CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Liam scowled at a grinning Brody Weaver. He pointed at the Texas team’s leader. “I won’t be stuck in this bed forever. Continuing to flirt with my future wife is dangerous for your health, buddy.”
“I’m not worried. Texas Rangers trump jar heads every time.”
Piper rolled her eyes. “Knock it off, Brody. Antagonizing Liam won’t score points with me.”
Brody dropped to his knees, hand pressed to his heart, face a mask of mock misery. “Ah, sweet Piper. You wound me deeply.”
Logan shook his head at his leader’s antics.
Max pushed aside Brody and knelt on one knee in front of Piper. He reached into his sleeve and pulled out a silk flower and handed it to her. “Toss Brody and Liam to the female masses and run away with me. I’ll treat you like a princess. You’ll never have to work another day in your life. I’ll bring you chocolate bonbons every day and flowers on Fridays.”
Liam growled. The Texas team must not have a self-preservation gene in their bodies. He was going to kill every one of them.
“Sounds like a good deal to me,” Logan said. “What do you say, Piper?”
“You aren’t going to make your own pitch for my hand in marriage?”
A slow smile spread across his mouth. “Why should I? I’ll be the last man standing after the rest of the team dies in mysterious explosions.”
His teammates groaned. “Like you wouldn’t be the first suspect,” Brody said. “You’re the explosives expert.”
“I’m also experienced enough to make the accidents believable. Nope, sorry, guys. The girl will be mine in the end. If you’re smart, you’ll vacate the field of battle before you meet a painful death.”
Jesse Phelps snorted. “You’re all idiots. Liam doesn’t have to be mobile to pull the trigger on his sniper rifle. From what I hear through the grapevine, he doesn’t miss.”
Liam shifted his glance to the medic. “Maybe I’ll let you live. The others are doomed.”
A brush of fabric against the hallway wall had all four men from the Texas team moving to form a wall between Liam and Piper and the unannounced visitor, weapons drawn and ready.
Sawyer Chapman peered into the room at Sorensen’s clinic. “Jet’s ready. We can leave as soon as Liam decides to quit lazing around and drags himself out of bed.”
“Where’s my rifle?” Liam asked. “I’ll take out the lot of you now and save myself a bunch grief over the next two weeks.”
The team and Piper laughed.
“We’ll load the gear in the SUVs and come back for you and Piper.” Brody narrowed his eyes at Liam. “Don’t move, McCoy. We’ll make you pull your own weight soon enough. For now, let us do the work.”
Liam motioned for the team to go on.
Piper sat on the recovery room bed and entwined their fingers. “You know I would never cheat on you, right? They’re teasing to get a rise out of you.”
He cupped her nape and drew Piper forward to kiss her, pleased when the movement only cause a minor twinge of pain. Definite improvement over the past three days. “I know, Sunshine. These men are too honorable to make a move on a woman involved with a fellow operative. The needling is all in the spirit of fun.”
She sighed. “Good. You never have to worry about that with me. I love you too much to hurt you that way.”
Liam’s thumb stroked lightly over her bruised jaw. “I adore you, Piper. You mean everything to me. I wouldn’t jeopardize the gift of you by even looking at another woman that way.”
Brody returned with Jesse at his heels. “Time to go.”
When Piper moved out of the way, the men slowly raised Liam to a sitting position and held him steady while his equilibrium and stomach settled into place. Being this weak ticked him off and the last thing he wanted to do was barf in front of Piper.
“Okay now?” Jesse asked.
Not even close. “Let’s go.”
Sorensen pushed a wheelchair into the room. “Time for you to go, McCoy. You’re grumpy enough that I’d say you’re well on your way to a full recovery. Remember, no working for at least six weeks. If you think you’re ready to go back before then, stop in and let me check you. Otherwise, I’ll refuse to clear you. you’ll be sent back to the beach.”
Brody grunted. “Some hardship. Baking in the sun with a beautiful woman by his side.”
Liam smiled and held out his hand to the Fortress doctor. “Thanks for everything, Doc. Don’t worry about me returning to work without permission. Piper won’t let me go back before my leave time is up.”
“No way,” she said. “I want every minute with you before I let Fortress have you for a month.”
“Ah, but just think, Sunshine. I’ll be able to romance you from a distance. You never know what will arrive in the mail to remind you of me.”
“Hmm. In that case, let’s get you well. You have my curiosity aroused.”
He chuckled, then winced as his cracked ribs reminded him of the still-healing injury.
Brody and Jesse assisted Liam into the wheelchair for the trip to the SUV. Within an hour, Liam lay propped up on the bed at the back of the Fortress jet with Piper at his side.
Jesse patted his shoulder. “The pain meds I gave you should hold you until we land. When we reach the beach house, I’ll give you more.”
“Still hate taking them,” he groused.
“Yeah, you and every other operative I’ve treated since I joined Fortress say exactly the same thing. You’ll be glad you succumbed to my order by the time we land.”
Jesse’s assessment was spot on. By the time they landed in Florida, he was sore and hurting although he tried to hide his pain from Piper. At least she’d been able to rest while they were in the air. He couldn’t get comfortable. The only thing that made the hours tolerable was holding Piper while she slept. He could so get used to that.
After the team loaded their gear into two SUVs Zane had rented for them, they drove to the isolated house with a large private beach front. The eight-bedroom yellow structure came complete with an elevator and a double kitchen.
“Do any of you clowns cook?” Liam eyed each member of the Texas team.
One by one, they shook their heads.
“I’m excellent at take-out,” Logan said.
“Me, too.” Sawyer smiled. “I also excel at shopping in the frozen food aisle in the grocery store. I make a mean frozen pizza.”
“Lucky for you I can cook.” Piper glanced around. “Find paper and a pen and I’ll make a list. We’ll test Sawyer’s grocery shopping ability.”
“I’m up for the task, sweet thing.”
Liam narrowed his eyes. “You have a death wish, don’t you?”
Laughter filled the sparkling, cheerful kitchen.
For the first week of his stay, Liam spent much of his time sleeping and eating the amazing meals Piper prepared.
At the beginning of the second week, Jesse cleared him to walk on the beach with Piper. Three or four times a day, they walked the flat portion of the beach with a couple operatives trailing in their wake, far enough to give them privacy but close enough to help if needed.
At the ten-day mark, Liam cornered Brody. “It’s time to set the trap for Spencer. I’m more mobile and stronger. I can’t take him on one-on-one but with you and your unit at my back, I don’t have to.”
Brody eyed him a moment, then nodded. “All right. Let’s get to work.”
Over the next two days, Liam and the Texas team planned and plotted, bounced ideas off each other, ragged on each other, and pointed out weaknesses in each option. On the third day, Liam insisted on walking the grounds to find the best places for line of sight and he rehashed the plan with the team until they finally outvoted him on the best option.
Liam shook his head. “I don’t like it. Too many things could go wrong. It’s too dangerous for Piper.”
Piper cupped his jaw. “How can it be? You’ll be right there.”
“She’s right.” Brody folded his arms. “Think like a soldier, not a man in love.”
Easier said than done. He wanted Piper more than his next breath. Liam couldn’t live without her now. They were right, though. This was the best option. He gave a short nod. He still feared for Piper’s safety.
However, he’d witnessed more than once over the past few weeks how strong his woman was. Piper could handle a disgruntled Marine just fine.
Right. So why didn’t he believe that? Maybe because he knew how quickly an op could turn and go south. Him facing danger was one thing. For Piper to be at risk was something else entirely.
He sighed. “Make the call, Brody. Set the wheels in motion. I’m ready to end this thing with Spencer.”
The Texas leader grabbed his cell phone. “Jesse, you’re on watch. The rest of us will set up the perimeter.”
The operatives scattered to carry out their assigned tasks while Jesse went to the next room to keep watch on the most likely access point to the house.
Piper kissed Liam. “Thank you for trusting me to handle this. I won’t let you down.”
“I’m the one who’s worried about failing you. One misstep, Sunshine, and this will go bad in a heartbeat.”
“It won’t.”
He prayed she was right.
Six hours later, his phone rang. Liam checked the screen and smiled. “How’s Otter Creek, Trent?” he asked.
“Quiet. Wanted to give you a heads up. We’ve been dropping hints about you recuperating from serious injuries at a luxurious beach house in Florida all over town. Blackhawk’s been in the woods around Otter Creek, searching for Spencer. He found his campsite. It’s empty. According to the chief, the site hasn’t been vacated long. I’d say Spencer is moving in your direction. Be ready, Liam. I’ll be ticked off if you come back to town with more holes in you.”
“Copy that, sir.”
When he ended the call with Trent minutes later, Liam wrapped his arms around Piper, praying he wasn’t about to make a fatal mistake.