SEAL Warriors

by Katie Knight

  “We’re so thrilled about your PI business too, dear,” Penelope said, interrupting. “So great.”

  “Thanks.” Maria smiled, giving Trevor a side glance. He was chuckling too. “Um, anyway. Like I said, I’m helping Trevor with this whole mess and we’ve got some things to do today that might not be baby-friendly. I need a sitter for Camille and I wondered if, maybe you’d like to watch her for me.”

  Penelope’s eyes sparkled with unshed tears. “Oh, my gosh. I’d be honored. Are you sure though?”

  “Never more so,” Maria said, reaching over to take Trevor’s mother’s hand. “You were always so kind to me when I was a geeky teenager. And Camille deserves to know her grandparents. Well, half of them anyway.”

  Penelope squeezed her hand back, her smile watery and her gaze darting between Maria and Camille. “We’re always here for you, dear. I hope you know that. Anything you need. May I?”

  Maria nodded, and Penelope bent to unfasten Camille from her car seat, then picked her up, cradling the baby in her arms and murmuring to her softly. Camille was immediately enchanted, watching her grandmother with wide blue eyes, her little hands flailing and tiny legs kicking.

  Trevor moved in beside Maria and slid an arm around her shoulders.

  “Thank you,” he whispered near her ear, making her shiver.

  “For what?” she managed to say around the lump in her throat.

  “For giving my parents this,” he said, watching his mom laughing and cooing to Camille. “It means more than I can say.”

  “You’re welcome.” Maria swallowed hard, then smiled. Too much more time with Trevor and his mom and all the happiness in the room and she might never want to leave. “Uh, we should, um, probably get going, Trev. That way we can get done and back without wasting too much of your mom’s day.” She turned back to Penelope. “There’s diapers and bottles of breast milk and toys and extra nappies and other stuff in the bag for you, if you need them.” She tucked her hair behind her ear, feeling like a babbling idiot. “I mean, obviously you’ll need the diapers. And the milk, and—”

  “And don’t worry, dear,” Penelope said, holding Camille over her shoulder and rubbing her tiny back as the baby stared around the room, seemingly taking it all in. “I’ve been through this a time or three before.” She walked them to the door, then held it open for them. “You guys go and do whatever you need to do. Take your time. I’ll be savoring every minute of this, don’t worry.”

  “Okay then,” Maria said, stepping out onto the porch with Trevor.

  “We’ll see you soon, Mom,” Trevor said, heading down the stoop.

  “Thank you,” Maria said.

  “No,” Penelope said, grinning. “Thank you.”

  12

  Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Roof looked the same as it had the last time Trevor had been there, but everything felt different. For one, was the constant burn and prickle on the back of his neck, like the MPs and command were burning a hole through him with their judgment. Technically, there was no reason why he couldn’t go onto the base himself, but it would look…odd, given the circumstances. So yeah, he had to admit Maria coming along with him was a good thing.

  “Your mom is just the same as I remember her,” Maria said from the passenger seat, staring out the window beside her instead of looking at him. “She’s so nice.”

  “Yeah, she’s pretty great,” Trevor agreed. To say he’d been shocked by the request to have his mom babysit would’ve been the understatement of the millennium. But then, they didn’t really have a lot of choices. He’d asked about the sitter Maria had hired the night he’d first shown up at her house, but Maria had said the girl was in college and would’ve had classes so that idea was out. Basically, that left his parents, since Maria’s didn’t really have much to do with their daughter, or even their granddaughter, these days. Didn’t agree with her lifestyle choices, she’d told him. Didn’t agree with her having Camille out of wedlock, was what they really meant. Good riddance, Trevor thought, remembering their old money snootiness and the arrogant way her father used to boss around a younger Maria. Guys like that made him want to punch something. Mainly their pompous faces.

  After dropping off baby Camille with his mother, Trevor and Maria had driven here to park outside the gates to the base. They sat in the car across the street now, staring at anything but each other as the awkwardness set in. Maria had basically chewed him a new one at the house earlier, so Trevor wanted to tread lightly. He was in enough trouble as it was these days.

  “So, tell me what I need to know before I go in there,” Maria said, breaking him out of his thoughts. “Where am I headed?”

  “The SEALs’ locker room in the gym building,” Trevor said, checking his watch. He pulled out his phone and dialed Tim’s number. Time to see if his brother was as willing to help as he’d said he was the other night. His brother answered on the second ring.

  “What’s up?” Tim said.

  Trevor explained the situation and what he needed. “Will you help?”

  Tim sighed. “Are you sure about this, bro?”

  A muscle ticked in Trevor’s cheek as he gritted his teeth. “I’m sure. I didn’t do anything wrong. I need to prove that, since no one else seems inclined to believe me. You gonna help me do that or not, bro?”

  Tense seconds ticked by before Tim finally said, “Okay. Give me a minute to call in to security. Have Maria give them my name and info and they should let her through.”

  “Thanks, man.” Trevor ended the call, then relayed the intel to Maria. “They’ll need a picture ID and they’ll run you through their Wants and Warrants check. Once you pass, you’re in.” He forced a smile, doing his best to stay positive about all this. After all, Trevor hadn’t been formally charged with anything yet. He might get some dirty looks from the other servicemen on base for being a suspect in the case of his captain’s murder, but that was it. Plus, with luck and Maria’s help, hopefully a suspect was all he’d ever be.

  He swallowed hard and frowned at the steering wheel, forcing his mind back to the task at hand and his explanation. “I dumped my extra bags in my locker after the last mission, thinking that once I’d been debriefed, I’d unpack them, turn in the gear, then head home. Of course, it didn’t work out that way. After my interrogation, I was so upset I’d forgotten all about them, so they’re still sitting in my locker.”

  “Right.” She shifted slightly to face him, her expression concerned. “I can go in by myself, if this is too difficult for you. I know it can’t be easy to see all those guys, your team, with the accusations hanging over her head”

  “I’m fine.” Trevor squared his shoulders, shoving his emotions aside. “It’s fine. Don’t worry about me. I’ve handled far worse missions than this. And like I said, I need those bags. Not just for the flash drive either. Things were so chaotic that night we left our mission, with the captain’s death and all, I just shoved stuff into my bags, trying to get out of there as fast as possible. Who knows what’s in them? There could be more in there that might help us.”

  “Okay, then.” Maria flipped down the visor to check her appearance in the mirror, then grabbed her purse. “Let’s do this.”

  For a moment, Trevor considered going with his original plan of sneaking in the back way and snatching his stuff from his locker before anyone on base was the wiser. Maria could wait in the car. But Tim had told him the other day that the base had beefed up security since the captain’s death and had installed new guards and cameras in locations Trevor wasn’t familiar with since he’d not been on base regularly after his debrief and suspension. So yeah. Stealth invasions were what he’d been trained to do as a SEAL and using his skills again might feel good, but he wasn’t an idiot. At least about missions like this.

  Other things, like his feelings and his love life, were another matter.

  “What’s wrong?” Maria asked, her gaze narrowed. “Change your mind?”

  “Nope.” He took a deep breat
h and unbuckled his seat belt. “Let’s roll.”

  They climbed out of the car and she shot him a disapproving look over the top of the vehicle. “Fair warning. If you plan to go all Rambo on me while we’re in there, give me a heads-up. If you get your butt arrested again, I’m not bailing you out. I can’t. That would blow the entire investigation.”

  “Understood.” He couldn’t help grinning, genuine this time, at her dark scowl. “Warning appreciated.”

  She walked around the car and took his arm, leaning closer to whisper. “Did anyone ever tell you that you’re far too clever for your own good?”

  He turned slightly to face her, lowering his voice like he was telling her a secret. “And did anyone ever tell you that you’re far too inquisitive?”

  She laughed, he chuckled. They stared at each other over the space of a few inches, and time seemed to slow. Yes, they were about to enter his military base. Yes, they should concentrate on their plan and not each other. None of that seemed to matter.

  Maria’s gaze flicked to his lips. Her breath was warm on his face. His fingertips tingled with the need to touch her, stroke her, have her cry out his name again in ecstasy like she’d done those nights when they’d created a new, wonderful life together.

  Just a little bit more, just a little closer.

  His lips brushed hers once, twice, before capturing her mouth in a soft, light kiss.

  This was stupid. This was wrong. This felt so, so good he never wanted it to stop.

  A small moan escaped Maria before she raised her hands, one clutching into the soft cotton of his T-shirt, right over his pounding heart, the other slipping into his hair to hold him in place, pull him closer, deepen their kiss. She’d managed to sweep him off his feet, sweep him under a riptide of need, with just one look, one touch, one kiss. He now saw his old childhood friend in a whole new, sexy light.

  Her lips parted on a gasp and he slipped his tongue into her mouth, tasting her—coffee from earlier, and sweet, sinful desire—remembering her. His chest squeezing with want, his thoughts whirled with images of them stripping down, climbing into the backseat, limbs entwined and passions high.

  Then a horn honked twice in short succession nearby as someone locked their car doors before heading across the street toward the base, and Trevor ended their kiss.

  Maria was panting, her forehead resting against his. “That was…” she said.

  Trevor’s mind filled in the blanks as he struggled to regain control over his own breathing.

  Incredible. Intense. Insane.

  “A mistake,” Maria said, pushing away from him to start across the street.

  That too, Trevor thought as he watched her hips sway from behind.

  Damn. She was right; no matter how he might want to pull her back into his arms and kiss her until neither one of them cared anymore whether this was a mistake or not. He cleared his throat and stared straight ahead once more as she leaned back inside the vehicle.

  “C’mon,” she said, her voice a bit quieter and shakier than before. “We’re in this together, right?”

  “Right.”

  He followed her to the gates of the base. Trevor did his best to put that kiss out of his head and focus on what needed to happen next. He handed over his ID to the guard, not missing the flicker of disapproval in the guy’s eyes, and shook off the stares and sneers he got from some of the uniformed soldiers inside the base.

  Too bad forgetting about his explosive chemistry with Maria wouldn’t as easy.

  13

  “Hi,” Maria said to the guard inside the booth, then handed over her driver’s license. While she waited, she glanced around the place. Not bad, as far as military bases went. Sure, it wasn’t Disneyland or anything, but hey. America’s military might was on full display in all the stout granite buildings and big warships lining the docks. It was a warm, sunny day, and there was a cool breeze blowing in off the water nearby. The smells of fish and sea salt filled the air, and directly beside her, Trevor was breaking into his own military base.

  Her heart squeezed a bit at that last thought.

  “Here you go, ma’am. You’re cleared for entry.” The guard handed her back her license, then gave Trevor another disparaging glance. “Take care inside.”

  She and Trevor hitched a ride on an MP’s Jeep that was heading in the general vicinity of the gym. The ride across the base was made in silence, the grumble of the Jeep’s engine her only soundtrack. She could tell from his stiff posture and granite expression that he was in full lockdown mode as far as his emotions were concerned. Not that she could blame him. She couldn’t imagine what it must be like to know you’re innocent when everyone else thought you were guilty. His SEAL team had been like family to him. That family was now ripped apart, and wounds like that left deep scars. She reached over to pat his hand in reassurance, but he flinched away. She died a little inside.

  Maria knew she shouldn’t take it personally. They were working. It still stung.

  Within minutes, they pulled up in front of a large red brick and white stone building, the parking lot full of cars in front of it. Maria smiled politely and thanked the driver again, then got out. Trevor followed, still silent as stone. He led her over to the building and scanned his ID card to enter the building. They walked into an imposing gray marble and steel lobby. Another security desk sat at the center of the space, right behind a large Navy insignia inlaid into the tile floor. They stopped at the desk and each signed in as required. The guards there eyed Trevor with trepidation.

  “You here to use the facilities?” one of the guards asked Trevor.

  “Yep.” He raised his chin, a small muscle ticking near his tense jaw. “She’s going to watch.”

  “Not in the locker room she’s not,” the guard said, his tone suspicious.

  “Because I’m a woman?” Maria said, hoping her outrage might throw him off their trail.

  The man set the clipboard aside with a sigh and pointed to the plate indicating it was the men’s locker room. “Precisely.”

  “Oh.” Crap. She fumbled for an excuse.

  “She’ll wait outside in the hall while I change,” Trevor said, taking her hand.

  “Whatever.” The phone on the desk rang and the guard reached over to answer it. “Best be gone before the rest of your team gets out of drills. You’re not too popular right now.”

  Trevor ignored the slight and took off fast down the hall, tugging Maria along beside him. Dark paneling covered the walls and their shoes squeaked on the shiny tile floor. The place had been built back in the 1940s and remodeled in the seventies, and the décor showed it. Soon, she found herself standing before a door with a sign above it that read “men’s locker room”.

  Several guys walked past them in the hallway, a couple giving her curious looks, but Trevor kept his face averted. Once they were alone again, he leaned his ear against the wooden door to check for voices from inside.

  “Nothing,” he said, straightening. “Let’s make this quick.”

  After a quick look both ways to make sure they weren’t seen, he pulled her into the locker room and shut the door behind them. Having seen the inside of the guy’s locker room in high school, Maria was disappointed that not much was different in this one. Same cramped quarters, same lingering smell of sweat and dirty tube socks. Yuck.

  As they crept down the rows of lockers, every sound had her turning back to make sure they hadn’t been followed. Finally, they rounded a corner and Trevor walked over to one of the lockers to dial in his combination.

  He gave her a quick look before opening the locker and pulling out two camo-colored duffel bags. “Right. This is it. Training will let out soon and the last thing we need is for them to find us in here.”

  “Okay.” She started to back toward the exit again, heart racing with adrenaline. Undercover ops were one of her favorite parts of the job. They were also hella stressful. Then she realized Trevor wasn’t with her. She turned back to him, frowning. “Aren’t we le
aving?”

  “Yes. But not together. I’ve been so distracted I didn’t think about it before.” He muttered a curse under his breath, then slung a bag over each shoulder, pointing to a set of windows set high in the wall. “I can’t walk out of here with these. They know I didn’t come in with them. I’m not under arrest yet, but I might be if they catch me trying to smuggle these out. So I’m going to take my chances with the back way I told you about and pray they didn’t install cameras or guards there.” He took off for the opposite side of the locker room and the windows. “Go out the normal way. Chances are they’re so busy, they won’t notice I’m not with you. If they do stop you, tell them we had a fight or something. Tell them I got stuck talking to someone and you didn’t feel well so you’re going back to the car. Make something up. As a PI, you should be good at talking your way out of situations. Go!”

  “Fine. See you at the car.” She walked to the door, then turned back in time to see him toss the duffel bags out the window, then hoist himself up to the ledge, his biceps bunching and straining. The sight set off a whole different kind of rush inside her. Her lips tingled anew from the kiss they’d shared in the car and she realized that twelve months apart and having a baby had done nothing to make her want him any less. As he slipped outside again, out of view, she whispered, “Be careful.”

  14

  Later that night, he and Maria sat together on the floor in the living room, sorting through the stuff from his duffel bags. They’d picked Camille up from his parents’ house, fed her and gotten her bathed, then put down for the night. With the busy day behind them, Trevor had to admit there was something to be said for a nice quiet evening at home with takeout pizza and soda for dinner. He chewed on a bite of pepperoni with double cheese as he pulled out a handful of dirty clothes.

  Maria snorted from her spot across from him. “Nice drawers.”