Eric grew to be a true friend. Once Max started to open up about that botched op in Yemen that night, it became easier to talk about. Would the guilt ever be appeased? No. But he was learning that just because he was guiding the boat that night, and boat team leader, he wasn’t required to accept all the blame. Max had followed SOP and had landed the craft exactly where they’d planned. The only wrench in the machine was that they had been outmaneuvered. Out of all the hundreds of miles of empty shoreline, they’d managed to find one of the busiest smuggling routes in the country, loaded with traps for the unwary. They’d been ambushed as soon as they’d hit the beach. Four SEALs had died in the abduction—the two in his own team while protecting the boat and two from the boarding team they were transporting. The terrorists had overwhelmed them with men and guns. Being in charge of the boat, with all comm destroyed, he’d been forced to barter for the lives of the survivors.
As Max’s hands were secured behind his back and his face partially buried in the sand, he’d watched the light leave Terry Sharpe’s eyes. His best friend in the world had died right in front of him. Taye Williams, his other buddy, had died in the original volley on the beach.
Also as boat team leader, he’d been treated to the deluxe bungalow eight feet down in the rocky ground. Unfortunately he’d had to share the accommodation with some of the indigenous residents, a couple of spiders he’d found out later were similar to black widows from the States. When they crawled over him, he’d been unable to get away from their pinchers.
Three nights later another SEAL team had come to their rescue. The only hiccup had been the spray of bullets the terrorists had sent in Max’s direction as they were running away. One went through his back just below his shoulder blade. His right lung had been penetrated and it had never recovered completely. It was why he was out on medical. If a SEAL couldn’t breathe, he wasn’t a very good SEAL. Plus he had a muscle deficit in the back of his shoulder.
But the worst part of the entire thing was losing the two best friends he’d ever had in the world.
Talking about the fun they’d all had together had helped ease some of the pain. But then, it had also made the loss that much sharper. The three of them had been almost inseparable on the boat and off, because they’d trained constantly. Trained exactly for the situation which went to hell.
At the twelve-week mark, he wrote Lacey a note.
Lacey,
I know it’s been too long. You can yell at me when you see me.
Eric is as great as you said and more. I’m off all the pills except for three, and I feel stronger now than I have in a very long time. Guess this rehab thing is working.
I think about you every day. Every minute.
Maybe we can go out when I get back?
Max
God. How lame that had been. He’d been gone for weeks and all he could do was write her an eight-line note. She’d written him a full-page thank you for the roses, telling him about her dad. It had made him feel closer to her than ever. The note was dog-eared from his constant handling.
Eric leaned into his line of sight, sandy brow raised. “You okay there, buddy?”
Max blinked and nodded, remembering where he was suddenly. “Yeah, I’m fine. I think this’ll do.”
Stepping back into the changing room, he changed out of the outfit they’d chosen for him to go home in. More dressed up than what he usually went for, but maybe Lacey would appreciate it.
Lacey grinned at the note and folded it closed. It sounded like he was doing so well. Shutting her mailbox door, she dropped the rest of the mail into her shoulder bag and turned for the stairs. A chilly ocean wind whipped her hair around her face. The sky was dark with thunderclouds, but she couldn’t be upset at the weather.
Frank greeted her at the door, meowing plaintively. Lacey stooped to pick him up when her cell phone rang.
Digging it from her purse, she pushed the door shut behind her, dropping Frank to the couch.
“Hello?”
A voice cleared on the other end of the line. “Hey.”
Lacey dropped to the couch. “Max?”
“Yeah, it’s me. I’m not bothering you, am I?”
“No, of course not! I just got in from work and found your note in my mailbox. Max, I can’t tell you how proud I am of you.”
There was silence from the other end before he cleared his throat again. “Thank you for telling me that. I really do appreciate hearing it.”
“Well, it’s true. I know it hasn’t been easy for you.”
He sighed on the other end. “No, but Eric has really been something. There are other counselors I work with too, but he and I have really clicked. And I don’t think it’s just because he worships the ground you walk on.”
Lacey laughed. “Is he still going on about that? I was a friend to him when he needed one.”
Max got quiet for a minute. “Sounds like you still could be if you gave him the chance.”
Lacey laughed, a little uncomfortable. “No, he knows it will never go anywhere. He’s a great guy, but not really my type.”
The silence lengthened again.
“So what is your type?”
Somehow she’d known the question was coming. “Well, he has to be confident in himself and kind. Intelligent. Willing to be a partner. I don’t know what else. It depends upon the situation.”
“Hmm…Okay. Well, I realized when I sent that note that it wasn’t very… personal. So, I wanted to ask you if you would go out with me sometime?”
Emotion made her blink rapidly and she was glad he wasn’t here to see her get weepy just from a question. “Yes, I will, Max. But I had already decided I would just from the note.”
He chuckled. “I’m just covering all my bases.”
She laughed with him, more light-hearted than she’d felt in a long time.
“When are you coming back?”
“Well, when Eric says. But I don’t think it’ll be very long. We’re working on some career counseling right now. I have to decide what the hell I’m going to do for the rest of my life.”
“What do you like to do?”
Max hesitated and she felt bad for putting him on the spot. “Never mind. I was just curious. It’s none of my business, actually.”
“No, it is. I love it that you’re interested. Be patient with me on this relationship stuff. Eric has been working with me but I’m still getting used to it.” He sighed, sounding frustrated. “I’m just not sure. I mean, I’m not old enough to have been thinking about retirement already, so I hadn’t given it much thought. I guess if I could go back I would train the kids coming through BUDs. Or get into some kind of tech specialty. I’ve always been good with wiring things.”
Lacey folded her legs to the side and relaxed into the cushions of the couch. She loved the sound of his rumbly voice in her ear. Frank curled up against her, purring.
“Well, consider this an adventure then, Max. You’re older and wiser. What would you do if you could choose anything in the world?”
She heard him inhale and hold it for several long seconds. “I never wanted to be anything but a SEAL. Guess I’ll know when I see it. What about you?”
“Me?” she asked, genuinely surprised.
“Yeah. Do you like your job?”
Lacey frowned. Did she like her job? “I like being a nurse. I like helping people. Do I think I’ll work at Peter-dick’s the rest of my life? No.”
Max burst out laughing on the other end of the line and Lacey realized what she’d said. “Petrovic! Sorry.”
He was still laughing and she could tell he pulled the phone away from his face for a minute. “Peter-dick? Really? Did you come up with that?”
“No,” she admitted. “Hannah calls him that. I’m going to get in trouble and say it out loud someday at work. He’s a really nice man.”
“Yeah, okay,” Max laughed. “If you say so. Sounds like you might have some discontent too.”
Lacey sighed. “I do. Not sure
exactly what I need though. I enjoyed working at the military hospital, but I was getting burned out. Giving so much all the time. I loved the soldiers, though. That’s why I thought Virginia Beach would be a good place to be with the heavy Navy population, but I’m still not happy. We’re both in kind of the same boat right now, huh?”
“Yeah. The thought of coming back there and not being part of the population is disturbing to me.”
“I’m sorry, Max.”
“It’s not your fault, Angel. I think things just change and you have to be willing to change with them or move on to something better.”
She smiled at the endearment he’d slipped in there. “I think you’re right, Max. So we’ll leave our options open, right?”
“Right. Hey, I’m gonna have to go. I have to meet Eric in about twenty minutes.”
Lacey sighed. “Okay. It was very nice talking to you, Max, and I’m so happy you’re doing well. I’m anxious to see you.”
“I’m anxious to see you too. And kiss you. Not long now, I don’t think. Bye, Angel.”
“Bye, Max.”
Lacey tapped the hang-up button on her phone and flopped against the couch, happier than she’d been in a long time. Months, even. Just from a damn phone call.
Frank looked at her curiously, making Lacey laugh.
Damn, she was almost giddy just from a five-minute conversation with him. What would she do when he came back and she was with him even more?
Fall more in love.
The thought sobered her. While she’d always hoped for love, she’d never expected to actually find it. Dad had loved Mom, but she didn’t think Mom had appreciated him when he’d been alive. George Adams had died from a massive heart attack. After everything he’d been through being deployed in Asia with the Army, Lacey had thought he was invincible. But her mother had shredded his heart many times over. Lacey had his medals in a box in the closet because Mom hadn’t wanted to keep them. Made the other men uncomfortable, she admitted.
Charelle Adams, or Cherry as she liked to be called, lived a free and easy life, moving from one boyfriend to another. Occasionally she settled down for a while and actually got married, but they didn’t usually last long.
Lacey had learned to take care of herself and be responsible at an early age. It had made her leery of her heart. She’d thought she’d been in love before, but what she’d felt years ago didn’t even compare to the excitement and arousal she felt while talking to Max.
She was in serious trouble.
Chapter Eight
‡
Five days later on a beautiful Friday afternoon, he stood at her door, clean-shaven, dark hair trimmed and more handsome than she ever could have imagined. His face had filled out and his lion-gold eyes were crystal clear and targeted on her. When he grinned, his bright, even teeth gleamed. A deep blue, button-up dress shirt hugged his shoulders and his long legs were encased in pleated khakis.
Holy hell he was too good-looking!
Lacey stepped forward to wrap her arms around him, nestling her face into his neck. Some spicy cologne tickled her nose and sent a swirl of need through her.
Max wrapped his arms around her neck, cradling her head. Lips pressed against the top of her hair. He moved back far enough to get one of his hands to her face, tipping her mouth up to his. Lacey caught her breath as his lips settled on hers and began to move. Oh, she’d forgotten how good he tasted.
He cradled her head in both of his hands, angling his mouth tighter against hers. Lacey parted her mouth, inviting him inside and he took her over, sweeping deep with his talented tongue. Lacey moaned, shocked at how quickly he was consuming her.
When he did finally pull back, his cheeks were flushed but he was smiling. “Hello.”
“Hello,” she giggled. He hadn’t even made it into the apartment! They stood in her open doorway where anybody could see them.
Shaking her head at her impatience, she tugged him into the apartment. The tiredness from her day at work had disappeared. “Why didn’t you call?”
Max grinned, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “I wanted to see the look on your face you just gave me. The unrestrained, unplanned emotion.” He shrugged his heavy shoulders. “I wanted to catch your natural response.”
Lacey smiled up at him all the wider. She could understand his insecurity. “Well, I’m thrilled to see you. You’ve made a dull day one of the best I can remember.”
“Let’s go make it better.” He winked at her playfully. “Get changed. We’re going on a date.”
Blinking, she glanced down at her scrubs. Hell, yes! “Give me a few minutes.”
Lacey stood in front of her closet for a solid two minutes, wondering what on earth she was going to wear. Wait…She scraped hangers back and forth on the rod until she found what she was looking for. Not normally a dress kind of girl, she’d bought it on the spur of the moment a few weeks ago. Pale cream with little pink and green flowers over it, the summer dress had capped sleeves and a sweetheart neckline that looked great on her boobs. And the angled hemline showed off her decent legs. Slipping on a pair of low sandals she unearthed from the closet, she moved to the bathroom. Normally she wore clips at work to keep her hair away from her face. Pressing the power button on her curling iron, she brushed out her hair, realizing how long it was getting. She needed a trim, but that was a worry for another day.
Anxiety skittered through her stomach. She hadn’t been out on a date for a couple of years, sadly. And the last date certainly hadn’t created this excitement in her belly. Her hands shook as she curled a few pieces of hair around her face and crown. Pretty but not overdone. Turning the power off she reached for her makeup bag. Again, just a touch to highlight her eyes and lips. If she was lucky, he would kiss it off anyway.
Surveying herself in the full-length mirror on the back of the door, she paused, actually surprised at how good she looked. Running her hands down her hips, she walked toward the living room.
Max swallowed as Lacey walked into the room, wondering what the hell he’d done in his life to get her to take notice of him. Was the black cloud finally drifting away?
Without even realizing he’d done it, he walked forward to cup her face in his hands, pressing a kiss to her dark pink lips.
In deference to her dress, they took her car. They spent the evening on the beach, hitting all the heavy tourist spots. They paused in front of the huge statue of King Neptune and his three-pronged trident. Max’s gut clenched at the familiar symbol of the SEALs and wondered if he would ever get over the way he left. The ocean pounded away against the sand and he could almost imagine it squishing between his toes as he trained.
“You’re still a SEAL,” Lacey told him, drawing his attention. “Just because you’re not running with the teams anymore getting shot it doesn’t mean your accomplishments are diminished. What happened to you is part of the job. I’m sure there are many other SEALs out there not on active duty. I know at least some of you actually retire.”
She grinned up at him and he couldn’t help but grin back.
“I know what you’re saying,” he admitted. “It’s just a hard transition right now because I don’t know where my life is going.”
She nodded, tucking her flying hair behind her ears. The ocean wind just grabbed it again, vexing her. Turning her face into the wind she let her hair blow back, capturing it in a fist. With her other hand she dug in her little purse for a black elastic. With a couple of twists, she had secured the heavy weight of it.
The movements were incredibly feminine and he could tell she’d done it many times before. He smiled as a couple of stray tendrils escaped their confinement.
When she realized he had watched her the entire time, she shrugged and smiled, then gasped as a gust ripped at her skirt. Skimming her hands down her thighs, she held the fabric close, laughing. “I can’t win. I should have worn shorts!”
Max laughed with her, loving her obvious joy.
They headed down the boardwalk, r
ubbing elbows and bumping into each other, just enjoying the casual contact. When he guided her toward Rockfish, a popular seaside eatery, she sighed happily. “I’ve wanted to go here for a while.”
Max had worried about going out and feeling like he needed a beer, but he didn’t. If it had been with a group of guys it may have been different. Lacey was a water drinker, which suited him as well. They shared a platter of the restaurant’s famous crab cakes and laughed at stupid things, becoming more comfortable with each other. As the night wore on though, the glances lingered. He caught her staring at his lips at one point when he tried to explain something and the bolt of heat that rolled through his body was truly epic.
It was too soon to sleep with her. Max realized he was worried that he would move too fast, fouling any chances of a relationship. But when she looked at him like he would taste like a scrumptious chocolate treat, his control weakened.
Lacey declined dessert, but when she caught sight of his gooey brownie sundae, she agreed to take a bite. As her lids fluttered down and her mouth swept the cream from the spoon, she moaned. Max hardened at the sound, wishing they were somewhere else completely.
Lacey seemed to think the same thing, because she drew in a heavy breath. His gaze dropped to her full breasts. Through the thin cotton of the dress and her bra he could see the shape of her nipples. When he lifted his eyes, she was staring at him, hard. She dropped her napkin beside her plate and gathered her belongings. Max waved the waitress down to give her the check and they left. As they stepped outside to the boardwalk, he grabbed Lacey’s hand and pulled her to a stop. When she turned with an inquisitive smile, he captured her mouth with his own. She tasted of brownie and ice cream, like he probably did, but it was way sexy on her. As she moaned into his mouth, he debated finding a dark corner and taking her hard up against a wall.
She wouldn’t go for that, not in public anyway. The thought of doing it in her apartment sent dangerous images through his mind.
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