by Anna Lowe
The door to the bathroom popped open, and she came out in the cloud of steam.
“Good morning,” she whispered, lighting up upon seeing him.
Even better, she practically glowed throughout the five steps to the couch and bent over him with a kiss. She had one towel wrapped around her hair and another around her body, though the latter drooped the second she sat next to him. And that kiss… Soft. Practiced. Full of unspoken words.
“Good morning.” He inhaled her fresh, shampoo scent and ran a hand over her bare shoulder.
Wow, were her eyes shiny. And man, her cheeks as well. Radiant, you might even say. He was pretty sure he was wearing a goofy grin and glowing too.
“I guess we’d better get going,” she said, looking like she’d rather join him there on the couch. “Big day ahead.”
“Big day,” he echoed, still so blown away that words felt clunky on his tongue.
Ella’s sunny expression sobered a moment later, and she took him by both hands. “Listen, Jake. I need to tell you something.”
He sat up, nodding. It sounded kind of ominous, but then again, she hadn’t said We need to talk which could be code for It was a great night, but this will never work.
She took a deep breath but pursed her lips, not quite ready to let the cat out of the bag. He rubbed his fingers over her arm, waiting.
“You know what I said last night?” she asked at last.
His mind raced from I’m dangerous for you to I want this more than you know and on to Oh, Jake…more… There was also the dreaded, What if we keep it just to one night? So, which did she mean?
“Uh, the part about no handcuffs, no blindfolds, no tying you up?” he joked.
She broke into a smile and swatted his arm. “Not that part, McBride.”
“Kind of figured,” he murmured, holding his breath as she grew serious again.
“The part about how I can’t have you.”
He nodded ever so slightly, trying to pull together a convincing speech in his mind. Something like, I don’t buy that. You know all those times you get a feeling you can’t really explain, but you know you’d better listen to it, or else? That’s this. That’s us. We should be together. We have to be together.
So few people had the blazing chemistry he and Ella did — at least, no one he’d ever met — and he thought of all the men he’d seen die early, before they could get around to the really important things. Before they could answer their sweetheart’s letters or get around to saying what needed to be said. And even worse, the dying last words spoken to a comrade rather than a lover. Tell her I love her. Tell her…
He swallowed hard and moved his lips, hoping to get that out. There was a time to give a woman her space and a time to talk straight up. To fight for what he believed in.
But Ella beat him to it by pulling him into a huge hug and burying her face in his shoulder. “I want to tell you, but I don’t know how.”
He squeezed her close then slowly pulled back to look into her eyes. “So let me tell you. We fought for so many things, you and me. We can fight for us too.”
Her eyes shone, hopeful yet sad. “What if it kills you, Jake? What if…”
That wasn’t exactly what he’d been expecting. “A lot of things might have killed me. But they didn’t, so I have to make my chance count.” He took a deep breath, because it was time to tell her the one thing he’d never shared with anyone. “A year ago in March, about a month after I saw you—”
It had actually been thirty-two days and five hours after he’d seen her for the last time, but he left that part out.
“—we were heading out to protect a convoy way out somewhere near Kamdesh. Our Humvee was supposed to be second in line. Second, okay? But there was a delay with another unit, and we got switched to the front. No big deal, right?”
Ella’s eyes took on an oh, shit look as he went on.
“The other guys caught up and took our original spot, and an hour later…” He stopped to scrub the heel of his hand over his thigh. “We hit an ambush. Well, our vehicle missed the mines. But that second vehicle hit them and got blasted to bits. The one that was supposed to be us.”
His nose wrinkled, and he winced at the echo of that blast. For a while, he had just felt hollow, but then Manny had initiated that talk. That We need to make our second chance count talk.
Ella gripped his hand but didn’t say a word.
“We had a long, hard look at ourselves after that. Each of us tried to figure out what really counted. And we promised each other that we’d make our second chance count when we left the service. So Manny made a dream come true by setting up an auto body shop. Junger took off to climb a couple of mountains…”
Ella chuckled faintly. Fondly. Junger had been one of those larger-than-life guys everybody liked. Jake wondered if Ella knew he was dead — and if Hoover’s crazy theory was right.
Someone is taking us out, one by one.
He shook off the edgy feeling and went on. “Chalsmith vowed to patch things up with his ex and petition for more time with his kids. Hoover wanted to report for his local newspaper…” He left out the and became a paranoid maniac part. “…and I decided to travel to all fifty states.”
She smiled. “Starting with Hawaii?”
He shook his head. “No. Yes. I mean…” His mouth was dry as hell, so the rest came out gritty, but at least he got it out. “That’s what I said. But what I really wanted was to come after you.” Then he stammered because, shit, that didn’t sound right at all. “I mean, to find you. I mean…”
Crap. He would have done better banging his head against a wall a few times.
Ella’s mouth swung open. “You wanted to find me?”
“I wanted to, but I didn’t want to either. Well, I didn’t want to admit as much. I guess I was worried you might prefer the guy you met back then.”
She shook her head immediately and kissed his knuckles. “You’re the same guy. Well, no. Not exactly. But I think I like this guy even more.”
His heart thumped so hard, it hurt.
Her eyes shone. Almost glowed, in fact. “That’s why I don’t want to hurt you, Jake.”
“So, talk to me. Tell me what’s wrong. Let’s figure something out.”
Her eyes flickered. “It’s hard to explain. Hard to understand too. A little scary, even.”
What the hell could it possibly be? Jake squeezed her hands. “The only thing that scares me is regret.”
Ella’s throat bobbed in a heavy swallow. Then she took a deep breath and spoke. “It’s like this. It’s who we are. You’re a man, and I’m— Damn it.” She broke off as the phone rang. Her phone, not the hotel phone, and the only people who called her private line were the men of her unit.
Jake eased back, forcing himself to give Ella space when what he really wanted was to throw the phone out the window, lock the door, and keep her to himself for the rest of the day until they finally got everything out in the open. Better yet, the rest of the week. Possibly even for the rest of his life.
“Yes?” She listened then sat straighter. “Got it. Start our patrols at eight.” Another second ticked by as Ella listened, then she nodded. “Roger.”
It wasn’t a long call, but while she was talking, the outside world crept back into their private world. Jake could feel it practically slithering under the door like a dark mist. His eyes strayed to the clock, just as Ella’s did. Twenty to eight.
The brightness went out of her eyes as she punched the phone off. “That was Kai. He wants us to start earlier today.”
Jake forced himself not to frown. Changing plans was a way of life in the military. But Kai’s timing could not have been worse.
“I guess we have to get going,” he sighed, wishing he could carve another five minutes out of the time they’d had right before that call.
Ella opened her mouth, closed it, and finally nodded. “I guess so.” Her hand tightened around his. “But we will talk. Once we get this reception out of the
way and everything settles down. I promise I’ll explain.”
Then she leaned in for a kiss. A long, lingering, wistful one that gave him all the promise he needed.
She rose slowly, faking a light tone. “I already beat you to the first shower.”
Jake forced himself out of bed. Back to work, soldier. No more messing around. “I guess I’m next, then.”
And just like that, they both slipped back into work mode. Which meant showering military style – quickly, efficiently — and getting dressed. Ella in a blue dress that complemented the color of her eyes, him in slacks and a polo shirt so he wouldn’t look out of place. Being undercover, they wouldn’t be attending the reception, just keeping an eye on the grounds. Silas had extra security coming in for the reception, but Jake and Ella were the ones who’d developed a sense of what fit in and what didn’t.
Within fifteen minutes, they were both ready to go. When they stepped out of the room, their hands automatically clasped as they’d done all week. But it was different in a hundred invisible ways. His pulse skipped in hope, and his body tingled all over, remembering everything they’d done. Her hand fit perfectly in his, and her grip was the kind that said Mine.
Jake hid a smile and squeezed her hand the same way. Mine.
Silas and Cassandra’s reception was scheduled to take place in the ballroom of the resort, and though it wasn’t for another few hours, things were already bustling when Jake and Ella reached the ground floor. The caterers were unloading, staff was setting up tables, and florists scurrying around, setting up bouquets.
“Wow. Looks like a hell of a reception,” Ella said loudly.
Jake kissed her hand. “Nothing beats ours.”
She glowed — literally — and Jake smiled. Technically, he and she were married. They may not have had a reception, but somehow, it seemed like they had. Like they’d had their ceremony under the banyan tree the previous evening, and the reception had taken place on their balcony under all the twinkling stars.
After breakfast — him facing one way, keeping an eye on the lobby doors, and Ella facing the other, watching the caterers come and go — they set out for a stroll, keeping up appearances as the happy couple they were. Then Ella held up her camera and a book on Hawaiian flowers and spoke loud enough for any passerby to hear. “I think I’d like to try out some new camera settings. Okay with you, honey?”
Taking pictures was code for walking the perimeter. Jake would do the same from a different angle. So they went their separate ways, each covering a different part of the resort grounds. Afterward, Ella staked out the action from a lounge chair at poolside while Jake headed to the golf center to pick up some gear. There was a putting green outside the windows of the ballroom — the perfect place for him to keep an eye on things. He couldn’t golf for his life, but he didn’t mind the heft of the golf club in his hand. A weapon, if he needed it to be. But there wasn’t any unusual activity, just business as usual, or at least to the extent that a major social event allowed.
“Ready for a drink, honey?” he said, meeting Ella at eleven.
“A drink sounds great. At the teahouse?”
The teahouse overlooked the polo grounds, and they’d already staked it out as a prime observation spot. Jake sat at an angle that allowed him a good, long look at any vehicle coming down the resort drive, while Ella kept her eye on the beach side, their weakest flank. Eventually, they took another walk, checking the perimeter yet again. When they returned from that loop of the grounds, hand in hand, Kai came ambling the other way. They didn’t greet each other openly, but Jake subtly steered Ella to a bench where he paused to tie his shoelace. Kai pretended to stop for a phone call, acting exactly as if he were talking to someone on the other end of the line instead of murmuring to them.
“All clear?”
Ella nodded ever so slightly without turning to look. “All clear. Did you find anything on Goode?”
Kai’s features grew hard. “No, but we’re on it. Believe me, we’re on it.”
Jake sure hoped so. Few men made him as uneasy as Goode had done.
“Everything quiet last night?” Kai murmured.
Jake kept his eyes firmly on the shoelace. Quiet may not have been the best word, but he wasn’t going to give anything away.
“Yep,” Ella murmured, keeping a perfectly straight face.
Jake straightened and gave Kai a tiny nod of parting. But just as they were moving past each other, Kai’s nostrils flared, and his head snapped around.
Oh, shit. Jake felt his heart sink as Kai stared in surprise.
“Don’t you two look positively radiant this morning. Taking the cover story pretty seriously, huh?” Kai teased.
Jake had never come that close to socking a man he respected. Ella, to her credit, didn’t blush or roll her eyes. She just smiled sweetly, still playing her role – though her right fist clenched hard. Kai must have seen it because he laughed and stepped away.
“As Georgia Mae would say, Well, well. Enjoy the rest of your honeymoon, kids. Just make sure you keep an eye out for bad guys.”
Chapter Thirteen
Jake took Ella’s elbow and walked away, his stomach churning. Ella had already tensed up, and he could sense her inhibitions coming back. The worry of losing status as one of the guys. Of being judged.
“Hey,” he whispered. “It’s none of Kai’s business.”
Her eyes flicked downward, and she veered off for the lobby, motioning vaguely. “I think I’ll stop by our room for a second.”
He kicked the dirt, watching her go. That was code for taking a short break, as Silas had insisted they do to remain as alert as possible while on the job, but still. Ella was running away from him, and it hurt to see her go.
He headed back to the lobby and picked up a newspaper, quietly observing the crowd in the ballroom grow. There was nothing out of the ordinary, though.
“Mr. Mayor. Mrs. Tang,” someone called.
A flock of older ladies from some kind of animal rights charity group appeared too, chattering away in excitement.
“I’m so delighted they’re getting married,” one chirped.
The woman next to her beamed. “The first time I saw them together, I knew.”
Jake chewed that one over. The first time he’d seen Ella, he had known too. He’d had a feeling of forever, of a perfect fit. Fool that he was, he’d denied it back then, but he wouldn’t make that mistake again.
Boone and Nina arrived next, with Boone in one of his rare, I’m actually wearing a suit and tie moments, drawing the appreciative eye of the ladies. Nina looked absolutely radiant – or was the pink in her cheeks a little too red? Boone and the older ladies fussed over her as she lowered herself into a chair and fanned her face.
“I’m fine. I’m fine. No problem.”
“I swear those babies are ready to pop any minute,” one of the older ladies whispered to another.
God, Jake hoped not.
The hubbub grew as guests arrived in a steady stream. Most of the local ladies wore colorful island dresses with white flowers tucked behind one ear. Others came dressed for a red-carpet event in Hollywood, and the men were all in crisp suits and ties. Jake scanned every face for someone who might have a forced, I swear, I’m not up to anything look. Because who knew? He could imagine a woman jealous of Cassandra for picking up Maui’s most eligible bachelor or a man out for revenge for something in Silas’s past.
The thought made every muscle in Jake’s body tense as Hoover’s words echoed through his mind. I’m telling you, man. Someone is taking us out, one by one.
That shouldn’t affect Silas’s reception, but suddenly, Jake wasn’t so sure. What if someone really was after his unit — and what if that person was stalking him here in Maui? That doubled the potential risk of this public event. Jake studied the crowd, the staff, and the premises for any telltale detail, any giveaway sign. But there was nothing suspicious, just a jovial crowd and the sound of a string quartet starting up. Not a hint
of that being watched feeling he imagined Manny, Chalsmith, or Junger must have felt seconds before their lives were cut short. The hair-standing-up-on-the-back-of-his-neck feeling he’d had before the car had nearly run him down. On the contrary, the palm trees lining the nearby beach swayed and danced, miming, This is Maui. A little corner of paradise. Relax.
No, he would not relax. Could not. He was on the job.
So he moved to a better vantage point and continued mentally dividing the crowd into sections, dissecting each for any hint of trouble. Ella returned from her break but immediately detoured to the resort’s front veranda to watch from there.
“Anything?” Kai murmured as he walked by.
Jake gave a curt shake of the head. Nothing. Ella was avoiding him, which sucked. But as far as the reception went, everything checked out — so far. Still, it was increasingly difficult to keep an overview of things. Between a pregnant woman, some pretty decently cleaned-up guys, and the thrill of a wedding, the guests grew more and more excited. By the time Silas and Cassandra showed up in a Rolls-Royce driven by Hunter, there were a dozen reporters waiting on the resort steps, and even Jake had to gawk at the scene. If someone had asked him back when he first met Silas whether the fatigue-clad, battle-hardened commander had what it took to become an I’m so in love, there are stars in my eyes almost-newlywed, Jake would have laughed. But there was Silas, all spiffed up in a tux, with eyes only for his bride-to-be. Cassandra looked great and managed being in the limelight admirably well. She stopped to smile and talk – really talk – to each guest eager to clasp her hand.
Once the couple of the hour was inside the ballroom, Jake had a good look around and moved to a stool in the restaurant bar, where he could overhear the action and peek through the open ballroom doors. A spoon clinked on a glass, and the chatter died down.
“Well, I think it’s time to begin,” Silas murmured, quieting the last voices with his deep baritone.
