The Power of a SEAL

by Anne Elizabeth

  But Poshen… Well, he was a lazy fuck. It would be surprising if any of his guys made it through another week. They’d been so hungry for information that Leaper’s men had treaded water for over forty minutes before they were picked up. Not that it was tough on them. Their water skills were very strong.

  Watson had floated on his back most of that time. That kid definitely brought joy to Leaper’s heart. He was a good sort.

  Walking through the large space of First Phase Grinder, Leaper saw that Declan’s door was open. He knocked on the door.

  “Leaper, what’s up? Oh, great, you have that look on your face…like I’m not going to like what you have to say.” Declan pushed back from his desk and stood. His chair squeaked. “Come in and close the door, and give it to me straight.”

  Leaper pulled the door closed behind him and sat on the edge of Declan’s desk. “I’m here to share a few words of wisdom about teaching techniques.”

  Declan sat down in his chair. It protested loudly. “I knew I wasn’t going to like what you have to say, and that’s not me being psychic.”

  Leaper picked up a globe paperweight, tossed it in the air, and caught it. “Good to hear. Declan, my friend. We’re going to lose good people if a few things don’t change. Did you know that there’s a whole boat crew that hasn’t learned or performed swift-boat maneuvers? That’s one of the most important skills; it’s up there with evasive driving techniques on land. Let me give you a brief of what’s going on…”

  * * *

  I need a cheat sheet to understand my own motivation.

  Kerry sighed. Did she ever wonder if her body knew something was about to happen long before her brain caught on? All the fucking time!

  Somehow Leaper did that to her. Made her anticipate him so that her body was primed for his appearance.

  Her heart pounded as she looked up. There he was, just outside of the Marine Mammal gate. The sight of him made her knees weak. She couldn’t stop herself from rushing into his arms and reaching her mouth to his for a kiss.

  As his lips met hers, something in her spirit sang loudly and joyfully. Had love ever felt like this? She didn’t think so. Of course, there was always the possibility that she was experiencing that intense emotional connection for the very first time, as if he completed her energy and spirit. Not that she planned on ever giving up her independent lifestyle, but she was willing to make compromises for the right man—well, for him. Leaper was special, beyond description.

  The kiss deepened as her tongue met his, sending sparks of electricity zipping through her body.

  “Ahem.” Someone nearby cleared a throat.

  Kerry didn’t care who witnessed their public display of affection. She was happy. But the throat clearing turned into a full-blown cough, and her curiosity was piqued. She cut the kiss short and looked over her shoulder. Well, crap, she hadn’t expected to see this sailor at the Marine Mammal department.

  Standing in front of the gate was Admiral Dale. With gray creeping into his hair and sideburns, and deep lines etched into his forehead, he was a debonair yet forbidding presence. The Admiral looked like he was going to smile at Kerry, but then his gaze took in the companion to her right. “Lefton.”

  “Admiral Dale, good to see you.” Leaper was all kinds of jovial, and Kerry was learning that this meant there was history between this person and Leaper.

  But still, Admiral Dale rarely came down here. Maybe Kerry was getting fired. A sinking feeling hit her stomach like a ton of bricks, though Kerry guessed this could be a social call. Hadn’t Emme been trying to date this guy? Right, right, right, she remembered now: Emme had given him a call.

  “Are you looking for Miss Stanley?” Kerry asked attempting to be polite.

  “No. I came here to speak with you, Dr. Hamilton.” His tone was unreadable, his face a mask devoid of emotion. They must teach that at “fork and knife” school—otherwise known as officer’s training.

  Her heart sank. “What can I do for you?”

  “Is there somewhere we can speak privately?” Admiral Dale looked around. “The docks are swept, correct?” Kerry nodded, and Admiral Dale added, “Let’s head down there.”

  Kerry grabbed Leaper’s hand and pulled him along behind her. Admiral Dale stopped at the gate and looked at Leaper. “He’s coming too,” Kerry insisted.

  They walked past the double doors leading to the Marine Mammal Office and down to the gate on the gangplank. Kerry scanned her ID and opened the locked gate. Leading the way, she headed for Juliet’s pen.

  As she sat down on the dock, Leaper settled down next to her. It was such a supportive gesture; she gave him brownie points.

  The Admiral seemed to contemplate the fact he was in uniform and then he picked up a bucket, flipped it over, and sat on a fairly clean bottom. The proximity was close enough to give them some privacy. “Our phone call…”

  “Admiral, I’m sorry about that,” interrupted Kerry. “I was upset. I practically accused everyone except myself of messing around with the numbers. I shouldn’t have jumped the gun so quickly, and I’d like to apologize.”

  “There’s no need for that.” His face softened. “Dr. Hamilton, I’m not here to reprimand you or to fire you. Your passion for these animals and your expertise are two reasons we appreciate you being here. That said, you raised the alarm on an extremely important problem. I’m here to brief you, to give you information.”

  “Me?” Kerry was shocked. She closed her mouth and attempted to regain her composure. She had never thought there’d be a day when an Admiral reported information to her. It was always the other way around. “Go ahead, please.”

  Admiral Dale nodded solemnly. “A while back, we had Special Funding Director Joshua Boscher, and we were able to trace the current situation back to him. He was using the program to springboard himself into a few private government contracts using different types of marine life. He was the one who fudged the numbers and changed the protocol listing for the lab techs. He also used legitimate projects to cover his siphoning of funds, like your tank project. He took off with a third of your spending. Since no one had oversight over Boscher, no one questioned it. Boscher seemed to be in charge when it came to these projects, and the techs thought this was standard procedure.”

  “Boscher…really?” Kerry considered the man. “I don’t know him very well, but he was always nice to me. He didn’t spend much time here, if I remember correctly. He was mostly in Washington, DC. And when he was at the Marine Mammal base, he offered to help everyone. I—I just don’t get it. Boscher?”

  “Yes,” confirmed Admiral Dale. “He was working with several groups who were lobbying on his behalf too. A lot of this circles back to money. Unfortunately, he got away with over $10.5 million.”

  Kerry whistled and then frowned. “Wait, what type of marine life was he working with?” She grabbed the Admiral’s arm. “I think I know. Let me guess—Boscher’s working with sharks.”

  The Admiral nodded. “But what makes you say that?”

  “Like attracts like.” Kerry nodded. “I’m right, aren’t I? He went for cold-blooded rather than warm-blooded.”

  He took a slow, deep breath. “Roger that. I assigned several sailors to retrieve Mr. Boscher, but there was little to retrieve. It seems he was a victim of his enthusiasm.”

  “Ugh, the sharks ate him,” said Kerry, swallowing a sudden rush of bile in her throat. “Not a good way to go.”

  “We found several fingers embedded in the dock—they had his DNA and some hair. Since the Navy has no one to prosecute for this crime, we have to close the case. But we know there are still outstanding issues, and we want to do the correct thing for our marine mammals. They serve selflessly. So I’m here to ask what you need.” The Admiral spoke succinctly, as if he’d rehearsed his words. Most likely he had. According to Emme, the Admiral was a very precise man. He preferred every
thing just so.

  Leaper nudged her as if to say Tell him what you’ve done so far.

  It was Kerry’s turn to take a deep breath. “Okay. So I’ve been chatting with a scientist in Greenland who’s had excellent results with a new vaccine he developed. I made a batch and took it to a place where I knew there were sick dolphins.” She lifted her hands and spoke quickly. “I didn’t want to do it this way, but I knew that the Foundation would balk at me using our dolphins as guinea pigs. The funny thing is…the wild dolphin went from lethargic to energized very quickly. I’ve never seen such a fast turnaround. Since this was such a positive response, I was going to ask to speak to you, the Director, and whoever else will listen about testing it on one of our own.”

  “Kerry has video she recorded,” added Leaper.

  Admiral Dale leaned forward and looked at Leaper. “I suppose you were in on this wild-dolphin mission?”

  Leaper grinned.

  Admiral Dale nodded. “Well, I agree that I don’t condone sticking a wild creature without knowing the results. It could have caused horrible effects.” The Admiral rubbed the back of his neck. Kerry could almost see the wheels in his head turning.

  “She knows that,” Leaper said. “I do too. There are hundreds of contagion movies out there, warning about the dangers of jumping into the unknown with a chemical concoction. But I stand by her, and the dolphin rallied very quickly.” His voice was calm and steady.

  Kerry’s eyes misted. She was impressed and touched that he was standing up for her. Rubbing her shoulder against his, she added, “If what I did in the ocean is a criminal offense, I cannot let Leaper take any blame. It’s all on me.”

  “I should have figured the two of you would find each other. Stubborn is as stubborn does.” Admiral Dale stood and brushed specks of dirt from his uniform, finally giving up when he noticed a large streak down one leg. “Pick a dolphin and quarantine her. Follow the strictest guidelines of protocol, and then go ahead with the vaccine.”

  Gratitude flooded Kerry. She stood at once and shook the Admiral’s hand passionately. “Thank you, Admiral. If the results are as dramatic as I believe, our dolphins will be back to normal very, very soon.”

  “Keep me informed. Daily reports.” Admiral Dale stepped away. He tilted his head to the side and said, “Lefton.”

  Leaper nodded.

  The men seemed to communicate nonverbally, which completely baffled Kerry. As she watched the Admiral walk away, down the dock, and up the gangplank, Leaper’s arms wrapped snuggly around her waist. He squeezed her tightly against him.

  “You did it, Kerry,” he whispered in her ear.

  “We did it,” she replied as she hugged his arms tighter to her body. She closed her eyes. Relief was easing through her, lifting all the weight from her shoulders. After such a long adrenaline rush, her body was exhausted. “I need rest.”

  “Let’s go to our home. The morning is a good time to start this project. Sleep will heal your brain, and I will work on your body.” Leaper kissed the side of her neck.

  She sighed. He was right. There were a ton of things she would need to prepare. First thing in the morning would be the best time.

  “Have I sparked your interest?” he murmured against her neck.

  She tapped her feet. “I’m clicking my heels, but we haven’t arrived home yet.”

  He chuckled. “Maybe you’re not clicking in the right spot. Let’s try that again when we get back to the house.”

  Together, they walked down the dock and up the gangplank. Letting themselves out of the ID-controlled gate and then the main gate, they headed for her car, which Leaper had brought over for her during the day. When Kerry was tucked behind the steering wheel, he said, “Give me a second and I’ll follow you.”

  She started the engine, her eyes tracking him as he walked to his motorcycle. Suddenly it hit her: he’d called his house “our home.” Her mind spun through twenty different interpretations of his slip, unless it wasn’t a mistake. Was this how he really felt—that the two of them should live together? Wow, that they would have a home together?

  Leaper flashed the light on his motorcycle, requesting she take the lead.

  Kerry backed out of the parking space. She drove to the main checkpoint of the base and turned right, leaving work behind. A part of her psyche—her ego, to be specific—was over the moon with delight at the notion of their being together on a permanent basis. Only a small, cynical portion told her to take it slow.

  Her mother had told her time and again, “Never make big decisions when your emotions are high or low. Wait for those steady moments of calm, so you can see all the perspectives and decide wisely.”

  Kerry knew her mother was right. If only she could harness her hormones…but nothing could keep them in check. The rush of chemistry was intense, and her body was already primed. She stroked her index finger along her bottom lip, imagining Leaper’s touch.

  She directed the car toward Coronado, toward his home and the place they spent most of their time together. Kerry was eager for Leaper’s kisses and caresses, and she squirmed in her seat, anticipating his body fitting perfectly against hers. Skin against skin, hearts beating hard, pulses racing as they brought each other to completion. Oh God, Kerry thought, I can hardly wait. Oh, the things I want to do to Leaper and have him do to me.

  Chapter 8

  The best-laid plans often go awry faster than imagined. Oh, how true that was! Their roles switched, and now she was following Leaper to his house, when his motorcycle began spewing dark smoke.

  Pulling her car over to the side of the road, she followed Leaper’s lead into the small airport parking garage. Kerry kept her lights on, as the overhead lights were not very strong. After about fifteen minutes of his toiling with the engine, he pulled out a part, locked up the bike, and got into the passenger’s seat of her car.

  “Sorry about that. A part gave out. I have a spare at home. Just need to swap it out, and I’m back on the road. I’m constantly fixing this thing, but it’s hard to give up the wind in my hair.” Leaper sighed.

  “You could buy a convertible,” she teased.

  He smiled. “Gee, thanks.”

  She pulled the car out of the parking garage and turned onto the main road. Driving was relaxing. Kerry’s hand held the steering wheel gently as she turned the corner. Sometimes, when she was feeling sad, she drove to lift her spirits. On the flip side, her friend Emme was notorious for being an angry driver. Personally, Kerry never understood why; extreme emotion tended to exacerbate situations. She’d tried to communicate that fact to her friend, but it never sunk in. But maybe being happy was an extreme too.

  Tonight, Kerry knew she had every right to be bouncing off the walls, but her habit of being peaceful in the car was still comforting. She gave in to it and relaxed. Leaper was scraping the edge of his motorcycle part and blowing on it.

  Her mind was spinning with too many thoughts at once. She needed to slow down and give herself time to digest and then prioritize her actions, to make a list and construct a plan.

  Kerry’s mother had always teased her about needing to be in charge. Maybe her mom had been right. Management of her faculties was a big factor in Kerry’s life. She rarely drank more than a few sips of wine or beer, and she was a stickler about doing things in a certain way. Looking at the man seated in her passenger’s seat, she could honestly admit she was having a hard time processing her emotions about him, other than knowing…she liked him a lot.

  A phone beeped loudly.

  “Hey, I just got a text from Command,” Leaper said, interrupting her thoughts. “Admiral Dale thanks me for my help with the Marine Mammal Program. Told me to keep up the good work.” Leaper did a little happy dance in his seat.

  “Don’t look so smug and self-satisfied,” Kerry teased. “You are not Mr. Perfect.”

  “Aw, you’re just jealous bec
ause I got ‘snaps’ and you got nothing.” Leaper sniffed. “I may not be perfect, but I’m right most of the time.”

  “Really? You think so? Well, Mr. Right-Most-of-the-Time, I got the best reward of all—the Navy offered to help to heal my dolphins. Nothing can top that,” she said, sounding smug and satisfied. Kerry turned her head as she spied activity in the water. “Wait, do you see something going on over there?”

  “Polar bears—the people, not the actual bear.” Leaper waved his hand at them. “It’s colder in the bay at night, so the people start their preparation in San Diego and work their way up the coast. Slow down, and you can see their bathing caps—there’s a polar bear on it.”

  “Brrr. I’d put on a wetsuit.”

  “Yeah, they don’t. The Council told them they had to wear bathing suits or shorts or something to cover their, uh, private parts while they swim in San Diego. But there are many stops on their coastal tour where they swim with nothing on.” Leaper chuckled. “As freeing as that is, I can name a few places I wouldn’t want my willy hanging out for something to nibble on.”

  Kerry laughed. “I can imagine. I didn’t expect to see them. I guess sometimes a banana is just a banana or a cigar is just a cigar.” She pushed on the accelerator and the car shot forward as it climbed to the speed limit. They zipped along the streets, taking the back roads along the water. They passed Midway and Seaport Village, the Hyatt and Marriott; they passed the convention center and the Hilton and then sped over the hill and across the trolley tracks to take the Cesar Chavez on-ramp onto the Coronado Bridge.

  “Don’t monkeys eat bananas… Well, monkeys and me.”

  “You’re bananas,” she quipped.

  “No, you are.” Leaper mimicked a monkey, banging his chest and scratching under his arms with his fingers.