This scene takes place during the events of In Her Sights. Hidden Agenda went on a mission and this scene is right after they get back and Inara’s car was vandalized. West gave Inara a ride home, and this is what happened next.
West
I don’t want to go home smelling of blood, so I use Cam’s key and let myself into her condo. She’ll be in my bed—our bed—at this time of the morning. At least I hope she is.
Despite the fact that we’ve spent every night at my house for the past month, the condo still smells like Cam. Gardenias and coffee. I’ve tried to bring up moving in together—officially—but she always deflects.
As the shower water sluices off my naked body and swirls red at my feet, I run my fingers over the scar on my side. I’d never been so scared. I’ve been shot four times—one of the hazards of being a SEAL, but none of the other times had me praying not to die.
The difference? Cam. I have someone to live for now. Someone who makes me happy. Someone who wants me for me. Who laughs at my stupid jokes, who loves Halo and Call of Duty, who’s just as happy as I am to stay home and game on the couch after a long day.
Which is why I can’t let her see me like this. Bloody, my jaw swollen, bags under my eyes I could pack half my closet in…
Except, when I turned my phone back on after I got in my truck, there were four messages from her—one for each day. Simple, no-nonsense messages.
I love you.
I hope you’re safe.
Sometimes I still feel weird being here without you.
I don’t care what time you get home. Wake me up.
So I’ll go home as soon as I don’t smell like blood and death.
As I wrap a towel around my waist, my phone vibrates on the counter.
Can’t sleep. Wish you were here.
I fumble with the screen as I type out my response.
On my way home. Routine mission. Can’t wait to hold you.
In truth, I wish I had a few hours to myself to decompress, but nothing will keep me from Cam when she’s willing to be vulnerable—which isn’t often.
* * *
As I turn the key to my front door, I finally relax. Home. The tension in my shoulders and the constant ache behind my eyes fades as I drop my go bag in the entryway and lock the door behind me.
By the time I’ve shed my t-shirt and jeans and slipped into bed with Cam, exhaustion presses down on me, all the adrenaline leaving me with what should be an audible whoosh.
“West,” she says, her voice thick with exhaustion. “You’re here.”
“Not here. I’m home, angel.”
Her arms slide around me, and I bury my face in her hair. Her engagement ring is still tucked in my go bag. Moments like this, I ache to ask her. Yet…when I think about why, I don’t like the answer. I need to know she’ll always be here—in our bed, in our home, when I get back from a mission. But the problem is…I’m the one who might not come home. Not because I don’t want to, but because K&R is dangerous work.
With a sigh, she nestles closer. “Home.”
* * *
Cam
The scent of coffee wakes me. I purposely rescheduled my morning meeting with the head of SpryLot because I’d hoped West would come home last night, and when I force my eyes open, I’m shocked to discover that it’s after nine.
“Macchiato?” West asks as he slides a hip onto the bed. The steaming mug smells like heaven, and I push myself up, my entire focus on the nectar of the gods in my own personal SEAL’s hands.
“You know I only love you for your coffee prowess, right?”
His grin fades, and he sets the mug down, then cups my cheek. “I missed you, angel.”
Our kiss—despite the threat of morning breath and my coffee cooling on the nightstand—leaves me breathless, and tears burn the corners of my eyes. “I hate it when you leave,” I admit.
“I don’t much care for it either.” He runs a hand through his hair. “Our new recruit—Graham something—ended up with a rappelling injury because he doesn’t know shit about climbing. Ry gave him hell for it. But other than that, everything went according to plan. The target’s safe and recovering in a Qatar hospital.”
I pull back the covers and scoot over so West can join me in bed. These past few days, I haven’t been able to settle, and as I tangle my legs with his, I know what I have to do. “Did Inara say anything about Royce?”
West chuckles. “You were right about forcing those two together. She’s going to call him.”
“I hope he doesn’t say no. He had a bad patch while you were gone. I got to witness another stage two seizure. In the middle of Broadcast.” My first sip of coffee elicits a moan, and West steals the cup from me while I’m distracted by the rich brew. “Hey, give that back.”
“We’re out of milk. This is for sharing.” He holds the cup out of my reach, and I pinch his side until he breaks into a deep laugh. “You do that again, you might end up wearing the rest of your elixir of life, angel.”
“Then you’ll have to lick it off me.”
He acts like he’s giving serious consideration to pouring the coffee over my breasts, but in the end, he takes a sip and offers me the rest. This is who he is. Selfless, warm, funny…drop-dead sexy. And as much as I hate to admit it, I need him in my life. It’s not just that I love him. That I want him. I actively need him and I’m not sure how to deal with that.
Reaching across him, I set the coffee on the nightstand, then straddle him. My hip protests, but I don’t care. I want to feel him between my thighs and see his face when I tell him what I’ve decided.
“This weekend, can we start moving the rest of my stuff out of the condo?” I hold my breath, suddenly nervous he’ll have changed his mind about asking me to move in with him—as if he would after the previous ten times.
“You mean it?” West’s eyes light up, silver streaking through the dark blue.
“Yes. I tried to sleep there the first night you were gone.” I run my hands down his sculpted chest, not quite willing to look at him. “I was so…scared.” My fingers trail over his newest scar from the bullet that almost killed him in Columbia. “I want you to do what fulfills you, West. I know there’s always a risk you—“ I can’t say the words, but he knows, and he gathers me against him. “You’re my home. Not some condo. Not any apartment or bed or house or room. You. I don’t ever want to live somewhere without you again.”
* * *
This scene takes place a few days later, still during the events of In Her Sights.
West
I can’t wait any longer. I don’t know what’s up with Ry—why he’s so convinced there’s more to his godson’s kidnapping than wrong place/wrong time, but having to leave Cam unexpectedly didn’t sit well with me, and I have to see her. Have to know she understands.
As soon as I let myself in the door, I make a beeline for the kitchen. The first rays of sunlight peek around the blinds, illuminating the coffee machine.
I wish I could plan an elaborate dinner, take her up to the top of the Space Needle, surprise her with flowers and chocolate and a night of romance. But this…simplicity? This private moment? This is us.
I snag a tray from the cupboard, add a placemat, a couple of biscotti, and two macchiatos, then pull the ring from my pocket. My fingers shake as I try to tie the simple band with five rubies to the handle of her favorite mug, but I manage to secure the bow seconds before her alarm goes off.
“Cam?” My soft call from the bedroom door is met with a groan. “Time to get up, angel.”
She forces an eye open. “Never, ever let me finish off a bottle of bourbon with Royce again.”
I almost forget how nervous I am as I slide a hip onto the bed and set the tray on the nightstand. “You two sort some things out?”
“Yeah.” Pushing up on an elbow, she slides her free arm around my waist. “When did you get back?”
“A little over an hour ago. I…uh…made coffee.” If this were a normal day, she’d have already seen the ring. But Cam doesn’t drink often. Seeing her hung over…fuck. This was a mistake. My timing sucks ass. “Unless you need more sleep…”
“Coffee. Now. And you. Naked.” Her weak smile reassures me slightly, and I strip off my t-shirt and shed my jeans as she scoots over. “That’s not naked,” she teases when I set the tray on her lap, still clad in my briefs.
“And you are?” I gesture to her thin tank top. “Drink your coffee. This morning, caffeine comes before sex.” Sinking to my knees next to the bed, I run a hand through my hair. “I want you to remember every minute of—”
“West?” Tears shine in her dark brown eyes as she lifts the mug, the ring sparkling in the light seeping around the curtains.
I ease the tray off her legs, then reach for her hands, still clasped around the mug. “I know it’s soon, angel. But…I love you. And I don’t want to go out on another mission without you knowing just how much. Will you marry me?”
She nods, sending one of the tears tumbling down her cheek. I’m so focused on the drop of moisture, so prepared for her to hedge, to deflect, to pull away, I don’t move, convinced that tear means no. My chest tightens, and I can’t force myself to breathe.
“West.” Cam leans forward, her full lips curving into a smile, even as her brows furrow. “Did you hear me?”
With a quick shake of my head, I force an unsteady breath, then reach up and brush the tear from her jaw. “I…”
“I said yes.”
This time, her words register, and I sink down with my ass on my heels, relief a physical slap to the face. “Yes?”
“I’m not afraid anymore, West. I love you, and I want to marry you.” She holds out the coffee cup, handle first, and I tug the ribbon and let the ring drop into my palm.
After sliding the ring onto her finger, I slide into bed and wrap my arms around her, burying my face in the thick silk of her hair. I never knew how much I could need another person until I met her.
“So,” she says as she holds out her arm, admiring the ring. “You said something about getting naked?”