Page 35 of ELITE Justice
Her jaw dropped. His long hair was gone, making his closely shaved face look ten years younger. He was gorgeous.
“I clean up pretty good,” he admitted. “I think I should refill my pump since it’s going to be a long night.”
“You’re not going out there with them, are you?” She sounded like a protective mother even though they were only a few years apart in age.
“No.” He shrugged. “Alex wants me in the Command Center running things from there.”
She lowered her voice. She had to know. “How much danger are they in?”
His answer was the typical military non-answer. “Every mission can be dangerous.”
She pulled the insulin from the refrigerator and held it to her breasts. He’d never try to grab it from her there. “Answer my question, please.”
Kane glanced at the tables of men on the other side of the large pass-through then back at Gwen. Quietly he said, “Intel has the terrorists planting snipers throughout the woods to take out as many people as possible in the panic when the buildings blow. Guardian, and a Homeland SOG team, plan to…eliminate them as they take up their positions tonight.”
Gwen’s heart sank deeper with every word. Jonathan could get hurt. Even—no, she wouldn’t think that. Her arms dropped. When Kane snagged the insulin from her hands, it brought her back to the present. She got to work with Kane’s injection system.
By ten forty-five, the Guardian men had scraped their dessert plates clean. At an unseen signal, they all stood. Alex led the entourage of badass commandos, stopping in front of her. “I always seem to be thanking you.” He glanced at the table where Jacki and the busboy were cleaning up. “We truly appreciate your hospitality. The meal was wonderful.” He took her hand and just held it. “You have a heart the size of Texas.” He squeezed slightly before releasing her. “But you’re running a business. Don’t argue with me but you’ll receive a check from Guardian to pay for two nights’ meals and tip.”
Thank yous and compliments came from every man as they filed out. Jonathan was the last in line and waited until everyone else had left the diner. Jacki grabbed the busboy and went to the kitchen.
Alone, Jonathan took her into his arms, and the world stilled. This was where she belonged. Forever.
She had to say it. He had to know before he left that he had someone to come back to. Someone who needed him, every day, and every night.
He smiled at her and slowly lowered his forehead to hers. “I’ll see you in—”
“I love you,” she blurted.
His whole body stiffened.
Damn. She’d read him wrong. She wasspecialto him and that was it. He didn’t have those deep feelings for her. She mentally pulled up her big-girl panties, straightened her back, and looked into his unreadable face.
“I don’t expect you to…to say anything.” She glanced down. Those soft blue-green eyes of his bore through her and she couldn’t see what she needed in them. Not now, anyway. But maybe someday he’d feel the same. She looked back up at Jonathan. “I just wanted you to know that I’ll be here, waiting for you, when you finish tonight.”
With two fingertips under her chin, he gently raised her face and then pressed the sweetest kiss to her lips. Instead of the rush of electricity that usually jolted her system at his touch, soothing heat flowed through her, like gliding into a tub of warm water, relaxed and satiated.
“Get a move on, Romeo.” Quin bellowed, only his head sticking through the open door. “We need to go.”
“I’ll see you for breakfast.” Jonathan turned and walked out the door.
CHAPTER14
Jonathan started kickinghimself in the ass the minute the diner door closed behind him.I’ll see you for breakfast.Not the appropriate response to Gwen’sI love you.
He climbed into the backseat of the second of many Guardian SUVs filled with huge men, the engines running. He’d barely closed the door before the caravan of secretly armored vehicles headed toward American Airlines’ new headquarters.
Burned in his brain was the image of his beautiful Gwen, in his arms, professing her love.Why hadn’t I said it back? Do I love her? Can anyone fall in love in just a few weeks? I love being with her and miss her so much when we’re not together. But nothing about our relationship has been normal. Hell, from our first date everything has been built on lies. But she’d forgiven me, hadn’t she? Besides, no one can fall in love after just one date. One fucking fantastic date. But it wasn’t just one date.
They’d spent hours together. True, much of it was at night in bed but Gwen knew things about him that he’d never shared, even with his best friends at work. Was he simply in lust with her? If so, it would all be over by dawn.
No!He didn’t want this thing with Gwen to end. Certainly not now. He wanted more dates, even if that included nothing more than sitting on her lumpy couch eating popcorn and watching movies. He wanted more nights with her to show her the many ways he loved her. He loved the way she snuggled into him in the morning. He loved that she would help a smelly homeless man because she could. He loved that she would take over her aunt and uncle’s restaurant giving them the first vacation ever, just because she could. He loved the way she made him feel.
Yes. He loved her.
Damnit, he should’ve told her before he was forced to leave the restaurant. Pulling his phone from his pocket, he debated texting her.
Fuck. No. That was not the way he wanted her to know he felt the same way as she did. He needed her to be in his arms, staring into her pretty brown eyes. He’d say those three little words that meant so much then kiss her with all the tenderness and passion he felt inside.
