“I don’t like it,” Colton muttered, stabbing at his omelet.
“What’s there to like?” she asked with a bitter laugh. “It doesn’t concern you anyhow, so no need to worry. This is rather deep for a one-night-stand anyway.”
His eyes met hers. “I’m worried about you.”
“There’s no need for you to worry. You’ll go on with your life, and I’ll go on with mine. Besides, a woman like me can take of herself.”
She took another sip of her coffee, suddenly losing her appetite. It was foolish, perhaps. To want another life. Her father never let her want for anything—and that was possibly the entire problem. She had a social life and large allowance for her shopping sprees, for the travel he agreed to. She had men to guard her every movement. To chauffeur her around.
But freedom?
A choice as to how to live her own life?
She was a prisoner.
Chapter 4
Colton muttered under his breath as he ducked into Anchors a week later, dodging two young sailors who’d already had a few too many. He stepped out of their way as they stumbled along, pausing at the front of the popular bar along the Virginia Beach strand where many of his military buddies hung out. Since it wasn’t too far from Little Creek, it was always filled with plenty of sailors, SEALs, and single women, and tonight didn’t disappoint.
A group of giggling women whispered and gawked at him as they walked out the front door, their skimpy tank tops covering their string bikinis, and Colton resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
There was something to be said about the thrill of the chase.
Block after block of bikini-clad women lounging at the beach and walking down the boardwalk, visiting the numerous restaurants and bars dotting Virginia Beach, wasn’t exactly a challenge. And drunk women falling all over him didn’t exactly have quite the same appeal as getting the attention of a gorgeous yet confident and elusive woman.
A woman who knew she was a prize to be caught. Savored. Treasured.
Like Camila.
Legs for days, lush brown locks he didn’t want to stop running his hands through, and curves dangerous enough to give a man a heart attack.
Memories of their night together would fucking haunt him for the rest of his life. It must’ve been the temptation of what he couldn’t have. Because he’d spent plenty of nights with a woman in his bed over the years and never wanted to chase her down a week later.
There’d been lots of spectacular sex that he’d told his buddies about the next day.
But with her?
“Yo! C-4!” his buddy Mason hollered from the back of Anchors.
Colton’s gaze swept to the table several of the men on his SEAL team occupied. Sitting alongside Mason were Noah “Viper” Miller, his aviators perched atop his head, and Jacob “Joker” Olson. Mason, one of the younger guys on the team, was laughing as he took their longnecks from the tray that the pretty waitress was carrying. Jacob was howling with laughter beside him, his date for the evening looking less than amused.
Noah nodded as he spotted Colton heading their way but stood and followed a group of women walking to a nearby table. Colton’s gaze trailed after them as he watched Noah wrap his arms around two of the women.
He shook his head as he approached his buddies.
Some things never changed.
“What’s so damn funny?” Colton asked the rest of the group, pulling up a chair as their laughter began to die down.
“Not much,” Jacob’s girl said, pouting, as the other men continued to flirt with their waitress.
“Baby, don’t be like that,” Jacob said, putting his arm around her shoulders. She relaxed into him, clearly enjoying the attention, and Colton watched as Jacob’s fingers grazed over her bare shoulder. Instantly his mind flashed back to a week ago Miami—
Undressing Camila in his hotel room. Sliding the straps of that sexy little sundress—romper—whatever the hell she called it—off of her smooth, creamy shoulders.
Kissing every inch of her skin. Parting her thighs as he ducked lower, inhaling her intoxicating scent as he went down on her.
Camila’s red lips wrapped around his dick as she sucked him off later that night.
Fuck.
One week later, and he still couldn’t get the gorgeous, exotic woman out of his mind. He wasn’t normally the type of man to pine after a woman or want more than one night with her in his bed, but holy hell. What a woman she was.
It was all he could do to let her get on her flight to Colombia the next morning and not drag her back to the hotel room for a few more rounds between the sheets.
And in the shower.
Up against the dresser.
On the floor.
He’d bugged her belongings when she’d been sleeping—placing the GPS trackers he’d acquired on her fancy suitcase, tote bag, even putting a microscopic one on her lipstick. If it had been a planned op, they’d have better quality surveillance available to them.
As it was?
They’d been able to follow her every movement.
Giving them an excellent idea where her father and possibly other cartel members were.
It figured that the woman he’d become nearly infatuated with was literally the enemy. A woman he could enjoy one steamy, unforgettable night with but never see again.
“Can I get you a beer, too, Colt?” the waitress asked, holding the now-empty tray in one hand. Since the guys were regulars here, she knew them all by name. She blushed prettily as Mason said something else, and Colton raised his eyebrows in amusement.
“Don’t worry about it,” she said. “I managed.”
“Hell sweetheart,” Mason said. “If that happens again, you give me a call.”
“What’d I miss?” Colton asked. “Something bad happened?”
“Taylor had car trouble, and some asshole ripped her off,” Mason said. “Charged her $400 just for a tow.”
Colton grimaced and let out a low whistle. He also didn’t miss the fact that Mason was now on a first-name basis with her.
“Well, it’s over and done with now,” Taylor said lightly. “I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself. So what about that beer?”
“Sure thing,” Colton said, his eyes darting between her and Mason. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, and he didn’t miss the way Mason couldn’t keep the grin off his face as he watched her.
“Coming right up,” Taylor said before turning and walking away. The guys watched her walk off before Jacob elbowed Mason in the ribs.
“You got a thing for her?” Jacob asked. “What makes you think she’d want your sorry ass?”
Mason clutched his hand to his heart, pretending to be wounded. “Ouch. Are you sure you want to hang out with this guy?” he asked Jacob’s date. “There’s lots of other available men around here,” he joked.
“You’re right. Maybe I should’ve picked another Navy SEAL from the Delta team,” she teased. “Where’s Ryker anyway?”
The other men at the table guffawed. Although all of the guys on their SEAL team enjoyed the company of a beautiful woman, Ryker “Bull’s Eye” Fletcher was probably the biggest ladies’ man of them all. He’d never been turned down by a woman he wanted to take home, thus the “Bull’s Eye” moniker the other guys had given him.
If Ryker wanted a woman, he always hit his target.
And he wasn’t even here at Anchors tonight.
“Hell. He’s probably balls deep in a woman now,” Jacob said with a grin. “You’re gonna have to pick someone else or just settle for me.”
Colton smirked as the woman at Jacob’s side blushed, shushing him.
There seemed to always be a woman or two hanging out with their group when they went out for drinks. But although each of the guys enjoyed the company of a beautiful woman willing to go home with him at the end of the night, most were content to play the field. The women’s faces changed, but their team nights at Anchors stayed the same.
And the guys on
their team wouldn’t have it any other way.
Aside from Ryker, the only other man missing tonight was Hunter. And he was probably off playing house with his new girlfriend—or getting laid.
Amazing how the thought of a woman in your bed every night was enough to make a guy give up his regular nights out. Hunter still came out with them some of the time, but damn.
That guy was pussy whipped. And loving every minute of it.
Noah sauntered back over a few minutes later, dragging an empty chair to the table and taking a seat.
“What happened to the women you were with?” Colton asked, raising his eyebrows. “They get tired of you already?”
“We’re heading out in thirty,” Noah said with a smirk, his piercing green eyes looking amused. “They needed some girl time to make plans. The hell if I know.”
“And what makes you think we want you back here after ditching us for those babes?” Mason ribbed him.
“Don’t worry, I talked you up to them, too,” Noah said with grin.
“Hell yeah,” Mason said, taking a pull of his beer as he gazed over at the group of women.
Noah smirked. “I figured you could use the help. After I pick the woman I want, I’ll let you choose from the leftovers.”
The rest of the table broke out in whoops and hollers.
Their waitress appeared just then, carrying a tray of wings and sliders. Colton nabbed his beer from the full tray, and she shot him a grateful look. “Thanks, sweetheart,” Mason said with a wink. Colton didn’t miss the slight hint of pink once again spreading over her cheeks.
“Just let me know if you boys need anything else.”
“Just your phone number,” Jacob said with a grin. “For Mason here, of course. I’ve already got a beautiful date tonight.”
Taylor turned ten shades of red as Mason shot Jacob a look that could kill. “He’s just teasing you, sweetheart. Not that I wouldn’t love to take you out sometime.”
“I don’t date customers,” she murmured hastily before turning and leaving.
Colton raised his eyebrows.
She was in such a rush to leave, she hadn’t even asked if they needed anything else.
“Blown off,” Mason said with a chuckle. “Maybe I can sweet talk her into a date another night.”
“All right, we’re heading out,” Jacob said, taking a final pull of his beer before pushing his chair back and standing up with his date. He snaked his arm around her waist, pulling her close. “We’ve got some quality time to spend together, right baby?”
The rest of the team said their goodbyes, and then Colton was left alone with Mason and Noah.
“Think we’ll get called up this weekend?” Mason asked.
“Tough to say,” Colton said. “The CO seemed to think the deployment is imminent. Just waiting on word from the Pentagon.”
During their briefing that morning, Delta’s CO had updated them on the pending op. The team was planning to move in and snatch an infamous drug lord in Bogota after the intel was final. And not just the head of any cartel— Miguel Rodriguez.
Camila’s father.
Ironic that she’d been reluctant to give him her last name when he’d known who she was all along. She’d been his target from the moment he stepped foot in Miami International Airport.
The fact that he’d ended up taking her to bed was just a bonus. He’d had plenty of one-night-stands during his career in the Navy. Women he’d meet at a bar, take home for the night, and then never see again. He’d never been with a woman that he’d set out intentionally to find though. One that he’d needed something from.
Getting her into bed had been damn near too easy. Unnecessary, too, since he’d bugged her suitcase right in the lobby of the hotel. He could’ve been on his way, never to see her again. Going through her belongings after making love to her had gotten additional information for the Pentagon though.
And the fact that she’d turned out to be a sex kitten?
That he now couldn’t get her out of his mind?
Colton took a long pull of his beer.
He’d didn’t feel an ounce of regret at sleeping with her. But the fact that he wouldn’t see her again? Something about that left him uneasy.
“Hell. Is Alpha coming with us?” Noah asked. The Alpha and Delta SEAL teams were both based out of Little Creek and had worked together recently rescuing an American woman being held hostage in the Middle East. The op had gone FUBAR though, with the Alpha team leader Patrick “Ice” Foster getting injured and medevac’d to Landstuhl.
The woman had been successfully rescued though, and everyone eventually made it back to the States in one piece.
“I don’t know if Alpha is coming on this one,” Colton said. “They were originally supposed to be lead, but it sounds like they’re needed elsewhere. Ice should be back.”
“I thought he was back on active duty a while ago,” Mason said.
“He went on his damned honeymoon,” Noah guffawed. “Hell, you’ll never see me falling into that trap.”
“Trap?” Colton asked, chuckling. “I’ll admit I don’t particularly want to get married at the moment, but I’m not sure if ‘trap’ is the word I’d use.”
“Not if you want to get laid again,” Mason said with a smirk. “Better to act like you’re not completely opposed to marriage. Not that I’m in a rush to ever settle down. There’s too many single and available women out there.”
“Amen to that,” Noah said, tipping his beer toward them before downing a couple of sliders.
Colton took a pull of his beer, unease settling in his gut as Mason and Noah continued to talk about the pending mission. It was likely the Delta team would be deployed to South America within the next week. Possibly even straight to Colombia if Camila’s dad was still there.
Hell.
He didn’t like the idea of running a mission where she could potentially be in harm’s way. Yes, she was the daughter of a notorious drug lord, but she didn’t seem privy to any of the operations from what he could garner. He’d gone through all of her belongings and cell phone when she’d been sound asleep.
After he’d made her come so many times throughout the night that he could’ve taken all her things and left if he’d wanted.
That’s how sated and exhausted she’d been.
Not even so much as her father’s name appeared anywhere. Not a hint that she knew anything about his drug running and sex trafficking ring. Colton had been able to copy her contact list and emails for the Department of Defense to examine, but damn.
The woman seemed clean.
And he had a gut instinct that she wasn’t involved.
Noah stood a few minutes later, heading off with two of the women he’d met. Mason chuckled as they walked away. “Viper’s thinking with his dick again.”
Colton eyed the three of them moving toward the door. “No surprise there,” he said, taking another pull of his beer.
“You planning on taking anyone home tonight?” Mason asked.
“Nah. Not in the mood for a clingy one-night-stand.”
Camila’s image flashed through his mind.
She’d flown back to Colombia with no idea who he was or that he was coming down there. She had no clue that he’d known exactly who she was from the moment they met. You couldn’t make this shit up if you wanted to.
Chapter 5
Camila ducked into the café on the corner of the crowded street in Bogota, her vibrant sundress swishing around her as she wove her way between tables to get to her friend in the back. The top of the dress hugged her breasts, and a few men glanced up from their own table, eyeing her appreciatively.
“You made it,” her friend Rosa said, tossing her blonde streaked hair over her shoulder. “I was beginning to think you wouldn’t be able to come.”
Camila dropped her shopping bags onto the tile floor, clutching her designer purse as she sat down in one of the chairs and crossed her legs. Expensive sandals showed off her new pedicure, and th
e men seated a few tables away glanced at her again, eyeing her toned legs.
“Barely,” Camila said. “My meeting ran longer than I expected.”
“Meeting?” Rosa asked with a laugh. “Looks like shopping.” She took a sip of her coffee, blowing on it as steam rose from the top.
“A little of this, a little of that,” Camila said. “And then I had to wait until someone could escort me here,” she said, tilting her head toward the windows at the front of the café. Her eyes settled on two of her father’s men, standing outside. Tattoos wound their way up their muscled arms, and it was no secret they were carrying firepower. Each stood there threateningly, scanning the busy street as if it were the most natural thing in the world to hover outside of a café armed to the teeth.
Rosa raised her eyebrows. “You need two bodyguards now?”
Camila shrugged. “According to my father, yes. According to me, no. I’ll try to see if I can lose them later. Nothing like trying to browse around and shop with two brutes on my tail.”
Rosa laughed. “I’m sure they didn’t mind admiring your backside.”
Camila threw her arms in the air, rapidly muttering in Spanish. “My father pays them to watch out for trouble—not to be ogling me.”
“I’m just saying,” Rosa, said, taking another sip of her coffee. “They were watching you quite intently when you walked inside here a few minutes ago.”
Camila resisted the urge to shudder. “Men always want what they cannot have, no? My father is more concerned about his rivals than them. Those two have been with him for years.”
Rosa eyed her knowingly. “Be careful, Camila. With all the threats going on lately....” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “You know those other cartels want your father gone. Even men within the Rodriguez cartel itself want to take him out. He’s been in power far too long for other men to not crave what he has.”
Seduced by a SEAL (Alpha SEALs Book 10) Page 4
