Page 55 of SEAL's Resolve
“Earlier is better. I’d rather arrive in Bakerhill under cover of night.”
“She can sleep on the way to her home,” Jon said. He turned to Eli. “Rafe’s right. Darkness is safer for her and for us.”
“I agree.” Wolf Pack’s leader checked his watch. “You didn’t sleep last night, Rafe. Will four hours be enough to recharge?”
He scowled. Seriously? He’d operated for days at a time without sleep on missions. Just because a beautiful woman had captured his interest didn’t mean he couldn’t function as an operative while short on sleep. “As long as I have coffee, I’ll be good to go.”
“I’ll make sure it’s ready for you,” Rio said, amusement twinkling in his eyes.
With a nod of thanks, Rafe turned back to Eli. “Kristi’s luggage and vehicle are at the Sandoval.”
“Jackson, you and Cal ride together and stop by the hotel. Rafe, we’ll need Kristi to call the Sandoval and alert security that Cal and Jackson are coming. We don’t want trouble with hotel security or the local cops.”
He snorted. “They weren’t much good when she was kidnapped. Security won’t be able to stop Cal and Jackson.”
“While that’s true, we don’t want the local cops brought in. The less they suspect you and Durango were involved with the trouble on Hart Mountain, the better. Could get complicated if they haul you in for questioning.”
Rafe could justify every action he’d taken on the mountain as protecting his principal. However, if he was arrested or questioned, he wouldn’t be at Kristi’s side, leaving her vulnerable. That was unacceptable. “Understood.”
Eli inclined his head toward the stairs. “Sleep while you can. The rest of us will split the watch.” He grinned. “You’re on duty tomorrow night.”
“Yes, sir.” Rafe pushed away from the table and headed for the stairs. The voices of his teammates discussing possible avenues of investigation followed him to the third floor. His first stop was Kristi’s room. She hadn’t moved since he left her.
He breathed easier. Hopefully, she would stay asleep until he had to wake her after midnight. Rafe went to his own room across the hall. After washing his face and brushing his teeth, he opened the door again, removed his tactical boots, and stretched out on the bed. He fell asleep between one breath and the next.
His internal alarm woke him at 1:30. After a two-minute shower, he dressed in the standard Fortress uniform of black t-shirt and cargo pants, pulled on his boots, and went across the hall to Kristi’s room.
He paused in the doorway, his heart turning over at the sight of the beautiful woman sleeping peacefully. Rafe hated to wake her, but the early start gave them the best chance of arriving in town unnoticed.
Rafe walked to her bedside and trailed his fingers over Kristi’s cheek. Her skin felt like velvet against his own rough skin. He’d never felt anything that soft in his life. “Kristi.”
She sat up. “What’s wrong?”
He sat beside Kristi and wrapped his arms around her. “Nothing’s wrong,” he murmured against her ear. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
Kristi relaxed against him. “It’s still dark out. Why are we awake so early?”
“You said you wanted to go home today. The best time to do that is under cover of darkness.” He cupped her cheeks, leaned in and kissed her. “I’ll make you tea while you change clothes.”
“When do we leave?”
“As soon as you’re ready.”
“Give me a few minutes.”
Rafe left the room, closing the door behind him. Already in the kitchen, Rio turned when Rafe walked in. The rest of Wolf Pack was gathered around the table with breakfast wraps and mugs of coffee.
“Your coffee and breakfast are ready,” the medic said.
He accepted the plate and mug of coffee Rio offered him with a nod of thanks.
“I can prepare a wrap for Kristi as well, but I wasn’t sure if she’d be ready to eat this early.”
“I doubt it, but you can ask.” Unlike the operatives, she wasn’t used to waking at all hours of the night. He nuked a large mug of water with two chamomile-mint tea bags, then ate quickly and drank the excellent coffee while her tea steeped. “Thanks, man. I appreciate this.”
“No problem.”
“Thanks for your hospitality, Rio.” Eli rose with his empty plate and coffee mug in hand.