Page 59 of SEAL's Promise
“SEAL, a teammate of Brent’s. All of us are SEALs.”
“So was I. I was stationed on the west coast when Brent was in DEVGRU,” David said.
“What’s DEVGRU?” Rachelle asked.
“Another name for SEAL Team 6,” Cal said.
She stared. Good grief. Although she didn’t know much about SEALs, she’d heard plenty about the types of missions that particular team carried out. She couldn’t imagine the horrors he’d witnessed while protecting innocents and hunting down terrorists.
When Cal’s face lost all expression, she realized he had mistaken her surprise for rejection. She needed to repair the damage, but couldn’t do it in front of an audience. She glanced at Eli. “Is it safe for Cal and me to sit on the porch for a few minutes?”
Eli looked at David.
“Should be safe enough,” the sheriff said. “Trees block long-range shots.”
Oh, man. She hadn’t considered a sniper. “We won’t be long.”
Cal stood and held out his hand to Rachelle. She gripped his hand tight and headed for the front door. On the porch, she led him to the swing. “Sit with me.”
“If you plan to tell me you want out, get it over with.”
Rachelle tugged on his hand until he sat beside her. When he stared straight ahead as though waiting for the ax to drop, she turned his face toward her. “This is where I tell you how much I appreciate your service in the military and in law enforcement.”
He stared. “You don’t want out of this relationship?”
She shook her head. “I was surprised to learn you were a member of SEAL Team 6. I shouldn’t have been.”
Cal wrapped an arm around her shoulders and drew her against him. “What do you mean?”
“Operatives talk at Fortress. Since I’m interested in all things Cal Taylor, I listened to everything about you. You’re a legend around Fortress. The less experienced operatives view you as Superman.”
He snorted. “Hardly. I have miles on me and experience.”
“They look good on you.” Rachelle kissed him, slow and sweet. When she eased back, she said, “I’m tougher than I look, Cal. I won’t run because you accepted a difficult job and rose to the top of your profession as a SEAL. In fact, I’m honored to have a chance to be with you.”
“I’m the one who is honored. You’re much too good for me.”
“We’ll have to agree to disagree. I’m sorry to worry you.”
“I’m just glad you’re not kicking me to the curb.”
The front door opened, and Eli poked his head out. “Brent will call soon. He wants you and Rachelle to be there.”
They followed Eli into the kitchen.
At the two-minute mark, Eli’s phone rang. He swiped his screen. “It’s Eli. You’re on speaker with Wolf Pack, Rachelle, David Montgomery, and two of his brothers.”
“Thanks for providing a safe haven, David.”
“I’m glad to help.”
“What’s the latest news?” Eli asked.
“First, Zane has confirmation from two more sources that Rachelle is the target.”
Cal’s hand tightened around Rachelle’s. “What about Amy and Eric?”
“The goal is to reacquire Rachelle.”