Out of Uniform (Wingmen Warriors 14)

How many of her feelings for him were tied up in dependence? Or some sort of weird crush because he’d saved her? She wanted to think she was above such shallowness, but she didn’t really know that much about herself.

She did, however, know everything about Jacob so far spoke of honor and goodness. Her attraction to him was based on more than the way he filled out his blue jeans.

Laughing, she blew bubbles from the back of her hand. Laughter echoed in the small bathroom, bouncing off the tile and back around her until silence fell again.

Nothing but drip, drip, drip from the faucet.

An eerie sensation slid over her, chilling her faster than the cooling water. She tried to get a grip. Of course it was quiet. She was alone in her room, but she’d locked the door.

Had she put on the chain and the dead bolt?

She couldn’t remember. How could she have grown so complacent in such a short time? She shouldn’t count on others for her safety. No matter how much help Jacob and his friends offered, they had only known her a short while. How important could she really be to them so fast? She wanted to start relying on herself, to grow stronger to face whatever life she’d forgotten.

Carefully, she rose from the tub and reached for a towel to wrap around herself. Not much for armor, but she was only confronting ghostly fears, nothing real except her paranoia.

A bracing breath later, she twisted the doorknob and stepped into the room to—

Nobody. The motel room was empty but for the two neatly made-up beds and a chair with her hand-me-down blue robe on the armrest. She sagged back against the sink in the dressing area with relief.

Turning, she reached for her comb and blinked.

Streaks of bloodred lipstick glared back at her from the mirror. All capital letters. One word.

DEAD.

Jacob tipped back the chair behind the check-in desk and thought about his dead father, really thought about the old man for the first time. He’d done a good job of ignoring the man’s presence stamped all over the place, but then Dee had asked about the “Mako” call sign, which led to thoughts of learning everything he could about engines in hopes of earning his father’s approval.

Clyde Stone was gone. Really gone. For so many years, Jacob had worked to gain his dad’s attention, then worked harder to ignore the selfish bastard’s existence.

Now he was dead and Jacob couldn’t stop thinking about him. Because of Dee. Because he realized having a past, even a crummy one, was better than none at all.

They hadn’t had much of a father/son relationship, yet the man had been a towering presence. His father put on such a good face, all smiles and laughter—as long as no demands were placed on him. No wonder Clyde had never gone out of his way to make this business a success. He hadn’t wanted the commitment.

The last thought stopped him cold.

Had he picked up that very trait from his old man? Sure, thirty-two wasn’t old to be a bachelor. However, he couldn’t ignore the fact that he usually bailed from any relationship once it grew serious.

He tipped back his beer and stared through the window at the old truck Emily drove. The vehicle should have long ago been sent to the junkyard. No question it would die soon now that their father wasn’t around to milk more life out of it. They’d spent a lot of hours tinkering with that engine when Jacob had been a teen.

Those silent moments seeped into his brain—

A muffled noise jerked him back into the moment, the sound of a door opening outside, crashing against the wall.

Jacob vaulted to his feet and crossed to the wide window, peering farther down the parking lot. Holy crap. Dee bolted out to the walkway wearing just a robe and untied tennis shoes. Her wet hair rode the wind behind her as she raced toward the office.

What the hell was going on?

He threw open the door and caught her as she slipped on the steps. “Dee? What’s wrong?”

Had she suddenly remembered? She definitely looked stunned.

“Someone br-broke into my r-room.” Her teeth chattered, with cold or fear or both.

He could certainly understand because right now he felt chilled to the bone. “Are you okay?”

While hauling her into the office, he searched the parking lot for signs of an intruder. He saw plenty of tire ruts and recalled hearing minimal traffic while he’d sat in his truck, but nothing now.

And hell, he needed to get to Emily and the baby.