Operation: Beach Angel

by Margaret Kay

“What do you say we go back to the resort and grab dinner at that poolside restaurant?” Mother said. “End this vacation the way we started it.”

  Zulu

  Now that Nevaeh’s killer was apprehended, Lambchop could relax and enjoy this perfect last night of their vacation. The eight of them sat at the same poolside bar where they had gathered the first night they’d arrived. Michaela sipped the same Blue Hawaiian drink she enjoyed their first night on the island and at several other times. Lambchop leaned in and kissed her lips, taking in a taste of the sweet beverage.

  “That’s good. I may have to order one,” he said.

  “Seeing you two together is the perfect end to this vacation,” Mother said.

  “Hear, hear!” Sloan said, raising his glass into the air. “One last toast to the eight of us.”

  Lambchop clinked his beer glass against everyone else’s glasses. He’d drink to that. He raised his glass again. “And to Kaylee and Brielle for being willing to share their honeymoon trips with the rest of us. This is a special group of men, with amazing women who understand how close the team is. Ladies, thank you.”

  They all agreed and drank to his toast. It was true. The four men had a unique bond, and the women were remarkable that they accepted how close the team was. Lambchop knew that nothing would change in how his team operated due to the men getting married because of the women they chose.

  “I’m really going to hate having to leave tomorrow,” Kaylee said. “This has been the perfect honeymoon.”

  Lambchop couldn’t help but chuckle, which drew everyone’s attention to him. “Except for the murder, and the apprehension at sea today. But that is just all in a day’s work, I guess.”

  The other men laughed. “Sad but true. That’s just kind of our normal,” Sherman said.

  “We had plenty of normal vacation time in there too,” Brielle argued. “The whales and dolphins we saw today were something I will never forget.”

  Kaylee raised her glass. “To Annaka for setting that up for us. That had to be one of the coolest things I’ve ever done.”

  “I would have liked to take a ride in that cigarette boat at its top speed,” Annaka said. “I bet if we’d asked him, Chief Woody would have taken us back out.”

  “That old Master Chief was something. I hope I’m half as salty as he still is when I’m his age,” Lambchop said. “What are the odds that the boat we commandeered would belong to a retired SEAL?”

  “And thank God it did!” Sherman said. “No one else would have handled that situation like he did.” He wouldn’t mention in front of Brielle that Woody had most likely saved his life. “We may not have gotten Akana if it weren’t for him.” He paused and raised his glass. “To Master Chief Woody.”

  The others drank to that. The server returned to the table and took their dinner orders. Side conversations took over among those at the table. At one point, Lambchop sat back and just smiled.

  “You look very happy about something,” Michaela said, her lips at his ear.

  “This has been a great trip. You know, I almost didn’t come, but the guys convinced me it should be a team trip.”

  “I am very glad they did, and I am glad you invited me,” Michaela said. She placed a kiss on his lips.

  After several enjoyable hours, Sherman and Brielle were the first to call it a night. The others soon followed, breaking off for private walks on the beach or retiring to their rooms. Lambchop and Michaela were the last two left at the table. He took hold of her hand and drew it to his lips where he pressed a gentle kiss to her knuckles.

  “Would you like to take a last nighttime walk on the beach?”

  “Let’s stay on the property though. I don’t want to invite another attempted mugging.”

  “Yes, no more muggings, no more bodies,” Lambchop agreed.

  Michaela giggled softly. “Yes, none of those things.”

  They walked in companionable silence enjoying the warm tropical air. The waves gently lapped at the edge of the beach where they walked, tickling their toes. Lambchop wrapped his arm around her and held her close. He stopped their walk and turned her to face him. He kissed her softly, holding her snuggly to his form.

  “What do you see our relationship looking like after we get home tomorrow?” He asked after a lengthy kiss.

  “You know, I was thinking about that this afternoon. The girls were talking about all the get-togethers they are planning, starting with a group dinner the first night you guys are gone on your next mission and they were including me in everything.”

  He waited through a pause. “And?”

  “And I just don’t feel, I don’t know. They all live with their man and they all live in the same neighborhood. I think our relationship is different. I’m not opposed to getting together with them, it’s just not the same for me.”

  Lambchop wasn’t sure what that meant. “You know I will want to spend as much time together when I’m home that we can.”

  She kissed his cheek. “You know I want that too.”

  He was encouraged. “So, tomorrow night, I’m not going to want to sleep without you beside me. We’ll probably have a few days home before we head out.” He saw uncertainty flash across her face. “What? Come on Michaela. Talk to me.”

  “I have a few things I need to work out, Landon. I need you to be patient and understand that. It may mean sometimes I need to be alone. I want this relationship with you to work, but it’s going to take me some time to get to where I can be with you as much as you would probably want.”

  “You’re losing me,” he said. “I wasn’t suggesting we move in together tomorrow.”

  “I know and that isn’t what I meant. Landon, you are important to me. Please believe that.”

  “Michaela, Shepherd mentioned something that made me wonder. He mentioned your history, nothing specific, but in a way that makes me think he knows things about you that I do not, things that maybe I should. I would never pry, never ask you to tell me anything that you are not ready to, but I got the impression that there are things holding you back from a relationship with me that I don’t know about.”

  A sad expression crossed her face and she looked away.

  “I want to understand. I would never push you. Does this have anything to do with your parents?”

  Michaela felt like she was being crushed under a massive boulder. Of course, Shepherd would assume that Landon knew everything. He knew they were close friends. She gazed out at the dark ocean. Things were easy here with him. She knew it would be harder when they were home. She dropped her head against his chest, taking in the sensation of safety, of affection. She knew he loved her. That thought brought a smile to her lips.

  “It does,” she said softly, nodding her head against him.

  Lambchop drew her away from the water and pulled her to sit beside him on the beach. He situated them so they sat huddled closely together, his eyes staring into hers. “Tell me, don’t tell me. I won’t push. I love you Michaela and I will give you all the time you need.”

  Tears filled her eyes. He had to be the sweetest man she’d ever met. “I trust you, but on the whole, I don’t trust people easily.”

  Lambchop knew that. He nodded.

  “I know that inability to trust has had a detrimental effect on many of my relationships. I want to make sure that does not happen with you. You are important to me, Landon. This relationship is important to me.”

  Lambchop suspected her trust issues stemmed from her mother’s death. “Your father was exonerated. Do you still think he was responsible?”

  “Oh, I know he was. I saw him throw her down the stairs, Landon. It was deliberate, abusive,” she confessed, words she had not spoken in many years since she’d confided in Dr. Lassiter.

  “What? You saw it?”

  “I was woken by their voices, screaming at each other, just another fight. I peeked out of my room and saw my mom push him into the wall. He grabbed hold of her and pushed her down the stairs. She broke her neck an
d died from that fall.”

  Lambchop sat back, stunned. “Damned,” he remarked. “Michaela, you never told me that.”

  She shook her head no. “I told the police. I told the prosecutor. My father was arrested. The CIA got him out of it because he was so important to them, the research and development work he did. My brother and I lived with our grandparents for a year. But one day, he was back, and we had to move with him to Maryland. He acted like nothing happened. He never once admitted he had done it.”

  “Did you ever tell him you knew after he was back in your life?”

  “Yes. I tried to stop the move. I told him I knew and that I didn’t want to go with him. He told me it was an accident and one day when I was an adult I’d understand. He always brought everything back to his work, that it was too important to not be finished.”

  “You and your brother worked with him. You’re a genius, and probably would not be at Shepherd Security if you hadn’t. I would never have met you if that were the case,” he said. “Michaela, you can either overcome your past or you can let it drag you down.”

  “That’s what I’m trying to do, overcome it so it does not sabotage a relationship between you and me. I can’t ever be good with anyone until I resolve this, Landon. I told you before, relationships ending badly is my M.O. I don’t want that to happen with us.”

  Lambchop wrapped his arms around her. “I won’t let it. Thank you for telling me. You can trust me, Michaela.”

  “I know I can,” she insisted.

  “So, we take it one day at a time when we are home. I’ll be gone a lot, but I would like to be able to spend time with you when I am home. But you tell me when that won’t work for you, okay?” He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “And when I am gone, I’ll call and text you to check in. I’ll leave it up to you to tell me if I’m pushing too hard.”

  “You won’t. I know. You are one of the nicest, most respectful people I know. Just do what feels right to you, but be patient with me, please.”

  Her voice sounded pleading to him. “You’ve got it,” he guaranteed her. “What do you say? Should we go back to our room and spend a few hours naked?”

  She nodded. “I’d like nothing better.”

  As the nose of the jet pointed skyward into the late afternoon sun, Michaela laid her head against Landon’s shoulder and snuggled in comfortably. They had approximately twelve more hours left to be on vacation. Things would be different between them after they got back. No matter how much she didn’t want that to happen, she knew it would. Landon’s team would go out on missions. She’d continue to work on her projects in the lab, but she was now determined to resolve her personal ghosts that could come between Landon and her. That was the one thing she didn’t want to happen.

  She made a vow to herself to tell Landon every day that she was happy they had taken this step in their relationship. He was a good man and he deserved to know that. She also made a vow to herself that she would not withdraw from him and close herself off. She knew that she tended to do that when her thoughts were focused.

  Lambchop loved the feeling of Michaela nestled against him. She fit against him perfectly, her softness melding into his form. He was hopeful that he would fit into her life. The reverse was not a concern. He had known that her mother’s death had profoundly affected her. He also knew that her father’s conviction had too. He hadn’t known though how his exoneration and sudden reappearance in her life had made her wary and caused her to mistrust men until they’d talked the previous evening.

  Of course, the revelation that he had caused her mother’s death was shocking. He couldn’t imagine what it would do to a child to know their father killed their mother and live with him, rely on him, and act as though nothing had happened. No wonder she was so distrustful of men and kept herself closed off. He would do whatever he could to help her. As she worked on it, he would just love her and let her know in his every act that she was safe with him.

  He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. He loved this woman and would give her however much time she needed to work through her issues. She was with him, had let him in. And she had promised the relationship would continue once they were home. He knew that was a huge step for her. That was enough for him. He thanked God that he was here, holding her now.

  She glanced up at him and smiled. “I’m glad we are here, together. Thank you again for asking me to come on this vacation.”

  “I’m sorry the last few days weren’t spent with the two of us just relaxing on the beach together.”

  “It’s okay. It was important to get justice for Nevaeh. A man she was in a relationship with, killed her. He has to pay for that. I’m glad you were there to help make that happen. And we had time together. I have no regrets.” She angled her head up towards his, her lips forming a perfect O.

  He took the invitation and pressed a kiss to her awaiting lips. He smiled when their lips separated. “You are a good person, Michaela Karras.”

  “You are too, Landon Johnson. So, I was thinking. Would you like to stay at my place tonight?”

  “You’re sure?”

  “Yes. I like falling asleep with you. I like waking up with you even more. I want us to spend as much time together as we can until your team goes out on the next mission.”

  He kissed her again. Her words delighted him. He’d come to Hawaii hopeful that he and Michaela would grow closer. Mission complete. They were leaving as a couple. He took a minute and thanked God for how it had turned out. Happiness radiated through him.

  The plane banked sharply. He glanced out the window to see the coastline give way to the ocean. He’d think of the beach differently from that point on. He’d spent a lot of his adult life in the water, seeing it as merely an environment to operate in, but now, because of Michaela, he could fully appreciate its beauty. It was where his and Michaela’s relationship became meaningful and intense. The memories of holding her in the surf, kissing her as the warm waves lapped against them filled his thoughts and warmed his heart.

  Michaela may have had some things to work out, but as far as he was concerned, they were together now. He closed his eyes and drifted into a contented slumber.

  The Beginning of their story.

  The Shepherd Security Series

  Book 1: Operation Protected Angel

  Book 2: Operation Recruited Angel

  Book 3: Operation Dark Angel

  Book 4: Operation Fallen Angel

  Book 5: Operation Departed Angel

  Book 6: Operation Bayou Angel

  Book 7: Operation Unknown Angel

  Book 8: Operation Beach Angel

  Book 9: Operation Healing Angel – Shepherd’s Story – Coming Soon

  Book 10: Operation Trusted Angel – Michaela’s Story and the full completion of Lambchop’s Story

  Book 11: Operation Spirit Angel

  Book 12: Operation Blood Angel

  More to follow.

  Acknowledgements

  I truly say thank you, to you, the reader, for choosing this book. If you enjoyed it, would you please leave a review, so others might find this book to enjoy, as well? As an Independent Author, without a publishing house to help advertise my work, I rely on reviews from readers such as you and followers on social media to promote me. Thank you! I would greatly appreciate it.

  Thank you to my sisters, RK Cary and Charlie Roberts, who are writing their own Romance books. RK has finished up her Destined & Redeemed series and has several other Science Fiction/Fantasy stories in the works. Charlie is working on a contemporary romance series, the Stevens Street Gym Series. Both have been wonderful friends with the honesty and encouragement that only a sister can give. Check out their work on Amazon! Links directly to all our books on Amazon can be found on our website. The link is below.

  Thank you to my wonderful and supportive husband for his patience and love while I spend hours upon hours to research and write this story. Also, for advising me on any parts of this story requiring knowledge of
the military or weapons that I did not have.

  Thank you to my mother who shared with me her love of books. As a child, the wonderful example my mother set for me as an avid reader led my sisters and me to write our stories. She has encouraged me to publish and I thank her for her support.

  My friend, photographer, and graphic artist, Harry R., shot all the covers for this series. Thank you, Harry!

  A big thank you to my girlfriends who have encouraged me and made me feel that I could do this at the times I felt insecure in my ability to accomplish this. You know who you are ladies! You hold a special place in my heart.

  Thank you to my editors, a special callout to Evelin, who gave of her time selflessly to help me with the grammar, not my strongpoint.