She looked more like a grandma sitting there than ever. But that was deceiving because Mrs. L was shrewd. Savvy. Wise.
“Haven’t found a thing in weeks. It’s like the guy doesn’t even exist,” I replied.
She pursed her lips and frowned. It was her grandson who’d been disgraced, and she didn’t like it any more than any of us did.
“If there’s someone who will find it, it’s you, Kennedy.”
“Your belief in my skills might be off.”
“I’ve been manifesting lately. It’ll come around soon.”
“Manifesting?” I asked. It was something different with her all the time. Yoga. Portrait painting. Car mechanics, which only made me think of Landers and his date with Quincy. The one I’d broken up to get the girl.
Yeah, I’d had her. In my bed.
But she’d fled afterward. And apart from that moment we’d shared after she’d passed out in the high school parking lot, I’d barely seen her in the last week since then.
That had been fucked up. But once she’d had some water and a snack, she rallied quickly and was back to her old self.
Which meant she steered clear of me once again. Because of me.
She didn’t like to share much, but she’d let out that I’d hurt her by being with other women. Well, I hadn’t. Not since her. She just didn’t know that.
I’d told her the truth. More than I ever had with any other woman. It hadn’t been pillow talk or post-orgasm blathering. I wanted more from Quincy. I wanted it all with her.
No one else was like her. Fuck, not only was she beautiful and made my dick hard every time I got a glimpse of her, but she was smart. Brave as fuck. I didn’t know a better pilot, man or woman. She understood the life of a SEAL. Or the life we had here at Alpha Mountain. The danger. The secrets and intense moments.
She had guts and nerves of steel. Yet I looked at the line of her neck, and all I wanted to do was nuzzle it with my nose and protect her and hide her away, so no harm could come to her. Even something as simple as getting dehydrated. I wanted to make sure she always had enough water.
But no matter how protective I felt of her, it seemed I’d hurt her. Me.
The one thing I’d told her I’d never do.I’ll never hurt you.
I’d meant physically. The idea made me sick. I’d used my hands to hurt and kill many people, but they’d been the enemy.
I never considered any other way I might hurt her, that her emotions were involved. That she was putting up the angry act to protect herself. Since she was only angry with me among our team, I was the one who was fucking up.
“Did you have a good trip?” Mrs. L asked.
I blinked. “What?”
She smiled. “You went somewhere just now.”
I blushed. I could feel the heat on my cheeks. “Sorry.”
“You have quite a bit going on. Lack of evidence can be frustrating.”
“What do women want?” I blurted then bit my tongue.
Had I actually asked that?
Mrs. L cocked her head to the side and then pushed to her feet. “Come to the kitchen with me. I need to put the pork roast in the crockpot before I go.”
I wasn’t sure where she was off to this morning, but it had to do with helping someone in town, I was sure.
I stood and followed, grabbed another lollipop from the jar.
“Men are simple,” she said. “Get the roast from the fridge for me, please.”