Chapter Thirty-Three
Thursday, April 23rd
Eastern Kentucky
The cabin had almost everything Cait needed. If Brannon were here with her, it would be perfect. Though a classic log-cabin design, the inside was modern, with a cozy kitchen, a large living room, and a woodstove. Sliding glass doors led to a wide screened porch, which offered an unobstructed view of the forest beyond. Various bird feeders hung from branches, and a cedar picnic table sat under a broad oak tree near a fire pit.
She could easily imagine Bran out here in the early morning, still in his briefs, coffee in hand as the day began. Or at night, as the sun set behind the trees. This was a place for healing. A place to begin anew. He’d been right to send her here. He knew her better than she did herself.
Cait most loved the evening hours, with the hoots of owls, the foraging of raccoons and other creatures. Deer regularly visited the backyard, and one time she’d seen a fox.
After she’d slept in Brannon’s bed, listened to the music on his stereo, read his books, she knew they were kindred spirits. So much alike, it was uncanny. She missed him every second, every minute, every hour. This was love, and she didn’t bother to deny it. She’d fled from those emotions before, nearly let them be lost to the darkness inside her.
Never again
.
Now, as she ran the five-mile circuit from the cabin to the lake and back along a road bordered by old-growth trees, she thought of him. Morgan had told her to be patient, but that patience was long gone.
Her father had been helping, calling his buddies, putting in a good word. He’d been happy to do so, especially after she’d told The Major what had happened on the tour, and the aftermath. How close she’d come to letting her past kill her and why she’d decided it didn’t have that power over her any longer. When she’d finished her story, it was the only time she’d heard him weep.
As Cait entered the final mile back to the cabin, she was in the zone, muscles warm, heart thumping. Behind her came the sound of a car’s engine, not a frequent occurrence out here. Unless it was Brannon, she didn’t care.
*~*~*
The debriefing had gone on until well past midnight. Britelli had called another agent in and they’d recorded everything Brannon could give them about Ellers and his contacts. Calls had been made so that the Jacksonville and Brunswick offices could lob in their questions, now that he was no longer considered a suspect. Hopefully all that intel would be of value.
Once he was done, he’d asked Britelli to send his best to Susan, then left the FBI behind, his mind only on going home to
her
. He’d intended to call Cait with the good news, but then he had held off. He’d wanted to see her face when she realized he was free. See her smile. Wipe away her tears. After a quick combat nap in Morgan’s hotel room, a shower, and some food at an all-night diner at the Tennessee/Kentucky border, he’d completed the drive.
Now, he slowed his car, watching the lithe woman running along the side of the road, her honey-colored hair swinging with each step. She was in a USMC T-shirt and green running shorts, her tanned legs chewing up the pavement. His Caitlyn was beautiful in so many ways.
He drew up alongside her, rolled down the passenger window, and issued a sharp wolf whistle. Cait’s head snapped toward him, frown in place, ready to give him a dressing down. Then her eyes registered who it was. As he stopped the car, she leapt at the door.
“Brannon?!” She pulled it open, pushed his rucksack out of the way, and launched herself at him. Her lips were on his, the kiss urgent, heated. He pulled her tight to him, wondering if they dared make love on the spot.
“Oh my God! You’re really here,” she said, pulling away from him too soon. The frown returned. “Why the hell didn’t you call me?”
“I didn’t get out of Atlanta until way late. I figured I’d surprise you.”
“You should have let me know!”
“You needed your sleep,” he said. “The charges were all dropped. I’m a free man again.”
With a half sob, she was back in his arms. This time there were no kisses, just tears. Finally, she shut the car door, the tears still rolling down her cheeks. She wiped them away, but more came. Knowing she needed time to regain her composure, he put the car in gear again.
“This morning, the D.C. FBI office will be telling the world how they had an undercover agent in place, one who delivered vital information that prevented a domestic terrorist attack on Atlanta.”
Her frown returned yet again. “But that’s total BS. You weren’t working for them.”
“That’s the way they’ll spin it. It’s a win-win for everyone. I don’t do hard time, they get the good press, and the rest of the country rests easy. Our names won’t be mentioned, so we won’t have crazies coming after us.”
Cait wiped away the tears again, apparently working through that convoluted bit of fiction. “What about Susan?”
“I’m not sure how that’s going to play out. With me out of the way, I’m afraid she’s going to take a lot of the heat.” When she didn’t reply, he added, “I missed you.”
That softened her expression. “I missed you, too.”
They pulled into the driveway and he turned off the car. He took her hand. “Do you like the cabin?” he asked.
“It’s great. So quiet. No explosions or anything. I could get used to that.”
He sobered now. “This whole thing with us happened pretty fast.”
She blinked over at him. “If you’re saying you want to back away—”
“No! I don’t. But I’m not sure where you are in all this. You’ve had a lot of things happen in a very short period of time.”
Cait looked away, and his heart sank. “I need a shower,” she said. And then she was out of the car, headed toward the cabin before he could reply.
He watched her unlock the door, then deal with the alarm panel. He wasn’t naïve—feelings changed. They’d forged their relationship in fire, but sometimes that kind of attraction cooled very rapidly. Did she want him to be part of her life now? Or was it already over before it’d barely begun?
Brannon retrieved his rucksack and duffle bag from the back of the car, along with a bouquet of flowers he’d picked up along the way. Cait was in the bedroom, so he dropped his gear, locked the door, and found a vase his mom had left behind during one of her visits. The flowers fit nicely. Knowing nowhere else to put it, he set the vase in the middle of the kitchen table. He looked up to see Cait watching him.
“Are those for me?” He nodded. “They’re very pretty.”
“Like you, then.”
“I know this thing between us went really fast. I know I’m a handful and I come with a lot of negatives. But I don’t want to lose you,” she said.
“Everything you said applies to me too.”
“Not as much, Bran.” She held out her hand. “Let’s start with a shower. I’m a mess after the run.”
Clothes seemed to melt off once they were inside the bathroom. He was sure one of his socks ended up in the sink, but he didn’t care. His hands roamed over her body, reclaiming, remembering. Hers did the same to him. When she dug her nails into his butt, he almost lost it.
He managed to get the shower going, and then they were under the water, kissing, stroking. When she moaned as he suckled a breast, he knew he was done waiting. Hoisting her up, he pushed her against the tile wall, and then swore.
She reached over into the soap tray and retrieved a foil package. “Thought you Rangers were always prepared.”
With a laugh, he took care of business, then returned to her.
It went down fast and hard, both of them crying out as they reached their peaks. Slowly they broke apart, and he kissed her.
“You’re mine,” he said as the water sluiced over them.
“Claiming me, are you?”
“Do you mind?”
“Not at all.”
He leaned his forehead against hers. “Then it was worth it.”
*~*~*
A few hours later, they’d finally left his bed and retreated to the porch. Cait’s sleeping bag was out there and they settled on it, watching the forest beyond.
She tucked herself up against him. “You slept out here?” he asked.
“Yeah. Your bed’s comfortable, but I was here last night. It was so peaceful. I saw a mama bear, with a cub. She was checking out your bird feeders.”
In that moment, Brannon saw her with a child in her arms. His child. He’d been thinking long term,
but marriage?
That was beyond him. Wasn’t it?
“You okay? You look spooked,” she said, gazing up at him.
He saw the worry in her eyes. “I’m just coming to terms with what’s happening between us, what it might mean. I want us to be together as long as its good for both of us.” He hesitated, wanting to get the words right. “God, Caitlyn, you’ve come to mean so much to me so quickly, I’m . . . hell, I’m scared.”
She looked down at the floor now. “Me too.”
He tipped her chin up, then kissed her forehead. “I love you.”
Her breath caught. “Well, that’s a big deal.”
Now it was his turn to worry because she wasn’t saying those words back to him.
“I’ve . . . made some decisions and . . . ” she began.
“Am I going to like these decisions?”
“I’m not sure.”
Cait moved, settling between his legs, her back to him. He wrapped his arms around her, tucking her up against his chest, his chin on top of her head.
“Tell me what you’re thinking.”
Please don’t walk away. Give us a chance
.
“I spent the last few days working through everything. I looked at my life, I looked at what I’ve done. I cried, I mourned, I did a lot of soul searching,” she said, pulling his hand close and kissing it. “I looked at where I want to be in a few years.”
“And?” he said, his voice suddenly thick.
“I want a home. I want . . . stability. I want something I haven’t had since I was really little. My parents love me, that’s not the problem. But I was moving so often I barely had the chance to make friends.”
Brannon still had a family home, one that he still visited. She’d been packed all over the globe, following her father’s career. “Okay. Go on.” He felt her tense, as if she thought he wasn’t going to like what she was about to reveal. “When I said I love you, it was for real. So tell me what would make you happy.”
“Besides you?” she said, looking at him now.
His heart went molten. “Besides me.”
“I found an organization that would teach me how to train service dogs. It’s a significant time commitment of at least a year, and then there’s more training for the PTSD portion.”
And with him bouncing all over the planet . . . Brannon’s breath hitched.
“I checked the place out, and it’s highly respected. It’s only a few hours from here.”
He closed his eyes, realizing she’d kept him in mind even as she’d planned her future. It made him love her even more.
“Sounds good. How soon would you need to start?”
That seemed to catch her off guard. “Ah, in a month. Until then, I thought I’d spend some time with this hot guy I know. Do some hiking, some camping, make love all night. That work for you?”
She meant him. “Oh, sweetheart,” he whispered, kissing her neck. “Count me in.”
Cait laughed. “You’re so easy.” She stretched her neck up so he could get even closer. “I need to visit my folks. I told them what happened in the swamp and they’re worried about me. Well, not so much now that you’re on the scene. My dad wants to meet you. You’ve done the impossible already, you’ve impressed The Major.”
“Then we’ll go see them together.”
“You’d be okay with that?”
“He can’t be any worse than my commanding officer in the 75th. That man ate corporals for breakfast.” He paused. “But you have to come visit my folks, too. They’re pretty mellow, at least until my dad gets in attorney mode.”
Cait laughed. “I’ll love them.”
“How do you know that?” he asked.
“Because I love their son.”
As his mind took in the words, Brannon felt his world change. He gently turned her in his arms. “You love me?”
She nodded. “I don’t jump from exploding helicopters for just anyone, bud.”
The kiss they shared was like a pact between them, one that promised more than either had ever thought they’d have. The silence that followed felt right, precious somehow.
“If you want, you can live here while you’re going to school,” he offered.
“I’d like that. Classes run until Friday at noon. I can drive back up here for the weekend, keep an eye on the place. And if the owner is here . . . even better.”
“I’ll try to be here as much as I can, but my job sends me all over the place, sometimes for long periods.”
“I know. I’m going to check out the VA in Lexington. I need to see a counselor every now and then, work through some stuff.”
“I think that’s a good idea. I’m all for anything that helps you grow stronger.”
“Your parents are in Florida, right?” she asked, and he nodded. “Then when we go to visit them, I should drop by the swamp and empty out that cabin. I won’t be staying there on my own any longer.”
Because she’ll be here with me
. “I’ll help you. We can rent a boat and it’ll go a lot faster.”
“I need to visit Mike and Kia. And I . . . need to see Jeremy’s girl and his son. That’ll be rough.”
“Count me in for that. Unless you don’t want me there.”
“I do. You make me feel whole again, give me a reason to go on.”
He ran his fingers through her hair, caressing it gently. “When I saw you on that copter, I was so afraid you’d given up, you’d leave me behind.”
“I thought I might too. But then I knew I had something to live for.”
“Thank God you did.”
She looked up at him now. “We’ll make it, Bran. I don’t doubt it. We’re too stubborn to let this go.”
He heard the certainty in her voice, and took it inside of himself as gospel.
Cait pulled him up and ushered him back into the cabin, made him sit at the table. A few moments later, a frosted cupcake appeared in front of him, with a single lighted candle.
“Happy belated birthday,” she said. “Go on, make a wish.”
So he made his wish, because it never hurt to ask the universe for a little help.
Let her stay with me forever
.