“I’ll see you later,” he said when he heard Sally clear her throat.
“Okay,” Saylor murmured.
“Bye, Monk,” Sally said.
“Bye, Sally.”
He walked out of the coffee shop, picked the books up he’d left on the table, and kept walking.
7
“Wow,” said her mother, fanning her face.
“Stop it.”
“Not a chance. Tell me what he said.”
“You’ve got to be kidding.”
“Saylor, there hasn’t been a time in your life when you didn’t tell me everything, whether I wanted to hear it or not. Don’t stop now.”
“He said that if he and I are in the same place at the same time and there’s a chance he can feel my naked body next to his, he’d take it.”
“What did you say?”
“I asked what woman could resist that.”
“And.” Her mother motioned with her hand for Saylor to continue.
“He told me he didn’t care what other women thought.”
Her mother sat back in her chair. Saylor didn’t like the smug look on her face one bit.
“Go ahead, say whatever it is.”
“I’d say, beloved daughter of mine, that you have finally met your match.”
Saylor rolled her eyes and groaned. “It’s just sex, Mom.”
“You keep telling yourself that.”
WHEN RAZOR CALLED the next morning to tell her that he was being discharged that afternoon and that Doc was making arrangements for her to get on the plane, Saylor rolled over and kissed Monk’s Aztec sun tattoo.
“I gotta go decorate a plane.”
He reached up and cupped her cheek with his big hand and brought her lips to his.
“God, you can kiss,” she said when he let go.
“So can you.”
Saylor got out of bed before she convinced herself otherwise.
“My mom and I are leaving today.”
Monk nodded.
“Noon flight.”
“I’ll see you later, Saylor.”
She smiled. “Yeah, see you later, Monk.”
She grabbed her clothes and walked into the bathroom, dressed, and left without saying another word.
She let herself into the room next door and found her mother sipping a cup of coffee, dressed, and ready to go.
“I need to shower,” she muttered, grabbing some clean clothes and slipping into their bathroom. “And before I come back out, I want you to wipe that smug look off your face.”
Twenty minutes later, her mother still looked just as pleased with herself. Saylor laughed.
“Let’s go. I need coffee, seeing as you didn’t order any for me.”
“What, no breakfast in bed today?”
“I’m not telling you anything ever again,” she said as Her Smugness rolled her suitcase past her and out the door.
“IT LOOKS BEAUTIFUL, SAYLOR,” her mother said later when they’d finished decorating the privacy room on K19’s plane.
They’d hung strands of twinkle lights in rows from the ceiling, and strewn red rose petals on the bed, per Razor’s request. The only thing left to do was put the bottle of Champagne in a bucket of ice, and that she’d ask Alegria to do when she knew Razor and Ava were on their way.
“We need to go, or we’re going to miss our flight,” she said to her mom, thankful that no one had invited them to travel home with them. She needed time away from everything K19 to get her head back into her life the way she liked it.
“Shame,” said her mother as they walked up the aisle. “I always wanted to fly on a private plane.”
“You just did a few days ago.”
“That was a little one, and nowhere near as nice as this one.”
“I’ll ask Razor to arrange a flight for your birthday.”
“You’re a big chicken,” said her mother, sounding like one of her girls.
“I am not.”
“Are too.”
“Seeing as we didn’t have time to eat, I need sustenance before our flight. Hurry up.”
The whole way down the stairs, onto the tarmac, and into the main terminal of the airport, Saylor’s mother clucked like a chicken.
—:—
Monk got up when he heard the hotel room door close. He stretched his arms above his head and rolled his shoulders. His body was screaming at him to get to the gym, which he’d be able to, once they were back in Yachats.
He anticipated Doc would call the hotwash meeting soon after their arrival, and then he’d find out where this nomadic life would take him next.
The only thing he knew for certain was that Petrov would be their number one target. That much was a given. Ava’s life would remain in danger until they were able to find the man and take him down.
Saylor, though. Damn. There wasn’t a single thing he didn’t like about the woman, including her not wanting a relationship. It wasn’t that he didn’t want one. A relationship wouldn’t fit into his life, just like it didn’t fit into hers.
However, he had to admit, she’d played a role in his every thought so far this morning.
When he got back to Yachats. She’d be there. It’s where she lived. Where his job with K19 would take him next. How long would it be before he saw Saylor again? Taking down Petrov. A mission like that would involve putting his life in danger many times over. If he died, would his last thoughts be of her?
He checked his phone and saw there was a message from Doc. Monk was to pick up one of four SUVs they’d be using to escort Razor from the hospital to the airfield. The number of vehicles and personnel in them wasn’t for Razor’s protection as much as for his peace of mind. As one of the four founding partners, Razor could call in as much K19 firepower as he wanted, and when it came to keeping Ava safe, Monk was surprised that Razor hadn’t demanded tanks along with closed air space.
He got in the shower, turned the temperature all the way to hot, and stood under the scalding, cascading water. He eased the temp back once he felt the tension in his shoulders loosen and the fog clearing from his head. The job he did, required that he be one-hundred percent focused, one-hundred percent in the game. There was no room for any clouds of judgment.
There’d been a time in his life when he considered taking up the sport of bull-riding. It took the same kind of mindset. If a rider wasn’t all in, every thought, every breath focused on staying on the back of that bull, he faced certain death.
After he dressed, repacked his small bag, and was ready to head out, he turned around and took one more look at the bed he’d shared with Saylor last night and the one before. He closed his eyes and breathed in the scent of her and of their lovemaking. Both still lingered in his memory if not in the air.
HE PULLED the SUV up to the front of the hospital just as Razor and Ava came out the door. He walked closer when Razor motioned him over.
“Stay close, just in case,” Razor muttered as he climbed into the second row of seats, behind Ava. The man had survived a gunshot wound that penetrated both lungs, put him on life support, and yet he was leaving the hospital four days later. Monk would’ve gladly carried him out of the hospital if he would have needed it. Razor Sharp was a goddamn rock star, though. It was an honor to get to work with him as often as he did.
AS MONK HAD EXPECTED, Razor climbed the stairs onto the K19 plane unassisted. He wished he could’ve seen how Saylor had decorated the aft cabin, but it wasn’t for Monk’s eyes; it was for Ava’s. Judging by the way she gasped when Razor opened the door, it must’ve been beautiful.
When he smiled and turned around to take a seat, Onyx was studying him. “Heard you been keepin’ company with Razor’s sister.”
The pilot, with his quintessential quiff haircut and signature Randolph Aviator sunglasses, had become one of Monk’s closest friends. They’d met when they served together in the Marine Corps, where Onyx had flown F/A-18 Hornets. Like him, Onyx didn’t feel the need to fill a silent void with conversation.
“You got it bad, son,” Onyx said when Monk sat in one of the airplane’s captain’s chairs, with the smile still on his face.
After waiting a few seconds for a response from Monk that didn’t come, Onyx walked toward the cockpit. Monk could hear him chuckling as he went.
Maybe Onyx was right and he did have it bad, but he’d be over it soon enough.
8
“We just landed,” Saylor called and told her best friend, Poppy, who the girls were staying with. “I’ll come straight there to get them.”
“I’ll bring them to the house.”
“You don’t have to do that. I don’t want to put you out more than I already have.” Saylor laughed. “Like I always do.”
“You know I love these girls more than I love you. You aren’t putting me out.”
Saylor laughed again.
“Plus, if I don’t bring them to you, you’ll be in a hurry to get home, and we have a lot to talk about, girlfriend.”
“We do? What have you heard?”
“Uh, I have a life too, you know?”
“Jeez. Sorry. It is always about me, isn’t it?”
“No, it never is, but I do have something to tell you.”
“How are the girls?” her mother asked when Saylor ended the call.
“The girls? Why would I ask about the girls?” Saylor asked sarcastically, shaking her head. What was wrong with her? However, if there were anything wrong, Poppy would’ve said so. Still, she should’ve asked.
She pulled into the driveway and carried her mom’s suitcase in first, amid protests that she was perfectly capable of doing it herself.
Saylor leaned forward and kissed her mother’s cheek. “I’m sure Sierra and Savannah will be over to see their Ya-Ya very soon.”
Her mother put her palm on Saylor’s cheek. “Are you okay?”
“Why? Don’t I seem okay?”
“You’re distracted.”
“I’m fine. See ya later, Mom.”
Saylor walked out. She wanted to see her girls, and she didn’t want to talk about Monk, and she guessed that was the exact direction her mother was going in.
“Where are my doodlebugs?” she said when she came in through the door that connected the garage to the house.
“Mama! Mama! Mama!” they both shouted, running toward her and almost tackling her to the ground. They looked so big, had they grown in the short time she was gone? She hugged them both tightly and looked up at Poppy.
“Did you behave yourselves?”
“We painted Aunt Poppy’s spare bedroom for her,” said Savannah.
Saylor’s eyes opened wide, and she looked at Poppy. “You did?”
“She asked us to,” said Sierra with one hand on her hip.
“That’s certainly good to hear.”
“See ya, Mama,” said Savannah, running back to her bedroom with Sierra on her heels.
“Hi,” she said to Poppy, hugging her. “Redecorating?”
“We were bored.”
“How does it look?”
“About as good as you’d expect it to.”
Saylor cringed. “Coffee?”
“Absolutely. Why is coffee so much better when someone else makes it?”
“What’s going on, Pop?”
“There’s a guy.”
Saylor spun around, spilling coffee grounds on the kitchen counter. “Who?” In their small town of Yachats, there weren’t many single guys left.
“He’s from Portland. Nothing much has happened yet, but I like him.”
It sounded like her and Monk, only something had happened between them.
Poppy walked over and took the bag of coffee and the scoop out of Saylor’s hand.
“Sit. I’ll make it.”
“I can do it.”
“Right. Go sit down and tell me whatever it is that’s on your mind.”
“There’s a guy,” she repeated Poppy’s earlier words.
“No shit? Who?”
“He works with my brother.”
“I see.”
“His name is Monk. That isn’t his name, but that’s what everyone calls him.” It occurred to Saylor that she’d spent two nights with the guy, had several rounds of amazing sex, and she had no idea what his real first name was. She shook her head and rolled her eyes.
“What was that all about?”
There wasn’t much she could hide from Poppy; they’d been friends since they were younger than Saylor’s two girls.
“Just that I don’t know his name. Enough of that. Tell me about your guy.”
“We met at Speed, actually.”
The local coffee shop. Saylor should have stopped there to get coffee since neither of them seemed capable of actually brewing a pot.
“We went out later, for dinner, and then he had to go back to Portland.”
“Did he say when he’d be back?”
Poppy shook her head. “I really like him, though.”
“What do you like about him?”
“He’s sexy as fuck—” Poppy looked over her shoulder to make sure neither of the girls was close by. “Anyway, you get what I’m saying. Tell me about Monk.”
He was sexy as fuck too, but otherwise, where did she start? The guy was unlike any other she’d ever met.
“My mom said she thinks I’ve met my match.”
Poppy nodded. “Stubborn smartass who has sworn off relationships for the rest of his life?”
“Essentially.”
“If that’s the case, why did you say there is a guy.”
“I said ‘there’s.’ It could mean there was a guy.”
“If he were a was, you wouldn’t have brought it up.”
“I don’t know. I mean, I don’t know if I’ll ever see him again. I’ll see him, of course, Razor works out of his house here almost exclusively now. But that doesn’t mean I’ll see him.”
“Let me get this straight, you aren’t sure you’re going to see him.” Poppy rolled her eyes like Saylor had earlier.
“Shut up.”
“M-a-a-a-m-a, that’s a bad word. You owe me a dollar,” shouted Sierra from the bedroom.
“She heard shut up and not fuck?” whispered Poppy.
“Do you want to go out for coffee?” Saylor asked, looking at the coffee pot that she hadn’t turned on yet.
“A cocktail sounds better at this point.”
“Agreed.”
THEY TOOK the trail that ran along the ocean. It began ten miles north of Saylor’s house and went all the way through the downtown district and another ten miles south. It was one of Saylor’s favorite things about being able to live right on the coast. It was definitely something she wouldn’t have been able to afford if her brother hadn’t bought the duplex for her and her mom. She sure as hell never got a penny of child support from her ex, especially given he was in prison.
“Don’t get too far ahead,” she called out to the girls as she and Poppy took their time. “Stop before you round the bend.” That was their agreement, if they couldn’t make eye contact with her, they needed to come back.
“Razor almost died,” she blurted. “He was on life support.”
Poppy stopped walking. “I wondered why you didn’t call for a couple of days. I knew something was up.”
“He was shot rescuing Ava.”
“Wow.”
Poppy knew better than to ask more questions. Most of the time, Saylor couldn’t say a word about whatever her brother was involved in—not that she ever knew as much as she did this time. If he knew she told her friend about his health scare, he probably wouldn’t like it, but she needed to tell someone who hadn’t been there and experienced the same fear Saylor had.
“Are you okay?” Poppy asked.
“I don’t know, to be honest. I’m not sure it’s really hit me yet.”
Poppy nodded and they kept walking.
“He asked Ava to marry him.”
“Would you stop doing that!”
“What?”<
br />
“Saying these things that I really should be sitting down to hear. Anything else? You aren’t married, are you?”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
However, the idea that Razor would ever get married had previously been as unimaginable as her getting married again.
FOUR HOURS LATER, Poppy had gone home and Saylor couldn’t bring herself to leave the perch from which she would see when Razor’s caravan pulled in.
She was turning into as much of a busybody as her neighbor had been when she and the girls still lived with their dad.
Just as she stood to go into the bedroom, she saw an SUV pull up. Unfortunately, it went into the garage before Saylor could see who was in it. “You’re such an idiot,” she mumbled, going down the hall to make sure the girls hadn’t decided to paint their bedroom like they had Poppy’s.
“Hey, Mama,” said Sierra, looking up from her coloring book.
“I sure missed you two.”
“We missed you too, Mama,” said Savannah, looking up from hers.
“Do you want to go next door and see Ya-Ya?”
“We saw her before we went into town.”
“I know, but you can’t see too much of Ya-Ya, can you?”
“When will Aunt Ava be home?”
“What about Uncle Razor?” Saylor asked.
“Him too.”
“Maybe we’ll be able to see them tomorrow.”
Savannah jumped up. “Are they home?”
“I think so, but Uncle Razor was in the hospital for a few days, and I’m sure he’s very tired.”
“Was Aunt Ava in the hospital too?”
“Sort of. She spent a lot of time with Uncle Razor while he was there.”
Both girls looked crestfallen enough that she thought about calling to see if she could bring them over. But not knowing if Monk had arrived with them, stopped her. She didn’t want him to think she used the girls as an excuse to come see him.
She shook her head. Wasn’t this just as bad? She was avoiding going to see her beloved brother, who had almost died, because she was too worried about what Monk thought? Not to mention she wanted to know whether Ava had said yes when he proposed.
“Up for some company, or are you too wiped out?” Saylor asked when Razor answered his phone. “Savannah and Sierra are anxious to see you.”
Monk (K19 Security Solutions Book 7) Page 5