by Aliyah Burke
Ellie’s words floated around in his mind. She’d been spot on. He couldn’t continue dwelling in the past and what may or may not have been his path in life. Were he still in, there wasn’t any guarantee he would be alive at this moment.
That thought soured his gut. Dead meant no Ellie.
“How are you? What are you doing? Does your injury hold you back?”
“I work at an IT company, from home. So, no, it doesn’t hold me back.” He struggled not to reach for his chest and rub the ever-present scar that haunted him and had ended his career.
Drummer whistled. “Nice. Do you get to set your own hours?”
“Mostly. There are sometimes I’m on to help them out even more but I’m typically in the background, working on code.”
“You were definitely our tech guy out there. How’s civilian life?”
Bennett leaned back in his chair. “Different. You thinking of getting out?”
“I ain’t getting any younger.”
“What about Laura? How does she feel about you retiring from the Teams? Or at least considering it?”
Drummer shoved his hand through his hair. “No clue. We’re not together anymore.”
He heard the longing in his voice. “Sorry, man. Divorced or separated?”
“Separated, not that it matters. We’re not together.”
“Not true. She didn’t divorce you, so there’s hope, yes?”
“I haven’t seen my kids either.” He finished his beer and rocked back in his chair. “I miss my family.”
“Go get them. Are they still in California?”
He nodded. “Or so I knew last.”
“When you’re back, head there. And, I’m not exactly the best for this bit of advice, but here goes anyway. Keep away from the women.”
Drummer glared. “She’s the one who wanted the separation, not me.” His words were low and forceful.
“And?”
“So what harm is it if I pay some whore to suck me off?”
“I would imagine a lot. How would you feel if some man marries your daughter and gave you that excuse as to why they were with another woman?”
“I’d fucking kill him.”
Bennett just cocked a brow and waited for it to sink in to his friend. He’d never approved of the man’s promiscuity not even while they served together, but he had different ideals about that than some did.
Drummer accepted another drink and let the conversation die. Bennett didn’t push it; Drummer’s decision was his own. No one else’s.
Eventually the talk turned to catching up on the other guys he’d served with. He stayed for two hours, occasionally spying Dogfish as he manned the bar. The crotchety Marine cast a few looks in his direction and Bennett wasn’t sure he was happy or not to see him there.
Paying his tab, Bennett said farewell to his friend and left, giving a nod to Dogfish as he headed out.
I see why she walks to work.
It was a nice stroll from her place to the bar. Well lit, at least for the most part, and he felt better about her doing this night after night. Back at her place, he let himself in, stripped back down, then crawled into bed, curling into the warm feminine body already there.
“Where’d you go?”
“Met Drummer for a drink.”
She laced their fingers. “Who’s Drummer?”
“SEAL I used to work with.”
“Oh.”
Her word was a bit sharp and he got it. Last time they’d mentioned his past career he’d blow his shit and yelled at her. However, hearing the issues that Drummer was having made him all the clearer on what he wanted. And that was Ellie. She had a right to voice her opinion when they had a conversation.
“He ships back out tomorrow.” Bennett nipped her shoulder. “So, we had one last drink before he goes.”
“You didn’t want to spend more time with him?”
“He had something else in mind after the beer.”
“I’m sure he did.” She rolled over to face him. “You weren’t having any of that?”
“Hell no. I was coming home.”
“Nice,” she murmured, burrowing closer to her.
He thought so. She’d become home for him and centered the wildness within.
Chapter Eight
Ellie screamed and held her hands before her eyes. It didn’t matter, she was too late. Water streamed down her face and the culprit was out of her reach, his masculine laugh feeding her need for revenge.
Licking her lips, she glared at Bennett, who continued to laugh. It was hard to stay mad—not that she had been—but staring at him, her thoughts swung toward how fucking hot he was.
He only wore a swimsuit, and the sun gleamed off his bronzed skin and black hair. She wanted to touch him, longed to also explore the scars that were partially hidden. She’d been fascinated by his telling her about losing part of his lung.
You wouldn’t know it to look at him. I think I expected a person with a partial lung to be in a wheelchair or something of the sort. But not him, no, he’s out surfing, running, and more.
She looked around his rental and smiled, he had a lovely one. It backed up to the water and she stared at the dock he’d just run out onto.
Fluid. Predatory. Sexy as hell.
“I thought we were going to breakfast with your mom,” she called out after him.
He barely slowed, just jumped off the end of the dock, slicing into the water with a perfect dive.
“Show off.”
Lifting her shirt, she wiped off the remaining water from the bucket full he’d thrown at her. She made her way over the sand to the smooth wood of the dock. His dark head, pushed free of the water’s surface. His dark eyes sparkled up at her.
“You looked hot after the run.”
“I didn’t run, you did. I walked and I wasn’t hot.”
“You’re always hot.”
She blushed and shook her head. “I can’t wear this to your mother’s.”
“Why not? We’re in Hawaii, Smash. You’re dressed fine. She’s not expecting you to be in your Sunday best.”
She may not be, but it hadn’t at all been in her plans to show up for his first meeting with Bennett’s mother looking like something a cat dragged in. And not a proud panther type cat, no a scrawny, raggedy flea-bitten rag of one.
“I need dry clothes and I need them before we head out for her place. What time are we supposed to be there?”
He glanced at the ever-present watch on his wrist. “An hour.”
“And she lives how far from you?”
Pushing through the water, he got to the edge of the dock and lifted himself out with ease. “Far enough away for me to do this.”
She knew it was coming and, despite the desperate attempt to thwart the action along with her cries for mercy, he picked her up and launched her into the beautiful liquid. Sputtering, she broke the surface and smacked her hand toward him, sending a small spray of water in his direction. Only it didn’t matter, for he’d already dove over her head to join her in the water.
Bennett came up behind her and kissed her neck.
“I can’t believe you did that. I’m soaked.”
He laughed and slipped his hand beneath her shirt which now sat plastered to her body.
“I have clothing you could wear.”
“What if I couldn’t swim?” She turned and wrapped her arms around his neck, making him keep her up as well as himself.
“Besides the fact you already told me you could. I was right here, I wouldn’t have let anything happen to you.”
“I could have lied about that, you know.”
“I still wouldn’t have let anything happen to you.”
He claimed her mouth in a proprietary kiss. She whimpered as he pushed his tongue deep into her mouth, twining it around hers, his hips mimicking the thrusting action it did.
Lust slammed her. She closed her eyes and allowed the emotions to take her away. Ellie found herself in the perfect place where
it was only her and Bennett, nothing else mattered. Not the fact she was in the ocean with him, not the fact that they were due at his mother’s in a few moments, none of it.
It was him and her.
His cock stiffened between her legs and she ground against him with a whimper of need.
Bennett broke off the kiss and wiped his hand along her cheek, taking away a bit more of the water there.
“We should get you dressed.”
“I am dressed. What I am is wet.”
His grin was positively wicked. “Words I love to hear.” He popped her on the ass—not that it was painful, they were in the water after all. “Let’s go.”
They moved leisurely to the shore and ignoring the dock, strode up to the beach hand in hand and trekked the distance to his house.
By the time she’d dried off and had put on her clothes once more that he’d tossed into the dryer for her, the nerves she’d believed were under control had begun to rebel once more. This made her nervous. One pair of parents was what she knew. And that hadn’t gone very well for her.
Determined not to ruin the morning, she shoved that memory to the back of her mind as far back as she could. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of ruining yet another relationship. He wasn’t worthy of her time.
Regardless of her mental decision to not freak out, the closer they got the worse her anxiety became. Bennett took her hand and rubbed his thumb over her skin, soothing her in a simple gesture.
“She’s going to love you.”
“Don’t say that. You don’t know that.”
“I do know that and you have to stop worrying about it. My mom is one of the most laid-back people you will ever meet.”
“Even for a haole?”
She recalled that name being attached to her when she first had arrived on the island, yet she’d never gotten the impression it was something nice they were saying about her. Over the years she’d come to accept that it was their way of tagging an outsider as one who didn’t belong.
He put those dark sexy eyes on her. “You do realize she married a haole and had his baby? Happily. Willingly.”
“No, I thought your dad was from here.”
He chuckled. “Nope. Arrived with the military and left the same way.”
“Did she ever marry again?”
Bennett grew somber. “No, he was her one true love and she never found anyone else who could come close to him in her eyes.”
“And you think she’s going to be happy with you shacking up with one yourself?”
“I think she’s going to be happy I’m dating a lovely beautiful woman who can hold her own at work and makes me smile.” He kissed her quick and she promptly forgot her next argument.
He parked in a wide front yard to an old plantation style home that was common on the island. She waited for him to help her out of the truck. Partly because it made her feel special and mostly because she needed the few extra moments to gather herself.
As it turned out, she didn’t get much for his mother didn’t wait for them to approach the door. No, she came out to meet them, a huge smile on her face. Her black hair back in a long braid, interwoven with flowers. Her dark pink shirt was offsetting to her beautiful skin tone, and her bare feet peeked out from beneath the long white skirt as she walked.
Bennett had a hold of her hand but released her to embrace his mother. Ellie stood quietly by as they spoke in Hawaiian for a few moments. Then those dark assessing eyes fell to her.
“Welcome, Ellie.”
Before Ellie knew what happened, she’d been enfolded in her embrace. Tears sprang to her eyes, the arms around her were warm and comforting. His mom smelled a bit like fresh baked goods. It reminded her of Piper’s mom and the way she’d smelled while they were growing up. Something she’d not had in a house of her own.
“Thank you, Mrs. Harvey,” she said, desperate to eliminate any and all trace of tears before they separated. She didn’t need to have the woman thinking she was messed up in the head because she began crying over a hug.
His mother clucked her tongue and waggled a long finger. “None of that. You call me Mama.”
Ellie flicked her gaze over to where Bennett stood there, a smile on his face, eyes soft as he watched his mom. Suddenly he turned his attention to her and winked. Warmth spread out from her chest to all points. She was truly in trouble with this one.
αβ
Bennett rinsed the last dish and drained the water from the sink. He’d offered many times to get his mother a dishwasher but each time she staunchly refused, stating she preferred to do them by hand. Right now, the women were in the living room talking, he could hear snatches of the conversation but not enough to know what the entire thing was about.
His phone had buzzed and he’d paused to read a farewell text from Drummer. Dishes had been attacked after he’d sent a response. Now, as he braced a hip against the sink counter and dried his hands on the bright floral towel, he wanted to whisk Ellie away and spend the rest of the day with her and no one else.
He entered the living room and found them sitting across from one another. Bennett claimed a spot beside Ellie on the couch. He rested his arm along the back and stretched out his legs.
“What are we talking about?”
“Ellie was just telling me about what it is like working at Last Call being surrounded by all those military types.”
“I see.” He dragged his fingers along the nape of her neck, loving the way her skin pebbled beneath his touch. “And what is it like?”
“Full of testosterone and arrogance,” Ellie said easily.
He snorted.
His mother glanced at him, humor and joy for him in her expression. He winked at her in return.
“That I believe,” she commented, leaning back in her chair. “He was always rowdy, even as a boy. Falling from the highest branches he could get to. Bringing in all kinds of sand and other things.”
“Is this what the breakfast has come to, telling all my childhood secrets?”
The women laughed.
“Breakfast is over, keiki kane. This is the perfect time for us to discuss such matters.”
She waved a hand brightly adorned with bangle bracelets. It was her thing, her secret passion, those bangles. He made certain he always brought her some from his travels. His teammates used to tease him about being cheap for some woman. He never told them who he purchased the items for, but it thrilled him to see she still wore them. Bennett recognized the first ever one he got for her, he’d purchased it with his allowance.
Gaudy now to him, but she wore it with pride. He thought about it and hid his frown, he’d not purchased one since he’d gotten out of the Navy. I’ve been too wrapped up in my own issues to remember this for her.
He sat beside Ellie and allowed his leg to brush against hers. As usual the mere brush of her skin along his set his aflame. He ground his jaw to control himself, because jumping on her wasn’t the way to treat her in front of his mother. Ellie made him randy as if he were still in high school where all he thought about was girls.
Her cell phone rang, and a cute blush scampered up her cheeks. “Excuse me, I’m so sorry.”
He observed as she took it out and frowned.
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s a number I don’t know.”
“Take the call.”
She gave a small smile and nodded as she moved away. He tracked her progress as she put it up by her ear.
“She is the one. I can see that.”
He looked at his mother and pushed to his feet. “You’re my number one, always.”
She patted his hand and squeezed it. “I have the best son in the world.”
He brushed his lips along her cheek. “Hard not to with the best mom in the universe, I was bound to have some good qualities.”
“What?” Ellie’s sharp question whipped him around, instantly ready to defend her.
Her tanned skin had paled and he could see the tremors in her
hand from across the room. He left his mother’s side and approached her.
“Ellie? What’s wrong?”
She tipped her head back to look at him, tears shimmering in her beautiful blue-green eyes. The amount of fear and devastation in them frightened him.
“Dogfish has been shot. That was Officer Vega, who’s at the hospital with him right now.” She flicked her tongue over her lips a few times as she fumbled in her attempts to wipe her hands off on her pants.
“Let’s go.”
He reached out to steady her and she sank into him for only a brief second, but it was enough. After explaining everything to his mother, they were in his truck and on the way to the hospital.
As he drove, he continually stole sideways glances at her. The color in her face hadn’t come back. In fact, it looked worse than it had been before. She could have been a kabuki doll for the lack of hue in her skin, and minus the bright red painted lips.
“Did the officer say anything else to you about what happened?”
“No, just that he’d been shot and she was with him.” She shoved her hand through her hair. “I should have been there with him, he shouldn’t have been alone.”
“So what, you could be in that hospital bed having been the one who got shot? Trust me, he wouldn’t want that.”
“He shouldn’t have been alone.” Her tone was sharp.
He watched in his periphery, the way she wrung her hands. The nervous bouncing of one leg. Either she heard something she wasn’t sharing with him, or this had frightened her more than she cared to admit.
They parked and together hurried inside. He waited for the admitting nurse to look up. Ellie beat him to the question.
“Teach Burton. Was brought in here with a gunshot wound.” She took a deep breath. “There should be an Officer Vega with him.”
They got directions to his room and made their way to the elevator bay. Her foot still jiggled as they waited for the stainless-steel doors to open for them. Bennett reached out and draped his arm around her shoulder, giving her a light squeeze.
“He’ll be okay.”
She shook her head. “You don’t know that.”
Tension was high between them as they rode up to the sixth floor. The woman paced as the car rose. He remained silent and let her alone with her thoughts. She wasn’t in any mood to talk, that much was obvious. Even so, when the doors slid open, she hesitated until he stepped forward and settled his hand at the small of her back. Whatever haze she’d been in vanished, and she shook her head before progressing on.