Today’s assignment was not particularly exciting, considering she was translating much of the same economic discussions that she had heard when she was in French Guiana. She grimaced at one point, remembering that economics was her least favorite subject in school.
Hours later, she felt a tap on her shoulder and looked around. Marcella, another translator and friend, mouthed, “Lunchtime.”
Glad for the break, she switched off the recording and pulled off her headphones. Smiling, she said, “Perfect timing. I was about to lose my mind!”
Walking to the lounge, she carried her packed lunch with her. She had discovered early on that the cafeteria was always crowded, and she spent most of her time just trying to get her food and very few minutes actually eating.
Sitting down at one of the tables, she and Marcella were quickly joined by several other translators. Conversation abounded, and she could not help but smile when she looked around at the other tables, hearing English, French, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, Urdu, and a host of other languages.
“So, spill, girl,” Marcella said. “Tanika told us that you had a crazy trip when you were away last week. And she also said you brought home some gorgeous man who stayed a couple of nights.”
Bette looked up in mid-bite and said, “Damn, that never happens to me when I go somewhere.” She grinned, and amended, “Well, maybe the gorgeous guy. But I usually have to troll several bars to find one of those!”
“Come on, come on,” Tony said, “I want to hear. Nothing exciting ever happens to me.”
“Hey, Bette. Is this seat taken?” A young man stared at the empty chair at their table.
“Not at all. Please join us.” Bette smiled at the newcomer. “This is Philippe. We met the other day.”
The others nodded their greetings, and he sat between Sara and Tony. He smiled at each of them and said, “I used to eat in the cafeteria, but it took too long to get my lunch!”
The others laughed, and Bette explained, “We all found the same thing. That’s why we eat here.” She introduced the others at the table and added, “Sara was just about to tell us of her latest trip overseas that turned into a disaster.”
Philippe’s eyes widened. Pulling out his lunch, he said, “Please, don’t let me interrupt.”
Sara nibbled on her lip, uncertain what to say. She supposed that to some, her travails did seem like an adventure, considering they had not lived the nightmare. Deciding to keep her comments to just the facts, she said, “Believe it or not, I was in a hotel shop when some robbers came in. Then they kidnapped me, supposedly so that they could keep the police at bay. To be honest, I don’t know that the police were ever going to do much, anyway.” Swallowing deeply, she realized that her words sounded strange, even to her. How can I speak so casually about such a terrifying life-changing few days?
Continuing to chew her sandwich, she tried to still the tension knotting her stomach. Sparing a glance around the table, she noted the others stared at her, not moving, eyes wide.
“Jesus, Sara, I’m sorry,” Bette said, a grimace slashing across her face. “I would never have made light of what happened if I’d known.”
She inhaled a ragged breath, offering a small smile and slight shrug. “You couldn’t have known, Bette.” She hated the scrutiny but continued. “It was horrible, and each second I thought might be my last. But…well…here I am, safe at home.”
“How did you get away?” Tony asked.
Not wanting to go into too much detail, she licked her lips, thinking of what to say. “It turned out that one of the men in the shop also works in security. He came after us and helped me escape.”
Marcella, eyes bright, leaned forward. “Is he the one that Tanika said spent two days with you here when you got back?”
Unable to keep her lips from curving, she nodded.
“Wowsie, girl, you go!” Marcella said. “You lived through that nightmare and got the hot guy in the end.”
“That story is incredible,” Tony and Bette said, almost in unison, both shaking their heads.
“Where were you?” Philippe asked, eyes wide as his fork halted halfway between his plate and his mouth.
“I was in French Guiana, translating for an economic summit at the university there. The company I work for assigned to me to go.”
Philippe gave a visible shudder and said, “I’ve never been there and can’t say I have any desire to travel to that region. I don’t care if it is part of my country of birth.” Leaning forward, he shuddered. “To be frank, most Parisians don’t consider Guiana to be anything more than a former prison colony.”
He spoke with an obvious, heavy French accent, and it was on the tip of her tongue to ask what part of France he was from when he continued.
“I was born and raised outside of Paris in a small town but went to university in Paris and started working there. It’s common knowledge that the Paris airport has to scrutinize the people coming from French Guiana for drugs.”
Nodding, she said, “That’s what I heard also.”
“My grandparents were born in Venezuela,” Bette said. “Both my parents were born in America, and they used to travel back to visit relatives. Most of our relatives have now died, but I’ve only been to Venezuela once. I know it’s a beautiful country, but there are so many gangs and drugs now.”
Philippe said, “I had a roommate who worked for the airport in Paris. It’s amazing what people will do to smuggle in drugs.” Giving another visible shiver, he apologized, “I’m so sorry. That certainly is not a lunch conversation topic.”
“Ugh, speaking of lunch, it’s time for me to get back to work.” Sara stood and gathered her lunch trash, then looked at Philip. “It was nice to meet you. I spent some time in Paris, but not nearly as much as I would’ve liked to.”
He smiled in return and said, “I’d be honored to chat with you any day about my beloved France.”
Saying goodbye, she headed back to her cubicle to finish her afternoon's translations. By the time she got to her apartment that evening, she was tired but felt restless. Deciding to take a walk, she followed the same path that she and Blake had walked the day before he left. Ending up at the park, she watched as couples strolled, harried parents chased after children, and dog walkers were out and about.
After having bounced around from home to home, country to country, she had been happy to land in New York City. At least, at first. She enjoyed the hustle and bustle of a large city. She enjoyed the multi-nationalities that she came in contact with every day. She knew that as a translator she would always be able to find a job in the city.
But it seemed the older she got the more she craved green grass, wide-open spaces, and the chance to see the ocean waves crashing on the shore. Having faced death, she felt the desire to live…not just exist.
A motorcycle revved nearby, and she startled, her hand flying to her chest. The lunch conversation had disquieted her. She knew it would take time to put the events in French Guiana behind her but was surprised that she was not having nightmares. Somehow, having come out of the experience alive and well, she was sleeping at night. Maybe that’s because of Blake and the Keepers’ words of comfort.
Her phone vibrated, and she looked down, a smile spreading across her face. Connecting, she said, “Hey, Blake. How are you?”
“Hey, babe. I’d be better if I was there with you. But then, I’d be perfect if you were here with me.”
She laughed. “Oh, that sounds wonderful. I’m in the park right now and was just thinking about how crowded the city is and how much I’d like some open space.”
“Are you still thinking about coming soon?” There was no mistaking the longing in his voice.
“I’m counting down the days!”
“As much as I hate to tell you this, I probably won’t be able to call for several days. I’ve got to take a trip, destination private, but it’s not dangerous. Anyway, I’ll be unable to call you while I’m gone. But I promise I’ll be thinking about yo
u and will call you as soon as I get back.”
“I’ll hate not being able to talk to you, but are you sure you’ll be safe? After all, the last trip you took was supposed to be simple until you met me.” He chuckled, and she loved the sound of his laughter, wishing it were in person instead of over the phone.
“True, meeting you was an unexpected bonus and definitely made the trip much more exciting. But I promise, this is ordinary, and there won’t be any danger.”
“Okay.” She sighed, already knowing she would miss his voice. “Then I wish you Godspeed and can’t wait to hear from you when you get back.”
A long pause ensued before he continued. “Thank you for that, Sara. For not being upset that I can’t tell you where I’m going.”
She had left the park and was on the sidewalk heading back toward her apartment. Stepping close to the building so she would not be run over by the evening pedestrians coming home from work, she said, “Blake, I know there will be trips you have to take, places you go to that you can’t tell me about, and a lot of your job is secret. I get it. Now, what I’d like to know, is why do you think I would be bothered?”
“I’m sorry, Sara, I didn’t mean to be insulting. It’s just the few times I’ve tried to have any long-term relationship, my job always got in the way. I should’ve known you’d be good with the way things are.”
“Well, then, you were just dating the wrong woman!”
“You can say that again.”
She continued her walk and was entering her building as they said goodbye with promises to talk soon. Lying in bed that night, she replayed the conversation over in her mind. Truthfully, she was concerned, knowing his job could be dangerous. It seemed foolish that she had not given it much thought, considering how they met.
Can I deal with the knowledge that his job would include times apart when he traveled? That answer was simple...her parents certainly traveled together many times, but with their administrative jobs in the Peace Corps also traveled separately, each taking trips as needed.
Can I deal with the knowledge that his job is sometimes dangerous? That question gave her pause. She had felt fear right down to her very core from the moment the robbers had come into the store until Blake showed up at René Boutillier’s villa. But as soon as she was in his presence, she knew danger dogged them but still felt at peace. She had to believe that his military training and the skills he honed with his special operations gave him an edge that made him seem impervious to danger.
While those thoughts rolled around in her head keeping sleep at bay, she came to one conclusion. I’d rather be with him, accepting everything about him, including his job, than to not have him in my life.
With that declaration, she closed her eyes and finally found sleep, determined to let him know her thoughts the next time she saw him.
23
Blake and Tate had flown to a small town in Texas, designing a security system for a man who had witnessed a mob crime. The accused had been killed before going to trial, so the man was not going to have to testify. Nonetheless, he was fearful but refused an identity change or a move to a different location.
It had taken three days of designing and working with the company that would be doing the installation, but they were finally finished.
Having said goodbye to their client, they were driving back to the airport, where Blake would fly to Maine, and Tate was going to take a few days to visit his family. Tate had been raised on a ranch in the Midwest and was looking forward to a few days of eating his mom’s good cooking and seeing his nieces and nephews.
Tate glanced over. “I can tell you’re chomping at the bit to get back so you can talk to Sara.” Joking, he added, “Are you sure Shelley won’t do?”
Blake rolled his eyes, groaning. “I have no idea what I thought when I picked Shelley up the first time. I guess I thought a quick fuck with someone looking for the same thing was a smart play. Instead, I was just a dumb fuck for even going there.”
“Hell, man, don’t beat yourself up. We’ve all been dumb fucks before.”
At that, Blake shot his friend a hard stare. “You gonna see Nora while you’re visiting your folks?”
Tate’s usual grin fell from his face as his lips tightened. He was silent for a moment and then shook his head slowly. “No reason to. Water under the bridge and all that shit.” He sighed heavily and added, “Although she still sees my parents around. They always liked her.”
Over drinks one night, Tate had shared about Nora, an old girlfriend, that he had abandoned when he became a SEAL. He was aware she still lived in the same hometown but made sure to not run into her when he visited his family. With loose lips from too much alcohol, he confessed that he still thought of her, but too much time had passed, and too much pain had been shared.
They continued driving toward the airport in silence for several minutes. Finally, Blake said, “When I told Sara that I was going to be gone for a couple of days and couldn’t tell her where I was going, all she said was to be safe and come home. It’s funny, but I never thought about what Julie and Helena must think about when Walker and Rank leave town. Obviously, Sylvie and Babs are part of LSI, so they know.”
Tate stared at him, brows lowered. “What were you expecting her to say?”
“I’ve dated a couple of girls in the past, and they always got pissed when I couldn’t tell them where I was going or pissed at the fact that I was even going somewhere for work. I was hesitant telling Sara, but then she was okay about it.”
“Well, she sort of already knows how your job works, having experienced it when she met you. Plus, I just think she’s different. I think it takes a different kind of woman to be with a Keeper.” After a pause, Tate asked, “So, how’s she doing with everything that happened?”
“I get torn between asking her how she’s doing and then afraid to ask in case she hasn’t been thinking about it and then starts worrying because I brought it up.”
“Shit, man, that’s complicated.”
“Tell me about it.” Sighing, he added, “But when I do ask, she admits she’s glad the security system is there but that she hasn’t felt unsafe at all. I think it takes her a while to go to sleep at night, but she says she hasn’t been plagued with nightmares.”
“Well, good.”
Their conversation turned to upcoming missions, and they soon arrived at the airport. After making their way through security, Blake shook Tate’s hand at his gate and said goodbye before walking to his own gate.
His flight was delayed several times, and it was after midnight when he finally arrived at his home. Unable to wait, he sent Sara a text just to let her know he was back.
His phone rang immediately, and he chuckled as he answered. “Shouldn’t you be asleep, Sara?”
Her gentle laughter sounded out. “Probably. But I kept hoping some guy would let me know he was home safe.”
“Some guy, huh?”
“Yeah, some random guy that I happened to meet when I was trekking through the Amazonian jungle.”
“Damn, girl, that sounds adventurous.”
Laughing again, she said, “It was. But the best thing was meeting you.”
“Now, you’re being sweet.” He settled into a chair in his living room, once more thinking about her being there with him.
“Yep, that’s me,” she quipped. “All sweet.”
His chest squeezed slightly. “You are. All sweet, babe.”
Her voice grew even softer. “Was your trip successful? Or, more importantly, are you all in one piece?”
He could hear the concern even across the airwaves and rushed to assure, “Easy trip. Easy mission. I’m all in one piece. But I can’t wait until you get here and check me out just to make sure.”
“You know, I’ll have to get you completely naked to make sure.”
“As long as you’re naked, too.” He shifted in his seat as his cock began to react to the idea of them naked in his house. The next week could not pass fast enough.<
br />
“I can’t wait, you know. I’ll have a flight to Rockland. Can you pick me up?”
“Absolutely, babe,” he assured. After a few more minutes, they disconnected, and he dropped his phone to the arm of the chair, leaning his head back. Finally, he stood and walked out onto his wide deck, the view at night stunning with the moonlight reflecting off the water. Soon. Soon she’ll be here.
At the end of the following week, Sara peered out the window of the plane and could barely keep still, excitement coursing through her. She had flown from New York City to Boston and then taken a smaller airline to the airport closest to where Blake lived.
After touching down and taxiing to the small terminal, she alighted from the plane and could already see him waving from one of the windows inside. Rushing through the doors, she hurried past the security gate and into his arms.
There had been a tiny, nagging thought in the back of her mind that bothered her for days. What if it isn’t the same when we see each other again? What if our mutual attraction was all because of the extreme circumstances? But as soon as his arms wrapped around her, her fears were dismissed, and she squeezed him in return.
“Hey, baby,” he whispered against her ear, and she melted against his chest.
Leaning back, she peered into his face and grinned. “Hey, handsome.”
Both laughed, and he kept his arm around her as they went to collect her luggage. He escorted her out to his SUV and assisted her into the passenger seat. Climbing behind the wheel, he turned and looked at her. “Are you hungry?”
“Only for you,” she blurted. The words had barely left her lips when they were covered by his. He had moved so quickly she barely had time to brace, but the searing kiss had her instantly on fire.
He finally dragged his lips away but kept their foreheads pressed together. “Fuck, Sara. I wanted to take you somewhere, show you off, feed you. But now, all I want to do is take you back to my house and fuck you so you never want to leave.”
Blake (Lighthouse Security Investigations Book 5) Page 18