Shattered (Hostage Rescue Team #11)(5)
“Yes, last night. It’s good to be home.”
“I hear ya. Coming home never gets old.”
No, not when the person you loved most in the whole world was there waiting for you.
Clay tipped his beer to his mouth and took a long sip, eyeing Sawyer. “Heard Mama Cruz is coming into town tomorrow.”
“Yep.” A blindingly-white grin broke across his deep brown face.
Clay shook his head and smothered a laugh. “You’re seriously the only guy I know who loves having his motherin-law around all the time.”
Sawyer shrugged. “Future motherin-law,” he corrected.
“They’re sickening together,” Ethan said, one arm draped around Marisol’s shoulders. “Can’t get enough of each other, always texting or talking on the phone.”
“You’re just jealous,” Sawyer said with a smug grin.
“Dude, I’m relieved,” Ethan corrected. “Means she always stays with you guys whenever she comes into town.” He lowered his voice and waggled his eyebrows at Marisol. “Which means we get a lot of privacy.”
“Oh, my God, Ethan,” Marisol gasped, swatting him across the chest.
“What? It’s true. And you love having privacy, because that way we can run around naked and do whatever we want wherever—”
Taya bit her lip to keep from laughing as Marisol clapped a hand over Ethan’s mouth to stop whatever else he was going to say. Her cheeks were bright pink, her blue-green eyes shooting fire at him. “Honestly, I can’t take him anywhere.”
Ethan just chuckled and kissed her palm before tugging her hand away from his mouth. “No, for real, I’m happy she’s coming up to help you guys with the wedding plans,” he said to Sawyer.
“How long now?” Adam asked Sawyer, deftly shifting Sam to his other arm. Taya mentally shook her head. Watching these guys with their babies was enough to send any woman of childbearing age into instant ovulation.
“Little over four months,” Sawyer answered, then leveled a hard look at Ethan and Marisol. “When are you guys gonna set a date, anyway?”
“Right after we see how things go with your wedding,” Ethan answered without missing a beat. “Then we’ll know if we should just go elope instead.”
“You should totally elope,” Matt called out from over by the grill. “So much easier, and cheaper. Right, honey?” he said to Briar.
“Oh, it’s the only way to go,” she answered.
Ethan raised his eyebrows at Sawyer, a gratified smile curving his lips. “They might be onto something.”
Taya frowned at Marisol. “Would your families be okay with that?” They were a close-knit bunch, and pretty religious. Elopement didn’t seem to fit with what Taya knew about them.
Soli shrugged. “Probably not. But I’m with Ethan on this one. We’re in wait and see mode.” Her eyes brimmed with laughter as she raised a bottle of hard cider to her lips.
“Oh, good, y’all didn’t start eating without me.”
They all turned at the sound of that familiar Louisiana-tinted female voice behind them. Zoe Bauer sailed through the French doors in her full Victorian Goth glory, bearing a tray of appies, a big grin on her shocking-red lips.
Today she had on a black ruffled Victorian-style skirt that was short in front, showing off her killer legs to above the knee, the back of it trailing out behind her in a short train. A bright purple corset-style top bearing the picture of a book with the words “Smart girls read romance” on the cover stretched taut across her chest. She’d dyed the top half of her hair a bright turquoise and left the long bottom layer black, and she had her trademark smoky eye shadow and liner on, making her amber eyes seem twice as bright.
Clay slung an arm around his wife’s shoulders when she waltzed up to him in her bat wedge sandals. “Libby’s not constipated anymore,” he told her.
Those golden eyes locked with his, a smile lurking in their depths. “Oh?”
“We’re down one dress, a onesie, and the car seat liner though. I couldn’t save ‘em.”
Zoe laughed, that distinctive husky, dirty edge to it. She was a romantic horror author, so it suited her perfectly. “I see our daughter’s already making the rounds.” She nodded toward the yard, where Jake Evers and his girlfriend Rachel had Libby now.
Tuck was there with his wife Celida as well, all of them talking with Nathan. Once again, she marveled at her husband. Nathan drew people to him without even trying, his natural charisma pulling them in. “She’s already turning into a party animal.”
“Well, she’s got to be a hangry party animal, so I’m going to feed her so we can avoid a meltdown. Hey, Taya. Good to see you.” Zoe held out her arms expectantly.
Taya stepped into the hug, Zoe’s floral-musk perfume wafting around her. She was the most physically affectionate person Taya had ever met, and it was always genuine. “You too. You look fantastic, by the way.”
“Yeah, she does,” Clay murmured, giving his wife a wolfish, approving look. With his arm around her he led her over to their daughter, Taya trailing behind them. The moment Libby saw Zoe, her eyes went wide and she twisted in Rachel’s hold, arms reaching out, her expression desperate.
“There’s my little raven,” Zoe cooed, and scooped her from Rachel.