Protecting Her: A Romance Bundle

and back in Afghanistan by tomorrow.

I would never see Gulf Breeze again.

I kept telling myself that was just fine with me.

21

Annabel

“You just missed him,” Seth said after I screeched to a halt in front of Shane’s parents’ house. He was loading tools into the back of his truck. He tugged a kerchief from his back pocket and took off his hat to wipe the sweat from his face. “Is everything all right, Doc?”

My head swiveled on my neck. “No, it’s not,” I said, my fingers tightening around the steering wheel, my knuckles turning white. “How long ago did he leave? Where was he going?”

“Probably ten, fifteen minutes. Have you tried to call him?”

“Yes, but he’s not picking up.”

Seth nodded and scratch the stubble that covered his chin. “He’s flying out of Houston this afternoon. He’s headed there now.”

“Shit,” I said, slamming my palms against the steering wheel.

“He’s gotta stop for gas,” Seth said with a knowing smile.

I blinked at him. “What?”

“He’s in a rental car. You have to return it with the tank full or they charge you some ungodly penalty.” He narrowed his eyes to squint into the distance. “If you leave now you might catch him.”

“You think?”

He grinned and drummed his fingers on the door. “You’ll never know unless you try.” He stepped back and hitched his head to the side. “Go on. What are you waiting for?”

22

Shane

I was going to wait until I got closer to the Houston airport to fill up the Navigator, which guzzled gas like a frat boy at a keg party, but the gas light came on right before I started onto the interstate. There was a Midway Truck Stop at the Gulf Breeze exit now. I pulled up to the pump and shoved the nozzle in and gassed it up while I went inside to buy a Mountain Dew and some snacks for the trip.

The truck stop was busy with travelers going and coming from Galveston, mostly truckers and riggers. The place smelled like grease and oil and sweat and burnt hot dogs. I plucked a large bottle of Mountain Dew from the cooler, a plastic-wrapped bear claw from the pastry rack, and a large bag of Ranch Doritos. I’d miss these things when I was back in Afghanistan. Might as well have a picnic on the road to Houston because I’d be back on the SEAL diet of mess hall food and field rations tomorrow.

I paid for the gas and the snacks and stepped out into the sweltering sunny day. I didn’t see her until I put the nozzle in the pump and opened the door. Annabel was sitting in the passenger seat. She smiled and told me to get in the truck.

23

Annabel

“What are you doing here?” Shane asked as he climbed into the truck and closed the door. He had a brown bag in his hand. He set it in the console and turned to face me.

“I wanted to ask you a question,” I said, sitting sideways with my back to the door.

“Just one?”

“Just one.”

“Okay. Shoot.”

“Why didn’t you tell me that Juju was the one trying to kiss you the other day?” I asked, resisting the urge to reach out to put my hand on his arm. I longed for the feeling of my fingertips on his skin. “Why didn’t you tell me that you were trying to put her off when I came in?”

“That’s two questions,” he said seriously.