Page 50 of Keeping Amanda
He meant that. One hundred percent. He had no idea what his future held, but he really,reallyhoped it included her.
To Buck’s surprise, he heard slight snoring coming from the woman in his arms.
He couldn’t stop the quiet chuckle from escaping his lips. She’d literally fallen asleep in the middle of a conversation.
“I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure you never regret meeting me. From here on out, your life is going to be full of nothing but good things. I promise.”
He held her, enjoying being on a comfortable bed, in an air-conditioned room, and not having to worry about someone stumbling across them in the middle of the night and holding them at gunpoint.
Tomorrow was a new day with new challenges. But the sooner he and Mandy were in the air, the better. They were starting another chapter, and he was determined to be at her side every step of the way.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Nash had been right. Traveling in his helicopter was nothing like flying on a commercial airplane. At first it was exciting. Amanda had never been in a helicopter, and seeing Nash and Obi-Wan do their thing behind the controls was pretty cool. But it fast became boring and uncomfortable. She didn’t have her tablet, had no music to listen to. Was just sitting on a hard seat in the back of the chopper, staring into space.
But it did give her lots of time to think. About her time in Guyana. About Blair. About the kids and the kidnapping. About the time she’d spent with Nash in the jungle. All of it. All in all, Amanda decided she was a very lucky woman. Lucky in that she’d had the opportunity to do what she’d done…quit her job and come down to South America to volunteer at the school. Lucky that Nash had found her before the rebels. Lucky that he’d been able to pilfer supplies from the camp without anyone seeing him. Lucky that Rain had found them and decided to stick with them. And Lucky that Nash was the kind of man he was. There were some men out there who would’ve taken advantage of their situation. Not-so-honorable men who would’ve demanded sexual gratification in return for protection.
By the time they landed in Virginia, Amanda was more than ready to get the hell out of the helicopter though. And Rain agreed.
Looking down at the dog, Amanda felt a huge wave of relief sweep over her. Somehow, Obi-Wan and his contacts at the base had been able to get the paperwork required to get Rain into the country. A veterinarian had come to the base and given him the necessary shots and signed the papers. She had no idea how much it cost, but Obi-Wan refused to entertain any kind of suggestion that she would pay him back once they reached Virginia.
Rain was now the proud owner of a leash and collar, as well, not that he necessarily liked either. Amanda assumed it was because he’d never had to wear them. But like the even-tempered and devoted dog he’d turned out to be, he didn’t attempt to remove the collar. Simply looked up at Amanda with his huge brown eyes and sighed.
When the door to the helicopter opened, they were parked on some kind of runway. Amanda could see buildings not too far away, including one that looked like the hangar the helicopter had been parked in back in Guyana.
But it was the group of people hovering around the chopper that she couldn’t take her eyes off.
She assumed these were Nash’s friends. His fellow pilots.
“Buck! Good to see your ugly mug!”
“’Bout time you decided to come out of the jungle and get back to work!”
“Good job on rescuing those kids!”
“Thanks for not destroying my baby.”
The last was said by a woman with dark hair drawn back into a bun at the nape of her neck, who was wearing a set of coveralls. And if Amanda wasn’t mistaken, she had a wrench in one of the cargo pockets along her thigh. This had to be Laryn. The mechanic.
Amanda liked her immediately. Not sure why, but she gave off a friendly vibe.
“Hey everyone! It’s good to be back,” Nash said with a huge smile on his face. Then he turned to her—and for some reason, Amanda internally panicked. She was usually pretty good with people. Could hold her own in a crowd. But she was much better with kids. And these were Nash’s best friends. She didn’t want to let him down. Her hair was probably sticking up in every direction again, she was tired from the long flight, and she would’ve rather met everyone when she felt more secure. She was still feeling a little…off…from everything that had happened.
But when Nash held out his hand, offering to help her down from the helicopter, she settled. He wouldn’t do anything to embarrass her. Besides, from everything she knew about these men, and Laryn, they were extremely nonjudgmental. She hoped.
He let go of her hand once she had both feet on the ground, but only to turn around and reach for Rain. The dog allowed Nash to pick him up and lower him to the ground as well. He’d come a long way from the skittish animal they’d first met in the jungle. Rain looked around warily and huddled next to Amanda’s leg.
Nash didn’t take her hand again, but he also didn’t step away from her.
“Everyone, this is Amanda Rush. Mandy. The reason we went down to Guyana in the first place. The reason those kids are all safe and healthy back at the orphanage and school she worked at.”
“Hi!”
“Good to meet you.”
“Glad you’re all right.”
“Who’s the dog?”
