Harlequin Medical Romance July 2015 - Box Set 2 of 2: Her Playboy's SecretTaming Her Navy DocHer Family for Keeps

by Tina Beckett

  “Neat.”

  Thorne nodded. “Not much of the original architecture remains. Most was destroyed in 1945 during the Battle of Okinawa in World War II.”

  “I did know that. My grandfather fought during that battle, actually.”

  “With the Navy?”

  “No, the Marines.”

  “Did he survive?”

  Erica chuckled. “Of course, or I wouldn’t be here talking to you today. My father was the youngest of seven children and he wasn’t born until 1956.”

  Thorne laughed. “Good point.”

  “Did any of your family serve?”

  Thorne’s easy demeanor vanished and he visibly tensed. His smile faded and that dour, serious face she was used to seeing around the halls of the base hospital glanced at her.

  “Yes. My brother.”

  “Navy?”

  “Yes.” It was a clipped answer, like he didn’t want to say anything further, and she wasn’t going to press him, but she couldn’t help but wonder where his brother was. Did he still serve? Was Thorne’s brother in the SEALs? Maybe that was why it was a bit of a sore spot for him.

  Either way, it wasn’t her business.

  Just like her past wasn’t his business.

  “So, tell me about these dogs.”

  Thorne’s expression softened. “I’m no expert on Okinawan history. Your best bet is to ask Scooby.”

  “Oh, yes? The man who supposedly doesn’t know English? ‘That’ll be no problem’,” she air-quoted.

  Thorne laughed with her. “Again, sorry about that.”

  “I know, I know. It was all a part of my initiation. I’ve had several now; I should be used to them.”

  “Scooby wants to warn you off of me and vice versa.”

  “Vice versa?” she asked. “Why? What have I ever done to him?”

  “He thinks we’re both too pigheaded and stubborn to get along well.”

  Erica chuckled. “He could be right. I am stubborn, but not without just cause.”

  “So I’ve heard.”

  Now she was intrigued and a bit worried. “From who?”

  “My commanding officer. He said you were quite adamant that I not be removed from the ship, even if the orders came direct from the White House.”

  She laughed. “That’s true. When it comes to my patients. Some find it annoying.”

  “Not me,” Thorne said and he glanced over at her quickly. “It’s the mark of a damn fine surgeon. Which you are.”

  Heat flamed in her cheeks. “Thank you.”

  “There’s no need to thank me. I’m speaking the truth. I don’t lie.”

  “That’s funny,” she said.

  “What?”

  “That you don’t lie, when you clearly did.” She regretted the words the moment she said them.

  Good job. You are finally starting to make friends and you insult that one and only friend.

  Instead of giving her the silent treatment he snorted. “I didn’t really lie per se.”

  “How do you figure that?”

  “I just withheld the truth.”

  Erica raised an eyebrow. “Right. And the definition of lying is…?”

  Thorne just winked at her. “Here we are. I hope you wore socks. No shoes in the temple.” He parked the car on the street and they climbed out. It was good to stretch her legs. The little temple was built into the side of a hill surrounded by an older part of town, which was bustling. The temple was overgrown with foliage and the stairs up to it were crumbling.

  “It’s beautiful.” And it was. Erica had traveled around the world, and had seen many places of worship, but there was something about this temple which struck her as different and captivating. Something she couldn’t quite put her finger on.

  “Shall we go in?”

  “Are we allowed to?” she asked.

  “Sure.” And then without asking her permission Thorne reached out and took her hand, sending a shock of electricity up her spine at his touch. He didn’t seem to notice the way her breath caught in her throat when she gasped.

  Instead he squeezed her hand gently and led her through the packed streets toward the temple. What was even weirder was that she didn’t pull away.

  She let him.

  She liked the feeling of her hand in his. It was comforting, and in the few past relationships she’d had, she could never recall sharing such a moment of intimacy. There had been lust, sex, but hand-holding? Never. Such a simple act gave her a thrill.

  Don’t think like that. It means nothing. You’re just friends.

  Right. She had to keep reminding herself of that.

  They were just friends.

  That was all there was between them and that was all there could ever be.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  THORNE DIDN’T KNOW why he reached out and took her hand to lead her across the busy Ginowan street. It was instinctive and a gentlemanly thing to do. They were halfway across the street when he realized that he was holding Erica’s hand, that he was guiding her through the maze of people, whizzing motorbikes and cars toward the temple.

  She didn’t pull away either like she had before.

  Erica let him lead her to safety. It was an act of trust and Thorne had a feeling that trust didn’t come too easily to her.

  Not that he blamed her. People couldn’t always be trusted. He’d learned that well enough both in his service as a SEAL and a surgeon.

  “Yes, Dr. Wilder. I quit smoking.”

  “No. I know nothing about threats to your country.”

  Thorne could usually read people like a book. It had been one of his strong suits when he was in the Special Ops. Erica was hard to read though and maybe that was another reason why he was so drawn to her.

  He did like a challenge.

  You shouldn’t be thinking this way. She’s your second in command. She made her feelings quite clear to you the other day.

  She was a puzzle. One he wanted to figure out. He was a sucker for puzzles. Thorne cursed himself. He couldn’t be involved with her or any other woman.

  He couldn’t emotionally commit to someone.

  Not in his line of work.

  Not after seeing what it had done to his brother’s widow, to his mother.

  When he’d lost his leg and woken up in that hospital in San Diego, unaware of where he was and how he’d got there, his first memory besides Erica’s face haunting him had been seeing his mom curled up on an uncomfortable cot, a few more gray strands in her black hair, dark circles under her eyes.

  It had almost killed his mother when Liam had died.

  No. He couldn’t do that to someone else and he couldn’t ever have kids either. He didn’t want to leave his children without a father should something happen to him.

  You’re not in Special Ops anymore. What harm could happen here?

  A shudder ran down his spine. What harm indeed? Corporal Ryder probably hadn’t thought his life would end during a simple training exercise. That it would end because of a shark bite.

  Take the risk.

  It was a different voice in his head this time, one that he thought he’d long buried, and it wasn’t welcome here now.

  No. She’s off-limits.

  “I think it’s going to rain,” Erica said, glancing up at the sky.

  “What?” Thorne asked. “Sorry, I didn’t hear you.”

  “Rain. It became overcast quite quickly.”

  Thorne didn’t look at the sky; he glanced at the delicate but strong hand in his. It felt good there, but it didn’t belong. He let it go and jammed his hands into his pockets.

  Her cheeks bloomed with pink and she awkwardly rubbed her hand, as if wiping away the memory of his.

  “Maybe we should go inside,” Thorne offered, breaking the tension between them.

  “Sure,” she agreed, but she wouldn’t look at him. “Lead the way.”

  He nodded and led her up the walkway toward the temple entrance. This had to stop. She was affecting him so much.
Usually he was so focused on his work. Now he was distracted and he knew he had to get control of this situation before it escalated any further. She’d agreed to be friends. They could be friends.

  Who are you kidding?

  He watched her as she made her way to the small, almost abandoned Ryukyuan temple. It was made of wood and stone and embedded in the side of a hill. It was more a tourist attraction than it was a functional temple, as most Okinawans practiced at home in honoring their ancestors.

  She paused and touched the stone at the gate, glancing up, and her mouth slightly opened as she marveled at the architecture. It was old, mixed with new, as parts of the small temple had been destroyed during the battle of Okinawa.

  “Beautiful.” She smiled at him, her eyes twinkling and her honey-blond hair blowing softly in the breeze. She was weaving some sort of spell around him. He just wanted to take her in his arms and kiss her. The thought startled him because, even though it wasn’t new, he’d been trying to ignore the desire, the lust which coursed through him. He didn’t recall ever having this urgency before with women he dated in the past.

  This need.

  This want.

  “I thought you wanted to get out of the rain?” Thorne asked.

  “Right.” She blushed and stopped at the door to take off her shoes and Thorne followed her, glad he was wearing slip-ons so he wouldn’t have to struggle with laces and his leg.

  “Welcome. You’re welcome to look around; we just ask that there be no photography,” the guide said from behind the desk as they entered the temple.

  “Thank you.” Thorne paid a donation to allow them in and explore the history of the temple. Erica was wandering around and looking at the carvings and the paintings on the wall.

  “Are these the lion dogs you were talking about, Thorne?”

  “Ah, yes,” the guide said, standing. “The Shisa is a protective ward to keep out evil spirits. They’re often found in pairs.”

  Thorne nodded and then moved behind Erica, placing his hand on the small of her back to escort her further into the temple, where a few other tourists were milling about, reading about the history and photographs on the walls.

  Erica leaned over and whispered, her breath fanning his neck. “I really know nothing about Okinawa history.”

  “I know a bit.”

  “What religion do Okinawans practice?”

  “There are several forms, but it all falls under the Ryukyuan religion. A lot of the worship has to do with nature.”

  Erica smiled. “Pretty awesome.”

  “I have some books for you to read, if you’re interested.”

  “I don’t have time to read.” Then she moved away from him to look at some old pictures after the battle of Okinawa. “Crazy. They say it was the bloodiest battle of the Pacific War.”

  “It was and 149,193 of those lost were Okinawan civilians.”

  “Such a loss of life.”

  “It is,” he said. “It’s a hard line we walk as surgeons who serve. We don’t like to see death, but yet we serve something bigger and greater. Something that helps innocents remain free.”

  * * *

  Gooseflesh broke out over her at his eloquent words. She often felt at war with herself and her beliefs. Even though she was in the Navy she wasn’t one who went out to fight. Though she’d learned about armed combat as part of her training during Annapolis, she hoped she’d never have to be in a situation to use it.

  Thorne was different.

  He’d actually served in combat situations.

  He carried a gun and as a SEAL had undertaken covert operations that she couldn’t even begin to imagine. She wanted to ask him if he’d ever killed someone before, but she could tell by the pain in his eyes when he read the names on the list, the names of those who had fallen during the Battle of Okinawa, that he had.

  And it pained him.

  Besides it wasn’t her business to ask him that and she was enjoying his company; the last thing she wanted to do was drive him away by prying.

  The moment he’d mentioned his brother he’d put a wall up.

  “It is a hard line to walk,” she said. She moved away from him into a hallway, which was carved. They were heading under the hillside and she could hear water running. When they got down at the end of the hallway there was a hole in the ceiling letting the light filter through and in the center was a pond where pots of incense were burning.

  Misty rain fell through the opening, causing smoke to rise from the incense. It was beautiful, and the smell was spicy but welcoming.

  “What’s this?” Erica asked as she moved closer.

  “It’s called a Kaa, I believe. Water is holy, hence the incense.”

  “It’s beautiful.”

  Thorne nodded. “It is.”

  They stood in companionable silence for a while around the Kaa. There was no one else in the room with them and suddenly she was very aware of his presence.

  It was like there was some sort of spell being weaved here in this moment, next to the water and with the incense thick in the air, and for a moment she thought about kissing him.

  It had been a long time since she’d kissed a man and the thought of kissing him here made her pulse race and her body ache with anticipation.

  “It’s pretty damp in here. Why don’t we go find somewhere to have a cup of tea and maybe lunch?” He didn’t wait for his answer, but turned and walked down the hall back to the entrance.

  Erica followed him.

  The spell was broken, for now.

  * * *

  After the temple and that moment in the Kaa, they drove back toward the base. The drizzle was making it impossible really to enjoy anything. Thorne did suggest heading over to the American village, but Erica didn’t really feel like shopping.

  Half the stuff she could or would buy, she couldn’t even wear on a day-to-day basis anyway. She was either in scrubs working in the hospital, in fatigues or in dress uniform when she was on duty and that was what she was most comfortable in. It was no big loss.

  Shopping had always been a luxury in her youth.

  With her mother on a widow’s pension, there hadn’t been much money to go around.

  After high school she’d gone straight to college and then Annapolis to help pay for her medical career.

  Regina, her one close friend on the Hope, had always teased her about being tight with her money. When they would go on shore leave she would be the only one who didn’t buy a lot of things.

  Things were hard to transport.

  Things took up space. Erica was a bit minimalist.

  So they headed back to the base and found themselves at the Painappurufeisu.

  “Isn’t it a little early to drink?” Erica teased, though she was really ready for a drink. The ride back to the base had been silent and awkward.

  “Scooby runs a full-service pub. He’s got the best pizza near the base.”

  “Really?” Now she was intrigued.

  “Do you like pizza?”

  Erica shrugged. “It’s okay, but then I really don’t have a lot of experience with pizza besides the offerings of chain restaurants. The Hope didn’t sail in the Mediterranean, so I didn’t even get to experience any real Italian pizza. I’m not sure that pizza is my thing.”

  Great. You’re rambling about pizza.

  Thorne looked at her like she was crazy and she didn’t blame him. She was saying the word “pizza” a lot. Instead he surprised her by asking, “How can pizza not be your thing?”

  She chuckled. “I don’t know?”

  “Pizza has to be everyone’s thing. Well, in moderation.”

  She rolled her eyes, but couldn’t help but laugh. “I take it pizza is your thing?”

  “And beer.”

  “Right. You have a taste for the local brews.”

  “They’re good. You’d be surprised. They can have more of a kick than some American beers.”

  “I can give you a kick if you’d like.”

&n
bsp; He laughed. “No thanks. I’ll take my chances with the local brew. So, are you up for trying some of Scooby’s pizza?”

  “Sure, but I have to tell you that sounds inherently weird and kind of sacrilegious to my childhood.”

  Thorne laughed. “His real name is Sachiho, but he actually prefers Scooby. Back before we were ever serving in the Navy, a drunk airman couldn’t say his name and called him Scooby instead and it stuck.”

  “Sachiho…what does that mean?”

  Thorne shrugged. “No idea. You could ask him. He would be impressed that you knew it.”

  “Or he’ll just answer me, ‘no problem’.”

  Thorne shook his head. “Again. I’m sorry for that little farce.”

  “Sure you are.”

  He pulled in front of the Painappurufeisu. Rock music was filtering through the open windows. The neon sign was flashing, letting everyone know the bar was open for business.

  “You know, I was hoping you would take me to eat at a local place. Somewhere authentic.”

  Thorne held open the door to Scooby’s. “Trust me, the pizza here is authentic.”

  “I don’t know whether I should be eager or worried about that.”

  “You’ll have to wait and find out.”

  As soon as they entered the bar Scooby waved at them. “Hey, Captain Wilder and Commander Griffin, it’s a pleasure to see you again.”

  Thorne waved and then led them to one of the bamboo booths, which was upholstered with a jungle theme material. It was then Erica noticed the wall beside their booth was lined with a green shag carpet.

  “I think I’ve fallen into a time warp.” She reached out and touched it to make sure that it was really green shag.

  “Why’s that?”

  “This reminds me of Elvis’s jungle room at Graceland.”

  “Have you been to Graceland?”

  “Yes. A couple of times. My mamère was an Elvis fan.” It was only about four hours from her home in Louisiana to Graceland.

  “Ah, I like Elvis too,” Scooby said, interrupting. “The King of Rock and Roll. I’ve been to Graceland too. It’s where I got the idea for my jungle-themed dining room.”

  “Well, Elvis lined the ceiling of his jungle room. Why did you line the walls?”

  Scooby shrugged. “I wanted to go all out.”