Page 65 of Evening Shadows

Lifting his head, the memory of her face as the evening shadows flitted across it would dominate his recollections of her. She exuded a strength that had kept them from trouble, a tenderness that’d had her worried about his injury, and the desire and love she offered him.

“Now ain’t that nice,” a man drawled.

26

Spinning around with a frantic heartbeat, Ken pointed the Glock at the cave entrance. He tried to push Sam behind him for protection like he would for a client. Instead, she’d tried the same thing with him. She also had her waterlogged weapon pointed directly at the man who’d entered their little sanctuary unannounced.

If they hadn’t been facing a possible threat, he’d shake his head at their loss. Together—in future assignments—he foresaw them in for a wild ride.

With a huge sigh of relief and a major ass kicking in his mind for allowing his defenses to be lowered, he ground out, “About damn time you arrived.” Trying to remember it hadn’t been Franks’s fault he’d been surprised, it’d been his. Had it been anyone other than an agent, there’d be no telling what would’ve happened to the two of them. Then again, he doubted any of the men Alejandro had on his payroll could move as stealthily as his agents.

Franks leaned on the edge of the cave wall, which meant that he’d not only approached silently, but he’d also had time to watch the two of them.

Ken narrowed his eyes with a challenge to his second-in-command that he keep his mouth shut about anything he’d witnessed. The team would learn soon enough that he and Sam were together.

“Reagan wouldn’t appreciate your profanity,” Franks jested. “Soon, her swear jar will be full enough to pay for college through a doctoral degree.”

Grimacing, he asked, “Do you really think she’ll count damn as a curse word?” He shook his head knowing they’d eliminated her fine while on operations. “Never mind. I’m glad you’re here. What’s our status?.”

Franks quirked an eyebrow. “Go for a swim?”

“We decided to do a couple of high dives,” he snarled back.

“Damn, Boss,” said the man who’d just told him not curse. “You took a lickin’.”

“And kept on tickin’.” Ken chuckled at their joke from some old commercial and regretted it. A sharp pain wrapped its tentacles around his chest. A chest already enflamed with the exertion of their travels. If he didn’t breathe too deeply or laugh, only an ache resided with his bruised ribs.

Franks turned his eyes to Sam, and the softening in them made Ken want to reach out and choke the man, even though he knew it’d been out of the bond they’d formed and not anything sexual. He’d been jealous of how she’d quickly become friends with the other agents but had no reason to since the two of them had agreed to remain professional at work.

“How you doing, Sugar?”

“Just wet,” she told Franks. “I can help with guard duty tonight.”

Oh hell no.She’d be in his arms tonight because he wouldn’t allow her out of his sight until Beverly had been captured or was dead.

Franks shook his head. “Nah, you’re a target. I’d rather protect the two of you for a change. Take the night to rest, eat, and recoup. With what Doc says about the boss’s leg, we need to start early to meet the bird on time.”

Grumbling under his breath, Ken narrowed his eyes. “It’s fine.” He’d surprised himself how far he’d traveled. While he’d been grateful for Sam’s assistance, he’d still borne the brunt of his weight on his leg.

“Is Doc coming down to look at his injuries?” she asked, her voice lit with hope. He’d like that too, but he also knew Doc wouldn’t be pleased at the depth of them going untreated to this point along with his running through the jungle.

“Yeah. I wanted to check in first.” Turning back to Ken, he asked, “What do you need?”

“We need at least one—preferably two—weapons of any sort. We’ve got one blanket, but I’d like all of yours. We need to get out of these wet clothes and dry off. I’m sure Sam would like her own cover.” While jealous because an agent saw Sam only in her sports bra, he had to remember she wore something similar when working out with the team.

Franks nodded and a sly, knowing smile crept across his face before he pulled one of the handguns he had in a holster and handed it over. Ken wanted his holster and weapons back. He felt naked without them. “Doc’ll bring the rest down with him. He’s also got an extra bladder and some chow.” He grinned.

With a quirk of his lips, Ken nodded in relief that his team had come together without him. He couldn’t be prouder of them. “My comms are iffy.”

“We figured that. We don’t have an extra, but we’re here with you now, so you’ll be fine. Just be alert if you hear gunfire.”

Like he needed to say that. “Where’re you situated?”

“The top of the ridge is the only place someone can begin their descent or slip up the river by boat so we’ve set up one top and one bottom while the third rests. We’ll rotate every three hours once Doc is finished with you, and that’ll put all of us awake before dawn.”

With nothing to add since Franks had made the same decision he would’ve, he thanked him and watched the agent retreat.

While they waited for Doc to arrive, he and Sam kept a reasonable distance between them even though he wanted her back in his arms. Tonight would test him both physically and emotionally. They’d been right about him needing the rest, but wouldn’t Sam didn’t tire him in the least.

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