by Susan Stoker
The place was so incredible, she didn’t know where to look first. From the kitchen—which had beautiful white cabinets, concrete countertops, and a refrigerator that was double the size of hers—to the bamboo floors, to the extremely comfortable—and expensive—looking couches and the huge TV…it was all overwhelming.
But she could also see Marshall’s touches here and there. This was no showroom. She saw a pair of boots lying on the floor near a hallway. There were a few dirty dishes in the sink and crumbs on the countertop. A bookcase against the wall had books haphazardly placed on the shelves. A half-filled glass of water sat on a table next to one of the couches. Accent pillows were tossed casually on the furniture.
Then there were the pictures. Kenna wanted to examine all of them, as they were strewn everywhere throughout the living area. He’d even enlarged and framed the picture of himself and his team that he’d shown her on the base, which hung on a wall near the television.
The place was fancy, yes. And expensive. But it looked lived in. Comfortable. Which made Kenna feel much more relaxed.
While she was looking around, Marshall had walked over to a wall to her left. He pulled the curtains back—and Kenna could only stare in disbelief at the view he’d exposed. She walked as if in a trance toward the balcony. She knew Marshall was grinning like a boy with his hand in a cookie jar, but she ignored him. He opened the door for her, and she walked outside.
There was a breeze blowing in from the ocean and it made her hair ripple as she gripped the railing. There were a few lounge chairs on the balcony, along with a table and six chairs. The space was huge, but Kenna turned her attention back to the ocean in front of her.
She felt Marshall come up behind her. He put his hands on the railing on either side of hers and leaned in close.
Kenna took a minute or so to study the view. She could see the beach where they’d spent the day, the umbrellas looking tiny from this vantage point. There were sailboats out on the water, and she could even see a large cargo ship in the distance. It was absolutely beautiful, and Kenna could suddenly understand the appeal of an ocean view. If she had a view like this at her place, she’d spend all her time on her balcony enjoying it.
“It’s amazing,” she said in awe.
“This is the main reason why I stopped fighting my parents about this place. It’s pretentious and over the top, and way too fucking expensive. But this is my favorite place to hang out with my friends, or after a hard mission. You should see it when a storm moves in. It’s like you’re in the middle of it.”
“I bet.”
“You want to see the rest of the condo?” he asked.
Kenna shook her head. “Nope. I’m staying right here. I think I’m moving in and I’ll sleep and eat and do everything out on the balcony.”
She felt more than heard him chuckle against her back. “It might be hard to waitress from here.”
“Don’t care.”
“And you haven’t seen my bedroom yet,” he added suggestively.
Kenna smiled, then turned in his arms. “True. Tell me you have a king-size bed.”
“I have a king-size bed.”
“And that the master bathroom is to die for.”
“It is,” he agreed. “Rain shower, huge claw-foot tub, double sinks, heated tiles on the floor, and the toilet is in a separate little room with a door.”
Kenna burst out laughing at that. “And that’s a plus?” she asked.
“Of course. I like my privacy when I’m doing my business,” he said with a straight face.
“Hmmm. I think maybe I would like to see your room then. But if it doesn’t compare to this balcony, I’m coming right back out here.”
“I think you’ll be pleased,” Marshall said mysteriously. “Come on.” He took her hand in his and led her back into the living area of the apartment.
Kenna let him tow her down a small hallway toward a door at the end. She caught a glimpse of a guest bathroom on her way that was bigger than her master bathroom back at her apartment.
Marshall didn’t hesitate to throw open the door at the end of the hall, gesturing for her to enter.
Kenna was about to make a joke, something about a spider and a fly, but her words stuck in her throat when she walked into the room.
The entire wall next to the bed was windows. Floor to ceiling. It was almost like being out on the balcony, but without the breeze. “Holy crap,” she whispered.
“Told you you’d like it,” Marshall said smugly.
Kenna looked up at him. “It’s incredible! But doesn’t the light bother you when you’re trying to sleep?”
In response, Marshall walked over to a panel on the wall next to the windows and pushed a button. The windows went from clear to black within seconds.
“What? How is that possible?”
Marshall shrugged. “No clue. They’ve got some sort of mechanism in the glass.” He pushed another button and the windows changed once more to a light gray, letting in some light, but still muted. He then pushed one last button, and the glass cleared again, letting in the afternoon sunlight.
“Wow,” she said after a long pause.
“You’re speechless,” Marshall joked. “I’m impressed.”
“No, I’m impressed,” Kenna told him.
“Wait until you see the bathroom.”
She followed him to another door and had to admit that it was pretty damn spectacular. Again, it was fancy as hell, but his toiletries were spread over the counter, along with a hand towel sitting next to one of the sinks, instead of hanging on the rack nearby. Another towel barely clinging to a rack on the wall made the space seem less hoity-toity.
She couldn’t help but imagine her and Marshall inside the huge shower stall. There was a small bench inside that she knew they could put to good use.
“I see your mind working,” Marshall said.
Kenna grinned. “Yup,” she said without embarrassment.
“So, you like?”
“I like,” Kenna told him. “And if I had the money, I’d totally want to live here.”
Marshall nodded, then grabbed her hand and started pulling her out of the room.
“Where’s the fire?” Kenna asked on a laugh.
“Just think it’s a good idea we get out of my bedroom,” Marshall said.
Kenna laughed harder. Being with him was…easy. Fun. She genuinely enjoyed the man’s company. “So, what are we going to do to pass the time until dinner?” she asked. She wasn’t trying to make an innuendo, but when Marshall turned and raised a brow at her, she laughed again. “I mean, other than the obvious.”
“You want a tour of the property?” he asked tentatively.
“Yes.” Kenna wanted to know everything about this man. And that included seeing where he lived.
An hour and a half later, after seeing the pools, the workout room, the sauna, the spa, the restaurant, the lounges, and being introduced to just about every single person they passed, they were back up in his condo, sitting on the balcony. She was in a lounge chair, with Marshall in another. They were close enough that Kenna could reach out and touch him. It felt intimate and cozy. And she still couldn’t get over how perfect his view was.
Kenna was nursing a glass of wine while Marshall had a glass of tea.
“I’m impressed that you know so many people here,” she said.
Marshall shrugged. “I don’t know-know them,” he said. “I don’t know anything about their lives or their work, but we’re all friendly when we see each other.”
“I really was rude when I said that rich people stayed inside their apartments and didn’t talk to each other,” Kenna blurted, feeling the need to apologize again, having met a few of the residents.
“No, you’re right. I’d guess you know everything there is to know about your own neighbors. The relationships are more superficial here. But if someone needed something, I’d happily help them out.”
“I know you would,” Kenna told him, reaching for his han
d. He took it without hesitation and squeezed reassuringly.
They talked about nothing important for a while, but then the conversation turned to Carly and her ex. Marshall wanted to know how she was really doing.
“I think she’s okay. She struggles with feeling safe still, I think. She’s hardly going anywhere, basically to work and back.”
“But she hasn’t seen Shawn since he came to the restaurant?” Marshall asked.
“Not that I know of, but she could be keeping it to herself if she has,” Kenna said honestly. “I just don’t understand men like him.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, if you made it clear that we were over, that you didn’t want to see me anymore, I wouldn’t get all weird and psycho and insist that you weren’t allowed to break up with me. And I know that some women get that way too, but from what the statistics show, I don’t think it’s as prevalent as guys. Can you explain it to me?”
“No.”
Marshall’s answer was short and to the point.
Kenna sighed. “I also don’t understand why some men get off on scaring and raping women. I mean, I get that it’s a power thing, but where does that come from? Why do they think it’s okay to violate someone like that? Why does it give them pleasure? And I’m not talking about the serial killers who most likely have messed-up brains. I’m talking about the men who have friends, and secure jobs, and good families…the ones who you’d never guess could act that way. Who seem to harass and overpower women just because they can. I don’t get it.”
Marshall’s thumb brushed back and forth over the back of her hand, making Kenna feel calmer. “I don’t know,” he said. “I can’t imagine what goes through someone’s head when they decide to do something like that. And I’m like you, if a woman says she wants to break up, I might not be happy about it, but I’d respect it. Why would I want to be with someone who doesn’t want to be with me?”
“Exactly!” Kenna exclaimed. “The whole, ‘if I can’t have you, no one can,’ makes no sense to me. People aren’t possessions. And the angst and hatred that would have to be present in that relationship would be unbearable. I have such a hard time understanding why Shawn is acting the way he is toward Carly. Why isn’t he moving on? Finding a woman who does want to be with him?”
“I wish I had an answer for you. All I can do is reassure you that there are more of us in the world who respect women and would never act like that asshat.”
“I know,” Kenna said with a sigh. “I just hate that Carly is dealing with it. I just want him to go. To move on.”
“Me too,” Marshall said.
They were quiet for a long while, each lost in their own thoughts. It was one more reason Kenna liked being around Marshall. They didn’t have to talk constantly. They could simply exist in the same place at the same time.
“Want to go to the store with me?” Marshall said after a while.
Kenna looked over at him. “For what?”
“Stuff to make dinner.”
She laughed. “You planned to make me dinner and you don’t have the ingredients?” she asked.
Marshall shrugged. “I had planned on shopping this morning before picking you up, but those plans changed last night when I asked if I could barge in at dawn, wanting to make sure you were all right.”
She loved that. “Sure.”
“Great. Let’s go.”
Kenna chuckled. “You don’t just sit and enjoy the world going by very often, do you?”
“No. Now get up, lazy bones. I’m trying to prevent you from actually making a nest in the corner of my balcony and not ever leaving.”
Kenna laughed and let Marshall help her up.
“What are you making me?” she asked as they headed back inside and toward the front door.
“Well, I told you that I grill a mean steak, but I was thinking about going in a different direction, if it’s okay.”
“Depends on what you want to change it to,” Kenna told him honestly.
“You like seafood, right?” he asked.
“Of course. We had sushi, remember.”
“I remember, but sushi is different from seafood in general. Anyway, I thought maybe about doing sriracha-glazed seared scallops. With a side of roasted garlic broccoli, meatless taco cups, and a skillet brownie sundae for dessert.”
Kenna knew her mouth was hanging open, but she couldn’t help it. “Seriously?”
“Yup.”
“I was expecting hamburgers or spaghetti or something.”
“I wanted to spoil you for our first dinner date,” Marshall said simply.
“Well, consider me spoiled, even though we haven’t been shopping yet,” Kenna told him. “I do have one question.”
“Shoot.”
“What’s a taco cup?”
Marshall grinned. “You take those little nacho chips that are in the shape of a bowl, and fill it with pico, sour cream, cheese, black beans, and a jalapeno slice if you want. Then you shove the entire thing in your mouth and enjoy.”
Kenna could picture Marshall doing just that. “Sounds delicious.”
“It is. Come on, I’m getting hungry just thinking about it. The only problem is that the dinner I have planned takes some prep work.”
“I’d love to cook with you,” Kenna told him.
At the door, Marshall leaned down and kissed her. It was a swift kiss, a mere brushing of their lips together.
Kenna pouted. “That’s all I get?”
“For now, yes. If I take your mouth the way I want, we’ll end up in my bed, and I won’t let you up for hours. And if I do that, I can’t feed you. So shopping, then cooking, then eating. Then I’ll take you long and hard and every way you can imagine.”
Kenna grinned. “Can we leave the windows clear?” she asked.
Marshall shook his head and opened the door. “I think I’m insulted that the windows are what you’re thinking about.”
“Oh, I’m thinking about you, have no doubt. I can’t wait to see what you’ve been keeping to yourself in your pants,” she told him.
“You want my cock, Kenna?” he growled.
“Yes,” she answered simply.
“Then you’ll get it. Later.”
She mock pouted, and Marshall laughed. She would never get sick of hearing that sound.
He closed the door behind them and once more took her hand in his. Smiling, Kenna had a feeling she could get used to being with this man on a much more substantial basis. Doing everyday things like shopping and cooking…and ending each night in his arms.
Chapter Fourteen
Dinner was amazing. Aleck couldn’t remember a time when he’d been as content as he was now. Kenna had helped him cook, and they’d both had a hard time keeping their hands off each other in the process.
He’d purposely brush up against her ass, and she’d retaliate by “accidentally” touching his cock as she passed him in the large kitchen. She was carefree, fun, sexy…and instead of his mind turning to some of the horrifying things he’d done and seen as a SEAL, as it often did in the evenings when he was alone, he was fixed in the here and now with Kenna.
He hadn’t planned on adding Kenna to his approved visitor list so soon, but while introducing her to Robert, it just seemed like the right thing to do. Some people would think he was crazy to give a woman he’d just met access to his condo, but he trusted her instinctually. He had no doubt Kenna would never betray him. They had clicked in a way he’d never experienced before, on a level that surpassed even his best relationships.
He had no idea what the future held for them, but for now, he could admit that he was head over heels for this woman and wanted to be around her as much as possible. Spending the day with her had been wonderful so far. And watching her haggle over the price of a trinket at the swap meet was enlightening. She was stubborn and liked to win.
He was too—no wonder they got along so well—though he didn’t like to haggle over prices. Maybe it was because he didn’t h
ave to worry about money, but he’d almost rather pay too much for something than try to save a buck or two. And paying extra helped the vendor as well.
Kenna had said she wanted to eat out on his balcony, which wasn’t a surprise. They’d just finished their meal and were watching the sun slowly set, enjoying the evening breeze, when Aleck heard his phone ring from the other room.
“Shit,” he muttered.
“What? How do you know who’s calling?” Kenna asked.
“I don’t. But I’m not expecting anyone to call.”
“That doesn’t mean it’s something bad,” she reasoned as Aleck got up and headed inside to get his phone.
But Aleck suspected otherwise. His teammates all knew he was spending the day with Kenna, so they wouldn’t interrupt him. It could be either one of his parents, but he didn’t think so. He had a bad feeling the call was about work.
Gritting his teeth, he answered. “Hello?”
“This is Commander Huttner. You’re being called in for a mission.”
Generally, Aleck liked his commander. Dylan Huttner was fair and genuinely cared for the SEALs he managed. But his timing was complete shit. “Can you give me any details?” Aleck asked.
“Just that the situation we’ve been looking at for the last two weeks has gone to shit and we need to move, and move fast,” Huttner said.
Which meant Aleck and his team were headed to Iran. Fuck. “Understood. What time do I need to report?” he asked.
“Immediately.”
Aleck was too well trained to react in surprise, but if they were being called in without any prior warning, the situation had to be extremely urgent. “Yes, sir.”
“See you soon. You’ll get details when you get here.”
Huttner hung up without another word and Aleck put his phone down. Damn. His and Kenna’s plans for the night had just changed…for the worse. And he had to figure out how to not only let her down, but tell her he was headed out on a mission for which he couldn’t give her any details.
“Everything okay?” she asked tentatively from the doorway to his balcony.
