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BLAKE SHIFTED FROM where he sat leaning against a tree, running a hand across his forehead. Hell. This op had gone from fucked up to worse. No one had expected to find a woman being held captive at the terrorists’ camp. For them to be shot at as he hustled her the hell out of there. He didn’t know if Abboud had been captured. He hadn’t planned on being separated from his SEAL team. And losing all communications with them sure didn’t help matters.
Blowing out a sigh, he took a swig of his water. Fiddling with the sat phone had done absolutely nothing. He wanted to keep moving, to make it to a clearing so they could establish communications. It wasn’t safe dragging a civilian around in the vicinity of the camp. At least out here they were concealed from any danger.
But the poor woman he’d rescued had looked like she was ready to collapse. Even in the dark, he could see her face was pale, and she’d held her wrist without realizing it.
He could’ve pushed onward—she’d been willing to. Hell, she was so small, he could’ve carried her himself. She only came up to his shoulder.
But the exhausted look on her face and tears filling her eyes had clinched it. She hadn’t trained for missions like he had. She’d barely eaten or slept in days.
It was his job to make sure they safely escaped, and driving her to the point of exhaustion wouldn’t help matters much. They could call in for retrieval in a few hours just as easily as they could now. She needed her rest, and something about the woman made his protective instincts soar.
He wanted to beat to a pulp the men who had harmed her. Who’d dared tie her up to a damn metal pole. Thank fuck they hadn’t done anything worse than what had already happened. He didn’t even want to imagine what would’ve happened to her if he hadn’t searched the center tents. If they’d found Abboud right away, Blake and his men would’ve left.
Blake didn’t know Clarissa was there. No one had reported her missing yet. And she’d have been left with those monsters.
She mumbled slightly in her sleep, his gaze shifting to the makeshift tent. He’d expected she’d have trouble sleeping out here on the ground, but surprisingly, she’d drifted right off. He’d assured Clarissa she was safe with him, and she’d apparently trusted him enough to believe it. The thought she was comfortable enough to sleep a few feet away from him, out here in the rainforest, made his chest swell with pride.
She trusted him. He’d told her that she was safe, and she’d taken him at his word.
She certainly wasn’t like the women he met back home. She hadn’t fawned over him, hadn’t complained. She was scared and hurt but trudged along without complaint. She mumbled again, and he watched her for a beat until she settled once more.
Clarissa was a beautiful woman, no doubt. Her long, blonde hair, striking green eyes, and gorgeous curves must attract male attention wherever she went. He assumed she had a boyfriend or husband back home. She wasn’t wearing a wedding ring, but it wasn’t unheard of for women to take them off when they traveled.
No doubt a woman as smart and beautiful as her was attached. She loved the outdoors. Was easy to talk to.
Damn.
Naturally he’d meet the first woman who’d piqued his interest in months in the middle of a damn op.
Blake rolled his shoulders, looking around. No sense in dwelling on her. She was in his care right now, but in a matter of hours, they’d be headed home. His entire team would be there. She’d probably rest on the flight, happy to be on her way back. And then they’d land and go their separate ways.
He quietly tested his headset again, muttering a curse when he still got absolutely nothing. It had been two hours since they’d stopped to rest and was now nearly three a.m. His men had either gotten rides out on the Humvees or were searching for him. Even in the middle of the jungle, he would’ve been able to hear the helicopters. They were quiet, but not enough for his trained ears to miss.
His team would’ve tried to signal him somehow if they were out here. Most likely, they’d gone after Abboud, as they should.
Clarissa suddenly cried out in her sleep, flailing, and Blake was on his feet in an instant. He turned the flashlight back on and was moving the few feet toward her without thinking. He ducked back down, not wanting to scare her, and reached out to lightly touch her leg.
“Clarissa,” he said urgently, trying to wake her up. “Clarissa,” he repeated, lightly rousing her.
Suddenly she fully awoke and screamed.
He moved over her, covering her mouth with one hand. “Shhh, it’s Blake. It’s just me,” he said as she shook in fear. “You’re safe, sweetheart.”
Tears streamed down her cheeks, and Blake felt like an asshole for scaring her further.
She was shaking beneath him, and he could see the swells of her breasts over the camisole she had on. The button-down top was rumpled, and his blanket was twisted around her.
“Blake?” she asked as he moved his hand, frantically trying to sit up.
He dropped the flashlight and reached to assist her, not letting go as she sat trembling beside him in the makeshift tent. “Yeah, it’s just me. You were having a nightmare, thrashing around. I woke you up.”
“I dreamed I was back there,” she choked out.
Without thinking, he slid his arm around her slender shoulders, pulling her close to him. It wasn’t meant to be anything sexual—he was genuinely concerned about her. Blake didn’t like the way she shook beside him, trembling in fear. He wrapped his other arm around her and pulled her into his arms, holding her there in the tent.
Tears continued to roll down her cheeks as she tried to collect herself, and he ducked his head down, inhaling the floral scent of her hair. “Shhh,” he murmured. “It was just a dream. You’re safe, and nobody can hurt you.”
“It felt so real,” she whispered, relaxing into him.
The fact that she needed him right now sent male pride surging straight through him. He felt protective toward this innocent woman—attracted to her, too, if he admitted it. Not that he’d make a move. She was a hostage he’d rescued, and she probably already had someone back home in Texas.
But as for right now?
He’d offer what he could, holding her safe in his arms.
“I know,” he said, his voice gruff. “Your mind can play tricks on you, especially when you’re tired. Why don’t you try to get some more rest? We’ll move out in a couple of hours when day breaks. I need to connect with the team.”
“Right,” she said, shifting away from him. He instantly missed the loss of her touch. The warmth of her in his arms. Her softness was a total contrast to his strength, but he loved the dichotomy of it. The way he could see himself needing a woman like her just as she needed him.
“How’s your wrist?” he asked as she again got settled.
“Sore,” she admitted.
He nodded. “You could take another round of aspirin. It probably needs to be reset and put into a cast when we’re home.” He moved back toward his rucksack, returning with the aspirin and water. Clarissa’s hands shook as she took it from him, and he frowned.
She deserved a night at home free from nightmares, not roughing it out here with him in a tent.
“Get some rest,” he said. “I’ll sit right here by the edge of the tent.”
“Okay.” She lay back down and winced as she reached for the blanket.
“I got it,” he said easily, covering her with it before she could protest. His chest tightened as he caught a glimpse of her hair on the sweatshirt she was using for a pillow. His sweatshirt. Something felt damn right about seeing her blonde tresses covering it, which was nuts. Apparently, he had some caveman mentality where he needed to care for his woman. And she sure the hell wasn’t his woman, was she?
Shaking his head, he moved out of the tent area, sinking down to the ground. It was weird as hell being out here in the dark forest with a woman. He was used to roughing it with his SEAL team, and he liked camping in his off time. He’d never met a woman into that though. The types he met at the local beaches or bars considered a day on the sand to be adventurous enough. The ocean breeze in their hair and sand beneath their feet was as close to nature as they wanted to be. Not that he didn’t love the beach, but damn. He also enjoyed a good hike and night around a campfire.
Glancing briefly at Clarissa again, he looked away.
He felt oddly content for the moment. Normally during downtime on a mission he’d be shooting the shit with his buddies or have already crashed for the night unless it was his turn to keep watch.
Now it was just him sitting here in the dark, watching over the woman he’d rescued. Keeping away her demons—both real and imaginary. The quiet sounds of the rainforest around them soothed him. Insects chirped, the air was moist and still. It sure the hell beat their damn desert deployments with all the sand and dry air.
And even though it was strange being away from his teammates, he liked that it was his responsibility to watch Clarissa. Seeing her helpless in that tent earlier was nerve-wracking. If he could make her feel safe and secure, he’d do it.
The solace of three a.m. in the jungle would be over soon though. In a few hours, they’d need to move out. Hustle to the river to establish communications. Meet up with their rescue helicopter. Head home.
He glanced toward the tent again.
In a weird way, he already missed being alone with Clarissa.
