughed softly, knowing she probably would have sweet dreams now that she’d talked to him. She’d been up a few times over the past several nights with nightmares, but she had a feeling tonight, she’d sleep like a baby for a change. Knowing Grayson had been thinking of her made her feel safe somehow. Comforted. And his deep voice in her ear soothed her in a way she simply couldn’t explain.
“I can’t wait to see you either. Goodnight, Grayson.”
“Goodnight, sweetheart.”
