Page 42 of Shattered

Taya snorted and rolled away to find her dress. Seven minutes later they were in the rental car heading for the Miami church where Cruzie, his mom and sister had attended since they were kids.

They made it with three minutes to spare. Holding Taya’s hand, Nate walked up the front steps to where the rest of the guys stood all decked out in their suits. “Is this a wedding, or a monkey suit convention for male FBI agent models?” he asked.

“Well if it isn’t Dr. Feelgood,” Cruzie, who was best man, said, grinning as he stepped forward to grab Nate in a hug. “Good to see you, man.”

“Good to see you guys too. Believe me.”

Everyone chuckled and Nate went to the groom next. Vance stood in parade rest posture in his tux, broad shoulders straight, feet braced apart and hands clasped behind his back. He was missing his trademark Stetson, in deference to the church ceremony. Nate had no doubt he’d have it back on for the reception though.

“Hey, man. You nervous?” Nate asked.

A big, bright grin split his dark face. “Nope. Not even a little.”

“Glad to hear it.” He and Carm were a great match, and he and Cruzie were already brothers in every way that mattered. The marriage would just make it official. “Congrats again, man.” Nate reeled him in for a hard, back-slapping man hug.

As soon as he stepped back Bauer was there, waiting to smack Nate on the shoulder with a solid fist. “So, this mean you’re back now? Tuck said you would be soon.”

“Yes and no.” Tuck and Cruzie had spent the most time with him during his recovery, but the entire team had been awesome with him. He’d gone to every team function since the day he’d made the decision to flip the switch. They were one big, solid, pain-in-the-ass family again.

He loved each and every one of these guys like brothers.

“Few more weeks off, then hopefully a clean CT scan and they’ll clear me to resume active duty.” He’d been working out with the guys and going with them to the shooting range for the past three weeks or so, but nothing seriously strenuous or anything that would cause another knock to the head. Nate didn’t want anything to set his recovery back. He’d been off way too long already and was itching to get back to work with the team.

“Awesome.” Bauer grabbed him around the shoulders with one huge arm and scrubbed his knuckles over Nate’s hair hard enough to burn his scalp. “Didn’t think I’d miss having you around so much, Doc.”

Nate huffed out a laugh. “Aww, that’s sweet. I missed you too, Bauer. And why the hell are you in such a good mood, anyway?”

Bauer released him. “Libby’s at home with my mom looking after her. So Zoe and I are here alone.” He raised his eyebrows, letting the weight of that sink in a minute for Nate. “We got seven hours of uninterrupted sleep last night. Seven,” he said, as if it was the most miraculous thing that had ever happened to him.

“Yeah, right. Sleep,” Nate said with a sarcastic chuckle.

Bauer lowered his eyebrows. “No, I’m serious. We slept. All night, without waking up once. It was amazing.”

“That’s pathetic, man. I mean really, truly pitiful. I’m sad for you. And for Zoe.”

Bauer smirked at him. “Yeah, let’s revisit this conversation again in another four or five months. Then we’ll see who’s laughing.”

“Okay, people, let’s get inside before the bride shows up,” Tuck ordered with a clap of his hands. “All the other hot ladies are already inside,” he said to Taya with a smile.

Nate took her hand, tucked it into the crook of his arm and led her through the doors of the old Catholic church. She shot him a secret little smile, her cheeks pink.

“What?” he asked.

She leaned into his shoulder. “Nothing. Just happy.”

He smiled back. He just loved her to pieces. “Good.”

She nodded, faced the altar at the far end of the aisle. “Mmm.Feelgood, too.” She dropped her voice to a whisper, leaned toward him slightly so that only he could hear her, the curve of her breast rubbing against his arm.

Nate’s gaze dipped down to her cleavage. That brush hadn’t seemed like an accident. And he could see the outline of her nipples pressing against her dress. Wait, was she turned on? There was something in her tone that made him think wicked thoughts, but he had to be wrong, they were in a church and his wife was pretty proper about that kind of stuff.

“Yeah?” He dragged his eyes back to her face, studied her.

One side of her mouth quirked, as if she was trying not to smile. “A littletoogood,” she added, slanting him a naughty look.

His brain stuttered. Nate almost stumbled there in the aisle as he realized what was going on. His wife was horny again. Already.

Taya bit her bottom lip, that hungry gleam in her eyes making him want to lean down and nibble on it himself. “I can’t stop thinking about earlier. How many hours before we can do a repeat?”

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