.
made the decision for both of them as he pulled back and bent his head to hers, taking the sunglasses off. “I’m so glad you made it, Gwen.”
His eyes were unnaturally bright and she wanted desperately to believe it was from relief that she was alive.
“I am, too. And I’m doing great. I won’t be in your way for long. I appreciate your taking me in, though.”
His instant frown removed the shine from his eyes and his mouth formed a straight line. An all-too-familiar expression from the last months of their marriage. His body stiffened next to hers but he kept his arms loosely around her waist.
“It’s going to take a while to recover from everything you’ve been through, Gwen.”
“Do I look that bad?”
He had the decency to appear chagrined.
“You’ve been to hell and back. Ro told me you were living in the jungle for most of your time on the ground.”
“I was. But I’ve been trained to do that. I went to SERE school, remember?” Graduating from the navy’s Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape training had been one of her proudest accomplishments.
Until she’d carried Pax through one of the more dangerous places on the planet and lived to tell about it.
“Speaking of Ro...” She peered over his shoulder to where her best friend stood next to the ridiculously handsome Miles.
“Ro!” She stepped away from Drew, holding her arms open. Ro ran up to her and gave her a big hug.
“Welcome home, sis.”
Gwen couldn’t say anything past the burning in her throat.
* * *
DID HE REMEMBER her going to SERE school?
Drew shoved down a distinct, primal need to growl as he watched Ro and Gwen reunite.
How could he forget? When Gwen arrived back from SERE she’d sported several scrapes and bruises. The large bruise over her kidney had given him pause—and been the start of a long battle to convince Gwen that she belonged somewhere other than the navy.
He ignored the tension in his stomach. He’d been young and fiercely protective of his new wife. She’d been just as intense, determined to prove she’d make a good officer.
Gwen had never understood that of course he supported her career and her talents. But to him she’d been his wife first. And he’d wanted to protect her, to keep her from the horrors she’d witnessed in the war in Afghanistan.
Now she’d survived the wilds in the southern Philippines. She’d evaded terrorist camps and again, death.
No wonder she hardly spared him a glance. He couldn’t stand to look at himself, either.
Because in the end he hadn’t been able to protect her—from anything.
He waited until she was done with the brief greetings from Ro and Miles. They’d agreed before she landed to keep it short. Ro would visit Gwen soon enough, at home.
As soon as possible without being rude, he walked back to her side and slipped his arm around her waist. She stiffened for a moment before she relaxed, no, leaned into him.
He noted that Ro and Miles discreetly moved away as she turned her head into his shoulder. Fear raced through him. This exhausted, drained Gwen was not the proud woman who’d left on deployment eight months ago. Not the good friend he’d had on island over the past several years, the one he’d split the vet bills with.
“I never doubted that you’d survive this, Gwen.” He couldn’t resist planting a kiss on her head before he lifted her chin to let her see he meant it.
“Liar.” Her mouth tilted up in its lopsided grin. God, he’d missed her. He couldn’t stop himself from stroking her cheek before he stepped back. He still kept his arm around her, in case she needed the support. His fingers tingled. Her skin, even after months on the run and recovering from the brutal conditions she’d endured, was still the softest thing he’d ever touched, at least in the places the sun hadn’t reached.
“Maybe I was scared you’d been killed, but I knew if anyone could get out of that hellhole alive, it was you. I never gave up hope, Gwen.”
Her gaze measured him and he had no doubt he didn’t make the grade. How could he? He’d begged her to leave the navy during her department head tour, the ticket to her XO/CO tour.
Back off. You’re friends.
“Homecomings always stir up emotions. Once you’re back on your feet this will feel like a dream.”
The spark in her eye extinguished and she looked exhausted. “You’re right, of course.”
Guilt ran a knife through him, leaving another invisible wound. He’d been safe and warm in his bed, working in his office, living on the island Gwen loved so much while she’d battled a monsoon, a missile, terrorists. Yet she’d come back. And she’d saved the lives of her crew, and—
“The baby. When will you get to see the baby again?”
“You know?” Her eyes were wide, her mouth open. Her soft, sexy mouth.
“Of course I do, Gwen.”
“I’m not sure when. It may be a long while. I can’t believe you already found out about him.”
He sighed. “I was still listed as next of kin on your Page Two. Because everyone knew we’re still friends, the command kept me informed pretty much every step of the way. Ro gave me any information I wasn’t officially cleared for.” He nodded in Ro’s direction. “Without her I wouldn’t have known you were safe until a day or so later.”
He also knew that she’d told Ro she didn’t want any visitors at the Madigan Army Hospital, not even her best friend. Certainly not her ex-husband, no matter how solid their friendship was. She’d requested that everyone wait to see her until she got back to the island.
It had nearly killed him to wait, not to drive down on his own and burst into her hospital room.
He had a lot of ground to cover if he was going to make things right with her. Although it was nothing like the horrors Gwen must have gone through, during the past six months he’d lived in his own kind of hell. Trying to persuade her to get out of the navy and settle down into his idea of the perfect life had been his biggest mistake. He’d paid for it with their broken marriage. But at this point all of that was inconsequential. Except for his deep desire to make it up to her, to be anything but the pain in the ass he’d been for too long. Gwen’s independence was so important to her that she’d left their marriage rather than rely on him to meet her emotional needs. Needs he hadn’t been capable of meeting, not then.
The least he could do now was be a real friend—with no expectations.
“Drew, thanks so much for coming today.” She put her hand on his forearm. “I’m sorry I didn’t want anyone to visit right away, but I thought it was best. I was looking pretty rough when I first got back.”
He shook his head. As if he’d ever thought she was anything less than beautiful! “Don’t you remember how awful I looked when I got back from downrange ten years ago?”
“You were tired. And the nightmares weren’t exactly fun for you.” A glimmer of fear flickered in her expression.
“Gwen, you’re going to be okay. You’ll get through it—I did.”
“I don’t want you to think you have to take care of me just because of that time, Drew. We’re not married anymore. I’m not your responsibility. About the baby—yes, I found a baby while I was on the run.” She faltered, her eyes downcast and her shoulders slumped. “I want to go home, um, to the house, and talk about it there. Not here.”
* * *
“You’re