Stitched Up Heart (Combat Hearts Book 1) (33 page)

“You’re right. I’ll be nice and share my honestly-gotten gains.”

Jase pulled on Bree’s ponytail, forcing her head back. He leaned over her so he was looking at her upside down. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

She grinned. “Yup.”

He shook his head at her and gave her a quick kiss. Letting go of her ponytail, he sat next to her at the table and pulled her closer. His heat enveloped her side where they pressed close to each other. She relaxed into his embrace.

Laughter flowed as freely as the beer while the sun set. The guys continued to accuse them of cheating. She smirked at Denise every time one of them tried to find a reason for their victory.

“Do either of you two-step?” Cole asked.

“She does.” Denise pointed at Bree.

She glared at Denise, then looked at Cole. “So does she. She just doesn’t like to admit it.”

“Alright then. Matt!” He smacked his hand on the table. “Turn on some music.” Cole unfolded his legs from under the table and rounded it. “Jase. Out of the way. You can paw her later.”

Jase’s look was questioning. She kissed him. “You can paw me later.” She threw a leg over the bench and Cole reached for her hand to help her up.

“No slow songs,” Jase said.

Cole smirked at Jase. “I make no promises.” He led Bree to the other side of the fire and took both her hands in his.

A high-tempo country song played on the radio Matt had turned on. Cole pulled her close, then pushed her away. He crossed his arm over her head so her back was to him before pushing her out and spinning her away — right into Denise and Matt. She threw her head back and laughed. It had been a while since she’d danced with anyone. She fell back into the rhythm of the steps. Cole was a good lead and easy to follow. They danced for two songs before Patrick cut in.

I need a break.

A slow song came on and Jase stepped in. “My turn.” He pulled her close, tucking her right arm in, close to his chest. She wrapped her other arm around his back. Firelight glinted in his eyes, giving him an otherworldly look.

“Having fun?” he asked.

“I am.”

“Good.”

She laid her head on his chest and listened to the beat of his heart. Wasn’t there a new country song about this very situation? Her lips curled up, and she closed her eyes. His thumb brushed back and forth across her fingers, keeping time with the music. Everything else ceased to exist. It was just the two of them wrapped in firelight and darkness. She sighed when the song ended, switching back to a higher tempo song.

“I need a drink,” she said. He walked her over to the folding camp chairs set up around the fire.

“Tampax.”

Bree’s head snapped up and the bottom dropped out of her stomach. She hated that damn call sign.

Jordan stared right at her. “I thought it was you, but I wasn’t sure. Not until you did that thing with your hat. You always did it with your booney hat down range. You’re her.”

Bree swallowed hard. “Yeah.” She’d recognized him when they’d arrived. He hadn’t said anything, but he’d been quiet since they came back from the woods. She’d caught him watching her, studying her, like he was trying to figure out where he knew her from. So much for hoping he wouldn’t remember until after the weekend.

“What? What’s her?” Cole asked.

“She was a CST,” Jordan said. “Imbedded with our team. On a mission, riding in a convoy. It wasn’t that far – fifty or so miles, but like most fucking routes, only one way to go. Three-quarters of the way there, we get hit. Coordinated attack. IEDs, RPGs, small arms fire. Insurgents were just waiting for their chance.”

Jordan took a pull of his beer as he stared into the fire. The other guys were quiet. Waiting for him to continue.

Bree closed her eyes and swallowed hard.
Please, god, don’t.
She didn’t want to see the looks on everyone’s faces. The assessment. Or the judgment. She opened her eyes, trying to stave off the tears.

“Lead vehicle made it through. Second and third Humvees got caught in the center of the ambush. Ten guys. All of them took hits. Tore ‘em up.” He locked eyes with Bree. “We were in the second-to-last vehicle. I turned around to tell her to stay put and her crazy ass has her door open. You looked down to check the road. I remember thinking
at least she knows enough to do that
. Then you were out and running to the third vehicle.”

Bree’s lip trembled and she sucked in a breath. The screams echoed in her head. Could smell the burning metal and flesh. She flinched when hands rested on her shoulders.
Jase
.

“You managed to pull the door open. Had to put your boot on the side of the vehicle to get enough leverage. Pulled your cutter out. Got Dantes out of his seat belt and dragged him out of the back. Pulled him down onto the road, back to our vehicle, out of the line of fire. Must have been thirty, forty yards. I didn’t think you’d be able to do it, but you did. Did it five more times.” He took another pull of his beer and looked away.

“We were laying down cover fire, fighting off the ambush, and she just kept dragging guys out of the wreckage.”

Tears rolled down her cheeks. Denise reached over and grabbed her hand. Bree clutched it like it was her last lifeline.

“Fucking angels watching over you.” Jordan looked back at Bree. “Didn’t get hit once.”

“No,” Bree whispered. She’d come close. Some small pieces of shrapnel, but that was it.

“We finally got some air support. Attack’s over. Twelve of us took hits. Four guys dead. Sawyer took a round to the leg. Nicked a vein. Dark red blood bubbling out of his skin like lava flowing over the top of a volcano. Couldn’t get it under control. We’re all thinking he’s going to bleed out.” He took a pull from his beer, then let out a short laugh. “This crazy bitch pushes through, kneels down next to him, and pulls out a tampon. We’re all like
what the hell is she going to do with that
, right? She pushes it into his leg and plugs the hole.” He rubbed his free hand through his hair, making it stand up on end. “Damn things are designed to expand. Put pressure on the wound from the inside.” Jordan let out a small snort and looked back at Bree. “Damndest thing I ever saw. Medic trick. Saved his life. He got to go home to his wife and kids.”

Her chest compressed as she tried to keep the sobs from escaping. “Yeah.”

Jordan started laughing. A little drunk and a little crazy. “We all gave him shit about having a tampon stuck in his leg, but we sure as hell hit up the exchange when we got back to base and stocked up.” His laughter died off. “Bronze star with valor, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Should’ve been a fucking medal of honor.” Jordan finished his beer and threw it in the trash before heading in the direction of his tent.

Matt pushed up from his camp chair. “I’ll check on him.” He paused and stopped in front of Bree. He reached down, setting his beefy hand on the back of her neck before kissing her on the forehead. He put his head against hers. “Sawyer’s youngest is my goddaughter. Thank you.”

Bree closed her eyes and swallowed hard. Matt let go and headed after Jordan.

Jase lifted his hands from her shoulders and came around to her front. He scooped her up in her arms. “’Night guys.” She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and buried her face in his neck.

A chorus of
good nights
followed them as Jase carried Bree to their tent.

“You okay?” he asked.

Bree nodded against his neck.

“No, you’re not.”

Bree gave a small shake of her head.

His hold tightened, and Bree pushed her head farther under his chin, claiming as much contact as she could get. He set her down in front of their tent and unzipped the flap. She looked back toward the fire. Chris stood in front of Denise, as if trying to stop her from following Bree and Jase.

“Chris.” Bree waved her arm, telling him to let Denise by. Denise glared at Chris as she passed.

She hugged Bree tight. “Sorry, babe. I know you were hoping he wouldn’t remember.”

“Yeah. Shit happens.”

Denise looked Jase. “Take care of her.” She looked back at Bree. “Talk to him.”

Bree nodded. “I know.”

“See you in the morning.” She hugged Bree one more time before heading back to the fire.

“You wanna hit the sack?” Jase squatted in front of the tent.

She nodded and sat in the opening to remove her hiking boots. She scooted back onto the air mattress. Her bra came off without taking off her t-shirt. Laying down on the mattress, she shucked her jeans and set them to the side. She lay there, staring up at the peak of the tent, her hands resting on her stomach. Jase lay down next to her and took off his clothes except for his boxers. He turned off the electric lantern hanging from a D-ring, then pulled her close to his side. She tucked her face into his chest and inhaled deeply. A hint of woodsmoke lingered on his skin. “I dream about them. The guys I couldn’t get to. Even the guys I did get to.”

His fingers traced up and down her spine. “What do you dream?”

“They talk to me. Beg me to help them. When I see them, I freeze in place. Or I can’t stop the blood. They all die because I can’t get to them in time.”

“How often do you have those dreams?”

“Used to be every time I closed my eyes. Even when I took something to help me sleep.” She traced his collarbone with her fingers. “That was even worse ’cause I couldn’t wake myself up.”

“What about now?” The gentle baritone of his voice as soothing as his hands brushing along her skin.

“I’ve had a couple in the last few weeks. My doc said it’s normal, given what’s going on with the murders. My subconscious trying to process the new danger by relating to a danger it’s familiar with.” She rubbed her forehead against his collarbone. “I wish it’d find something different.”

“You gonna have trouble sleeping tonight?” His hand continued its motion. Calming her. Soothing her. She took a shuddering breath.

“I don’t know.”

“I’ve got you.”

“I know.”

The mug warmed her fingers as she stood on the edge of the bluff. The valley spread out below, blanketed in a wispy layer of mist in the early morning light. A breeze shifted through the branches of the trees, creating eddies of fog between the muted green branches, giving the illusion of ghosts walking amongst the trees. She drew a deep breath, trying to find peace in the stillness of morning. She smiled as she took a sip of her coffee, imagining what Jase would say when he woke and found she’d left him asleep again.

The crunch of boots behind her broke the silence. She looked to her right, surprised to see Jordan standing next to her. His hands in his pockets, he stared out over the valley. She looked down into her mug and took another sip, allowing the silence to stretch out.

“Did you recognize me?” he asked.

She glanced at him, but he was still looking forward. “Yes, but I didn’t remember from where until we were out on the beer hunt.”

“I’m sorry about last night.”

“It’s alright.”

She felt him shift and met his gaze. “It’s not. I shouldn’t have put you in that position.” He stared back out over the valley. “Of all the shit I experienced, over all the deployments, that day is the one I remember the most. Because of you.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Because I’m a woman?”

He snorted. “No. Because without you, a lot more guys would have died. Including Sawyer.”

“Oh.” She looked back out over the valley.

He sighed. “I’m going back.”

Her head snapped back to look at him, her eyes wide. “What? When?”

“Month or so.” He looked down and kicked a rock.

“Shit. That sucks.” There wasn’t much more she could say. No use asking if he could get out of it. He wouldn’t, even if there was a way he could.

“Yeah.”

They stood there for several more minutes.

“Anyway,” he said. “I wanted to say sorry. And thanks.” He pivoted and walked back toward the camp.

“Jordan?”

He stopped and turned back.

“Be careful.”

He nodded and walked away. She watched him approach the fire. Jase broke away and headed toward her, a scowl on his face. Yeah, he was annoyed she’d left him sleeping. She turned to hide her smile.