Loud whoops of joy erupted around her. “What is it?”
Wyatt grinned down at her. “The master chief, he just waved.”
“You mean he…”
“They made it.” He picked her up and twirled her around before planting a sloppy kiss on her mouth. Elated, she tugged his head closer and returned his kiss, deepening it. When they finally came up for air, she cupped his cheeks and stared straight into his beautiful brown eyes. “I love you so much, Wyatt. Thank you for not giving up on us.”
“Never,” he said, his expression deadly serious. “You’re it for me, Claire. I love you even though I don’t deserve you.” He looked down and his throat worked as he swallowed hard. “Are you sure you can deal with all this?”
She tipped his chin up. “We’ll deal with it together, okay?”
“Okay.” He gave her a weak smile.
Oh no. That wouldn’t do. Somehow she had to assuage his doubts. Tossing her sopping hair over her shoulder, she grinned. “There’s one thing I can say for you, Petty Officer Black. You do know how to show a girl a good time.”
“Does that mean you’ll go out with me again, Dr. Montgomery?” The twinkle was back in his eyes.
“I might be free next Saturday. I’d have to check my calendar first. You know us professor-types, we have a wild social life.”
“Well then, I’ll have to be sure to plan something very exciting for us to do.”
She threw her head back and laughed. “Somehow I don’t think that will be an issue.”
Chapter 8
Morning sunlight reflected off something metallic, waking Claire from a deep sleep. Blinking against the brightness, she snuggled into the warmth surrounding her. Soft lips pressed a kiss to her forehead. Opening her eyes, she smiled up at Wyatt. Butterflies fluttered in her belly when he grinned back. “Good morning, Sleeping Beauty.”
His voice sang to her, stirred her, so she almost believed he was one of the mythological creatures. “Good morning, Mr. MERman. Where are we?”
“In the hospital, on Whidbey.” Wyatt bent down and took her lips in a tender loving kiss. It was hard to believe they’d only found each other again yesterday. So much had happened. His tongue swept over her lips and teased the corners. She could feel his smile against her mouth and her belly flipped. How could she love him so soon? But love him she did. Opening her lips, she let him in. Wyatt wasted no time in deepening the kiss. He explored her mouth, her teeth, her tongue. They circled each other, clashed and entwined. She’d never experienced anything quite like it. Heat pooled low in her belly, and she threw one leg over his hip.
Pain sliced into her ankle and she gasped. Her lids slammed open as the events of the previous day came back to her in a horrific rush and she gripped Wyatt’s arm.
Concern clouded his expression as he stroked her hair. “What is it, sweetheart?”
She sat up on the bed. “My dad.”
He shifted into a sitting position and took her hand. “I just checked. He’s sleeping.”
“I need to go see him.” Claire hopped off the bed and almost fell on her face when her ankle crumpled beneath her. “Whoa. Easy there.” Wyatt caught her elbow and drew her back to the bed.
“What am I, a horse?”
His deep laughter filled the room and set her world back on its axis. Wyatt was here. Would he always be? Only time could answer that question, but for now, she’d enjoy what she could get. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she touched her mouth to his, sharing with him her love, her hopes, and her desires. Wyatt’s hands on her hips, the urgency in his kiss, and the groan deep in his chest echoed her own need to be one with him.
A polite cough shocked her out of her daze and reminded her where she was. Awkwardly, she pulled away from Wyatt and stared at the uniformed man filling the doorway. Wyatt jumped to his feet and saluted. “Lieutenant.”
The man saluted back. “At ease.”
Wyatt dropped his arm, but even Claire could see he was anything but at ease. Taking her time, she stood and arranged her hospital gown. Wyatt came around to her side of the bed and supported her with a hand around her waist. “Lieutenant Hadley, this is Dr. Claire Montgomery.”
She held out her hand. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Lieutenant.”
“Likewise, Doctor.”
Though she hated to make Wyatt even more uncomfortable in front of this man who was obviously his commanding officer, Claire had to broach the subject of Wyatt’s possible contact with Streptococcus agalactiae. She’d hedge as much as she could. After all, her goal wasn’t to get Wyatt into trouble. “I think you should know that we had a case of necrotizing fasciitis in a harbor seal at the Seattle Aquarium yesterday.”
“That’s very unfortunate. Will the animal survive?”
“I performed surgery and the prognosis is good. But that isn’t my main concern. This type of illness is not usually zoonotic. However, it is known to occur in other marine mammals.”
Hadley frowned and Wyatt squirmed. “Claire—”
She rested a hand on his arm and met his gaze. “I’m sorry, Wyatt. But this is too important.” When he nodded, she turned to the lieutenant. “Suppose a bridge existed between humans and marine mammals. In such a case, this bacteria as well as many other bacteria and viruses would have a viable path to infecting the human race with little or no mutation. Do you understand what this would mean?”
The lieutenant glared at Wyatt. “Petty Officer Black, please step out into the hall.”
Wyatt sighed. “Lieutenant, she already knows. I fell into a contaminated enclosure at the aquarium and cut myself in the process. When Claire explained the origins of the bacteria and about it not being zoonotic, I had to tell her the truth.”
“The truth about what? We’ve been given performance-enhancing drugs.” He scowled at Claire. “There’s nothing threatening about that, Doctor.”
Claire stepped between the two men. The lieutenant’s dark expression frightened her a little, but the threat to the world if these experiments continued unchallenged frightened her even more. “Do you think performance-enhancing drugs can allow human lungs to retain enough air to last over thirty minutes?” She stepped closer, her voice rising. “Do you think drugs can give a human the ability to perform echolocation? And those are only the extraordinary abilities I’m aware of. Sir, your team has been genetically modified. You are no longer quite human.”
“So what? We’re dolphins now?” Hadley asked, his tone harsh. Brutal.
“Homo cetacean is what I’d call you, yes.”
“Dolphin men?” Wyatt said, incredulously.
Claire arched a brow. “Do you prefer MERmen?”
Her tone was teasing, but his cheeks heated anyway. So she remembered the show he’d put on for the tango yesterday. Great.
The lieutenant scrubbed his hands through his short hair. “Jesus Christ.” His voice wavered and his face was as white as an orca’s underbelly.
Claire gentled her tone. “I take it the doctors and scientists managing the program didn’t fully explain the effects of the injections to your team.” Hadley shook his head, and she continued. “Nor did they explain the potential health risks to yourselves and to others.”
“They’re so eager to create super-soldiers, all they focus on is the science of it.” Hadley turned sorrow-filled eyes on Wyatt. “This is my fault. As your commanding officer, I should have protected the team, should have made sure we understood exactly what was being done to us.”
Wyatt straightened his shoulders, rejecting the idea. “You did what any good Navy man would do, Lieutenant. You were given an order and you executed it. No questions asked. You trusted the higher-ups to have our best interests at heart. They are the ones to blame. Not you.”
Hadley gave a small nod. “Dr. Montgomery, does Wyatt need to be on antibiotics?”
“Oh!” Her face reddened and she pressed her fingers to the inside of Wyatt’s wrist. “You should have started them immediately. How are you
feeling?”
He smiled. “I’m fine. Last night after you fell asleep, I called Jane to tell her you were with me, and asked her what medication Kirby was on. Then I came up with some story and told the docs to give me the same thing.”
The lieutenant clapped him on the back. “Good thinking, man.”
“Lieutenant, since your team came into contact with Wyatt, everyone is at risk. You all need to be on a preventative antibiotic regimen. Transmission isn’t easy, but it is possible.”
Hadley crossed his arms and began to pace the room. “I’ll talk to the medical team about it.”
“I’m coming with you.”
“Absolutely not.”
“It’s important that everyone understand the potential consequences. What if one of you contracted dolphin morbillivirus? Have you been vaccinated?” She threw her hands up in the air. “What am I saying? A dolphin vaccine exists, but it might not even work on you.”
“What’s the human equivalent?” Wyatt asked as a prickle marched up his spine.
“Measles.”
He relaxed his shoulders. “We’ve all been vaccinated for that.”
“Are you sure it’s still working? That vaccine is designed for humans. With the changes you’ve all undergone, it might no longer be effective.”
“Surely the doctors managing the program—” Hadley began.
Claire interrupted. “Are you willing to bet your life and the lives of your men that the doctors have considered this? Willing to bet that they aren’t just waiting to see what will happen?”
Hadley’s lips thinned and his fists bunched. “No, I’m not.”
An idea popped into Wyatt’s head. An idea that would help the team and keep Claire with him. “Lieutenant, what if we had our own doctor? An advocate.”
“Someone on our side. I like that. But who?”
Wyatt wrapped an arm around Claire’s shoulders and tugged her to him. “Claire, would you do it?”
“I’m not a human doctor, you know that.”
“But like you said, we’re not one hundred percent human any more. Besides, you know more about marine mammal diseases than anyone else. You could work with the team, be our face to the doctors and scientists. Since you speak their language, you can make them understand what’s needed to keep us healthy. We’re no good to the Navy if we’re dead.”
She pressed a palm to his chest and her eyes misted as she met his gaze. “You’d be no good to me dead, either.”
For the first time since entering Claire’s hospital room, Lieutenant Hadley smiled. “I’ll make it happen. Thank you, Dr. Montgomery. You may be saving all our lives. Let me know if there is anything I can do to ease your transition.”
Wyatt winked at Claire. “I’d like permission to submit a request for PPV housing, Lieutenant.”
“For you or for Dr. Montgomery?”
Claire’s mouth dropped open, and he couldn’t help planting a smacking kiss on it. “For both of us. If she’ll have me.”
“You want to live together? So soon?”
He laughed. “I want to do more than live together. I know this is the right thing for both of us, Claire. But I don’t want to freak you out. Besides, it’s not like this is happening tomorrow. The waiting list for housing is very long.”
Lieutenant Hadley clapped Wyatt on the back. “I think this is my cue to leave. Don’t forget to meet me in sick bay at 0900.”
“Aye, aye, sir. Thank you.”
As soon as they were alone Claire rounded on him. “Sick bay?”
“We’re going to talk to the medical team about the side effects.”
She staked her fists on her hips. “I’m going with you.”
He slid his hands around her waist and pulled her close. “You’ll get no arguments from me. I’d love nothing better than to have you by my side always.”
Her eyes serious, she ran her hand over his collarbone, letting her fingers linger. “We should take things slow. You’ve heard the quote, ‘the flame that burns twice as bright burns half as long’?”
“I get what you’re saying, but haven’t we been slow enough? We’ve already lost two years.”
She licked her lips and tilted her chin. “Sometimes slow is good.”
Her seductive tone sent all his blood rushing to his groin and he had to bite back a groan. “Oh, babe. I can do slow, I can do fast, I can do anything you want.”
He picked her up by the waist and set her on the bed, marveling at the woman who meant the world to him. Everything in his life had changed in the past twenty-four hours. Although he’d learned that he wasn’t quite human, he’d found the one person who could understand him better than himself, better than anyone. She accepted him as he was, echolocation and all. The future would bring many special challenges to him and his team, but with Claire beside him, he could face anything.
“What did I ever do to deserve you?” he whispered as he settled over her.
Shooting him a saucy look, she ran her hands over his back. “You had me at MERman.”
THE END
About the Author
Award-winning author Kristine Cayne is fascinated by the mysteries of human psychology—twisted secrets, deep-seated beliefs, out-of-control desires. Add in high-stakes scenarios and real-world villains, and you have a story worth writing, and reading.
Kristine’s heroes and heroines are pitted against each other by their radically opposing life experiences. By overcoming their differences and finding common ground, they triumph over their enemies and find true happiness in each other’s arms.
Today she lives in the Pacific Northwest, thriving on the mix of cultures, languages, religions and ideologies. When she’s not writing, she’s people-watching, imagining entire life stories, and inventing all sorts of danger for the unsuspecting heroes and heroines who cross her path.
www.kristinecayne.com
Also by Kristine Cayne
Six-Alarm Sexy Series
Aftershocks (Prequel)
Under His Command (Book One)
Everything Bared (Book Two)
Lover on Top (Book Three) – coming 2014
Six-Alarm Sexy, Volume One
(ebook and print, Aftershocks and Under His Command)
Deadly Vices Series
Deadly Obsession (Book One)
Deadly Addiction (Book Two)
Deadly Betrayal (Book Three) – coming 2014
Other Works
Guns ‘N’ Tulips
Un-Valentine’s Day
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Other Rainy Day Writers Collaborations
Romance in the Rain
A Seattle Anthology
From the pioneer days of Seattle through the smoke-filled clouds of WWII and into the present, Romance in The Rain takes readers on a journey with four generations of the strong-willed and passionate Caldwell family. The anthology of six novellas is a collaboration of the Seattle-based Rainy Day Writers group.
Splendor in the Moss by Charlotte Russell—By the spring of 1853 Englishman James Caldwell has traveled thousands of miles in a quest to find a place to call home. Newly settled Seattle isn’t that place and he’s ready to move on again when widowed Mattie Jensen marches into his life as somber as a cloudy day. But James can see through the solemn haze to Mattie’s strength and passion. Now he has a reason to stay, if he can just convince Mattie to take a second chance
on love—and him. (22,000 words)
Final Approach by Marianne Stillings—With the world at war, Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Service pilot Lt. Charlene (Charlie) Thompson faces personal battles as well. Pearl Harbor left her a widowed bride, certain love would never come again – but battle-scarred Capt. Joe Caldwell has other ideas for the beautiful lady flyer, if he can just keep her safe from the secret saboteur who’s already taken the life of Charlie’s best friend. (18,000 words)
Love Phantom by Dawn Kravagna—University of Washington, 1983: A great place to get an education and meet single men. Drama major Kara Caldwell prefers to hide behind the characters in her plays, yet feels pressure to live up to the example set by her brave and witty grandmother, a veteran of WWII. Can she learn to overcome her reticence and prejudices to discover which guy truly cares for her—and who is just putting on an act? (17,000 words)
What’s Wrong with Mr. Perfect? by Sherri Shaw—No sooner did Chef Ivy Turin wish to meet the perfect man than Sam Rockney walked into her restaurant. But is the sexy Seattle quarterback for real or is there something wrong with Mr. Perfect? (17,000 words)
Shelter from the Storm by Clare Tisdale—Seven years and one broken heart later, JD Caldwell returns to Seattle to pick up the pieces of his old life, never imagining he will fall for Maya—the mysterious woman who lets him into her house and bed but keeps the door to her heart tightly closed. When their summer fling takes an unexpectedly serious turn and Maya gives him his walking papers, JD has to decide whether their love—and his legacy—is worth fighting for. (21,000 words)
Shadows in the Mist: A Paranormal Anthology Page 35