Page 21 of Todd
“Since you’re not on an active mission right now,” Logan continued, his attention shifting to Todd, “I’ll have you fill in for Sadie. We’ll need the computer skills for cyber assistance when Dalton is deployed.”
Todd nodded, already turning toward Sadie’s workstation. They all had cross-training in multiple areas, which was part of what made LSI Montana so effective, but as he pulled up herscreens and saw the complex systems she navigated with such ease, he felt a fresh wave of respect for her abilities.
By afternoon’s end, Todd was wound tighter than a compressed spring. The gym called to him, promising the kind of physical punishment that might quiet the chaos in his head. He wrapped his hands with practiced efficiency and approached the heavy bag like an old enemy.
The first punch landed with a satisfying thud, echoing through the space. Then another. And another. Each impact sent shock waves up his arms, but it wasn’t enough to drown out the voice in his head that whispered all the things he should have said, should have done, should have been brave enough to try. He knew she was the most special woman he’d ever met, but becoming coworkers so quickly after their initial meeting sent them both into a panic.And God knows, I’m not good at expressing myself.
When his knuckles were raw and his shoulders screamed in protest, he moved to the weights, pushing himself until his muscles burned and his vision blurred with exhaustion. Only then, when his body was too depleted to sustain the endless cycle of regret, did he finally stop.
The walk back to the bunkhouse was filled with dread. Sadie wouldn’t be there, and he was grateful to find the common areas empty. The last thing he needed was a well-meaning conversation from his teammates.
He grabbed his toiletries and headed for the bathroom, desperate for the scalding spray of the shower to wash away more than just the physical evidence of his workout. Standing under the punishing heat, he let the water cascade over his battered body and tried to find some measure of peace.
Instead, his treacherous mind opened the floodgates he’d been trying so desperately to keep sealed. That day.That perfect day when I met her had changed everything.
He’d been working since dawn, helping Cole secure the hangars while other team members installed security cameras around the perimeter. It was the kind of honest, satisfying work that reminded him why he’d chosen this life. When Logan had suggested he knock off early, Todd’s first instinct had been to stay. He was still proving himself, still earning his place among these extraordinary men.
But something had called to him that afternoon, some restless energy that demanded solitude and the simple pleasure of a good meal. The bar in town had become his occasional refuge, a place where he could sit quietly and appreciate the rare luxury of having nowhere else to be.
He’d settled into a spot at the bar, ordered his usual burger and onion rings, and was enjoying the peaceful anonymity when the woman sitting a few stools down asked the bartender about the onion rings. And then she ordered them to go along with her meal. He grinned, knowing the large servings the bar provided. He doubted she’d be able to finish her meal, much less a platter of onion rings.
Even now, with hot water streaming down his face, Todd could feel his pulse quicken at the memory. Her dark hair escaped from a messy topknot, no makeup to hide the natural beauty that had literally stopped his breath. Her clothes were practical rather than provocative. Her well-worn jeans hugged her curves, and a simple shirt that somehow made her more alluring than if she’d been dressed to kill.
This was a woman who’d wandered into that bar for food, not attention. But she’d captured his attention so completely that the rest of the world had simply ceased to exist.
When she’d overheard his order and decided to add onion rings to her own meal, Todd had found himself speaking before his brain could catch up, offering his endorsement of therestaurant’s offerings like some lovesick teenager. The words had tumbled out without his permission.
He’d expected polite acknowledgment, maybe a smile if he was lucky. What he’d gotten instead was the beginning of the most perfect evening of his entire life.
The conversation flowed smoothly, as intoxicating as aged whiskey. She was funny without trying to be, intelligent without needing to prove it, genuine in a way that made every other woman he’d ever known seem like a pale imitation. And when she ate... Christ, the soft sounds of pleasure she made over simple bar food had nearly undone him right there in his chair.
He wasn’t a man who lacked self-control, especially not in public. But sitting next to this beautiful, uninhibited woman who found such joy in life’s simple pleasures, he’d felt his carefully maintained composure cracking like ice in spring.
They’d talked for hours, covering a multitude of topics… philosophical debates about movies and music. The one topic they’d both carefully avoided was work. Todd had been grateful for her lack of interest in what he did for a living. And since she didn’t offer any professional comments, it was an easy topic to skip over.
He ordered an enormous fried apple turnover for them to share, partly because he wasn’t ready for the evening to end and partly because he’d wanted to hear those intoxicating sounds of pleasure again. By the time they’d demolished the dessert, Todd had known with bone-deep certainty that this woman was different. Special. Worth taking a chance on.
He was building up the confidence to ask to see her again when she’d turned her beautiful eyes on him and asked if he wanted to get out of there. He had jumped at the opportunity to spend more time with her. When she’d mentioned having a hotel room nearby, every rational thought had fled his mind. There had been only her, the electric connection arcing between them,and the desperate need to discover if what he was feeling was real.
The memory of her hotel room hit him like a physical blow, even now. The way she’d turned to face him the moment the door closed, the way she’d risen on her toes to meet his kiss, and the way she’d felt soft, strong, and absolutely perfect in his arms.
The shower. God, that cramped hotel shower where they’d barely fit together, where the hot water and steam had created their own private world. Her hands explored his body with wonder and hunger, and met his own desperate need to worship every inch of her skin. He loved the way she’d gasped his name when he’d pressed her against the tile wall and kissed her like his life depended on it.
Then they’d made love with an intensity that had shattered every preconceived notion he’d had about physical intimacy. It hadn’t been just sex, but a connection… the meeting of two souls who’d been searching for each other without even knowing it.
He’d had three condoms in his wallet, and they’d used every single one before they finally managed to snag a couple of hours of sleep. Between each encounter, they’d talked in whispered voices, sharing bits and pieces of themselves in the darkness. The topics never delved too deeply, but the experience was new for him. Other than a few short-term relationships over the years, most of his physical encounters were just sex as a release between two people who never expected anything more.
As sleep had finally claimed them, her head was pillowed on his chest, and her hair tickled his chin. Todd had felt something shift deep in his soul. This wasn’t a one-night stand or a casual encounter. This felt like the beginning of something profound, something that could change the entire trajectory of his life.
But work duties called. If he hadn’t had an early shift at LSIMT, he would have taken her to breakfast. Gotten her phone number. Arranged a real date.
He’d left that morning with the kind of reluctance that made his chest ache, scribbling his phone number on hotel stationery with hands that shook slightly from anticipation. All through his shower and change of clothes back at the compound, all through the morning briefings and routine tasks, he’d counted the hours until he could see her again.
And had no idea how quickly that would happen.
12
The shower water ran cold, shocking Todd back to the present. He stumbled out of the stall, grabbing a towel with hands that trembled slightly from more than just the temperature change. How long had he been standing there, lost in memories that felt both precious and futile?
