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Chapter Fifteen
Gil sat at the helm, his bare feet propped up on a storage container, his shoes in a pile on the floor next to it. He was leaning back in the captain’s chair with his arms behind him and his hands entwined, resting at the nape of his neck.
He’d been deep in thought and the look on his face told Sonny she’d startled him. But his expression quickly softened when he realized it was her.
“Any word from Marco and Cooper?” Sonny asked. Gil nodded, rubbing his jaw, which probably ached after the punch her father had given him. “Safely back in Miami. They had no trouble at all getting out of Cartagena after they left us.”
“I’m sorry for the way my father treated you,” she said, settling in the chair on the other side of the deck.
“That’s okay. It’s not like he didn’t have reason. I probably would have decked me, too, if I were him.” Sonny could relax a bit, knowing Ellie was downstairs with her father. He was enjoying some Grandpa time with his first grandchild, giving Sonny her first opportunity since they’d met to let her guard down around Gil.
She didn’t have to be in control anymore. There were two strong men on board that could take that lead for her.
“How’s the jaw?” she asked. She winced inside—opening up a can of worms about her father hitting him might not be the wisest way to start.
Gil moved his jaw back and forth as if to test it. “I’ll survive.”
Sonny wondered if her heart would.
“I’m sorry. My family is a bit overprotective of me.” With the sun setting behind him, he looked incredibly handsome.
“You don’t have to apologize,” he said, frowning.
“Yes, I kinda have to.”
“You didn’t punch me.”
“You’re not likely to get a warm reception from Dylan, either,” she said, biting her bottom lip. “I’m just warning you. This is kind of an apology in advance.”
His eyes widened for a fraction of a second and then he laughed. She could barely hear it over the sound of the water rushing against the side of the catamaran and the fluttering of the sails in the breeze.
“I guess that’s to be expected. Good news is I just got word from the Coast Guard cutter that we should be reaching Ponce by midday tomorrow,” Gil said. “You’ll finally be on United States soil.”
Tears that she had held back for so long finally surged to the surface. Instantly, she felt Gil beside her, his strong arms wrapped around her.
“Are you always this much of a mess with good news?” he teased.
Sonny laughed through her tears. “I guess it’s all just hitting me now.”
“You mean it’s taken this long? It hit me pretty fierce back in the square when I saw those guns pointed at us.” He brushed her hair away from her face and leaned forward. “You’re driving me crazy, Sonny. And I want to kiss you again. Will your father shoot me if I do?”
She rolled her eyes at him. “Don’t be silly. He won’t shoot you.” Then she chuckled. “He’ll just feel like shooting you.”
“Then I guess I’m safe.”
“As safe as we’re going to be until this is all over and Cash is home.”
He tipped her chin up with his fingers so she was looking directly at him. He had the most extraordinary eyes and if she hadn’t been so terrified at the airport, it would’ve been the first thing she noticed about him.
“You know I want you, don’t you?”
“I wish my father wasn’t twenty feet away from us.”
He smiled wide. “Oh, the things we could do.”
She chuckled. “Yeah. Wouldn’t that be nice.”
* * *
Gil gazed at Sonny and wondered how he’d been lucky enough to find a woman so incredible and so alive. How had he wandered aimlessly through his life not knowing her?
He’d spent many years with Special Forces in the military and the past seven chasing criminals. He was a nomad by nature, not a family man, and yet something about being with Sonny made him think he’d cheated himself out of the best part of life.
She felt good in his arms, one perfect fit and Sonny was his.
He kissed her gently and then with more intensity. She ran her hand across his chest and left a trail of tingles he felt from his head to his toes. He wanted her now. And if he could have taken her right there, he would have. He knew she wanted him. There was no mistaking it. His mind wandered to what it would be like to have Sonny straddling him as he sat there in the captain’s chair. His mind took him in places that drove him wild. Their kiss deepened as his hand made a trail up her waist and settled on her breast. He squeezed her gently and was rewarded with a tiny murmur of pleasure. When their lips parted, he held her for a long time.
“Some time soon you’re going to have to share some of those thoughts racing around in your head,” she said.
“Am I that obvious?”
“Let’s just say I hope I’m not the only one having erotic fantasies.” She chuckled and kissed his mouth. He felt his groin grow hard.
“Lady, you do know how to torture a man,” he whispered against her lips.
He wanted her so much he could hardly breathe. He settled for pulling her into his lap and holding her close. Listening to the sounds of the water sloshing against the catamaran as it cut its way through the Caribbean Sea, a distressing thought invaded the quiet tranquility he’d been feeling.
“He’s never going to forgive me for putting you in danger, is he?”
“I don’t know. My father might be a bit...ornery at times, but he’s a fair man.”
“No, he won’t.”
Sonny turned in his arms to look at him. “How do you know that?”
“Because I wouldn’t if I were in his shoes.”
“Even if you knew what he knows?”
“Which is?”
“That…I’m falling for you, Gil.” Her voice cracked as she said the words. “At least, it feels that way. I can’t know for sure because I’ve never been in love before. Not like this.”
Her bottom lip was quivering and he wanted more than anything to put his mouth on hers and just die with her in his arms.
But her face changed and her eyes turned cloudy. “I won’t lie to you. I don’t know how my father is going to feel when we get to Ponce. Right now he’s in pure bliss holding his granddaughter. But I don’t know if that joy will be enough to erase what he’s been feeling for the past week. Or the last few months for that matter.”
He nodded. “I appreciate your honesty. In fact, I love that about you.”
“It’s important to me that you care about this. I care a lot about you.”
“I feel the same.” He bent forward to kiss her but she pulled back, putting her hand on his chest.
“But if we’re going to be honest, then we have to admit that we can’t entirely trust what we’re feeling. That’s my fear.”
Puzzled, he leaned away from her to get a good look at her face. She was serious.
“You can’t say that what’s happened to us is at all normal in any way. These feelings might not be real.”
Gil’s insides ached just hearing her say the words. “Let’s be realistic,” she said. “Our emotions have been on edge since the moment we met. Under the circumstances, how can we really know that what we’re feeling is genuine or just an adrenaline rush from escaping danger?”
“What are you saying to me?”
She sighed. “I’m not sure. This has all been so fast and so much has happened in the last month—week, even—that I’m not sure which end is up. All I’m saying is that I think we need to slow down a little and think about what is really going on with us.”
“And this has nothing to do with my going after your brother? Bringing him in when he’s found?”
He couldn’t read her expression. “I’m saying that we need to slow down.”
“You still think this is all about money?”
“It’s not about Cash or what you are
going to do. It’s about how we feel.”
“Why don’t I believe that? When you were kissing me just now, there was no hesitation, no uncertainty. Why now? What changed? Are you sure you’re not afraid of your family’s reaction to me?”
She shook her head. “I should be—they’re very protective of me. But my father seemed open to it earlier. And Dylan, well, he’ll behave. I hope.”
Despite the warning Sonny was giving him, Gil couldn’t help but think he’d like her older brother.
“I’m just saying, let’s wait and see how we feel when we get back to Puerto Rico,” she said.
“You say you know how you feel about me, but I wonder if that’s true,” he countered.
Her eyes filled with tears. “Let’s just wait and see.”
Then she went below, leaving him on deck to watch the Caribbean sunset alone.
Despite her reservations, Gil knew the feelings between Sonny and him were real. More real than anything he’d ever experienced in his life. If she needed time, he’d give it to her.
She was still scared. She had been through a lot and needed to rely on her family right now. That much was for certain. He wished he could tell her that as long as she leaned on him, too, they’d be okay.
* * *
Sonny could hardly contain herself that morning when she looked out the portal and saw the shoreline of Puerto Rico. United States soil never looked so good. The Coast Guard cutter was dead ahead of them, leading the way.
Ellie was talking to herself, stretching her legs and waving her arms wildly in the little crib Serena had put on board. It was almost as if she knew she was going to see her mommy again.
Unable to stay cooped up in the little bunk, Sonny quickly jumped out of bed and yanked on a pair of jeans and an oversized T-shirt.
“You’re going to see your mommy, sweet pea,” she said, nuzzling Ellie’s belly as she changed her into a fresh diaper and clothes. Gil was already on deck with her father, who was at the helm radioing the harbormaster to announce their arrival.
Lifting the baby into her arms, Sonny quickly walked through the main cabin and climbed the stairs to the deck.
“Your mother is going to be there when we dock,” her father said, sitting at the wheel. His face grew bright at the sight of Ellie. “She’s going to love this little one.”
A bubble of laughter escaped Sonny, which made Ellie giggle, too.
“The cutter just radioed. They want us to file a report about what happened, and then check in with Customs before going to the Immigration Office so they can validate our passports,” Gil said.
“You still have Ellie’s?” Kelly asked.
“I have it downstairs,” Sonny replied, searching the dock for familiar faces. “We’re all set.”
“Then we’re home free. For this leg of the journey, anyway,” Kelly said.
Just as planned, Sonny’s mother was standing at the pier with Serena and Tammie. Tears blurred her eyes as she held Ellie in her arms, waiting for the boat to dock and for Serena to climb on board. There wasn’t a dry eye among them when Sonny handed Ellie over to Serena.
“My goodness! You’ve gotten so big, Ellie,” Serena cried. “Oh, my sweetheart. I can’t believe I’m holding you. Thank you for bringing her home to me, Sonny.” Ellie seemed confused by all the commotion around her. It would take a few days for the strangeness to wear off but Sonny was sure mother and daughter would bond again as if the past few months had never happened.
Sonny turned to her mother and gave her a hug.
“I’m so relieved my baby is back safe with me, too,” her mother whispered. “What happened to you in Colombia?”
Sonny kissed her mother’s cheek. “It’s a long story, Mom.”
Then, she turned to Tammie, who had her arms outstretched, ready to give her a hug. “It’s good to have you back, Sonny,” Tammie said.
Almost afraid to ask, Sonny hesitated. “Any word from Dylan yet?”
Her smile became brighter, if that was at all possible given the reunion taking place on the dock. “They found him.”
Her pulse pounded. “They did? They found Cash?”
“That’s right! They’re planning to get him out tonight if they can. From everything they can tell, he’s a bit rough around the edges but he’s alive. We’ll know more later.”
Sonny was almost afraid to laugh through her tears for fear that someone would take the joy away.
Serena could hardly talk, she was so overcome. Pressing Ellie’s cheek against her face, she said, “Did you hear that, Ellie? They found Daddy! My family is almost complete.”
“Don’t you worry,” Kelly said. “Dylan will have Cash back to you soon. Then we can all celebrate Montgomery-style!”
“That’s sounds wonderful.”
In the midst of all the commotion, Sonny had lost track of Gil. She looked around the dock and saw him off on the sidelines. She climbed down from the deck of the catamaran and ran over to him.
“Did you hear that, Gil? They found Cash. He’s coming home!” She launched herself into his arms, despite Gil’s confused expression. “I can’t believe it. My brothers are coming home.”
He held on to her.
“It feels strange not having Ellie in my arms now that she’s back with Serena,” Sonny said.
“She’s safe with her mom. And she’s not going anywhere. You’re going to get to enjoy being her auntie for the rest of your life.”
“It’ll be nice not to have to look over my shoulder. To just enjoy her, you know?”
“Yeah.”
“What’s wrong? Are you upset that Dylan found Cash and not you?”
“No, don’t be ridiculous. I’m glad they found your brother.”
She pulled back to look at his expression. “Then what is it? You’re sad.”
He shook his head. “Come here with me.”
Gil took her by the hand and pulled her with him a few yards down the dock.
“What are you doing?”
“I want to talk to you. ” He drew in a deep breath and pulled her into his arms. “I’ve been thinking of what you said last night.”
She placed her hands on his face. “We don’t have to discuss that now. Nothing needs to be decided this minute.”
“I think it does.”
Her heart dropped. “I don’t want to argue about this, Gil.”
“Some people might call it communicating,” he said. His eyes smiled but his face was serious. “I sat holding you close and feeling like there was nowhere else I wanted to be than on that boat with you in my arms last night. And I’m still feeling it. I don’t want to let that go.”
She studied his face. She saw light and hope there. He meant what he said.
Sonny sighed. “But what if it’s not real, Gil?”
“My feelings for you couldn’t get any more real than this,” he said quietly. The wind blew his hair around his face. Dark eyes that seemed determined and gentle at the same time peered into hers.
The lines that made deep crevasses around his eyes suddenly smoothed away and turned into a full smile. “I think I’m falling in love with you. I don’t want this to be the end for us. I can’t change what happened in Colombia any more than you can. And I take my job seriously. If what you say is true about Cash, he’ll go back to Miami and face trial.”
She swallowed. “He will. I’m just…”
A tear ran down her cheek.
“What?”
“I’m afraid. Manuel Turgis may be dead, but Eduardo Sanchez is still out there. What if they kill him while he’s in jail?”
“I won’t let that happen.”
She continued through her tears. “You don’t have the power to stop it. You saw what Eduardo Sanchez and his people can do.”
“I know he’s innocent. Neither Dylan nor I are going to allow him to be in harm’s way. If I have to guard him with my life, I will. And I’m going to do everything in my power to help your family get the charges against Cash dr
opped.”
Her eyes widened. “You’d do that for him?”
“I’d do it for you. For us. Because that’s the only way I get to have you. And I’ll fight for that.”
She wrapped her arms around him tighter, unable to believe this amazing man was in her life. “Thank you,” she whispered.
He released her gently and looked around the dock at Sonny’s family. “My way of life has had me living like a nomad for years. But I’ve been thinking.”
“Yes?”
“I need a change. I’ve managed to save some money, enough for me to take time off, maybe reevaluate my options. I’d been wanting to do that anyway with the bounty I was supposed to get from bringing Cash in. But even without that, there’s enough for some time.”
She nodded. “Oh. Where will you go?”
He gave her a half grin. “Don’t you worry. It won’t be far from you. I have no intension of letting you get out of arms distance from me.”
She smiled and kissed him.
Then he looked around. “Do you like this boat?”
Confusion filled her. “It’s nice. It’s not as big as the catamaran. That was nice.”
He took a deep breath, as if he needed to draw strength. Then he cleared his throat and looked directly at her. “Look, I’m going to ask you something and I want you to think about it for a while. You know, give yourself time until this whole thing with Cash is over and we have the people from the Aztec Corporation responsible for Cash and Ellie’s kidnapping behind bars and—”
Sonny groaned. “That may take a while.”
“Your family is not all that thrilled with me right now.”
“They’ll get over it.”
“I don’t want that to be a source of distress for you, Sonny. I’m not blaming them for the way they feel. I know I’d feel the same if the situation was reversed.”
“Get to the point, Gil.”
“I want to be with you. And to do that, I know there needs to be some changes. And I know your family may not like what I’m proposing.”
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