Windward knight

Chapter Five

The shower had felt damn good. Maybe 0700 was a little early to be knocking on Evie's door, but Hyde didn't much care. He'd been up since five and was going stir crazy, staring at the white walls in his room. A good night sleep had done wonders for his head and shoulder. He'd left the sling on the bed and headed like a missile to Evie's side. Why couldn't he stay away? This wasn't heading anywhere. JSOC and his team came first.

Now, he stood at her door feeling a little uncertain. He liked this woman. He'd known her all of forty-eight hours and he really liked her. Not just for her bravery under fire, but also for her unflinching and unmistakable strength. She had natural class, which he'd never taken time to notice in a woman before. And he liked the way she looked at others—with a quiet consideration and that Mona Lisa smile. Her mouth seemed almost optimistic—like she found hidden happiness in all she looked at.

Hyde was starting to sound like his granddaddy. All poetic. Except he'd wax on about the beauty of Texas and ranch life. The old philandering coot had married three times.

Pushing open the door, Hyde stepped in and took in the empty bed. For a second, his heart skipped a beat, and he wondered if she'd already hitched a ride or a flight out of Punjab.

The bathroom door swung open, and Evie appeared fresh from her shower. Hyde smiled in relief. Her face held color, and she looked more rested. She now wore the clean t-shirt he'd lent her from his pack, along with baggy shorts that reached her knees.

"I think you're drowning in khaki."

Her giggle had him smiling. "Is that the only color you guys wear around here? Aside from Black. The nurse brought me these shorts."

"Well... we do occasionally wear khaki green.... khaki beige... khaki charcoal..."

"Risky business. You live on the edge." Evie made her way over to the bed and picked up a pair of thick socks. "I'll pull on my khaki beige socks, and you can tell me how your night went. Any pain?"

Hyde battled to focus on the question. He stared as she swung her damp hair over a shoulder and began twisting it into a long braid. He noticed a couple of freckles across her nose and realized that she must've worn makeup on the day of her rescue. He liked her bare skin although it made her look a little younger. Evie embodied the youthful Elizabeth Taylor vibe in a girl next door kind of way, with her pretty hazel eyes and that wavy brown hair emphasizing her graceful mannerisms. He hadn't noted her age in her file.

"How old are you?" The words slipped before he could stop them. Hyde wasn't a spring chicken. None of the Delta Operators were. It took time to work your way into the elite ranks. He'd been serving in the military for thirteen years.

"Twenty-eight." Evie climbed onto the mattress and crossed her legs.

Three years younger than him.

Hyde walked over and leaned against the bed. "You look twenty-two."

"Well, thank you, Hyde. I appreciate the compliment." Her cheeks reddened, and she played with her necklace. Hyde studied the Eiffel Tower pendant.

"Pretty necklace. I gather you're a fan of visiting France."

Hand stilling, Evie glanced down. "This was my mother's. I've never been."

Picking up the sadness in her voice, Hyde stepped closer to her side.

"My mom died from cancer—five years ago. She was my best friend."

"I'm so sorry."

"She lived in Paris as a girl, and loved the city. A born traveler, but after marrying my father, she never left Washington." Evie pursed her lips. "I never found the courage or the time to travel despite her encouragement."