To Love and Protect (Must Love Diamonds 4)

“Special Forces, remember? Expect the unexpected.”

Bryan smiled with a slight nod of acknowledgment.

“Nothing about this past week has been what I expected,” he admitted as he looked out the window toward the mountains. “But I have considered the possibilities. Multiple ways, multiple times.”

“And?”

“Same conclusion no matter what—I’ll do whatever it takes to keep her safe.”

“Can you do what it’ll take to keep her safe?”

Dev turned his gaze back to Bryan’s. Slow, deliberate, sure. “Yes.”

Chapter 17

Shelby peeled her surgical gown off and tossed it in the garbage with her gloves, cap, and mask. She’d stayed to cover when one of the second shift vets was late. After a C-section delivery of five Great Dane puppies, she’d moved straight to emergency surgery for a hemoabdomen on a golden retriever. They’d stopped the internal bleeding and finished up with a transfusion to help with blood loss.

Thankfully, both patients appeared likely to make a full recovery, and the puppies were all doing well, too. But it was now nearly six p.m., and she was exhausted after eleven hours on her feet. Exhausted and ready to go home where she could fall into bed.

With Dev, preferably.

With less clothes even more preferably.

Her pulse sped up as she headed for the door. She’d managed to focus when needed, but all it took was one glimpse of him to recall how safe and warm and amazing it felt to be held in his arms last night. Would he offer the comfort of his bed again tonight, or expect her to man up?

Maybe the better question was, should she attempt to be strong, or use the situation to her advantage? The idea of that felt wrong, and yet being close to him had felt so right.

When she pushed through the door, she was surprised to see Reyes still in the hall with his brother. “What are you still doing here?”

“It’s two Torrezes for the price of one,” he joked.

“Lucky me.” She grinned while glancing at the orange folder Dev had closed the moment she’d stepped through the doors. “I wasn’t complaining, you know, just figured you’d have gone home hours ago.”

“Dev and I were catching up on things. Plus, it was cool to see you in action. I must say, I’m super impressed.”

She shrugged lightly, her curiosity over the folder growing. “Just doing my job.”

It was more than that, and his return smile confirmed he understood it was more of a passion considering they both knew she didn’t need to work.

“You do it well,” Reyes said. “Don’t know that I’ll ever be able to call you Baby Bells again now that I’ve seen you all grown up.”

“Thank God for that,” she exclaimed with a laugh. “Especially since I’ve been grown up for years.”

He turned a grin toward his brother. “Funny, that’s what Dev said the other day.”

“Oh really?” She switched her gaze to the man responsible for the butterflies tickling her stomach. “How ironic, considering he treats me like a kid.”

Dev’s arched brow challenged her words in a way that had those butterfly wings fluttering faster.

“Fine, you’ve been better,” she admitted with a small smile. To be fair, ever since she’d called him on it Sunday night, he had been much better. Especially considering she’d been too chicken to be alone any longer than it took for a quick shower.

To change the subject, she pointed toward the folder in his hand. “What do you have there?”

“Work stuff.”

It was her turn to arch her brows. “Far as I know, I’m your work. So, what is it?”

He shook his head and lightly tapped the folder against his leg. “Not now. You ready to go home?”