She couldn’t. The man was a giant. Still, it was fun to pretend she was strong enough to take the big guy down.
“You could try,” Gabe chuckled. “And I didn’t mean to imply—”
“I’m kidding, Gabe.” Jenna let him off the hook too easily. “I know my limits, and I don’t have a death wish. Trust me, I’ve experienced enough violence and crime to fill a lifetime.”And then some.“I’m just going to go there, keep my head down, do my job, and come home.”
“I still don’t like it,” Ellena piped back in. “Gabe, couldn’t you assign one of the guys to go with her? You know, be her bodyguard or whatever?”
After leaving the Navy, Gabe had joined R.I.S.C., a private, black-ops security company. The acronym stood for Rescue, Intel, Security, and Capture, which pretty much summed up the types of services the company offered.
There were two teams: Alpha and Bravo. Gabe was the Bravo Team leader and had spearheaded the rescue mission that ultimately saved Ellena’s life a few months back.
The guy and his teammates definitely knew their stuff, but Jenna wasn’t about to ask any of them to tag along as her shadow while she took care of the sick and injured.
“I don’t need a bodyguard, Elle,” she told her friend firmly. “Seriously, you guys are making this out to be a much bigger deal than it is.”
“But—”
“She’s right, sweetheart,” Gabe cut his wife’s words off. “Jenna’s a big girl. She can take care of herself.”
“I can?” Jenna asked suspiciously.
“She can?” Ellena’s surprised voice parroted her through the phone.
“Of course, she can,” Gabe stood by his statement. Clearly speaking to Ellena, Jenna heard him say, “What? Don’t give me that look. Aren’t you two always telling me how women can do more than what we narrow-minded men want to admit? Well, this is me…admitting it.”
That was way too easy.
“What’s your angle?” she asked him.
“There’s no angle, Jenna. I saw how you handled yourself when all that shit went down with Ellena. You’re a strong woman…ahem,person. And you’re an adult. You wanna to go to Gulfside Harbor, by all means, go.”
Sitting on her bed with a narrowed gaze, Jenna suddenly wished she could see the man’s face rather than simply hearing his voice. Ever since she’d known him, Gabe had always played the big-brother protective role with her.
Now, he was just giving up?
“So, the lecture’s over? Just like that?”
“I can’t win with you two, can I?” Gabe’s question was clearly rhetorical. “I try to keep you safe, and I’m being overprotective. When I admit you’re smart and independent, I’m acting suspicious. You know what? I take back what I said. I think I’ll just hide away in the nursery, painting it over and over again until my daughter is born.”
Both women laughed in unison, and Jenna tried not to listen as Ellena quietly comforted her husband with a few sweet words and soft kisses. When Gabe spoke again, his tone was loving and genuine.
“Good luck with your new job, Jen. I mean that. Be careful and, seriously…you need anything, don’t hesitate to call us.”
“Thanks, Gabe.” Jenna smiled. “I’m sure I won’t, but if I run into trouble while I’m there, you’ll be the first person I call.”
“Good girl.”
The corners of her mouth rose higher. For all the gruff she gave him, Gabe was the older brother she’d never had. Despite his tendency to overprotect—or maybe even because of it—Jenna loved him dearly.
“I’d better go, too. Make sure hedoesn’tturn our baby’s nursery into something resembling a rock star’s sex room.”
Jenna barked out a laugh. “Yes. You should definitely do that.”
The laughter dissipated into silence before Ellena asked, “You sure this is what you want to do?”
“I’m sure,” Jenna answered confidently. “Now, go. It sounds like your husband is in desperate need of your interior decorating skills, and I need to finish packing.”
“Okay. Call me when you land?”