SEALed With A Kiss: Heroes With Heart

by Low, Gennita

  “Yeah, the crew below locked themselves inside as soon as we were overrun.”

  “So you can get this boat moving?”

  “Sure.”

  “Do it. Head back to port. Radio ahead for an escort and to make sure we have law enforcement meet us at the dock. We’ll let them handle cleaning out the lounge.”

  The captain nodded. “Good luck.”

  Dex picked up the pistol from the floor. “Hate to leave you without any firepower.”

  “I’ve got a flare gun.”

  Without looking back, Dex left, speeding down the stairs to the middle deck where the lounge was situated. His men, uniforms dripping on the deck, raced toward him.

  Behind them, Lace was fast on their heels.

  “We have the bridge,” he said, passing Justin and giving his shoulder a quick pat. The other two of his crew leaned away, knowing he was heading straight for the woman whose face was pasty white and whose eyes were as large as a puppy’s.

  She launched herself into his arms and wrapped hers tight around his neck.

  Dex hugged her against his chest, holding her just as tightly, and swaying. When he let her down until her feet touched the deck, he gave her quick kiss. “I’m getting you to a cabin. You lock yourself inside. Don’t come out until we give the all clear.”

  Easing her hold, she shook her head. “I won’t get in the way. I’ll do whatever you ask me to do. Just don’t leave me behind again. Please.”

  Dex gave her a quick kiss. “Baby, this is what we do. I need to know you’re safe.”

  Lace drew a deep breath. “Why can’t we all hide?”

  The men around him chuckled softly.

  And yeah, he wore a grin too. “We’re not storming the lounge, guns blazing. I promise you. We’ll cut off their escape. That’s all.” Above her head, he caught his men’s amused glances. “Their getaway boat is about ten minutes out. We’re going to encourage them to run for it.”

  He set Hank and Johnny guarding the doors leading from the lounge, then he and Justin headed back down the stairs. At Lace’s cabin door, he gave her a gentle shove. “Go now. Lock the door behind you. Don’t open to anyone but one of my crew.”

  She gave a nod and went quietly inside.

  A moment later, he heard the snick of the lock. Then he and Justin raced back to the lower deck. They ransacked the dive crew’s stash and found an AK-47, a Glock, and ammunition. By the time Dex finished loading his magazine, the sound of another boat approaching could be heard above the yacht’s engines, which were starting up, humming under their feet.

  Dex laid the barrel of his weapon over the rail. Sighting down it, he saw two men in a nondescript but powerful little racing boat. He fired a shot over the bow that shattered the glass in front of the two men, purposely between them.

  The boat veered right, then made a wide circle around the yacht.

  Justin and Dex moved around the boat, watching to see if the pair made the smart choice. One more circle around, and then they sped away.

  “That felt damn anticlimactic,” Justin drawled.

  Dex gave his friend a shove. “I’ve had enough excitement for the day.”

  “We left that skiff adrift.”

  “It’s got a GPS. We can send someone out to retrieve it after we get back to port.”

  A whistle sounded. “Skiff off the starboard,” came the captain’s voice over the loudspeaker.

  Dex and Justin ran to the other side of the boat. Dex lifted a hand to shield his eyes from the sun, but the silhouette of the boat, a man standing behind the driver and holding an automatic weapon, reassured him.

  Justin let out a whoop. “It’s ours.”

  Dex waved up at the captain. For the first time since the cage had dropped into the ocean, he relaxed.

  “Think our HQ already knows?” Justin asked.

  Dex raked a hand through his hair, his mind ticking through his company’s protocols. “They’ll be sending in a replacement team. A mop up.”

  Justin leaned against the rail, staring out at the boat that was coming at a fast clip. “We let them get the drop on us.”

  “Troy and all his crew checked out. I don’t know what else could have been done.”

  “Guess that’s for the suits to figure out.” Justin’s nose wrinkled in disgust. “They’ll be using us as a case study for years.”

  Dex gritted his teeth. The least of his worries was the fact they’d been caught flat-footed. Still, the failure stung.

  “Your girl’s got grit.”

  Your girl. The words stabbed him. Dex swung his face toward Justin. “She was scared.”

  “Kept her cool, though. She was sitting pretty under the boat, clutching that jacket and the tank. When she saw me, I know she thought something had happened to you. She went still. First words topside were, ‘Is he okay?’ Not a worry for herself. Wouldn’t let me ditch her while we ran to join you.”

  Shouts rang out from the skiff as it pulled up alongside the swimming platform.

  Dex slung his rifle over his shoulder and reached for the rope they threw. He tied off the skiff and waited silently while the team leapt to the platform, one at a time. Half a dozen of his men followed his instructions to begin searching for crew and passengers who might be hiding aboard the yacht. He added guards to the doors of the lounge.

  “Guess it’s time to have a conversation with Troy,” he muttered.

  Justin snorted. “Now we’ll see how smart he really is. He might like swimming with sharks, but he’s never had to deal with a boatload of SEALs.”

  Chapter Eight

  ‡

  Lace swirled a finger in her mojito as she leaned against the bar.

  Mr. Halloran was throwing a victory party for his guests and the uppity-ups from Black Spear who’d descended on the estate shortly after dark.

  Halloran’s guests were in high spirits. They’d had the adventure of a lifetime, something to tell their friends back home. Troy Bennett and his dive crew were sitting in a Bahamian jail. A team of investigators had taken statements from everyone, and accountants were busy returning funds to the passengers’ accounts. Troy had folded and provided the passwords to his Cayman Island accounts as a gesture of goodwill to prosecutors eager to appease the wealthy visitors to their island. What losses the passengers might take would further be covered by Halloran’s insurance. “All’s well that ends well,” he said, raising his glass for a final toast.

  Lace lifted her glass and took a long swallow. She hadn’t seen Dex since he’d shoved her inside her cabin. Back at the estate, she’d watched from a distance as a helicopter landed, disgorging Black Spear representatives and taking on a team of black-uniformed passengers, Dex among them.

  He’d left without a word. No doubt something his company required. A fresh crop of security guards now roamed the property.

  “Do you think you’ll speak well of my little venture?” Mr. Halloran asked, sliding into the seat beside her.

  She gave him steady look. “Why would you care? I don’t mean to sound rude, but you don’t need my recommendation.”

  “I enjoyed your friend’s blog about her adventure in Central America.” He smiled and gave a wink. “Such an exciting experience. And I’m rooting for you. You’ve all come such a long way. A brand new office opening in Miami. Plans for expansion. Once upon a time, I was an entrepreneur just like you. I’ve been very lucky, and I believe in karma.”

  She eyed him, curious where this conversation was going. “You had another motive for inviting me, didn’t you?”

  His smile widened. “I did, indeed. What do you think about opening an office here? In the Bahamas?”

  “People tend to book their travel with local agents.”

  “This is the digital age, my dear. That’s old-school thinking.”

  She smiled, shaking her head. “Another of your plots to help the local economy?”

  “Maybe. Say you’ll think about it. I could help with seed money. Find you an appropriate o
ffice space…”

  She drew in a deep breath then let it go with a little laugh. “That’s a lot to take in.”

  “You still have two days left to enjoy your vacation. Although, I’d guess the last thing you want is to take another excursion into deep waters. Enjoy my estate. Do some sightseeing. And if you’d like to take a few days more, please, be my guest.” He patted the counter, then rose, chuckling to himself as he walked away.

  “He’s like Santa Claus,” came a familiar voice from right beside her.

  Lace’s breath caught, and she closed her eyes. “I thought you’d left.”

  “I was ordered to head back to the home office. That’s true. But I had unfinished business here. Personal business.”

  She opened her eyes and twirled on her stool to face him.

  He was dressed more casually than she’d ever seen him, wearing light linen trousers and a loose, short-sleeved shirt. From his quick perusal of her body, she was happy she’d made a little effort with her own appearance, having donned a black silky sheath that ended mid-thigh.

  The urge to reach out and touch him was strong, but she resisted, simply enjoying the sight of him standing so close. He was looking at her, something gleaming in his eyes, a banked excitement that caused her to blush. She shook her head and laughed. “I should be angry with you. You’ve been here all along, and I’ve been worried sick.”

  He held out his hands. “I had b—”

  “Business to attend to, I get that. But you couldn’t have passed along a message? The Bahamian version of a SWAT team rousted me from my cabin and herded me together with the rest of the passengers. Hours passed before we heard that everyone was safe. I didn’t know what had happened to you.”

  He raised a hand, fingers spread.

  “Five minutes?” she asked, not understanding.

  Gaze intent, he held out that same hand, waiting until she slid hers across it. Then, pulling her from her seat, he led the way through the big house, out the side door to the pathway lit by tiki torches.

  They halted in front of her door, and once again, she slipped her key over her head and gave it to him. He unlocked the door, and then turned to her, scooping her off her feet to carry her over the threshold.

  The action was romantic, wonderful—for all of five seconds, but then her anger flared. She kicked, scissoring her feet. “Put me down.”

  He gave a grunt, but kicked the door closed behind him, not saying a word and certainly not lowering her to the floor. Inside, he strode straight down the hallway to her bedroom door.

  “I’m not playing now. Put me down.” She landed with a flounce in the middle of the large mattress and quickly scrambled to her knees, ready to jump off the bed. After one look at him, she froze.

  He wasn’t looking at her. His hands were on his hips, his gaze on his toes, and his breaths were steady and deep, as though he was gathering them, maybe gathering his courage.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked softly, concern tightening her throat.

  He shook his head, still not meeting her gaze.

  “Dex…”

  He held up a finger. One minute. His jaw tightened, and then he raised his head, spearing her with a hot, dark glance. “I’m sorry, Lace. So damn sorry.”

  So, this was how he was going to break up with her? She dragged in a deep breath, ready to let him have it, but that breath caught on a sob. She lifted her chin, her eyes beginning to well with tears, which pissed her off even more.

  They’d made no promises. He didn’t have to do this. She’d known all along he was bound to walk away.

  “This was my fault. You were incredibly brave. That’s the only thing that saved you.” He raked a hand through his hair. “But I should have suspected Troy would do something like that. I’d had a bad feeling from the moment I walked up on his guys on the deck. But I was distracted. They wanted to neutralize me as a threat and knew exactly what my Achilles Heel was.” His gaze bored into her. “They knew I would do anything to keep you safe. Sacrifice my mission. Only by dumb luck did they decide there wouldn’t be any casualties, not if they could help it.”

  Letting out a slow breath, Lace sat back. “Dex, I don’t blame you. Your own people don’t blame you. They ran background checks on every single soul aboard that yacht.” This she knew from the investigators who’d interviewed her. “This wasn’t your doing. It was Troy’s. He got greedy. Saw everything Halloran had, everything his guests took for granted, and he wanted it for himself. Why would you take his bad decisions on your shoulders?”

  Dex shook his head, his jaw clenching so tight a muscle rippled along the sharp edge. “If you hadn’t followed my lead, hadn’t held your breath so long, had gulped even once, you wouldn’t have made it…” He swallowed hard. “I can’t stop thinking about that.”

  She crawled closer on the mattress and reached out, grabbing one of his hands and pulling it to her chest, holding it there. “But we made it. Troy and his men are all in jail. Hell, they even found the getaway boat. Mutiny’s over. Everyone’s happy.” Not everyone. She wasn’t. He wasn’t. Her chest was tight, her eyes burning. But she held his gaze. “What’s this really about, Dex?”

  He blew out a breath, his shoulders dipping, and then he sat on the bed beside her, holding her hand, his thumb rubbing the back. “I’m done. I quit. No more trips to the Indian Ocean. No more fucking pirates.” His head lifted and again, he stared into her eyes. “I’m staying here. Halloran offered me a job heading up his security—for this estate, for the businesses he’s started all over the islands.”

  Hope blossomed in her chest, and her mouth began to curve. That wily old devil. “Do you think you don’t deserve this opportunity?”

  “I get that Halloran’s happy we didn’t go in guns blazing.”

  “He said you had Troy pegged, knew he would surrender once he realized he’d failed. No one was hurt. He was impressed.”

  “But he shouldn’t have been.” He sighed, his mouth relaxing into a crooked smile. “My guys are all coming on board. The offer was good.”

  She grinned, sniffing and teary-eyed. “Guess you’re set.”

  “No, I’m not.” He squeezed her hand. “I want you to think about something. I’m not going to disappear; this doesn’t have to end, baby.”

  Her heart beat fast. Suddenly breathless, she blurted, “What are you saying?”

  “I know I’m just a regular guy working for my pay, but I’d like to see you again. I don’t want what we have to end, Lace.”

  She frowned. “You think I’m not a ‘regular’ girl?—Ah.” This time her smile stretched wide. “Baby, I’m not rich, if that’s what you’re worried about. I’m not out of your league, although there wasn’t a woman on that boat who wouldn’t have traded shoes with me to enjoy a minute in your arms. I’m a travel agent. That’s all. And funny thing is, Halloran wants me on this island, too. I hadn’t considered the possibility seriously when he said it, but—”

  Dex’s kiss was blistering hot and hard. His arms crushed her against his chest.

  When she finally stole enough air to stop the room from spinning, she laughed. “I’m guessing you’re happy?”

  His palm cradled her cheek, and his gaze focused on hers. “You’re telling him yes.”

  “I am?” She arched a brow.

  “We’ll get ourselves a bungalow on the beach.”

  “We will?”

  With a wide grin, he nodded. “You’re going to marry me.”

  “A girl likes to be asked,” she whispered against a suddenly dry throat.

  “But you don’t. You like to be told.”

  “I do,” she breathed.

  And then he kissed her again. When he pulled away a minute later, his glance cut across her silk dress. “It’s a pretty dress.

  “A one-timer, I’m thinking.”

  His grin stretched, just like the seams of her LBD once he inserted his hands at the hem and began to pull. With a loud rend, the three hundred dollar frock she’d boug
ht just for the trip was reduced to rags. But she didn’t care.

  He gathered her into his arms, moving her to the middle of the bed. Then kneeling, he ripped apart his own lovely linen shirt. Buttons rained, pinging on the floor and off her belly.

  She laughed. Gone were the shadows that had deepened when she’d thought they were done, that they’d never stand a chance, and would continue living on opposite sides of the planet. Now, they had a chance to explore, to figure out if what they had was really lasting. Despite his command, she was going to make him wait.

  Dex looked down at her, confusion mingling with desire. “We’re really going to do this.”

  She lifted her arms, inviting him closer. “Make me.”

  *

  Hands settled on her shoulders a second before a kiss brushed her cheek. “Hi, Susan, Maya,” Dex said as he settled on the chaise beside Lace.

  Images from the screen of her friends blowing kisses at her new husband had Lace’s smile widening.

  “Hi, cutie! Love the boxers. Told you, Susan,” Maya said from her desk in Miami.

  Susan rolled her eyes. “It’s so not fair. You’re all so…married!” she said, shuddering delicately. “What I envy is the weather. How’s the cruise?”

  Lace waved a hand. “The new yacht is fabulous. Mr. Halloran gave us the honeymoon cabin.”

  The pretty blonde leaned closer to the screen, a fine brow arching. “You planning to swim with the sharks?”

  “Hellz no! This trip’s strictly an island hop. We’re sightseeing,” she said, turning to eye the wide expanse of Dex’s bared chest.

  Her friends laughed.

  “Guess the business meeting’s over,” Susan said, a hint of envy in her voice. “Enjoy the rest of your honeymoon!” Her hand lifted, her forefinger hovering over her keyboard in the chat window, and then she was gone.

  Maya leaned over her desk. “No worries. Keep her off her laptop, Dex.” And then her image too was gone.

  Dex reached for the laptop and closed it, setting it on the table beside Lace’s chaise. He fingered the strap of her bikini top. “That for their benefit?”

  Glancing over her shoulder, she lifted a brow. “I’m a married woman now. I can’t be flashing your friends.”