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She sent him a puzzled glance. “We’re not going to the restaurant?”
“I planned something else for you.” He continued through the maze of greenery until he reached the secluded area where one of the staff waited for them beside a table draped with a white cloth. A simple flower arrangement sat in the center of the table. Beside the table was a cart identical to the ones the bellhops brought to the suite.
Rachelle gasped. “Cal, how did you arrange this? You were gone for five minutes.”
“Superpowers are supposed to be a secret.” Since the food he’d requested had been on the breakfast bar in the main dining room, a promised large tip had persuaded the waitstaff to accommodate his request. Cal slipped the tip to the waiter who returned to his regular duties with a promise to check on them soon.
Turning to seat Rachelle, Cal froze when he saw tears on her face. Oh, man. Dismay knotted his gut. Had he hurt her? He cupped her cheek. “I didn’t mean to upset you, baby.”
She kissed him. “These are happy tears because you went to so much trouble for me.”
He relaxed. “Thank goodness. I have four teammates upstairs who will lay me out flat if I hurt you.”
“You’re a SEAL and a big, bad black ops soldier. You can’t be afraid of your teammates.”
He snorted. “Those men are as tough as nails and I don’t want to be on their bad list. They’ll take it personally if I make you cry.”
Rachelle gave a watery laugh. “You’re safe, Cal. I’ll vouch for your intentions.”
“I appreciate that.” He seated her, removed the plate covers, and set Rachelle’s breakfast in front of her. A blueberry bagel, cream cheese, and cut fruit for her. A full traditional breakfast for him along with coffee and a clear soft drink for Rachelle.
She bit into the bagel and sighed. “This is perfect. How did you know what to choose?”
“I’ve seen plenty of operatives with appetite problems from PTSD. They all needed something light to entice them to eat.” He covered her hand with his. “What’s upsetting you, Rachelle?”
She gave a rueful laugh. “Everything. Meyer’s visit, Blake, the Falcon, being on the run, the attacks, the pain in my ribs that prevents me from sleeping. They all contribute to my lack of appetite.”
“If you can’t sleep again tonight, tell me. Jackson might add more tape to give you relief or use ice packs. He can also give you stronger pain meds.”
“Since I’m a lightweight, I’m likely to run into a tree or a wall if Jackson gives me heavy-duty pain medicine.”
Cal chuckled. “I’ll have to remember that.” He kept their conversation light, telling her funny incidents from his childhood that kept her in stitches. She consumed a whole bagel, part of the fruit, and finished her soft drink. He counted that as a win.
Aware their time was gone, he raised her hand to his mouth and kissed her palm. “We need to go.”
“Thank you for taking me on a breakfast date. When we return home, I’d like to cook breakfast for you.”
He didn’t have the heart to tell her that his mornings started two hours or more before hers. The day she chose to cook breakfast for him, he’d shift his workout to the afternoon. “I’d like that.”
Cal walked with Rachelle to the elevator, his hand on her waist. “Meyer and his crew will arrive soon. Would you like to sit on the balcony with me until they show up?”
He’d checked the lines of sight. Too many trees for a sniper to have a shot at her. Being outside would give her a sense of normalcy and push back reality for a few more minutes.
“I’d enjoy the sunshine and the company.”
“Coffee or tea and fresh air with my girl counts as a date.” As he’d intended, she laughed.
“I’ll have to come up with interesting date ideas, too.” When he didn’t say anything, she looked at him, her smile fading. “You don’t mind, do you?”
“I’m glad you want to plan things for us.”
“But?”
He shrugged. “No other woman planned dates for me. They expected me to plan and cater to their needs and wants.”
“They were stupid and selfish.”
He chuckled. “Tell me how you really feel.”
