The Peaceful Warrior: Navy SEAL Romance

by Daniel Banner

  “This is Los Padres National Forest,” explained Cannon, only glancing out of the window for a moment. His voice was firm, but not harsh. Confident and … contented.

  “May we please play Connect Four?” Pasha said to Miss Dee.

  “That sounds wonderful,” said Miss Dee, opening the large bag and digging in to it.

  To Daisy, Pasha said, “This is a game for only two players, big sister. I’ll play against Miss Dee, then I’ll play against you cause you’ll know how to play by watching us.”

  Daisy already knew how to play, but she was happy to go along with her little train guide’s plan, especially if it left her to focus on her hot boyfriend.

  Miss Dee set a travel-sized version of the game on the small table and those two turned their attention to it. Even though Daisy was more or less alone with her travel boyfriend, she didn’t feel like he was really with her. His attention roved from Pasha to the rest of the train and back, only settling on Daisy as often as it did on the door at the far end of the car. She might as well have been another empty chair. So if he wasn’t even interested in looking at her when she was right in front of his face, what had been up with that wink?

  It was back to Sterling all over again. Daisy was nothing more than the background to Cannon’s life, just like she’d been to Sterling. And to think she’d wasted years with Sterling, hoping and expecting him to start putting her first once his life became less hectic. Why did fate keep putting guys like that in front of her?

  Stop it, she told herself. He isn’t your real boyfriend, just a guy on a train who’s nice enough to let you hang out with his weird little non-family so you don’t have to sit next to the leper colony sanitarium rescue worker.

  “So what’s your deal?” she playfully asked her fake boyfriend. “If you’re not dad, and Miss Dee isn’t mom, then what?”

  Pasha answered for him. “Miss Dee’s my nanny.” She kept her eyes on the game, but was clearly talking to Daisy. “She’s the best nanny I ever had. Sometimes I call her Nanny Dee.”

  That made sense. Daisy probably should have figured that one out, but Miss Dee seemed more like royalty than a nanny. And that still didn’t answer the Cannon question.

  “So, the nanny job’s already taken. What do you do?”

  “Cannon’s here because he’s my best friend,” said Pasha without looking back. There was no joking or sarcasm in her voice; she really meant it and it about made Daisy’s heart melt.

  Daisy raised an eyebrow at him, expecting elaboration, but Cannon just nodded agreement and she could see the proud look on his face. For just a second he held her gaze, then it slid back to his examination of everything else in the parlour car, and he did so just in time. In the spell of his emerald eyes, she’d been about to sink into another one of her silly fantasy rants, and if that happened, she could easily end up hypnotized by him and staring dreamily into those smoking hot eyes.

  He broke the spell further by speaking. “I’m just here to make sure Pasha’s travel between her parents goes smoothly.”

  “So you’re some kind of valet?”

  His smile took on that amused quality again. Daisy didn’t feel like she was being mocked, but she could tell he found something funny.

  “You just have a good time in life, don’t you?” she asked. “You’ve had that life-is-good smile on your face since I saw you.”

  “You said it. Life is good.”

  “Excuse me,” said Pasha. She had her hands in her lap like a lady but had turned her body to face them. “If you’re going to have a conversation, would you please mind sitting over there?” She signaled to the soft chairs across the aisle. “Nanny Dee’s a Connect Four master. She studied Connect Four in college. I need’a concentrate if I’m gonna beat her.”

  There was that amused twist to his smile again. Daisy was trying to suppress a giggle at the girl’s cute little manners.

  “Sure thing, Pash.” Cannon stood and extended an arm, inviting Daisy to go first.

  “Thank you,” said Pasha, turning back to her game.

  “She did say please,” whispered Daisy as she passed Cannon and moved to sit in the swiveling armchair in the corner.

  “Mind switching?” asked Cannon, gently catching her by the arm. His hand was strong, she could tell, but he only touched her with enough of his strength for her to notice.

  Wait! What did he just say? Mind-switching? Did he know that she was going away in her mind, switching between fantasy and real world? Was that why he had that smile like he knew something?

  “No, I’m right here. I’m not … Wait, what do you mean?” She stayed put. She didn’t want him to take his hand away and she was tempted to stand there, blocking the chair he wanted for as long as possible, breathing in his light leather cologne smell.

  “I just …” Now he was stalling, confused or off-balance. He looked down at his hand on her arm and startled. “I was wondering if you’d mind switching seats.”

  “Oh! Would I mind switching seats? I thought you meant was I going somewhere—” Daisy stopped talking and settled in to the chair alongside the one her fake boyfriend wanted. She had almost admitted she was having all sorts of cheesy fantasies about him.

  In a very controlled way, he took the seat, looking at her somewhat suspiciously, but still with that gorgeous smile on his face. After a few intense seconds, he looked away and ran his surveillance over the entire car again, the focus being on Pasha. Or maybe Miss Dee. Now that Daisy noticed, she couldn’t tell which of them he was obsessed with. He’d gone far enough to butt into her seat to get a better view of one of them. If Daisy was a guy, she’d have a hard time keeping her eyes off of Miss Dee as well.

  Whichever it was that he was obsessing over, Daisy felt very second-place. It was a good thing they weren’t trying to real date or anything because this fake boyfriend of hers had already struck out. When Daisy did get involved again, she would be number one in her man’s world, not number two, ten, or any other number. In the meantime, Cannon was fun to be around and so, so easy on the eyes.

  Just thinking about how close they were on their nearby seats made her mouth go dry. She said, “You never told me what was in that smile. Something was extra good there for a second.”

  “Oh, that,” said Cannon. “You got me. A valet is a gentleman’s manservant.”

  “Huh. I didn’t know that.” Daisy filed that away for future use. Eventually one of her authors would throw a valet in one of her books and she’d be ready to show off her big brain when that happened. In the meantime, she was impressed with Cannon’s big brain. “Is there an equivalent for a small female person’s manservant?”

  That got him, and his eyebrows lowered as he considered.

  “I got it,” said Daisy. “You’re a young lady’s maid.”

  A laugh broke from his controlled persona, and Daisy knew she’d earned it. For as happy as her new fake boyfriend was, he was also all business, and he quickly reeled in the laugh. Daisy had heard it, however, and it made her insides all happy to know she’d pulled that out of him.

  “Yep, that’s it,” he nodded. “I’m a lady’s maid.”

  “A lady’s maid and also … a security guy?” If he wasn’t security, Daisy couldn’t figure out what he could be, but he just didn’t have that glare and the intimidating presence she’d expect. Maybe she was thinking of bouncers at a club instead of professional bodyguards. Did people really travel with personal bodyguards? Was a train ride dangerous enough to need one? This wasn’t some movie with people lurking on top of the train just waiting to grab Pasha as soon as Cannon blinked. And besides, who would want to hurt that little angel?

  Cannon lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “Something like that.”

  She examined him further, taking in his Cole Haan shoes, perfectly pressed suit, precise haircut, and just his strong posture and readiness. In the kicked-back action of sitting in an armchair, he was a coiled spring, ready to act in an instant’s notice.

  Daisy was
actually a little nervous talking to him, which was weird for her. Usually she had no problem chatting with strangers. With him, though, she didn’t want to say something wrong or sound like an idiot, and with her heart buzzing like it was, saying something wrong was a strong possibility.

  She decided to continue with the security topic. “You have an immaculate suit. I can tell it’s not off the rack. You’re strong, but I can’t tell if you’ve got Hulk muscles under there. You have this place memorized, and if the slightest thing changes in here you’ll be the first to notice.”

  “Sounds like you’ve got me figured out.” Even deep into the conversation, he still hardly looked at Daisy.

  “My hang up is, you’re not intimidating. No one is going to start something with any of us and look at you and think, No way am I messing with that guy. I just picture a bodyguard as someone with a seriously threatening demeanor.”

  There was that knowing grin again. He said, “That’s probably good, since I’m best friends with a five-year old.” The pride of that friendship shone on his face.

  Her heart melted a little bit again. “It’s your smile,” she told him. “Who ever heard of a happy bodyguard? I mean, I can’t imagine you carrying anything more dangerous than nail clippers.” Even as she said it, she could feel the manliness pouring off of him. It was bugging her that she couldn’t put her finger on it.

  From across the aisle, Pasha called, “Your turn, Daisy Mae.”

  Cannon smirked, knowing he’d been saved from her prying. Daisy didn’t want to go anywhere, but she forced herself to stand and take Miss Dee’s seat, wondering if maybe he was the kind of security guard who carried a cell phone to call for backup.

  Nope, she knew instinctively that wasn’t it. He probably did have a gun. That was probably his expertise. He was a gentleman bodyguard, like James Bond. Suave and manly, but not built like a gorilla.

  “Who won?” asked Daisy, feeling Cannon’s eyes as they blipped over her.

  “It was a draw,” said Pasha with exasperation. “Again. That means it was a tie.”

  “Darn,” said Daisy. “Do you want to go first?”

  “Yes, thank you,” said Pasha, picking up a red checker and dropping it into the middle slot. “We have to … alternate next game. That means you go first.”

  Daisy dropped a black checker in without any type of strategy. She wasn’t out for blood against a five-year old.

  Cannon had stayed in the same chair, the one that gave him the best vantage of the parlour car while not allowing anyone to come up behind him. Miss Dee had taken the seat on the couch where Daisy had first sat. They both watched the game with interest, and suddenly Daisy felt like she was being hustled.

  They alternated red and black checkers for a few turns and as Daisy picked up a black one to place it, she halted. There were two spots Pasha could get her, and Daisy could only block one. The game was as good as over and they’d only taken six turns each. Maybe Miss Dee really had learned Connect Four in college and then passed her knowledge on to Pasha.

  Daisy slid her checker in and said, “You got me.”

  Pasha dropped in the red checker, connecting her four, and said, “I win. Good game. Play again?”

  “Definitely,” said Daisy. She was having fun with this brilliant little girl, even if she took Cannon out of the equation. Although, if she was being honest, what she wanted was some alone time with Cannon to see if he would focus on her without his two little women distracting him.

  “Sorry, Pasha,” said Miss Dee. “It’s time for your lesson.”

  The little girl scowled in disappointment but started picking up the pieces without being told. Daisy helped her and when they were done, Miss Dee and Cannon were standing in the aisle ready to go.

  “Thank you for playing me,” said Pasha. “It was fun to not draw again.”

  “Thank you for inviting me,” said Daisy. She leaned down and whispered, loud enough for the adults to hear because she was grateful to them as well, “You kinda saved my train trip.”

  Pasha gave her a hug, and Daisy could see Cannon tense up. His eyes were locked on Daisy now, and Daisy knew for sure that Pasha was being body-guarded. She returned the quick hug, then stood, not wanting to make the guardians nervous.

  “Miss Dee,” said Pasha. “I want to ask you a private question, but I don’t want to whisper in front of my new friend.”

  “I don’t mind if you whisper or ask in front of me,” said Daisy, “but thank you for being considerate.”

  Miss Dee gave a nod of agreement and waited for the question.

  “May I invite Daisy Mae to dine with us this evening?”

  The formality this little girl could put on was astonishing. She was like a little princess minus all the bratty attitude.

  “Thank you so much for thinking of me,” said Daisy, “but I brought food to eat.” That seemed like the less embarrassing way to say she’d chosen the cheap fare to give the train a try and it didn’t include meals.

  “Of course she can,” said Miss Dee. “We would be happy to have her as our guest if she will accept the invitation.”

  “I …” She was about to say she couldn’t, but Pasha was staring at her with those pleading eyes, and Miss Dee did seem sincere in the invitation. Daisy glanced at Cannon. Maybe he would give an indication of whether she would be intruding or not. He winked at her again!

  Daisy tingled all over, feeling like a rock star had just noticed her. How could she turn down that wink? “I would love to. Thank you.”

  “We always get the six o’clock reservation,” said Pasha. “We will meet you in the dining car when they make the announcement for the six o’clock people.”

  “What should I wear?” asked Daisy, taking advantage of her little guide while she had her.

  “I always wear a dress. So does Miss Dee. Cannon wears a suit but he always wears a suit. Other people just wear normal clothes.”

  Daisy did love her fake boyfriend in a suit, but wouldn’t mind seeing him in some other clothes eventually. For now, she was glad she’d made the last minute decision to bring a simple dress so she wouldn’t be grossly underdressed. “That sounds lovely. I’ll see you at six.” She looked down at the seat and back at the door that led back to coach. “Pasha, do they care if I stay here in the parlour car all day?”

  Pasha eagerly answered. “Any passenger can stay in the Pacific Parlour car, or the lounge car for as much time as they want. There’s even a theater room downstairs from this car and they have movies and board games, but you gotta find someone to play with if you didn’t bring someone.”

  All of those options sounded better than going back to her seat and Daisy breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m so glad to hear that.”

  “Any other questions,” asked Pasha all full of hope.

  “Not right now,” said Daisy, “but I’m sure I’ll have more by dinnertime.”

  “Bye, big sister.”

  “Bye, little sister.”

  Miss Dee led the way down the aisle and Pasha followed after.

  Cannon paused in front of her, and Daisy hung on to what he was about to say. Even if he didn’t say anything, she’d be happy just standing here looking at him.

  “Hang tight here for a second.”

  “Sure,” said Daisy automatically, wondering if she could say no to her pretend boyfriend even if she tried.

  Halfway up the car, Cannon halted his little trio in front of a nook of some sort, maybe it was a bar, and Cannon was talking to a train attendant. The attendant, a Hispanic man in a bowtie, nodded, and picked up a walkie talkie and spoke into it. A few seconds passed and he said something else into the walkie talkie, then exchanged a few words with Cannon.

  They were talking about her. What did that mean?

  As the trio started forward again, Cannon looked back to give Daisy a thumbs up and another little wink. She waved and tried to wink back, but it came out as a blink and a grimace.

  Nice one, Daisy. Perfect image to lea
ve him with. She watched with jealousy as the little family that wasn’t made their way slowly to compensate for the light jolting of the train through the far door. There were still a few hours until dinner and those two lucky girls got to spend it with that happy, handsome man.

  The attendant left his little enclosure and came toward her, breaking her trance.

  “Miss Close?”

  “Yes.” Cannon had caught her last name. And remembered it. Daisy felt like she was in fifth grade and her crush had just said, Hi, Daisy to her on the playground.

  “I’m Felix. I understand you ended up with an … unfortunate seating arrangement.”

  “Yeah. I mean, it’s not …” She was going to say it wasn’t a big deal, but it actually was a big deal. “Can you change my seat?” Some unlucky person in coach would be disappointed to have someone take the empty spot next to them, but at least Daisy had had the luxury of a shower today so she wouldn’t be too bad to sit by.

  “I can do better than that,” said Felix. “I can either upgrade you to Business Select, or put you in a roomette.”

  “Really? Wow. That would be incredible.”

  “Which one sounds better?” asked Felix. “Do you know the difference between those options?”

  Daisy knew very well since she’d examined in depth the options before booking her ticket. “I’d love a roomette,” she said.

  “If you want to grab your items, I’ll show you to your roomette. You can find me right over there.”

  “Thank you,” said Daisy, but she knew she should be thanking Cannon. Wow, her guardian angel had let her down originally, but was making up for it big time. Cannon was turning out to be a perfect fantasy boyfriend.

  Chapter

  Cannon was counting the minutes until six o’clock. He’d been doing this run with Pasha and Miss Dee for over a year, every week without fail, and he’d never looked forward to dinner more than he did tonight. When Rasmus Gold, Pasha’s father, had hired him—through Sutton Smith’s Warrior Project—to escort his daughter between his home in Seattle and Pasha’s mother’s home in Los Angeles, Rasmus had told Pasha that if anything went wrong on the train, she should run to Cannon. He hadn’t used the word bodyguard with Pasha. Kneeling and looking into his daughter’s eyes, Rasmus had said, Cannon is your new best friend.