Deadly Game (Fortress Security #5)(15)

Oh, man. The combination of gentleness and confidence turned her to mush. This man with rapier sharp combat skills was treating her with the delicacy of spun glass. Was this normal behavior for him with a woman or was this gentleness in deference to Heather’s death? Whichever it was, it worked for her.

His tongue brushed her bottom lip, silently asking for permission to deepen the kiss. When she sighed and shifted closer, giving in to his request, Brent wrapped his arms around her and eased her against his chest.

By the time he released her, Rowan’s head was spinning. Good grief, Brent Maddox had serious skills.

“I’ve been wanting to do that for a long time,” he murmured.

“Really?”

“Oh, yeah. Ever since I set eyes on you a year ago in the coffee shop.”

She scowled. “Why didn’t you do something about it before now?” A year? This guy was a Navy SEAL. He couldn’t have been afraid of her.

Without answering her question, Brent gently turned Rowan and nudged her toward the hallway. “Go change, baby. I’ll be in the kitchen when you’re finished.”

“But you don’t know where anything is.”

“I’ll figure it out.”

Taking him at his word, Rowan went to her room and closed the door. She leaned against the wooden surface. Oh, goodness. What was she going to do? Brent could be dangerous to her heart. He was special. Special enough to risk her heart? Time would tell.

She hurried to her dresser and pulled out a comfortable pair of jeans and her favorite Dallas Cowboys sweatshirt. Rowan glanced at the closed door. The food preparation would take a few minutes, long enough for her to grab a quick shower. After being at work since four this morning, she felt grungy.

Minutes later, she emerged from the bathroom, refreshed and dressed. After tying on her running shoes, Rowan walked to the kitchen. As soon as she stepped into the room, Brent turned.

His gaze took her in damp hair and her sweatshirt. “We might have a problem, sweetheart.”

Her muscles tensed. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m a Philadelphia Eagles fan.”

She shrugged. “We’ll have a lot of fun ribbing each other when my Cowboys stomp your Eagles.”

“I’ll be sure to send you flowers in sympathy when your boys lose.” Brent brushed her mouth with a soft kiss, then said, “Food’s ready. Come eat.”

She turned to the breakfast bar, saw that he’d already plated some scrambled eggs and toast for her. Thankfully, the portions were small. Beside her plate was a mug with steam rising from it. “Coffee?”

“I didn’t think you needed coffee, especially not with your stomach in knots. I found some chamomile tea in your pantry. I hope that’s okay.”

“Perfect.” That particular tea was one of her favorites.

Brent sat beside her at the counter and dug into his eggs. Instead of tea, he’d made coffee for himself.

“Not a tea fan?” she asked, looking at him over the rim of her mug.

“Ever known me to order tea in your shop?”

She smiled. “I might not have the right tea in stock.”

A snort. “The only tea I’d drink would have to taste exactly like coffee and have the same caffeine kick.”

For the next few minutes, Brent told her about some of the funny incidents on his missions in the SEALs and his operations with Fortress while omitting mission details.

“Wait. You still go on missions?” Rowan laid her fork on her plate, surprised to note that the plate was empty. Probably the reason Brent had been telling her stories. Something told her that wasn’t a common occurrence. He didn’t seem the type to talk about himself.

“Keeps my skills sharp, baby.” He pushed his plate aside and brushed his thumb over her bottom lip. “When we figure out where Alexa is, I’ll be leading a team to rescue her.”

“You don’t even know her.” But he would risk his life for Rowan’s niece, a fact which melted her heart.

“I know you, and you love her. That’s enough for me. Besides, who could resist that angel face? I’m looking forward to bringing her home.”

Oh, yeah. She’d been right. Brent Maddox was a special man. Any woman would be lucky to capture his interest. She was afraid to hope he was interested in long term with her. Rowan didn’t want to be disappointed if he was passing time until someone better came along. That didn’t seem like something he would do, but what did she really know about him aside from his job title and his preference for black coffee, the stronger the better?

Was this the time to tell him what she’d decided while washing the scent of coffee and pastries from her hair? Better to start as she meant to go on. If he wanted a woman who was content to sit back and let him take all the risks, she wasn’t the right one for him. That thought actually made her heart hurt. “About that. When you go after Alexa, I’m coming with you.”

His thumb stopped mid-stroke, leaving her lip tingling. “You’re not serious.”

“Yes, I am.”

“You’re not a trained operative, baby.”

“I am her legal guardian. If we have any chance of getting her out of wherever she is without legal difficulties, I have to go along.”

“We won’t have a problem with that.”