The corner of his mouth lifted into a sexy grin. “Honey, I can think of a far better way to get hot, sweaty, and feeling like I conquered the world. And trust me when I say, it doesn’t involve hiking anywhere.”
“You are impossible,” she muttered and turned away from him. If she didn’t, she’d throw her arms around his neck and tell him she was on board for hot and sweaty.
Fuck, she needed her head read. Hadn’t she already determined that taking a walk down memory lane with Carlos was the worst thing she could do.
With her shoulders back and her focus on getting to work on time, she started down the sidewalk. It was becoming clearer and clearer that no matter how much she wanted him to go away and leave her alone, Carlos would be trailing her every move. Didn’t he have anything better to do than to follow her to and from work? What was he planning to do, sit and guard her office? No way, that wasn’t happening.
She marched through the revolving door and nodded to the concierge and the two staff members manning the check-in desk. Her only goal was to reach her office. If the staff thought it funny that a guy was following her, they knew better than to say anything. Although she was pretty sure gossip would be flying around the hotel that a hunky man had disappeared into the executive offices with her.
Once she was standing behind her desk, she deigned to talk to him. “Right, well I’m here. Safe and sound. I don’t plan on leaving my office today. So, thank you for your escort, but your services are no longer needed.” She waved her hand in the air. “Run along now. Do whatever you SEALS do.”
Erin turned away from him and shrugged out of her coat. She hung it on the coat rack, taking way longer than necessary. She still hadn’t heard the door open or close signaling Carlos had left.
God, she needed a coffee. After their chat in the kitchen she hadn’t been able to drink it. Maybe everything wouldn’t be so annoying or stressful once she’d drunk that first cup of java. Bracing herself to see Carlos leaning sexily against the doorframe, she faced her office door, only to find it shut and Carlos nowhere to be seen.
Damn, those sneaky SEAL skills.
Carlos gazed out the window, watching the entrance to Erin’s hotel as he sipped his glass of water. He was hoping the liquid would cool his jets. They’d been firing on all cylinders since he’d walked into Erin’s bedroom. Seeing her all rumpled, with sexy bed hair, had his body standing to attention.
His phone vibrated on the table. A quick look had a smile breaking out over his face.
“Ma! How’s Florida.”
“Hot and humid, but wonderful. Dad’s on his boat, again.”
Carlos smiled at the joy in mom’s voice. He was glad his folks were happy. They’d struggled through life, dad working down on the docks, while mom looked after him and his brother. Fortune struck them two years ago when they’d won the lottery. Now they’d retired to Florida and were enjoying their new-found riches. They’d offered him some money, but he’d turned them down. He enjoyed his job, even though it was dangerous. He didn’t need their money to make him happy. His brother, on the other hand, had taken the money and the last Carlos knew, David, was living it up in Monte Carlo. If he knew his brother, David would soon be heading back to the US having blown through the money. But he would’ve had a great time.
“So what can I do for ya, Ma?”
“Nothing, I wanted to say hello. I don’t get to do that often while you’re away.”
He closed his eyes at the concern replacing her joyful tone. He hated that his job choice distressed her so much, but he couldn’t be anything other than a SEAL. The moment he started training, he knew he’d found where he belonged. “I love you, Ma.”
“I love you, too. I’m very proud of you, even though you worry me so much.”
“I’ve always worried you,” he chuckled, hoping to lighten the mood between them.
“That you do. So where are you? Are you in Virginia?”
“Nah, I’m in New York.”
“New York? Why? You never visited us when we still lived there?”
There was censure in her tone and he knew he deserved it. How could he tell his mom he hadn’t wanted to go back to see her in case he saw some of his old crew. He’d kept his work with the mob hidden from her. He had no doubt Dad suspected his oldest son was involved in some shady business. Dad never said anything to him though and Carlos supposed it was because Dad was protecting Mom as much as he was.
Plus, he hadn’t wanted to give into the temptation to look Erin up and see how she was going. Hell, he’d lasted sixteen years without seeing her. One phone call from Ash and he’d done whatever needed to be done to help his friend. What kind of son did that make him? He wouldn’t go see Mom and Dad, meaning if they wanted to see him they had to make the effort.
He really was an asshole.
“I know, Ma. I had my reasons.”
“It’s okay I understand. I do. You did what you had to do. I’m proud of you.”
He heard a buzzing sound. “What’s that?”
“Oh, that’s my cookies. I gotta go. Good chat. I love you.”
“Bye, Ma. Love you too.”
He placed his phone back on the table, memories of Mom’s chocolate chip cookies filling his mind. It had been a long time since he’d had some. He should ask her for a care package.
The door to the café opened and he looked up, his gaze connecting with a venomous one. His back straightened and he matched Bryan’s glare. He’d stared down plenty of shady characters on the job, he could handle this wanna-be mobster.
Bryan strode over to his table. Even from a distance Carlos could see the intent in his body language. The douche was spoiling for a fight.
Shit, the last thing he needed was to get into an altercation with him, but if that’s what the fucker wanted, he would give him one. Carlos didn’t need an automatic weapon in his hand to be dangerous.
If the man was here in front of him, at least that meant Erin was safe in her office. When Carlos arrived at the café he’d fired off a message to Tex to see if he could get some information on Bryan. He was still waiting to hear back. If he wanted to, he could probably find out everything about Bryan himself.
Bryan sat down opposite him. “Who the fuck are you to Erin? I don’t believe you when you say you’re her boyfriend.”
Carlos leaned back and folded his arms over his chest. “I’m a person you don’t want to mess with, sunshine.”
“You don’t scare me. And you still haven’t answered my question.”
It took everything in Carlos not to reach over the table and grab the jerk by the throat. If he didn’t want to find himself in deep shit with his team and Commander, he need to control the urge. The guy wasn’t worth it. But the jerk needed to be warned away from Erin.
“I don’t have to answer your questions. What I am to Erin is none of your damn business.” He stood and leaned over the table so he was looking down on Bryan. “Just know this. You come anywhere near her and you will live to regret it.”
Chapter Six
“Geez, Carlos, I don’t need you to follow me everywhere.” All she wanted was some space. Some time alone, which was friggin’ impossible with Carlos shadowing her every move. Well, she couldn’t deny with him accompanying her to and from work every day it had guaranteed her a seat on the subway. One look from Carlos and the person sitting would get up and offer her their seat.
That was the only advantage of him following her. The girls at the front desk all swooned when he walked in. She couldn’t blame them. The man knew how to wear a black t-shirt and faded jeans.
“I still don’t trust Bryan. He’s been too quiet.”
“And that’s a bad thing? Maybe he got picked up by the cops again?” It seemed an unlikely scenario, but she could hope.
“No. He hasn’t. He’s still lurking around.”
Erin didn’t bother to hide the roll of her eyes. “And you know this, how?”
He leaned back against her kitchen counter, one
leg crossed over the other. If someone didn’t know him they’d think he was relaxed. After living with him for the last three days, Erin knew Carlos didn’t relax. In fact, she wasn’t sure he’d even slept. He was awake when she went to bed and awake when her alarm went off.
“Trust me. I know.”
She canted her head to the side, studying him closely. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“The less you know the better.”
His casual dismissal was the last straw. “Oh no you don’t. You don’t get to stand in my kitchen and treat me like I’m an annoying bug. I’m a grown woman.”
Her words had Carlos standing up a little straighter. His gaze traveled down her body, lingering at her breasts. Her nipples hardened, pushing against the lace of her bra.
“Believe me when I say I know you’re a grown woman.”
The vibe in the room changed. Gone was the casual atmosphere. Sexual attraction sizzled and arced through the air. If she closed her eyes right now, she knew she’d be seeing his tattooed bare chest. Ever since that first morning when he’d walked into her room, she’d been wanting to see his chest again. To trace her tongue around the tattoos that hadn’t been there when they’d first dated.
Did each one have a story? Her tongue slipped out to moisten her dry lips. His groan vibrated around the room.
In two strides he was by her side. His hands slid up her arms until they framed her face. Her resolve to not get close to him melted. They’d been dancing around each other since he’d shown back up in her life. Resisting his touch was a useless endeavor. It always had been.
“Erin,” he whispered as he lowered his head toward her. Her heart rate kicked up a notch. How did he manage to get so much emotion simply by saying her name?
Rational thought left her the minute his lips touched hers. She clutched his t-shirt so she didn’t collapse in a heap at his feet.
Magical.
That was the only way she could describe being back in Carlos’s arms. She moaned against his lips and opened her mouth wider, allowing his tongue to slip in. His hands moved from her face and wrapped around her shoulders bringing her closer to him. Heat pooled between her legs and she wanted nothing more than to take this from her kitchen to her bedroom.
It had been so long since someone made her feel special. Bryan had never taken the time to kiss her like this. Like if this was all he could have, then it would be enough for him. Kissing Carlos had always been like that. Back in high school, even though he’d been rough around the edges, when he was with her he’d been nothing but a gentleman. It had been she who’d encouraged him to round the bases.
He pulled away from her, breaking their connection.
“What? Why?” The words tumbled out.
“My phone’s ringing.”
Irritation replaced the haze of desire clouding her. His phone was more important than her?
“By all means, answer the phone. Far be it from me to stop you.” Okay, so she sounded way more bitter than she should be.
“Honey, I can’t ignore my phone. It could be my Commander.”
Shame at her selfishness hit her. Over the past three days she’d put his dangerous job to the back of her mind. If she didn’t think about it then it couldn’t hurt her.
“Sorry,” she mumbled.
He nodded and strode over to where he’d left his phone. “Damn,” he muttered when the call ended as he picked it up.
“Was it your Commander?” She shoved her hands into the back pocket of her jeans in an attempt to stop herself from reaching out and touching him again.
“No.”
“Right, well I think I might—uh—I think I’ll take a shower.”
“Okay.”
Great, they were down to one syllable replies. Who the heck had called him? If it wasn’t his Commander, then wouldn’t he be relieved? Maybe he wanted to get called away from her.
No.
She squashed the thought. If he was so anxious to get away from her, he wouldn’t have kissed her senseless not two minutes ago.
Erin had almost reached her bedroom door, when he called her name. She turned to face him.
“Do you want to go out tonight?”
An invitation to go out was the last thing she expected to come out of his mouth. “Pardon? I don’t think I heard that correctly.”
His lips quirked into a sinfully sexy smile. Damn, that needed to come with a warning. “You heard me fine. Can you be done in half an hour?”
Erin was convinced her hallway had become a portal to an alternate universe, because not thirty seconds ago, Carlos was responding to her with one syllable answers. Whatever had switched in him, she was going to grab it with both hands and run with it. A night out sounded like a great idea.
“Yeah I can be.”
“Great, and bring a jacket.”
With that last instruction, he turned and disappeared into the room he’d claimed as his own while he stayed with her.
She shook her head and walked into her bedroom, the man’s mood swings were worse than a woman’s during PMS.
Erin licked her ice cream as she walked through Central Park. Carlos walked beside her licking his own cone. Who knew eating ice cream could be so sexy? The way his tongue curled around the frozen treat fired up the desire that had been simmering beneath the surface all night.
“Is spring still your favorite season?” he asked her.
Her step faltered. He remembered her favorite season. Who was this man? From chatter with her girlfriends, most guys didn’t remember what their girlfriends had worn the day before, let alone remember something from over sixteen years ago.
“Yes.”
“When you’re away as much as I am, you don’t notice the change in seasons. One minute you’re knee deep in snow in South America. The next the sun is beating down on your back in some god-forsaken desert.”
A door opened a crack, giving her an insight into the person Carlos had become, the life he’d led over the last decade and half. A life she’d not been privileged to share with him. Could she be a military wife, never knowing if her man was going to come back to her alive and whole?
She liked to think she could do it, but she hadn’t been given the opportunity to find out. Well, no, that wasn’t quite right. Even though they hadn’t said the words to each other, they both knew after graduation they would be going their separate ways.
“Is it hard?” she asked, as she grabbed his hand and pulled him toward a park bench. If they were going to have a conversation like this, they were going to do it sitting down facing each other.
“Yes. It can be the hardest, shittiest job in the world some days. Other days it’s the most rewarding job ever.”
She soaked up his words and let them simmer inside her a little longer. She’d seen the movies depicting SEAL teams. Had always wondered if they portrayed everything real teams went through. Somehow Erin knew reality was completely different to Hollywood.
“How long are you usually away for?”
He shrugged. “Depends. Some missions are short. Some are long. If it’s a long mission it’s better not to think about the amount of days going past. Each one kind of blends into the other.”
“Do you have any contact with anyone from home while you’re away?”
“Not usually. We can’t and don’t talk about missions.”
“Do you mean that your family can’t know where you are? Or if you’re in a relationship your partner has no idea as well?” That shocked the heck out of her. How on earth did the families cope with that?
“It’s not ideal, but it’s what we do. Plus the guys on my team are all single. Relationships don’t work too well when you can’t be forthcoming with what your job entails.”
“I can imagine,” she murmured. Could she do it? Could she give herself over to Carlos, knowing that when he left she’d have no idea where he was going?
Whoa. She needed to slow down this runaway horse. He’d been back in her life for three days.
Well, okay, a bit longer than that seeing as it was a couple of months ago he came around asking for information about some of the guys he’d hung out with as a teenager. He’d walked into a coffee shop in Little Italy and she’d almost dropped her drink in her lap. It had been the first time in months that she’d gone to the area she’d grown up in. And of all the days she did, Carlos walked in.
Now here they were, eating ice cream in Central Park after having hot dogs from a cart. It turned out to be a perfect night. One she wouldn’t forget. Carlos was opening up to her. Sharing parts of his life she hadn’t known about, but had spent the last sixteen years wondering about.
“Why hotel management?”
The question pulled her from her thoughts. “Pardon?”
“Why did you go into hotel management? I thought you wanted to go into accounting. Wasn’t that what you told me?”
How the heck did he remember a long ago conversation they’d shared laying on the roof of the apartment building where he’d lived, their fingers touching. She’d been so young and naïve thinking that all his talk of joining the military after graduation had been just that. Until the day he’d shown her the brochures he’d gotten at the recruiters. She’d known then that not even her telling him she loved him would keep him by her side.
“Accounting wasn’t quite where I wanted to spend the rest of my life. Hotel management gives me the chance to see the world. I found I liked interacting with people, too.”
“And have you seen the world?”
“Yep, I spent three years in France, traveled all over Europe. Best time of my life.”
They sat in silence, lost in their own thoughts, as they finished their ice cream. Night had closed in on them as they’d been strolling through the park. She should feel frightened. No way in hell would she wander around the park in the dark by herself. With Carlos by her side, she felt safe, like she’d always felt when he had been by her side. It would be nice to feel like this forever.
Special Forces: Operation Alpha: Guarding Erin (Kindle Worlds Novella) Page 5
