Delta Recon (SEAL Team Phantom Series, Book 2) by Elle Boon Page B

or so down, but still not close enough. My cottage is further down, so too far away for safety sake if the need arose. We are the only ones who are in residence on that stretch. Kai has a three bedroom cottage.” He didn’t tell her that Coyle and Dallas would be sharing one room, while he’d be staying with her. She’d learn soon enough. She was in no shape for anything other than a light brushing of his fingers against most of her body, let alone making love.
    She nodded like she’d come up with a plan. God love her and her brain. He’d outmaneuver her of course, but he’d like to see what she devised.
    Their escorts pulled up to Kai’s home, the house sat up on two foot piers with all the lights in the house blazing. A figure stood at the front door. One Tay knew had been watching ever since Kai’s text.
    The vehicle hadn’t come to a complete stop before Kai had his door open and was leaping down, his long strides eating up the distance between him and the woman now running down the porch steps. Tay heard Jaqui’s sigh, felt her pulse beat against his fingers. He wondered if she’d be waiting for him like Alexa when he came home from a mission. Turning his head away as Kai and Alexa embraced, feeling like he was intruding on their moment, his eyes met Jaqui’s.
    “They’re truly in love,” she said. It wasn’t a question but a statement.
    “That man is so in love with her, I can’t believe he hasn’t married her yet.” He opened his door, held his hand out for the woman who held his heart.
    He felt Coyle and Dallas at his back, knowing the other guys were ready to protect Jaqui the same as him gave him a sense of ease.
    “You coming in or gonna stand out there all night?” Kai called from the bottom of the steps to his home.
    Jaqui looked past him, then gave a slight smile. He knew she would have waved broadly, but with her injuries, the action was close to impossible. “We better head on up, but I’m going to need some more of my things.” She looked pointedly at his duffle and her lack of one.
    “We’ll take care of it tomorrow.” Jaqui wasn’t stationed on the same base as he and his team, but it wouldn’t be anything to get someone to pack up a few things for her.
    “Hiya, Jaqui. I’m Alexa. We met back in South Dakota,” Alexa said, her arm firmly around Kai’s waist.
    “Ma’am.” Jaqui nodded. “Thank you for letting me bunk with you for a few days.”
    Amethyst eyes blinked out at them. The curvy woman who’d claimed Kai Swift’s heart released her SEAL, and stepped forward. “Now, let’s clear something up real quick. I’m no ma’am, and you are family. I made a ham and scalloped potatoes knowing y’all would be hungry when you landed, so let’s get inside and get you settled. If you’d rather shower and go to bed, that’s fine, too. However, what’s not fine is this formal shit.” Alexa Gordon smiled at them.
    Tay could kiss the woman for immediately putting Jaqui at ease. “I could eat.”
    The other guys said the same.
    “I would love some scalloped potatoes. Not sure I can chew the ham, dang it.” Jaqui followed Alexa up the few steps to the cottage style house, while he hung back knowing Kai wanted to speak to them.
    The screen door shut on a quiet thud. “Alright, let’s hear it.” Tay waited, his ears trained to the house.
    “Alexa is excited to have company. I’ve told her briefly about the trouble we could be expecting, but as she pointed out, her family and troubles were no Robinsons. Meaning she is not worried. Hence, I am worried.” Kai ran his hand over his stubbled chin.
    Having not shaved himself, Tay figured he looked pretty gruff as well. “We’ll protect them from themselves as well as the shit storm that could be coming.”
    Coyle slapped him on the back. “Hooyah. Now, didn’t I hear something about baked ham and potatoes? Move boys, I’m a starving man.”
    Kai and Tay were nudged aside as Coyle, followed by Dallas took the steps