Wanna Play (Ghost Unit, Book Three) Page 14
They entered a big country kitchen, which seemed filled with people when they all filed in. It was long past midnight but this room retained the cheerful feel of an active family. Mrs. Morgan offered drinks. Food in several forms was set out on the large kitchen table. There was a fruit bowl, a basket of assorted breads and a cutting board with several bricks of cheese. Kathryn Morgan was warmly welcoming in her natural, cheerful way.
Jas smiled and said hello. Her dirt-streaked face showed no flicker of unease as she turned down food but accepted a large glass of chilled orange juice. Kathryn tried to get her to sit down.
“Oh no, please. I’m a mess,” Jas declined with a smile. “I could use a shower.”
“Of course.” Kathryn smiled at her with a woman’s understanding. “Let me show you to a guest room. We can get acquainted after you’ve had some rest.”
The back door opened and a large man entered, drawing all eyes.
“Jose!” Jas exclaimed, and turned to stride toward the newcomer.
The thickly muscled Latin male grinned. “Hello, Miss Carson. I’m very pleased to see you.”
Jas enveloped him in a hug and Blaster scowled, his lip curling back. “Mind climbing off him, Jas? Or do I have to kill him?”
“Since when did I become ‘Miss Carson’?” Jas let go of Jose and stepped back laughing, ignoring Blaster’s surly attitude. “What are you doing here?”
“You’re ‘Miss Carson’ since I paid hard-earned money to see you on the big screen,” Jose answered with a big grin, also unconcerned about the scowling man behind her. “I’m the ramrod here. Thought I’d step in and check on you when I heard you’d be in tonight.” Jose smiled but his eyes were full of questions as he looked at the blood, mud and fatigue written across her face and body. “Everything all right?”
“Things have been interesting tonight but clear now. This is my boyfriend Blaster. Blaster, Jose Cruze. Jose dated my friend Liana a while back.” Jas slipped her hand into Blaster’s as she said that and held on tight.
Blaster’s face cleared and he held out a hand to the man. “Cruze. It’d be nice to see you again if I didn’t have to peel my woman off you.” They shook hands briefly and smiled at Blaster’s humor. They had met several times before when Blaster had been at the ranch.
Blaster knew Jas didn’t want to deal with telling Cruze about Liana tonight. Her little tremble as her hand slid into his had told him it would be difficult. Looking at the large Jose Cruze, he could see it. A man didn’t become ramrod on a ranch this size by being a pansy. His position was more than a foreman. It was a title straight out of the old west and not required on most ranches these days.
The title ramrod made him operations manager and troubleshooter for all the different aspects required on a property this large. Function and upkeep of the place required several types of employees. All the crews answered to the ramrod. His knowing Jasmina Carson would be on the plane coming in after midnight was not a surprise to Blaster. Jose Cruze had proved himself to the Morgans and was a core member of the ranch. He was also a veteran and in his position had immediately recognized the Unit members for what they were. He knew when to question activity and when not to. His unique talents were invaluable to the Morgans.
“I won’t keep you but if there is anything I can do, let me know,” Jose offered seriously.
“I’d like to chat tomorrow, Jose. Whenever. Right now a shower is calling me.”
“I can see that. Good night.” Jose nodded to everyone in the room and slipped out again.
Jas and Blaster turned to follow Kathryn who was waiting patiently.
“I need some clothes, I guess,” Jas murmured to Blaster.
Jackson responded from where he sat at the table across the kitchen. “Don’t worry, Blaster brought everything from the hotel. Even picked up your dried laundry before he’d leave town. I’ll get it and be up with your things shortly.”
Jas twisted in the doorway to look at Jackson and her face winced in pain quickly followed by surprise. Blaster grabbed her shoulders to freeze her upper body. “What is it?” he demanded harshly.
Jackson was across the huge kitchen in three strides. “Where’s the injury? Tell me, woman, or I’ll strip you and find it myself.” His face tightened with anger as he reached for her.
“It’s only a scratch! And what makes you think you’ll survive that little mission?” Jas snapped at him.
“Because I’ll hold you while he does, dammit. The injury, Jas?” Blaster growled.
“Like hell…” Jas’ head swung around to Blaster as her body jerked to get out of his hold in a twisting step back. He didn’t allow the move to work, his body crowding her as he exercised the physical dominance he was capable of.
Jas’ face changed. All expression leaving it as her eyes glared into his. “Take your fucking hands off me,” she stated clearly. Her whole attitude had altered to a dangerous intensity that everyone in the room recognized. She had slid into battle mode.
“Stop it!” Kathryn barked into the escalating hostility. “You two, back off. If it were more than a scratch, you’d have known long before this.” Kathryn had been leading them to the door and was a few paces ahead of them. She stepped up behind Jas, her angry eyes glaring at Blaster and Jackson.
“Take your hands off her now, Blaster,” Kathryn directed stiffly.
Blaster let go of Jas’ shoulders. “Better,” Kathryn approved efficiently, and smiled up at Jas. “It’s your side, right? Under the jacket?”
Jas nodded but didn’t take cold eyes off Blaster as Kathryn lifted the silk jacket to look at the wound.
“It is just a scratch but it’s a bit long,” Kathryn informed them. “I’ll give you some iodine to put on it after the shower.”
“Thank you, Kathryn,” Jas replied quietly, still watching Blaster, her face blank and set.
“Let me have a look at that,” Blaster insisted in a dangerously low voice.
“I assume he just lost his spot in the blue guest room?” Kathryn stated conversationally to Jas, ignoring the two scowling men.
“Oh hell yes,” Jas agreed through tight lips.
“Oh hell no!” Blaster reached for Jas again but the large body of Rem, Kathryn’s husband, slid in front of him forcefully, cutting off the woman from his grasp.
“Not in this house, stud. The lady said no,” rumbled out of the deep chest blocking his path. “Now would be a good time to go get that luggage. Use the trip to switch heads you’re thinking with,” Rem stared coldly at the two men as the women behind him turned and walked into the den.
“Looks like I missed all the fun,” another voice drawled as Charlie entered from the back door. He was one of those people who had the amazing combination of height and exceptionally developed muscle mass. Big, dark as a moonless night, he briefly met Rem’s eyes and raised an eyebrow in question. The aggression levels were palpable and the room was full of good guys.
“She needed medical attention,” Jackson snorted in disgust and swung away.
“You threatened her, stupid,” Rem told him without taking eyes off Blaster, who was scowling after the women disappearing out the other side of the den. “And you agreed with him, idiot. I don’t even know her and I’ve worked out that threatening to force Miss Carson to do anything is dirt stupid.”
Blaster’s burning blue eyes traveled briefly to clash with Rem’s now amused gaze before he silently swung around and followed Jackson outside to retrieve her bags from the plane. The kitchen door closed silently behind the two dark individuals stalking out of it.
“How are they getting back out to the plane? You don’t expect them to walk a mile there and back do you?” Robert Morgan asked his son mildly.
“I left the keys in the Escalade. They’ll figure it out,” Rem said as he ran his hand through his hair and shook his head. “And I thought I behaved like an ass when I got hold of Kathryn.”
His mother raised her eyebrows speculatively. “What did you do, dear?”
Charlie leaned on the counter, his combat-booted feet crossed at the ankle in front of him. “Anyone going to tell me what just happened?”
“Wait ’til you meet Miss Carson. Then imagine someone threatening to strip her looking for injuries. You’ll get the picture.” Rem grinned as he related the details. “She’s six feet, armed to the teeth and covered in battle. Those two wanted to muscle her into something.”
Charlie whistled silently then pressed, “What battle?”
Rem glanced in the direction Kathryn and Jas had disappeared and frowned. “Hell if I know. But from the look of her, several folks made peace with God tonight. All three of them were pumping out the kind of awareness that comes with action.”
“Any idea what it has to do with all of us? Why the alert from Gray and suggestion to secure the ranch? Which is done, by the way. There are six men stationed around the property and I’ll be going back out. Would be handy to know what we’re watching for,” Charlie questioned casually.
Rem shrugged. “I don’t have any more information than you do.”
“Apollo is in with the kids on guard command,” Charlie added, and Rem relaxed.
Charlie lived about ten miles away but spent a lot of time at the ranch. His connection as a Unit member had always been strong, but since Kathryn’s kidnapping and then the children being born, he’d become one of the family. Kathryn trusted him with her own life and the welfare of her children for good reason.
Rem didn’t kid himself. He was more comfortable with Charlie around. Something he’d not realized before finding his heart resided in three pieces—one in his wife, the other two securely locked in the bodies of his children. The extra layer of vicious protection felt right. And besides, Charlie came with Apollo.
Apollo was Charlie’s K-9 partner, a huge shepherd who adored the Morgan children as much as Charlie did. He was a highly trained search and rescue professional and pretty much better than the humans at guarding. He’d hear or smell anyone getting close to the kids long before a man would. Left with the guard command, he’d alert to a stranger immediately.
He also had firm doggie ideas about parenting the twins. No one but their mother was allowed to correct them when he was around. When they were infants and just learning how to crawl, Apollo had appointed himself child herder. His worried gaze followed their every move, which was difficult since there were two of them. If one of them neared a dangerous object, he’d gently pick the child up by the padded bottom and carry it back to the middle of the room, carefully placing it down and usually having to go check on the other one.
As toddlers they were too big to pick up so he’d stretch his long body out between them and the danger. Invariably the child tried to climb over him using his collar to pull themselves up. Once they were straddling his back, he’d carefully stand and carry them to wherever it was he thought they should be. The children caught on immediately and did it for the rides now.
The kids’ room was probably the most secure area in the house right now.
By four in the morning the house was quiet. Deep sleep had settled over the building. A guest room door opened abruptly and the man sleeping in front of it was instantly alert.
Blaster regarded the ten painted toes in front of his face and debated the wisdom of speaking to her yet. He knew he’d fucked up badly. After cooling down, it’d become very clear to him that he might have gravely damaged their fragile relationship. In essence, destroying the trust she’d been willing to invest in him with one stupid sentence.
There were no excuses. Respecting her boundaries was his job. Being crazed with fear that she’d been injured didn’t make it okay. The relationship between them depended on an equal exchange of trust. He’d never experienced a woman like her before. That wasn’t an excuse for trying to force her to submit to his will. He knew better. If he wanted to stay with her, he’d have to share the power exchange. She needed control as much as he did. Until that moment they’d been working that unique relationship out. Forcing control was the quickest way to get rid of her.
He knew all that but he still couldn’t be sorry for being concerned. He was sorry for how he’d acted, sure. Yet a part of him was wounded too. She should have understood. If they were going to be equals, she could have given him a little slack.
When he’d stomped in the house with Jas’ bags, Kathryn had been in the kitchen again. The little woman had given his still furious face one look and marched herself right in front of him.
“Get over it, Blaster,” Kathryn directed firmly. “You were wrong on a baseline level. If you think you ever want to get next to her again, you’d better realize that she needs as much space as you do. As much respect, dammit!”
Jackson came through the door behind Blaster. Kathryn glanced at him, frowning darkly and included him in her dressing down. She wasn’t done yet. “I could beat both of you with a belt. Selfish bastards. If you can’t manage respect, you don’t deserve any woman, much less someone like Jasmina Carson!” she stated directly.
“Are you even aware of the incredible charity work she does for battered women? She’s opened an amazing center in Southern California. I saw a special on it the other night. And let me tell you, she’s one of the most generous, kind persons I’ve ever seen. Her foundation is focused on the lost, forgotten women with no resources and no way to fight back.” Kathryn took a breath, but still wasn’t quite finished. “And then, God knows, what she’s been though tonight! But you two Neanderthals act like bullies and have the nerve to stomp out of here!”
Kathryn knew exactly what it meant to be a forgotten woman with no resources. Blaster was more aware than Kathryn was that she and Jas shared a lot in common. Apparently there was no need to tell her. She’d already fully identified with Jas.
Kathryn had been right. He was a little bit terrified Jas would agree with her. It seemed everyone knew more about Jasmina Carson than he did. Jackson had caught him with her awards, now Kathryn was talking about her charity work as if Jas walked on water. The woman he knew was a tough fighter, wicked wit and dangerous lover. Not that he knew near enough about the lover part.
“Get up, Huck. Something has come up,” Jas whispered softly.
“We have several issues, Sheena. Me having to sleep on the floor. People trying to kill us. General mayhem. Which one has you outta bed?” He rolled over on his back to look up at her.
“You sleeping on the floor didn’t get me out of bed. You screwed up and deserve it. But it’s cute as hell.”
She was wearing black leggings that molded her muscled legs in a faithful second skin that ended on her firm belly below her navel. A black sports bra was the only other scrap of clothing. Her generous breasts filled it out completely. Her firm, muscled body was clearly outlined and Blaster sighed. Smelling of the shower she’d taken earlier and faintly of iodine was as appealing as ever to him.
His body reminded him how appealing she was with an instant hard-on. He wished his genitals luck with that freaking pipe dream. His brain was damn sure they were not getting lucky tonight. Those were the three amigos that’d gotten them sleeping on the floor in the first place. His brain reminded the rest of him that they were too old to enjoy this shit. However, no fucking way was he acting as if he belonged in any other bed in the six guestroom-equipped house.
Stacking his hands behind his head, he regarded her solemnly. “Yep, I screwed up. But so did you. Glad you appreciate the sleeping on the floor effort. What drove you out here then? It’s drafty you know,” he added to see if sympathy would get him some points.
Jas crossed her arms. Her eyebrows climbed her forehead as she looked down at him. “You’re losing the cute thing, Huck. Whining just sucks it out of the room. And how did I screw up?”
“You doubted your team. We overreacted but you abandoned us.”
“Abandoned you? Did you need cover getting to the plane and back? Was it dark and scary?”
�
��You had no faith in us.”
“Damn right. You were acting like jerks. Besides, when did we become a team?”
“I’m sorry for being a little outta control with worry.” He ignored the team question. Answering that would involve explaining too much. Most of it she already knew and might not be willing to admit yet. He was unwilling to put her on the spot where she’d have to agree or not. Nothing in this world was gonna make him give her a choice. Choices meant it was possible to give a negative response.
“That’s it?”
Blaster grinned his sleepy, Southern-boy smile. “You still can’t resist me.”