Page 71 of Reclaimed (Hostage Rescue Team)

Agent Thatcher unlocked the door for him and he carried Summer inside. The instant the door closed behind them, an overwhelming sense of relief hit him. He hadn’t realized just how tightly strung he’d been or how much he’d been craving the quiet until now.

He set Summer on his bed, then crouched down to check the bandage on her foot. It was perfect and there was no blood seeping through, but of course he shouldn’t have expected anything else, since Schroder was a pro.

He stilled when a gentle hand settled against the side of his face, and looked up.

“I want a shower,” she said.

“Yeah, of course.”

He pulled her to her feet and followed her to the bathroom. She looked at herself in the mirror and cringed.

“I look like hell,” she said.

Adam stepped up behind her, circled his arms around her waist and set his chin on top of her head. Her bright auburn hair was oily and covered with soot and fire retardant. She had dark purplish-blue circles beneath her eyes and her forearms and hands looked like they’d suffered a bad sunburn. “You’re still beautiful to me.”

She gave him a weary smile. “Thanks.”

He reached for the shower nozzle and turned the water on while she stripped. As she stepped beneath the spray she winced, and he realized the heat of it must have stung the burns on her arms and hands. “Too hot?” he asked, immediately reaching for the knob.

“No, it’s okay,” she murmured.

Adam shucked his own clothes and stepped into the shower with her. Summer stood beneath the water, unmoving, and he could see the exhaustion in every line of her body. He ran his hands gently over her body, cataloguing every scrape and bruise, then worked shampoo into her wet hair and rinsed.

He washed it three times to try and get rid of the acrid smell of the gasoline and smoke. Then he soaped and gently cleaned her body, careful of her sore arms, rinsing away the dirt and grime, but he couldn’t wash away the memories or the fear that haunted her.

After they were both clean he shut off the water and bundled her up in a towel. He put toothpaste on his toothbrush and handed it to her as she was finishing toweling off her hair. “Here.”

“Thanks.” When she was done brushing her teeth she stood up, slipped her arms into one of his clean T-shirts and then put on the hotel robe he’d snagged from the back of the door.

There were so many things he wanted to say and to ask, but he didn’t want to push her for conversation right now.

Summer turned to face him, the bright lights over the mirror glinting off her clean hair. “So I’m guessing you got my message in that video, huh?”

“Yes.” Running a hand over her hair, he kissed her softly, careful not to abrade her soft skin with his whiskers. “That was so damn brave, andsmart.”

Her lips quirked, her eyes warming with wry humor. “I’m just glad you saw it and figured it out in time.”

Needing to kiss her again before his heart split open, he framed her face between his hands and leaned in, but stopped when she set her fingertips on his lips. He blinked at her, surprised.

Her expression was so full of emotion, her light green eyes glistening with tears. “I meant what I said in it,” she whispered, her voice rough. “I do love you. More than anything. And I’m so sorry for all the ways I’ve hurt you and let you down—”

Adam cut her off by covering her mouth with his. God, her words tore him apart, and he hated that’s what she’d been thinking about as she awaited what had almost been her execution. They’d both screwed up, were both to blame, but probably him more than her. But he didn’t want to talk about that right now, he just wanted to reconnect with his wife.

He held her precious face in his hands and just kissed her, sinking into her, into this moment. She was safe and in his arms and he would never let anything happen to her again. He kissed her deep and slow, a fervent melding of lips and tongues to convey everything she meant to him better than words ever could.

When he eased back he traced his thumbs over her cheekbones, wishing he could take away the shadows both beneath and in her beautiful eyes. “I know, sweetheart. And I love you so damn much. I was so fucking scared that we got to you too late…” His voice caught and he swallowed.

A small shudder rolled through her. “I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.”

Adam cursed silently and drew her into his arms. She leaned into him, held on tight and just stood there with him for a few minutes, absorbing the feel of each other. “Let’s get you into bed,” he murmured, bending to slide an arm beneath her knees and lifted her into his arms.

He eased her down onto the bed and walked around it to the other side, about to get in with her when his cell rang.

The sharp, urgent ringtone cut through the room, making them both stiffen.Fuck, no,he thought, hesitating at the side of the bed. They couldn’t be calling him back in. Not now.

Summer watched him without a word, her eyes full of ghosts he’d do anything to banish.

Adam spun around and went to his phone. DeLuca’s number was on the display. “Blackwell,” he answered, still hoping his commander might simply be calling to check on him.

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