Special Forces: Operation Alpha: Protecting New York (Kindle Worlds Novella) Read Online Free Page B

back to grin at Shy and there was an irresistible twinkle in her eyes—“sorry ’bout that.”
    “No.” Cheyenne was quick to reply with a matching grin. “Hugging is good. I’m all for a good hug to break the ice.”
    And it was true. As simple a gesture as it was, it had worked. Shy was more comfortable now.
    “Yay.” Riley slipped one hand around Shy’s waist, then pointed out each person in turn as she made the introductions. When she finished, she gave Cheyenne another heartwarming hug and took her seat between her two husbands.
    Wow. Two. Hat’s off to the spunky little brunette. Cheyenne had her hands full with just one man; and she didn’t think she had it in her to take on two.
    Shy cut her eyes toward her husband. He was compelling and handsome and his time in the military had honed him into a fierce and steadfast man that she had—from the very first—trusted implicitly. Thank God there weren’t two of him. She’d never be able to keep up.
    “I’m so excited for tomorrow.” Terryn, the stunning redhead on her right, gushed, then reached out and gave Shy a friendly hand squeeze as soon as she was seated. “Riley and I have been brainstorming all our favorite places. Tell us, are you a shopping kind of girl or a monument type?”
    “This is important information,” Riley added with a look so solemn you’d think she was talking about world peace. “Your answer will determine which routes we take.”
    Shy laughed a little and gave a shrug.
    “If shopping is your thing, then we are going to spend a lot of time in the biggies, you know? Saks, Bloomies, Soho and the Fashion District. But if shopping is not high on your priority list, then we can do stuff like the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State. And Times Square, of course. But that is always better at night.”
    “Little one.” Trevor snagged one of Riley’s hands and brought it to his lips. “Let the woman have a chance to order before you start in.” He kissed her trapped fingers, then brought their clasped hands to his lap before turning to talk to Shy.
    “You’re in for a treat. Her questions actually have a legitimate purpose. Nobody loves this city like our girl here and she will tailor your route tomorrow to fit exactly to your interests.” The affectionate pride he felt was plain on his face and Shy found it charming as hell.
    “That’s good to know actually,” she told him with a smile. “Thanks. As for shopping, I’m a girl. I like shopping, but I really want to see everything. Can we fit in shopping and the other stuff or will that be too much? I don’t want to be a bother or take up too much of anyone’s time.”
    “Oh, don’t give that a second thought,” Brice, the detective who looked like Superman without the tights, told her. “These two have not been off the phone since we told them about you. It’s like Christmas came early.”
    “You know it,” Terryn said.
    “You got that right,” Riley said at the same time.
    “Okay, got it.” Cheyenne laughed and held up her water glass in a salute. “I will quit second guessing my good fortune and just wallow in it instead.”
    The girls lifted their own glasses and gave hearty “hear hears” and Shy felt the rest of her lingering apprehension melt away.
    Pleasantries were exchanged—questions like, “Do you have kids?”
    To which she answered, “Yes, one girl, Taylor. She’s staying with our close friends, Tex and Melody, while we’re away. How about any of you?”
    Both women were mothers as well. Riley had two—one with each of her men—and they were trying for a third while Terryn and Brice just had one daughter so far.
    “And she’s such a little hellion, I don’t know that either of us have the energy for another,” Brice told them with an affectionate laugh.
    This was a topic Shy had no trouble discussing. As she and the others launched into stories of births and toddler antics the whole wonder of the evening just hit her.
    There she