He also wasn’t suffering under the delusion of complete safety at home, either. He could defend himself and her. He just couldn’t go policing society and interfere with his brothers in blue. It was a delicate balance. He had to be careful what he said, and he had to make sure he didn’t get involved in anything he could lose his Trident over.
And, as much as he loved their physical relationship, he’d sort of put the cart before the horse. It wasn’t wise what he’d done. He had no right staking a claim on her when he didn’t really know anything about her.
But over half the guys on the team had violated that one dozens of times. It still was no excuse, though.
She kept looking over at her computer, and he knew she was itching to get back online and file her story.
“Listen, why don’t I leave you alone for a few hours?” he asked. “My friends down the beach haven’t heard from me since yesterday afternoon. I should check in, and then you can join us down there, or I can return later. How does that sound?”
“You’re right. I should get the article written.”
“How long do you think you’ll be?” he asked.
“Two, three hours. I’ll send it off, and then perhaps we can grab some dinner?”
“Sounds like a plan, Kiley.”
She began sorting through notes and turned on her laptop. “Once it’s out of my hair, then I will take your suggestion and turn over all my notes and assist the police, if they’ll let me.”
“Why wouldn’t they, Kiley?”
“I don’t know. Call it a reporter’s instinct. The one thing I’ve learned about all of this is that things are never what they seem.”
“And you don’t really know who you can trust.”
“Exactly. But my editor thought they’d stop once the stories got published.”
Jason knew that was complete folly. But until he had more information on where he stood, professionally, he wasn’t going to say anything to her.
He wrote down the address of Aimee and Andy’s house and handed it to her. “You can’t miss it. Think deep pink and red mixed. There isn’t anything remotely similar in color or intensity.”
She took the piece of paper and laid it next to her laptop.
“And you should text me when you head over there so I can watch for you,” he added.
She placed her fingers over his mouth. “I will follow your instructions to the letter,” she said, her arms wrapped around his neck. “Thank you for caring, Jason. I mean that.”
“I should be driving you down to the police station, not sitting here listening to your stories. That’s the right thing to do, so don’t thank me, Kiley.”
“It will work out. You’ll see. Now that you’re here, I’m safe.”
Jason bristled at that. “You need anything, anything at all, you let me know. That’s my cell.” He pointed to the number under the address.
She held his face between her hands. “Didn’t you hear me? I’ll be fine. You don’t have to worry about me.”
“I’m going to worry about you plenty. But I like the idea of you being over at the big house. Where I can watch you.”
“Thank you. I’ll be there before you’ve had your sixth beer.”
Their kiss bordered on some further fooling around, but in the end, they separated. Jason slipped out the sliding glass door and onto the beach.
About halfway to Andy’s he dialed Kyle Lansdowne.
“Hey there, Jason. Everything go smoothly?”
“Yessir.” He wasn’t sure how to begin.
After a minute of air silence, Kyle began, “You know, for a not very talkative guy, you’re sure not doing a lot of talking.”
Kyle’s sixth sense about these things was legendary.
“I met this girl.”
“Oh boy. What is it with you guys and Florida? If anything happens to Christy, I’m giving up everything and heading out there. They must put something in the water. And to make matters worse, Christy has been working nearly twenty-four seven. Hell, I’m about to call up Collins and ask him if we could just take a temporary duty to Iraq to go vaccinate some kids or something. At least it would get me out of having kid-duty for the sixth day in a row.”
Jason chuckled, “I feel your pain, sir.”
“No, you don’t. You’ve got no idea what it’s like to be past your prime, hearing about all your guys getting laid and having girl issues. Is that what this call is going to be about? You need more time off so you can cement your relationship? Do you want to know how many times I’ve gotten that call, son?”
Jason knew he’d calm down, but he just let him rant on. Kyle abruptly laid the phone down to straighten something out. One of his three was crying after he was done.
“Honestly, I don’t know how they do this. Tomorrow, I have to take the three of them to a birthday party, one of Maggie’s friends. I’m going to strap Brandon to the nearest tree. That means all I’ll have to do is watch out for Luke, and at his current age, he still likes girls and thinks they smell nice.”
“Well, you give Brandon my best, then. Tell him he should soak in the bathtub, and that will take care of his sore behind.”
“Was I that obvious?”
“He’s always the one you’re talking about getting into trouble, sir.”
“Okay. Well, now that we got all that out of the way, what’s the emergency?”
Jason took a deep breath and sat on the bench, donated by the good people of Sunset Beach, about ten steps from the beach access. He watched the constant parade of old and new bodies in various stages of undress and inebriation.
“So this girl is an investigative reporter?”
“Uh-oh. You better run. You didn’t say anything you regret, did you?”
“No. Not really.”
“Well, which is it—no or not really?”
Jason felt Kyle’s mysterious powers of getting anything out of anyone working extremely well.
“The problem is on her end. She’s researching a story about the sex trade, and more particularly, she thinks she’s identified some key players in a big human smuggling ring up in the Portland area where she lives.”
“Okay. I’m holding my breath here.”
“She’s written some high-profile articles for the Columbian something-or-other.”
“Yea. I know it. And?”
“She thinks she’s being harassed. Well, she knows she’s been harassed. They tossed her place, she’s gotten some death threats and the worst part is, they sliced up her cat.”
“Holy shit.”
“Yeah. Cut up one of her tires too. So, I think she was pretty smart. She hopped on a plane and came to Florida, where she spent some time as a child.”
“Where are her folks? What kind of a father lets his little girl do that stuff?”
“Gone. She’s all alone.”
“And no ex gunning for her? Jilted or jealous boyfriend?”
“Not that she’s mentioned.”
“But of course you didn’t ask her because you thought it would interfere with your chances of getting laid, right?”
That was a funny line, but Jason held it in. “Actually, we didn’t have any problem in that department.”
“You’ve only been there what, two days? God forbid you’d have to wait a week to get in bed with her. So do you want my quick answer or my long answer, Jason?”
“Well, wait. You don’t even know the question I’m going to ask you.”
“I think I do. I’m a lot smarter than anyone thinks I am. I even let Christy think she’s way smarter than me because, well, when a woman feels like she’s worshiped, she puts it out like nobody’s business.”
“Well, you would know, Kyle.”
“Watch it. Okay, just humor me. My short answer is run, after you pick your clothes up, that is.”
Jason chuckled again. He waited for the long answer.
“My quicker answer is run.”
Jason felt cheated. “But…”
“The
complicated answer requires a question from me. Is this Miss Have-A-Good-Time or Miss Permanent sort of thing? I mean you guys are all about instalove, so forget that.”
“She’s in danger, Kyle. And that’s what we do. We ride in and save the day.”
“In Portland. You’re gonna do this in Portland.”
“I was thinking if…”
“Are you kidding me? You seriously think that is a good idea?”
“They’re gonna kill her, Kyle. I can just sense it.”
“And I’m saying I’m going to kill you if you don’t stop thinking about it.”
Jason had never felt this way. For once, the Navy, his career, his LPO didn’t have the answers he wanted them to have.
“Look. What you don’t yet know is there’s talk of another quick mission, like two weeks max. Back to Benin or Nigeria. And don’t go telling the other men. It might happen this week. I can’t have you missing your obligation because you’re playing private dick in Portland. The timeline’s been tentatively moved up. So even if I did give you the green light, you’d have to turn around and fly back here if it was a go. That could happen tomorrow the next day. I’m just staying by the phone. Our ten-day window has shriveled like my grandfather.”
“I’d be okay with that.”
“And then who would protect her?”
“At that point, I get the police involved.”
“Um hum. The same police she doesn’t trust now. You think you can pull that off? Seriously, Jason?”
“If it was our only option, and for her safety.”
“Personally, I think she better stay there in Florida. I’ll grant you a few more days, since you’re with the other guys there. Do not breathe a word to anyone.”
“I won’t. Thanks, Kyle. I have one more question.”
“Go ahead.” Kyle’s voice held exhaustion.
“What if she’s working the other end of the same group we’ve been working with? You remember that guy Colin Riley? He lives in Portland, doesn’t he?”
Kyle exhaled. “Because we’re not that lucky, Jason.”
Saying good-bye, they disconnected. Jason checked his cell, thinking he might have gotten a call while he was talking to Kyle, and discovered it was a text from Andy.
‘I’m guessing we’re counting chickens, then?’
He texted back. ‘I’m right outside your door.’
‘Um. No, you’re not. We’re on the patio.’
Before him was a familiar circle of friends sitting around a backyard fire pit. Like the parties on the beach at Coronado, they hadn’t scrimped on the fire, which sent fingers of flame several feet above the grate.
Damon rose and shook his hand. “Hey, Jason. Thanks for taking good care of old Thomas.”
“You bet.”
“You remember Martel?”
“I sure do. Didn’t come to the wedding, but that party was hard to forget. Didn’t remember too much of it, though.”
“No one did,” barked Andy.
Jason waved to Aimee and Cory then waited for Martel to take a seat before he sat next to Andy. He addressed Damon first. “Are you hooking up with Team 4 like Andy here?”
“Martel’s a teacher. And she’s got a dream job neither one of us wants her to give up. But after my billet is done, I’m not re-upping.”
Andy sat up straight. “How does that work? You’re on one side of the country, and she’s on the other?”
“You forget, Andy, I get summers off. It’s better to be in San Diego at that time, anyway. Cooler.” Martel told him.
“We do rack up the miles some. It’s not forever,” Damon added.
“Where the hell did you slink off to last night?” Cory barked.
The guy might have his drinking under control, but his mouth was still a problem. Jason wasn’t sure he could spend too much time around the man.
Aimee frowned. “Cory, you’re being obnoxious.”
“Did they work on that shoulder in San Antonio?” Andy asked, changing the subject.
“I’m having to get surgery in a couple of months. Doing some PT which is supposed to help. But they’re not happy with some of the muscle attachment. Of course, those take longer to heal.” Cory looked glum, staring down at his beer.
With one major injury and recovery Cory’d already used up his free bite. He would get rolled, and if he wanted to stay in the Navy, they’d have to give him a desk job. He noticed Andy frowning, probably thinking the same thing.
“How long are you out here?” Damon asked Jason.
“Originally five or six days. But, if I asked for it, I could stay longer.”
“Shoot. Rumor has it we might have to go back before the weekend. But Martel’s staying, of course. If your friend doesn’t work out, I’m sure she can set you up with someone from her school.”
It wasn’t on Jason’s radar. He was distracted by thinking about how Damon knew the trip was going to be cut short.
The rhythm of their banter cascaded all over Jason and it wasn’t long before his edginess about being around Cory deflated. He was working on trying to extract Damon’s good intel when the ping on his cell phone diverted his attention.
He held his cell up and addressed the crowd. “Looks like she’s on her way. You’ll get to meet her shortly. I’m going to head down the beach to make sure she doesn’t get lost.”
Jason jogged barefoot on the warm sand until he saw her small frame coming towards him. When she spotted him, she ran straight into his arms. She hugged him, coming up on tiptoes. Her joyful smile made him happy too.
“You did it, right?” he asked her.
“I did. Waited just long enough to see that my editor got it. Friday, it goes out in the paper and the whole world will know.”
“Did you talk to him?”
“No. I’ll get the scoop when I call Carmen in a couple of days.”
“Good deal.”
She turned, pointing. “Look at that sky. You know, I never tire seeing it. I used to miss these colors.” Facing him, she continued. “Portland has all those big clouds, the sweeping vistas from the hills surrounding the river, but it rarely has something so absolutely thrilling as that sky.”
He wrapped his arms around her, spooning behind. He considered everything Kyle said to him on the phone and brushed it aside.
He decided they’d had enough drama today. It was time for him to show her off to his friends, and then he had plans to create magic all night long. He knew just what he needed to do to chase those fears away.
He heard the chanting again, and that rumble in his belly that told him something spectacular was about to happen.
Chapter 8
Kiley woke up in a panic. She’d been in a dream—caught in a box-like container at the bottom of the ocean, the force of the water pressing on her chest. She began beating against the walls of her confinement and tried to scream, but no air was coming out. She felt caught, bound by invisible ties that kept her from breaking free of the confined space.
She awoke, gasping for air. She was still fighting until she heard the soft, reassuring voice of Jason beside her, kissing her, speaking to her in hushed tones. She still felt like she had to get away. Her heart felt that he was trying to help her, but her brain would not loosen the grip of panic. Back and forth she went, torn between two powerful scenarios, until her fear took dominance.
She struggled but managed to scramble to her feet, where she looked down on his shocked expression. Her arms wrapped around her upper torso as if to protect her from the man she was sharing a bed with.
He was making his way quickly in her direction, untangling his legs from their sheets, but she warned him.
“Don’t! Please, just let me get my bearings.” The words didn’t even sound like her own. He crouched in front of her. Even that motion made her feel like he was a giant panther, ready to strike without warning.
“Kiley, it was a dream. You’re safe.”
She couldn’t speak.
“It’s a pan
ic attack. Brought on by stress, all the things you worry about when you shut down. Happens to all of us in some circumstances. There is no danger here, Kiley.”
But she still didn’t want him to touch her, to come anywhere near her. She remembered to breathe. He was asking her to breathe, and then she saw him taking in slow, deep breaths and blowing them out, in tandem with her.
As the air refreshed her lungs, new oxygen cleared her brain. Her heartbeat slowed. Looking down on him, she was filled with regret, and began to cry.
His arms were wide. He urged her, “Come to me, Kiley. Let me hold you.”
She closed her eyes as black spots began to form in her eyes.
“No!” she shouted at the sickening feeling she was out of control.
“Just come here, sweetheart.”
Tears rolled down her cheeks. Her shoulders slumped, and she collapsed on the bed. Within seconds Jason’s warm arms took hold of her as he pulled her up into his chest, rocking her back and forth.
She was mumbling something about having to get out of a box.
“You’re safe. I got you, Kiley. There’s no box. You’re free.”
Free!
She lost herself in his warmth, his massive hands rubbing her back to life as he held her and sang to her, his voice lilting. The vibration from his chest seeped into her own until she melted. Melding into his powerful arms, she needed his strength, and felt soothed by his rhythmic whisper-song.
She jerked back to life, her arms seeking him as he continued his chant and the rocking motion forward and back, like she was a tiny ship on a very big ocean. Her fingers touched the smoothness of his skin, pressing into him. Her arms slipped up and around his neck. She floated up into the direction of his voice, her lips desperate to feel the taste of his song.
“Jason!” she gasped.
Escape To Sunset: One Night Stand Romance-Hiding From The Mob (Sunset SEALs Book 4) Page 7