Code Name: Nina's Choice (Warrior's Challenge)

by Natasza Waters

  He leaned over and kissed her slowly, savoring her. Adventurous, brave, beautiful and wildly erotic when she made love to him, he didn’t need anyone else by his side, but her. Spending the rest of his life with this woman would never be a mistake.

  He curled her hand to his mouth and kissed it. “All I ever need to make me feel good about being a man is you. I love that you’re a devoted mother, and one helluva sexy woman in my bed.” He drew her up, and she straddled his thighs. “Our life won’t be easy. You know how much time I spend away from home.”

  “I know. I got a sample of that already, remember? And it had a bitter taste.”

  “Don’t spend time worrying about it. I’m not going to be a SEAL forever, but I am going to love you forever,” he said, drawing her down until her breasts brushed against his skin. It was time to catch up on lost love. Nina wouldn’t be running tomorrow, that was for damn sure.

  * * * *

  Tony didn’t go home, but instead found himself sitting on the sand staring into the darkness and listening to the waves. Mace had broken through his barrier. There was nothing standing in the way of him and Nina finding their happily-ever-after. He pushed aside the small hands of jealousy that reached for his heart. He hadn’t lost his friend, and he knew he’d have to keep reminding himself of that. Once Mace passed his physicals, the SEAL life would draw him away from Nina for most of the year. She had Gabbs to take care of. Mace had both of them. Who did he have to come home to? No one, except the bars filled with women who wanted a roll with a SPECOP guy to say they had.

  His fingers dug into the sand, a familiar feeling to give him a little warmth because at the moment he felt damn lonely. How had Ghost existed this way for so long? Then again, everything changed for him in a year. He had Kayla and his son. Fox, Lieutenant Cobbs, Caleb and Clay were all married. Tadpole was young and enjoying his notoriety with the ladies, and he had too, when they’d first become SEALs. They all had. He didn’t want to turn into one of “those guys,” the hard-assed members who gave it all to the Navy and ended up retired sitting in a small apartment with the TV on twenty hours a day and a fridge full of beer.

  “Deliberating life?” a voice asked from behind him.

  He turned and recognized a young girl from the base. She stepped over the log he sat against, her sandals dangling in her fingers. A swathe of thick blonde hair swept across her face. She pulled it aside, tucking it behind her ear. Ask and ye shall receive? She couldn’t be more than twenty-one.

  “Mind if I sit?”

  He cranked his head. “Pull up a piece of sand.”

  She nestled onto her right hip. Dolled up, and dressed for a night on the town, she pulled her skirt over her knee. “You work on the base, don’t you?”

  Her pretty blue eyes scanned him. “Yup, so do you.”

  She gave him a shy smile and nodded. “I just got here a few weeks ago.”

  “Where ya from?”

  “Pennsylvania. A little town I couldn’t wait to get out of.” She eyed him. “If you don’t mind me saying, it looks like someone just kicked your dog.”

  His shoulders lifted with a chuckle, and his gaze strayed down the beach. “Something like that.”

  Her finger toyed in the sand, making figure eights. “I can carry on if you want. You just looked kind of lonely sitting here.” She shrugged, and rolled to her knees as if she was going to leave.

  “Stay.”

  She tilted her head. “Are you a SEAL?” she asked, with inquisitive, innocent eyes.

  He crooked his knee, and wrapped a forearm around his leg. Why was there so much damn hype about being a SEAL? They were like every other guy on the planet, the only difference was they had to kick bad ass halfway across the globe. None of them saw themselves as heroes. Just guys doing a tough job that had to be done. He nodded. “Yeah.”

  “I had a date with one tonight, except he didn’t show up.” She wrinkled her brow.

  “Maybe he got called out.”

  She shook her head. “Nope. On my way down here I saw him locking lips with a brunette in front of Breakers.”

  “Oh. Sorry.”

  She shrugged. “I should have known better. My mom and dad were both Navy. Dad warned me.”

  He hid a grin. “About?”

  “SEALs. When I told him I was stationed here, he said they had a reputation, and only wanted one thing.”

  “Same thing as everyone else, I would think,” Tony said, watching her. “No one wants to come home to an empty house, no matter what they do for a living.”

  “I suppose. It just seems impossible in this town. There’s so many women who give it out. Competition is tough for someone who doesn’t.”

  Tony liked her openness, and she was right. Women gave it away and flaunted themselves openly in this town. They hung out at the popular bars, hoping to hook up. A guy would only go home by himself if he intended it that way. He cleared his throat. “There’s plenty of decent guys in this town. They might not hang around for very long because they’re called away on a mission, but they’re around.”

  Not that he was one of them. Being deployed made it easy to say goodbye, and not many gals wanted to hang around and wait. While he was climbing on a plane, someone else was climbing off. He had no one else to blame for being alone. He never went looking for a second hookup or bothered calling a girl a second time. Variety had been a slice, and he’d eaten his share. Now, he was sitting on a beach in the middle of the night feeling sorry for himself because his friend had found happiness. “Was he supposed to take you out to dinner?” he asked.

  “That was the plan.” She brushed the sand from her hands. “Well, it was nice talking to you. Maybe I’ll see ya around.”

  “I kind of worked up a hunger in the last few hours. Why don’t we grab something to eat?”

  She stalled, looking as if she didn’t believe him.

  “You like Italian?”

  She nodded. He rose to his feet, and her gaze followed him up, her eyes rounding. He stood at least twelve inches taller than her little frame. “Really? Because I’m starving. I might be small, but I eat like a horse.”

  “Tony Bale,” he said, holding his hand out to her.

  Her smile was so bright it could shatter street lights. “Coady Ashburn.”

  He laughed and she grinned back at him. She was really cute and honest, and he knew as he guided her toward his car there was no way he would take her to bed, but maybe this was the new him. Maybe he should try to make friends and get to know a girl instead of wanting to see her without her clothes first. If he needed to get laid, he always knew where to go, but right now, he just needed a friend, and maybe she did too.

  As he opened the door, she asked, “So, are you going to tell me why you looked so glum?”

  He paused and thought about how you explain something as confusing as being in love with your best friend’s girl, and still be able to help them find their happiness. He shrugged. “I helped a couple friends cross a milestone. I’m happy for them, actually.”

  She seemed to read his face and knew he wasn’t confessing all. “Then you’re a good friend.”

  He breathed in deeply. “I guess.” They stood only inches from each other and of course his body went into stud mode, but he curbed it. “How old are you, Coady?”

  “Twenty-three.”

  He was twenty-nine, but those were big years, when life changed a lot. The twenties were like dog years. You shed your skin from your teens, and found a new skin that fit. Coady was a young girl, with peach-colored skin and new eyes looking at a world of possibilities. He wasn’t that much of a dick that he’d take advantage of her. Thinking about the guy that ditched her, she was probably lucky. “I hear ‘The Hobbit’ is pretty good. You seen it?”

  “No,” she shook her thick locks, “but I want to.”

  A sweet young thing like her deserved a sweet date to remember, and he’d leave her on her doorstep with a chaste kiss. “Then let’s do it.”

  She nod
ded enthusiastically.

  He rounded the car, and took a last look at the surf. Its song called to every SEAL. The sea was an orchestra of movement and sound, able to change from thunder to a gentle swell. His life was surrounded by the thunder of war. Maybe it was time for calmer waters. Mace had found a siren who kept him from the rocks. Maybe he deserved one too.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Gabbs and Kelsey tumbled around like a pen full of puppies. “Gabriella, calm down,” Nina called out.

  Gabbs tossed her head back and a big smile lit her face. She ran up and gripped the stroller, looking in at Adam. “Adam’s sleeping,” she said, putting her finger to her lips.

  “He sleeps like Uncle Thane, don’t worry about waking him up, sweetie,” Kayla said with a grin, and leaned against Nina’s shoulder. “He eats like him too.”

  Marg jogged up and waved a book at them. “Finally. It took three weeks for this book to come in. I was afraid we’d move before it decided to show up.”

  “How’s the packing?” Nina asked, strolling beside the girls.

  Marg curled her lip in disgust. “Getting there. I hate moving. It’s good motivation for a garage sale, which by the way you guys are helping me with this Saturday.”

  Kayla took a quick peek at Adam. “I hope you don’t mind, but I’m going to bring some stuff over. I’ve got to lighten the load too. Thane and I have to figure out what we’re going to take to Hawaii and store the rest.”

  “Are you selling your place, Kayla?” Nina asked, keeping one eye on Gabbs.

  “Nope. Think I’ll keep it and sub-let.”

  “You realize I hate you both for moving away from me,” Nina teased.

  Gabbs and Kelsey chased each other around a bank of seats along the Seaport Village walkway. The late September sun felt good on her shoulders, and although her friends were moving away, she had all sorts of wonderful things to look forward to. Gabbs loved her new school, Kayla and Ghost’s wedding was set for December, and the Shark was fish bait. Although Mace didn’t live with them, he was always around. Life was good. “Are the girls moving with you to Hawaii?” she asked Marg.

  “Kelsey of course, and Rayanne is coming, but Cindy’s already been accepted into Cal State.”

  Nina nodded in understanding. “No worries, she can always come to me if she needs anything.”

  “Thanks, Nina. I really appreciate that. I know I have to let her go, but it’s hard. Worse for Pat actually. He’s been in a bad mood ever since she announced she wasn’t coming. But Hawaii isn’t far by plane.” She paused. “And easy to get back here for a wedding,” Marg teased.

  “You mean Kayla’s?” Nina said, blinking.

  Marg’s head bobbed toward Kayla, and they grinned at her. “Yours, Nina.”

  “Uh, well.” Being a redhead sucked, and there was no way to hide the blush. “Hard to have a wedding if a man doesn’t ask you to marry him. I think he’s still miffed at me for moving out of the apartment. Gabbs needs a backyard and time to get accustomed to everything.”

  Gabbs ran up and grabbed her hand. “Mommy, that man is staring at you.”

  They all looked up to where Gabbs pointed.

  Nina’s heart stuttered to a standstill. A flood of tourists flowed around him, parting like the red sea. Their eyes locked. Oh my God! Lieutenant Wade Cayson gazed at her. She hadn’t seen him in eight, correction, almost nine years.

  Standing straight, tall and broad-shouldered in his white officer’s uniform, he was the image of perfection, and hadn’t changed one bit. She’d only been twenty-one years old when the handsome officer made her heart flutter. She’d touched all that perfection under the clothes for an entire hot, sensual week. Wade began to walk toward them, and no matter how much she hoped, vaporizing wasn’t going to happen.

  “That’s a tall, handsome drink of water,” Marg commented.

  Kayla remained silent.

  Wade stopped in front of them. “Nina, it’s good to see you.” Green eyes flecked with brown and gold swayed from her face to Kayla and then Marg. “Ladies.” He tipped his head.

  Gabbs’ little hand grabbed Nina’s belt. Get your brain out of park. “Wade, this is a surprise.”

  “What are you doing here in the States?” he asked, his gaze dropping to Gabriella. Normally Gabbs drove her crazy being far too friendly with everyone, but she stepped behind her and tucked close, looking up at the man leaning over. He crouched, seeing her shy away. “Hi, what’s your name?”

  She pulled a swath of red curls away from her cheek. “Mom calls me Gabbs, but my real name is Gabriella,” she said, then tugged on her belt. “Mom?”

  “I like that name.” He remained kneeling and looked up at her. “My mother’s name,” Wade said, and held out his hand. “My name’s Wade.” Gabbs began to reach her hand out when she saw Kelsey had the attention of a wandering performer with a fist full of balloons.

  “Kelsey,” she yelled at the top of her lungs, forgetting all about Wade, and ran full-tilt down the walkway.

  Kayla made a split-second evaluation. “Excuse us,” she said, nodding at Wade, and gave the stroller a push. Marg followed, but lobbed a quick look over her shoulder, and a questioning pop of her brow.

  Wade rose to stand at a lofty six-two. A lean, clean-cut officer with a jawline now angled in question at her. “What are you doing here, Nina?” His gaze wandered to her lips as if he remembered their quick but extremely hot affair.

  “I live here and work at NAB Command.”

  “Really?” A slow smile crept across his lips. “That’s good to know. I just started a new position here on the base.”

  Nina bit the inside of her cheek. “I—I guess we should talk sometime. Right now, I have to go.”

  Wade swiveled and gave a short nod in Gabbs’ direction. “Husband?” he asked.

  She regulated her breathing and internally choked the shit out of her heart. “No.” Keep it short, she thought. She needed to think this out first.

  Wade dipped his chin. “Your daughter is beautiful. How old is she?”

  Nina chanced a look at the girls. Get your god damn ass over here and rescue me, Kayla. She sent the mind meld message, hoping to God her friend’s spidey sense was still on alert. She almost sighed aloud when Kayla took a step toward her.

  “I really have to go. We have reservations for lunch.”

  “Mom, let’s go,” Gabbs bounced up and grabbed her hand, pulling on it. Wade’s eyes were pinned on her daughter.

  “You look—good, Nina. I’ll call you.”

  “Bye, Wade.” She stared at the ground, fussing with her lip instead of watching his departure.

  “Gabbs, why don’t you go tell Kelsey we’re going to Skippers for lunch?” Kayla suggested.

  “By the look on your face, I’m not sure I should ask who he is,” Marg said with concern as she joined them.

  Kayla offered a small nod. “It’s okay. This isn’t the end of the world,” she said reassuring her.

  “I’m really at a loss here,” Marg said, draping an arm across Nina’s shoulders. “What’s going on? I mean if it’s none of my business just tell me.”

  Nina’s mind overloaded with uncertainty. Kayla was right. Nothing to worry about. All was well. Wasn’t it?

  Kayla took her hand and folded it in both of hers. “I never saw him in person, but from Nina’s description, I think we just met Gabriella’s father.”

  She couldn’t look up, staring at the pavement seemed like a better place to ponder, but she nodded her head slowly.

  “We need a drink,” Marg said quickly. “Except you, Kayla, you get milk.”

  * * * *

  Adam woke up and voiced his hunger like his father: loud and clear. Kayla wasn’t comfortable with “in public” feeding even with a modesty shawl, so she took Adam to the bathroom.

  “Gabbs, settle down,” Nina barked at her daughter.

  Gabbs blinked and lowered her head with a pout. Kelsey looked up to Gabriella’s elderly three year differen
ce and copied her sad expression.

  “Here, Gabriella. Why don’t you and Kelsey figure out what you want for lunch, then do a little coloring?” Marg suggested, putting three crayons and a table mat with an outlined cartoon in front of them.

  A numb, uncomfortable feeling crept down Nina’s spine. Was this shock? Marg pushed a tall pint of beer in front of her, then folded her arms on the table. “Rayanne is home. She’ll babysit. We’re going out to Breakers to have a few more of these, but for now, down that.”

  Nina punched the entire beer back in one slug. When Kayla came back, Adam was mollified and looking sleepy again. She settled him in the stroller and sat down.

  “Change of plans,” Marg announced. “We’re getting take-out, and your phone went off five times in the ten minutes you were gone. Call him back before he calls out the teams.” Marg pushed the phone toward her.

  “Thane has to learn some trust,” Kayla said, then wrinkled her nose at the glass of milk pushed in her direction behind the phone.

  “Good luck on that, and look who’s talkin’.” Marg laughed.

  Kayla picked up the menu and stared over the top. “Nina, stop freaking out,” she said sternly.

  Nausea? She felt like she wanted to hurl. Maybe she’d drunk the beer too quickly. Cold beer. Hot stomach. Not good. Did Kayla say something? “What?”

  “I said,” Kayla leaned over and gave her the boss lady look. “Stop freaking out.”

  “Right.” She straightened up and shook off some crazy thoughts pirouetting in her mind. The worst one was how to tell Mace. Should she tell him?

  “No, you’re not going to tell Mace,” Kayla warned in a low voice.

  “How the hell do you do that?” Nina griped.

  “Observation and deduction, Watson.”