Instinct now telling him he'd have to break his promise.
…
"How are you feeling, Sergeant?"
Tyke blinked against the light overhead, finding it odd that the sun was so bright and yet he wasn't sweating. For once, he was cool and comfortable and felt like he was lying on a marshmallow.
When his vision adjusted, he noticed white walls and a young man in a white lab coat.
"Where am I?" Tyke tried to sit up, but a pain in his lower stomach forced him back down.
"Take it easy, SGT Tyke."
"W-what happened?" He scanned the room frantically. "Where are my men? Where's Warner? McIntyre?"
The doctor, who looked like he couldn't have been much older than Tyke, glanced toward the doorway, where a steady bustle of footsteps and chatter passed by. "You all had quite an accident. You're lucky you made it out alive. Very lucky."
It was the way he said it that had Tyke on edge. With the corner of his lip pinched in and his balance slightly off-center. Like the guy was finding a way to lessen the blow of whatever he had to tell Bryan.
"You lost a lot of blood. Took quite a hit."
"Quit fucking with me, doc."
The doctor cleared his throat. "The bullet. It went through your upper-right trochanteric region, hitting the primary bilateral transection of the spermatic routes."
"My what?"
"It hit you in your upper-right thigh and damaged your spermatic cord. You won't be able to have children. It's irreversible. I'm sorry."
Tyke bolted upright, ignoring the impending pain his lower body should've caused. But there wasn't any pain. At least not the kind he expected from a bullet.
He glanced around, taking in the blue horizon, scent of the ocean, and the woman next to him.
The beach. He was on the beach in Mexico. Not on the sand in Iraq.
Scrubbing his face, Tyke laid back down and tried to slow his racing pulse.
Christ. It had been years since he'd had that nightmare. He thought he'd finally gotten over it. No such luck, it seemed.
Kenna mumbled next to him, a soft, melodic noise, and she cuddled up to him, fitting her shoulder up under his. She snuggled her face into his neck, and he sighed. He actually sighed. He couldn't believe it. It felt so right and so good to have her wanting him. Needing him. He was going to hold on to it until he had to walk away again.
Last night was the most incredible time of his life. The sounds she made. The way her body fit his. It was almost indescribable. Unmatched to anything he'd ever find again. But the nightmare he'd just had was a constant reminder that he couldn't have what he most desired. Life had other plans, and there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it.
No matter how right she felt, his situation remained unchanged.
So for now, today, he was going to curl up with Kenna and hold her tightly enough to etch this memory in to his mind. If he was lucky, nightmares like this one would replace the one he'd been having since his accident.
After last night, and what he was going to do her at this end of this week, he'd deserve it.
Chapter Eighteen
Two days. They had two more full days to find her mother's ring and the other items taken.
Tonight was the wedding rehearsal. The sun was just starting to set, which cast a perfect glow upon the wicker canopy with sheer white drapery and white roses. White safari chairs were already set up, as were tall silver candelabras with candles leading into each row. The weather was supposed to be milder the rest of the week with lower humidity. It was going to be a perfectly beautiful day.
As long as they could track down their thief.
Only members of the small wedding party, the brides' and grooms' parents, and grandparents were invited to the rehearsal. The rest of the guests had the evening free to explore the island. Kenna rested in one of the chairs in the front row, one leg crossed over the other, the skirt of her maxi dress flowing around her on the slight breeze as she waited for the wedding coordinator to give her directions on where she needed to stand.
The coordinator, Laura, had a friendly face with kind blue eyes, easy smile, and confident demeanor that immediately put you at ease. Which was good since it seemed Sam and Cass were a little more wired than they'd been earlier in the week. Each bride paced in front of the canopy, Sam biting her fingernails and Cass twirling her long brown hair around her finger. Both women with a deep crease of anxiety between her eyes.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Laura said, holding a small tablet and cell phone at her side. "May I have your attention?" With bleach-blonde hair, golden skin, and a white tank with long white skirt and sandals, she very much personified the true island persona.
Kenna stood, following Laura's voice toward the canopy.
That's when she saw him. Bear. Walking with that commanding gait he couldn't hide if he tried. He crossed the sand in a simple white button-up that fit his broad shoulders, khaki linen shorts that hit his knee, showcasing his muscular thighs, and bare feet. The thought made her giggle. No untied boots tonight. His hair was smooth over his crown and secured at the base of his neck with a tie. She could barely believe her eyes, but his beard looked as if it had been combed and trimmed. It was less unruly than normal. More polished. Her heart did a little flutter, and her stomach, a small flip.
Or that could've been the lingering memories of last night. The man had transformed before her eyes. He was so caring and cautious with her. Taking his time like he thought she might run at any second. When, in fact, she was the one terrified of him running away. In all their years together, they'd never made love. Not like that. They'd explored each other's bodies. But nothing like last night. That was different. It meant something.
He caught her stare, his features lighting up as he approached, keeping his attention only on her. Her insides started to warm. Her chest felt light. It was as if he was walking into her previous thoughts. It almost seemed like a dream. The soft white sand. The slight glow from the rising moon. The flicker from nearby candles. Everyone else around them disappeared. It was simply Kenna and Bear. Her Bear.
"Hey," he said once he was at her side.
"You look nice."
He glanced down at himself like he forgot what he was wearing. "Thanks. Sam picked it out."
"Why would Sam pick out-?"
"Hey, asshole," Ash said on his way toward them. He gave Bear a once-over and shook his head. "You can't take direction for shit, you know that?"
"What?" Bryan asked, the tips of his ears coloring.
"The wedding," Ash said, gesturing to Bear. "You're supposed to wear that for the wedding, you dipshit. Not the wedding rehearsal."
He scanned Ash's attire, which wasn't white and khaki. "But … but … "
"But nothing," Ash said. "You better get your ass up to your room and change before Sam sees you. Otherwise we're both dead."
Bryan glanced at his watch, panic rising across his face like a second skin.
"May I ask for the brides and grooms to join me, please?" Laura called out from under the canopy.
"Forget it. We're starting now." Ash started to walk away but threw over his shoulder, "Just don't get anything on yourself tonight. Christ."
Once Ash was out of earshot, Bryan swiped a palm down the front of his shirt, which she noticed was wrinkle-free. "Fuck."
"You're adorable," she said, unable to hold off the laugh bubbling up inside her.
He snapped a look at her.
"You are. You were so worried about looking nice for Sam and Cass. It's incredibly thoughtful. I love it."
A smile finally cracked his worried expression. "Thanks. Hopefully Sam doesn't mind too much."
"It'll be fine." She looped an arm in the crook of his elbow. "Trust me."
They made it through the rehearsal without any major blips. Bryan didn't hold Kenna's arm the way Laura suggested. The violinist didn't play "Here Comes the Bride" at an adequate tempo for both brides to get down the aisle before it ended. And someone misjudged high tide because halfway through the practice a large rush of water came up over the hill and pooled around everyone's feet. But Sam and Cass didn't seem to mind any of it. Once they'd gotten through the formality of the rehearsal, and their fiancés' arms went around them, and they were told to practice their first kiss as husband and wife, they both seemed to relax.
Dinner was being served at an oceanfront restaurant attached to the resort. It was where the reception would also take place. Everything was outdoors. Yellow, twinkling lights were strung to the dark canopy above, white hydrangeas in glass vases were strategically placed along the center of the elongated table accented by various-size candles. It was romantic and classy. There was another long table behind theirs, currently empty, which would house the rest of the wedding guests for the reception tomorrow night.