by Tina Saxon
The night turns busy enough I don’t have time to pay attention to my admirer. Our eyes catch a few times, but the constant orders being thrown at me keep me distracted.
“All right guys, last call,” I say, gathering up the empty bottles. Kase gazes at me over the rim of his bottle while he drains it. I don’t know why his intense stares make me fidget.
“We’ll take one more round,” Stone says.
Kase winks at me as I grab his empty bottle. “Be right back with those.” I quickly turn so he doesn’t see the flush on my face. I can’t help the smile on my face when I walk away.
“Ohh,” Tori taunts, pointing at my face. “You’re having second thoughts about that cot back there, huh?”
“You know, I have a good bed at my place,” I snicker. Her face lights up and I shake my head. “I mean, if I wanted to have a quickie.”
“You know you want to.”
“I’m not going to deny the thought hasn’t crossed my mind, but—”
She squeals. “I knew it! You guys can’t stop looking at each other.”
I want to argue that it’s him staring at me, but I can’t explain why I keep returning his glances. I fill the tray with their beers, turning to her before I lift it. “Even if I’ve had a few dirty thoughts, it won't happen. I don’t do one-night stands.”
“Ell, I’m saying this from the bottom of my heart. You need to get laid.” She shrugs as I glare at her pointedly. “And that man over there…” —she tilts her head in Kase’s direction— “would be first in line to ride the Ell sex train.”
I burst out laughing. “You are a freak.”
Picking up the tray, I walk around her, and she tugs her arm up and down in the air. “Choo Choo.”
I laugh off her incessant banter about sex. This isn’t new. She’s more of a free spirit with sex. Me, I need to trust the man first. And trust doesn’t come easy.
“So, Cowboy,” I say, putting the beer in front of him. “What brings you to Gilley Cove?” His lip curves into a lopsided smile, his dimple deepening. My heart skips a beat. That quick second that air escapes you and makes you wonder what the hell just happened. I hug the tray to hide my surprise feeling. I hadn’t planned on asking him anything, it just came out. Call it curious, or it’s my brain’s way of telling me trust has to start somewhere.
“It was time for something new. And when Max Shaw offers, you accept.”
My school project pops into my head, and how much Max has helped me with it. “That’s for sure,” I reply, absentmindedly. Kase’s smile fades and he cocks his head to the side.
“Oh?” He sits back into his chair with his arms across his chest.
“No! I didn’t mean it like that.” The guys snicker and I smack Cody on the shoulder. “Is that the only thing everyone thinks about?” I ask, flustered as I walk away.
“Yes,” they say in unison behind me.
The bar empties and Tori and I work quickly to clean up. We’ve gotten used to a few of Max’s guys sticking around until we lock up when it’s just us. We don’t mind. Usually. Between two long days of school and work, I’m beat and a little sexually frustrated tonight. The reason for that is sitting at the bar, watching me closely. He’s smart to keep quiet.
As we’re locking the doors, I’m dreaming of my cold, inviting bed; ready to sleep until noon. There could be an earthquake right now and I doubt I’d notice in my comatose state.
A hand slips around my arm, stopping me. “Ellie.” I turn and gaze into the blue eyes I haven’t been able to get away from all night. “Is everything okay?”
“Yes, why?”
He drops his hand and stuffs both in his jean pockets. “I called out your name three times, but you kept walking. You’re kinda killing my ego right now.”
I flash him an incredulous gaze. “I’m not sure that’s even possible.” The other guys are talking to Tori by the back door and I smell a setup. “What’s up, Cowboy?”
“I was wondering if you’d like to go out sometime?”
I wince, knowing this was coming. “Listen, you seem nice, but I’m really busy with my last semester of school and work, I just don’t have time.”
His perfect lips twist, and my thoughts turn dirty. What they’d feel like against my body. Tasting me. I shake the inappropriate thoughts from my mind. Holy shit, I’m getting delirious.
“You still with me?” He snaps his fingers in front of my face.
My face heats. “Sorry, I’m exhausted,” I say, trying to hide my embarrassment. “I’m certain I’ll be seeing you around.” I manage a soft smile and then walk to my car. My apartment is only three blocks away, but walking home at two in the morning is out of the question.
“Oh, it’s possible,” he calls out.
I pinch my brows together and look at him, gripping the car door so I don’t fall down. He smiles wide but holds a fist to his chest. “You’re killing me, Ellie.”
I shake my head, sliding into my car. “You’ll live, Cowboy.” He fills my rearview mirror when I pull out, watching me. He’s not going to give up.
I’m not sure if I want him to.
Chapter Nine
Kase
“It’s her,” I say, adamantly.
“At least that explains why you were acting like a tool last night. There are millions of people in the US. Everyone has a doppelganger. She didn’t recognize you when she rejected you.” Stone slaps me on the chest, amusing only himself by his dig.
I stare at the wall of monitors flashing different areas we’re running surveillance on. The feed’s out of focus because my mind is too busy replaying last night. I'm certain it’s her. I figured my subconscious was messing with me again. But when she came over to the table and spoke, her hand in mine, the scar that ran up her arm, there wasn’t a question. Her eyes no longer shine with innocence, rather determination from a woman who’s been through a tragedy. She’s even more beautiful today than when we were teenagers.
“She has amnesia, asshole.”
“You told me she saw you after the accident and I’m sure she had to have seen pictures of you after you left.”
“Do you remember someone you met once, ten years ago? And I've changed. A lot.”
It still hurts to say. She doesn’t remember me.
Those four words became my motto during trainings. It pushed me to survive hell, I swore to myself that no one would ever forget me again. I was young and stupid then, but it worked. Thinking back, it’s such an oxymoron because they train SEALs to be ghosts.
“So, ask her.”
Running my hand across my unshaven jaw, I grunt. “I can’t. I can’t have her look at me like she did years ago. She changed her name, so she must not want her old identity for a reason. If I tell her I’m from her past, she might push me away again.” I sense his eyes on me, so I glance over to him.
“Dude. She already pushed you away.”
I flip him off. “I made her fall in love with me once, I’ll do it again.”
“If it’s her. If you don’t ask her, you’re presuming it’s Everly, and that’s going to be a jacked-up situation if it’s not.”
“That’s where I need you.” I pull out a shot glass and hold it up, the light from the monitors shining through the prints.
“You didn’t?”
“I sure as hell did. Run her prints for me?”
He stares at me, rolling his tongue in his cheek. “I’ve known Ell for years. I’ve known you for five seconds. Invading her personal life is not on my to-do list today.”
The shot glass makes a ting noise as I slam it on the desk and push up from the chair, pacing the empty space in the dark room. “Come on, man, I need to find out if it’s her. I tell myself that I’m over her, but something inside me woke up the second we locked eyes. If you won’t help me, I’ll find someone else.” We had to collect DNA samples on terrorists to verify we had our target. I know people. This will happen whether he helps me or not.
He grumbles, “You’re a pa
in in the ass.” More like determined. Opening a drawer, he pulls out a latex glove and shoves his large hand inside it and picks up the glass. “Be right back.”
My heart beats against my chest. Hard. A reality only dreamt about, is slapping me in the face. I could have Everly back. I curse under my breath. Ellie. If I slip, it won't matter if I know it's her. She'll run. The chair slides forward to a stop against the table as I grip the cushion between my fingers and drop my head.
Her dad’s last words to me come back. You ever try to find her, I’ll tell her what you did. It was bad enough the way she looked at me like I was a stranger, I couldn’t let her view me as a murderer too. It's hard to forgive an unforgivable sin. I shake my head in frustration, the chair creaks, holding the weight of my body. I release a sarcastic laugh. I’ve gone from murdering my father to a trained assassin. My job was to protect my brothers, and I was great at it. I’ve never cared what people thought of me until right now.
What will she think? What will her dad do when he finds out I’m back in the picture? I push off the chair and pace again, my nerves frayed like ripped up jeans. The lights from the screens cast a glow around the room. Can I pretend she's a stranger to me? I can’t lie to her forever. She might not remember me, but her parents will. The tense pounding of my heart has moved to my stomach as it knots from her being this close but so out of reach. She has the power to destroy me again.
The door swings open, light flooding the dark space as Stone walks in. I squint my eyes for a beat until they adjust. “Done. It’s being run right now. I did a check first and Everly Cole nor Ellie Keyes is in the system, so this might be a dead end unless Ell ends up being someone else. In which case, I'll kick your ass because you’re opening a can of worms.”
I nod dismissively at him. Stone isn’t a big guy. He works out, but he’s at a computer most of his day and you can tell. “You could try,” I joke.
He settles back in his chair with an exaggerated casualness and his hands behind his head. “I learned a long time ago, I can do more damage to someone with a computer than using my fists. I’ll just take a mil from your account and be set for life.” The smug smile on his face makes mine fall.
I cringe, despising the thought of everyone regarding me as the privileged rich kid, again. “Do the guys know?”
“What Max has me find on potential employees is only between us,” he says with a serious tone. “Dude, I was just joking. I’d never take your money. I've read what you’re capable of.” He holds up his thumb and index finger, real close together. “And I’m this much afraid of you.”
I chuckle, wondering if his ego is bigger than mine. He's a confident bastard knowing what I can do and not be scared. “You should be more than that. You can hide behind your computer, but I can hide anywhere, and you’d never see me coming.”
“Never. I have cat-like senses.”
I smile and nod slowly. He just threw out a challenge. I’m going to scare the piss out of him. He’ll be begging me to stop.
“Go pack an overnight bag, we’re going to New York City.”
“Do we have a new case?” I glance at the screens.
“No. But you’re about to meet Addison and Lexi. Aiden is away for work and Max wants us to check in on them.”
I’ve gathered from the couple weeks working here that Aiden is one of Max’s best friends. I scratch my chin at the obvious question. “Why can’t you call?”
“You don’t know Addison. Shit always finds its way to her, so Max has to physically check on her or have one of us do it so he can relax.”
I mock salute and leave to go pack a bag. Seems like a waste of manpower having to go to a different state to check on someone who isn’t in trouble, but Max is the boss.
The trip is quick and uneventful. I hate these types of trips. I want to see some action, not play with a kid. Although Lexi, Addison’s seven-year-old daughter, is a hoot. I don’t want kids, but if I did, I’d want them to be like her. I look around the stylish private plane and memories flood my mind from the shit-hole planes I’m used to being on. Whenever I headed out on a mission, my blood would be pumping with adrenaline making it hard to sit still. The return ride was a different story. You hoped you were coming back with the people you left with.
“The fingerprint results show no matches." Stone's voice brings me back to the present. Dammit. I lean my head against the chair. There has to be another way. “Before you ask, their DNA isn’t in the database either.”
I jerk straight up, making Stone jump. I grin. Cat-like senses my ass. “Can you hack into Family Tree server and retrieve DNA information they have on file?”
“Nope.” My shoulders fall in defeat. He shakes his head and gives me an incredulous expression. “Dude, of course I can. Max didn’t find the best hacker in the world to not be able to hack into small fish like Family Tree,” he boasts. I look around for something to throw at him. “What makes you think her DNA is there?”
“When we were in high school, we did the DNA tests so we could view our heritage. Just for shits and grins.” Everly was excited to get her results. I only did it because she wanted me to.
“Ten years is a long time. Not sure they’ll still have it.”
“Here. Give me your computer.” I hold my hand out. I only had one password the day we met, so I'm hoping it still works.
“What are you smoking? You’re not touching my computer.” I drop my hand and stare at him as he caresses the top of his monitor. “No one touches my baby.”
“You’re fucking weird.”
He shrugs. “Go to the website yourself, and type in my info.”
After a few minutes of being lectured on the fact I need to change my password every six months, Stone successfully logs into my account. It’s funny he’s telling this to a person trained to be invisible. I erased all my social presence years ago. I forgot about this website, but we used fake names.
He spins his computer around showing me he found my results. I punch through the air knowing if mine is still there, hers is too.
“Feel like having a beer tonight?” I say, clapping my hands together.
A few hours later and a strand of Ellie’s hair in hand, I’m ready to find out if she’s Everly. I had a few scenarios in my head before getting to the bar about how I would get a DNA sample, but when she walked up to our table, a strand of loose hair was hanging from her ponytail. It was as simple as that. She didn’t even feel it.
Two days is all it took.
I can’t stop staring down at the text I received from Stone.
Stone: It’s her.
Chapter Ten
Ellie
“You should say yes,” Tori whispers in my ear from behind, startling me.
My cheeks heat from being caught peeking at Kase. I shake my head, loading my tray with empty bottles and follow her behind the bar. He's not too heartbroken from me saying no. “I’m sure he’s moved on,” I say with snark in my voice. Her lips quirk up as she finds this whole thing entertaining. My mom once told me that men do things just to get a reaction from you. If you’re able to control your action, you’ll always win. But I’m having a hard time controlling anything when I’m around him.
“He’s doing it to make you jealous. Those girls” —she motions to the guys’ table where three girls surround them— “he’s talking to them, but he’s not touching them. And he’s sneaking glances as much as you are. You’re crazy to say no to that.”
If dreams are a predictor of reality, I am crazy. He’s crept into them every night for the past week, leaving me craving more when I'm awake. I’ve been late twice this week to school because if I close my eyes for a little longer, I’ll see him again. I’m tired, sexually frustrated, and irritated he has this much control over my body and I just met the man.
“You’re right.” She stops mid-pour, holding the vodka bottle up, waiting for me to continue. “I need to let loose. It’s just shy of a year since Steve. That has to be why I’m so flustered, right?
I need sex.”
She snorts out a laugh. “Maybe you’re flustered because you like him. Although, who am I to say no to a one-night stand. Have you seen his hands? What those strong, thick fingers—”
“Okay.” I hold up my palm for her to stop talking. “First, I don’t like him. I don’t even know him. Second…” I stare up at the ceiling, not sure if I want to touch the last part. “You have Mr. Silver, so stop gawking at other men and their fingers.” She shrugs at my laughter.
“I’m not dead,” she retorts. “And you can’t miss him. He’s the quiet giant and not like most guys who have that much muscle. Most won’t shut up about themselves or what workout they did that day.”
He is definitely different. I peek over at him. Our eyes catch and he winks, a cocky smile playing on his lips. Damn it! I smile, but quickly turn my body. Tori flashes a shit-eating grin. “Shut up,” I say, walking out from behind the bar again.
Even if I could follow through with a one-night stand, how would I even go about doing it? I’m not going to go up to him and slide into his lap, whispering “I want you” in his ear. I roll my eyes at the image. Who does that? Not this girl.
I pass Tori on the floor and she says, “You’re welcome.” Despite her happiness to help, I stare at her walking away with an exaggerated hip swing, scared at what she did. I hesitate to look, but I end up peeking over at Kase's table. Everything appears normal. Five guys that stand out in the crowd with girls eating up every word that comes out of their mouth.
“Hey Ell, can I get another,” Dale, a regular, holds up his empty glass.
“You got it.”
As I'm pouring his scotch, a new song comes on the jukebox. I clamp my lips together. She did not play this. I scan the room and when I find her, she wiggles her brows, a smug expression glowing. The song, “Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy” by Big and Rich fills the room and I question how long she took to find a fitting song. I glance at the forgotten scotch. Liquid hits the brim of the glass, Dale gets a two for one this time. I sense Kase’s eyes on me, wondering if I played this song. Do I take this orchestrated chance and run with it, or pretend it was a coincidence? Taking in a deep breath, I blow it out, lift my head, standing tall and confident, and meet his gaze. He looks at me with a bemused smile. Which, I return with a soft laugh and end our gaze with a bite of my lip.
