Shattered (Hostage Rescue Team #11)(6)

“Jeez, she didn’t even try to be subtle about it,” Rachel said with a laugh.

“Don’t take it personally. I’m her only food source,” Zoe joked. “And even still, I’m not her favorite human anyway. That’s all daddy.” She aimed a sidelong look at Clay, adoration clear in her gaze. “I swear she already thinks he hung the moon just for her.”

At her words Taya shifted her gaze over to Nathan, who stared back at her with a smile so full of love it made her breath catch. Oh, man she wanted to drag him out to the truck and get it all off her chest.

“Wouldn’t put it past him,” Jake said with a smirk. “She’s got him wound around her little finger so tight it’s a wonder he can breathe.”

“Can’t help it,” Clay said, smiling at his daughter, who was patting Zoe’s face with her tiny hands. “When your little girl wants something, you give it to her.”

“Are you gonna feed her, or can I have a turn holding her?” Celida asked, handing Tuck her drink before approaching them. She gave Libby a silly, open-mouthed smile that stretched the bullet scar on her right cheek, and the baby grinned back, delighted.

“She can wait a few minutes longer,” Zoe said, handing her over.

While the women fussed and cooed over Libby, Taya sank into her husband’s lap and draped her arms around his neck. “Hi,” she breathed, leaning in for a kiss. The nerves were still there, but not as strong now. Even if he was mad about one of the things she told him, maybe his reaction to the other would smooth things over. She hoped it would.

“Hi.” He slid his hand into the back of her hair, his warm, full lips lingering on hers. “You still tired?”

“A little, but I’m glad you dragged me out of bed for this. I love it when we all get together.” With the guys’ intense training and ops schedule it didn’t happen often, especially since she and a few of the other women traveled a lot for their own jobs. It was so nice to be together in a relaxed setting and spend time with the people who had become like family to her and Nathan.

“Hey, get a room if you’re gonna do that kinda thing,” Clay called out. “I got my young, impressionable daughter over here watching you two.”

Taya flushed a little but Nathan only laughed. “You’re just jealous because we’re getting eight hours of sleep a night.”

“I’m so damn jealous,” Clay said, deadpan.

Zoe curled an arm around his waist and leaned her head on his chest. “Remember when we used to sleep that much?”

“Nope.”

She looked up at him in surprise, then laughed when she caught his not-so-subtle meaning. “Ah, the good old days.”

No. These were the best days, watching their daughter grow, and anyone who saw them would know it instantly. Taya couldn’t wait to experience it firsthand with Nathan.

He ran a hand over her back. “You hungry?”

“Yes.” And about to burst. How long until they left?

“You stay put. I’ll grab us some grub.”

“Okay.” She finally got a turn to hold Libby, cuddling her and playing peek-a-boo, her heart squeezing when the baby let out a belly laugh.

“Here, trade you.” Nathan handed her a loaded paper plate and scooped Libby up, making a silly face. The baby squealed and reached her tiny hands out to pat at his face, her expression turning to amazement when she rubbed over the dark bristle on his cheeks.

In that moment Taya fell in love with him all over again, invisible fingers squeezing around her heart until her chest ached.

I have something I need to tell you…

For now, all she could do was wait.





Chapter Three


The sound of the hair dryer reached Sawyer Vance the moment he opened the apartment door, sending a burst of excitement through his veins.

Carm’s home.

He’d left the barbecue as soon as manners would allow, right after wolfing down his meal, hoping to be here when Carm arrived. He would have picked her up but she had insisted he enjoy some downtime with his teammates. She’d managed to beat him home but if he was quick, he could still sneak into their bathroom and surprise her.

And if he was real lucky, she’d be naked.

He set his Stetson, wallet and keys on the kitchen table and strode to the master bathroom. Pushing open the door a few inches to a cloud of steam that puffed out into the hall, he caught sight of his woman and stopped short, desire roaring through his body.

With her back to him and the noise of the hair dryer, she hadn’t yet realized he was there, giving him the opportunity to drink in the sight before him. Carmela was stark naked, all that long, dark hair curled over one shoulder as she dried it, exposing the line of her back, the indent of her waist flaring out to the swell of her hips and that sweet peach of an ass to his avid gaze.

His fingers itched to stroke all that smooth, golden skin and curl around those curvy hips. Damn, it had been way too long since he’d been inside her. Their jobs kept them apart a lot.

Stepping up behind Carm, he slid both arms around her waist.

“Oh!” She jerked her head up, her honey-gold eyes wide as they met his in the mirror above the sink. Then a naughty smile curved her luscious mouth. “Hey, handsome. You snuck up on me.”

His couldn’t drag his eyes from the rounded globes of her breasts revealed by her reflection. “I did.” He dipped his head to run his nose up the side of her neck, taking pleasure in the way she purred and arched to give him better access. God, she was just so freaking sexy in his arms, her body as lush and curvy as a pinup model’s. She filled his hands, his arms. His heart, which had been empty and lonely for so long. Sometimes it was still unbelievable to him that she was his.