Hero (Alpha Mountain 1)

He offered a small nod. “We went to a bazaar in town about three weeks before—”

Before he’d watched him die. Before Buck had been identified as a murderer, and it was determined that if he’d lived, he’d have been brought up for court-martial. I tugged the sheet up around me as if it could protect me from the hurt of losing Buck and what he’d done. But Ford had been there, beside him when he’d thought of me from thousands of miles away. To fight beside him. To die in his arms.

He let go of the pendant, and I went into the bathroom tucked under the stairs to change. I needed a minute, and so did he. I wiped away tears as I pulled his shirt on. It was huge and so were the boxers, so I rolled the waistband down until it held above my hips. When I returned, Ford sat at the kitchen table next to the place where I’d placed my mug. His gaze raked over me from the top of my head to my bare feet.

The scene looked halfway invitational, so I pulled out the chair beside him and took a seat. If I was hurting from Buck’s death, Ford had to as well. He’d held Buck as he’d died, and I had to remember he might be big and strong, but he was still a man.

“What are you doing these days, Ford?” I asked, channeling my mother and her skill at small talk.

He toyed with the napkin holder in the center of the table. The furnishings appeared mostly the same as I’d remembered. The sunny yellow wallpaper here in the kitchen. I could see the lace doilies on the armrests on the couch in the living room. He might be in his thirties, but he was living with his grandmother. While she wasn’t in the house right now, her presence was everywhere. Here on their land and also in town. She was a well-loved, active woman. I wanted to be like her when I was eighty.

“Security work.”

I didn’t know what answer I’d expected, but it wasn’t that. “What does that mean? Like a bouncer at a bar?”

His ever-present frown deepened. He ran a hand over his beard, and I instantly wondered how it would feel against my inner thighs. “No.”

I waited when he didn’t elaborate.

“Like special ops for hire,” he finally added.

Oh. Whoa. I should’ve known Ford would still be a bad-ass, even after he left the Navy. It made sense.

“Hence the security-rigged fence and greenhouse. And that’s why Kennedy is here with you.” I’d been trying to sort that part out, but now it made sense.

He nodded. “The guys and I live in my grandfather’s old workshop. We converted it and added on to make it a bunkhouse. Our main base is here, but we travel all over the world for jobs.”

“Other guys? You said four of you live here. Are they also from your team?” I didn’t know why it made my heart both spin out and speed up to hear about Buck’s old team members. To know they were still operating without him. That some had settled here in Sparks. I felt both connected to them and completely left out. I hid my face in the hot cocoa, surprised by the unexpected emotions.

“Yeah. Hayes and Taft are here, too. I’m building a new team. A few others will join when their contracts are up,” he said, instead of answering my question. “Business is… brisk.”

The kitchen suddenly seemed quiet. It took me a moment to realize why. I glanced out the window to confirm it, past the yellow gingham cafe curtains. I jumped to my feet. “Well, the storm has passed. I’ll get out of your hair.”

Ford opened his mouth then closed it, scrubbing a hand across his beard again. “Yeah. Okay. I doubt your clothes are dry, though.”

“That’s okay,” I said quickly. I needed to get out of this place. Away from Ford Ledger. Away from the memories. He brought up far too many emotions in me that I’d rather not delve into. “I’ll stop by later for them?”

“You’re not going out dressed like that,” he said, looking me over. “You’re not even wearing underwear.”

“I can do whatever I want, Ford.” I crossed my arms, suddenly noticing the air on my very bare lady parts. “Remember that.”

He sighed and murmured something under his breath, something along the lines of fuck me. “I’ll drop them by your place. Of business,” he clarified quickly, making me want to kick him in the nuts for making it so abundantly clear he wasn’t interested. Like I hadn’t seen that momentary look of hunger when he caught sight of my breast. “I’ll drop them by your place of business tomorrow.”

Whatever. It didn’t matter—I wanted nothing to do with him either.