“The humility of that statement is singularly impressive, son.”
“I’m so ready to rip him apart, throw her over my shoulder, and lock her away for the rest of her life.”
Sutton chuckled. “Been there too.”
Creed drew in a breath and leaned against the exterior wall of the theater. The music was still thrumming inside, and he didn’t want to think about what was happening. Was Gunthry still touching Kiera? Guaranteed, she was still moving her beautiful body for all to see. He used to love to see her dance, but tonight, it had ticked him off to no end.
“I don’t really trust myself to make sane decisions at the moment,” Creed muttered.
“I understand. Can you keep an eye on Gunthry until I can fly to London and get the MI6 guys and the proper paperwork for extraction and then fly to you?”
“Keep an eye on him alive or his corpse?”
Sutton laughed. “We actually need him alive. Can I trust you to stay in control, Creed?”
Creed paused for probably too long, but if the Navy had taught him anything, it was self-control. “Yes, sir.”
“Don’t underestimate him, soldier. I made that mistake once, and it almost cost me Liz.”
Creed’s eyes widened, surprised Sutton would be so honest with him. “I won’t underestimate him.”
“You think he’s alone. He’s not. You think he’s older and could easily be subdued. You’re wrong. Gunthry’s a spineless prat, but he’s also brilliant and devious, and I guarantee he has bodyguards and henchmen close by.”
Creed blew out a breath. “So me beating him for touching Kiera might not be the best plan of action?”
“I know your fighting abilities, Creed, but if you attack Gunthry without backup, I’m betting on armed and well-trained men coming out of the shadows.”
Sutton had warned him before he started the mission that Gunthry was most likely Hitler reincarnated and to be very careful. Creed had let his guard slip in the relaxed beach atmosphere, and seeing Kiera had thrown him completely off his game. His eyes darted around the shadows, but he didn’t sense anyone nearby.
“Can you keep your hands off of Kiera?” Sutton asked.
“Probably not.”
“I appreciate the honesty. I understand if you need to talk things out with her. Just remember, son, things aren’t always as they seem.”
Creed grunted in response. Talk? He wasn’t going to talk to Kiera. He was going to kiss her, tell her off, and ship her home to her mama.
“You haven’t been keen to hear anything about her”—Sutton’s voice cut through his planning—“but I tried to tell you. She isn’t with Milo anymore.”
Creed didn’t know how to explain that his broken heart and Kiera’s broken promises transcended a mere man. “It’s not about that, sir.”
“Be kind, Creed.”
Kind? “I would never hurt a woman, sir.”
“I know that, but there are ways to hurt someone that aren’t physical.”
Creed nodded, though Sutton couldn’t see him.
“Heart of a warrior,” Sutton said.
“Heart of a warrior,” Creed repeated automatically. He pushed end on his phone and let it settle in his pocket. Though he didn’t know if he was strong enough, he crept around the corner and glanced in the open door. There were multiple couples on the stage now, and Kiera was walking around, instructing and smiling. The breath whooshed out of him. How he’d missed her. He would give up everything he owned and every experience he’d had simply to have all the crap between them washed away and to be able to hold her close without questions and regrets.
He folded his arms across his chest and eased into the room to stand watch. He quickly realized he needed to be incognito and forced himself to work his way into an empty chair from which he glowered at the stage. He would keep tabs on Gunthry and trail him to his room so he could bug it. Once Gunthry was secure, Creed and Kiera were going to talk.
Chapter Six
After finishing her exhausting performance, all Kiera wanted to do was take a shower and order room service. She exited the stage area and headed toward her building. A hand on her arm stopped her. Whirling around, she came face to face with the blond man she’d danced with tonight.
“Hello, beautiful.” He had an English accent and a smooth tongue.
Kiera gave him a forced smile. “Excuse me,” she murmured. She’d told enough yahoos “not interested” to understand you had to keep it short and sweet and move away quick.
“Wait.” He tightened his hold on her arm. It wasn’t painful, but it was clear he wanted to be in charge. “Fancy a bit of late supper?”
Kiera shook her head. “Sorry.” He looked too old for her, probably late thirties or early forties, definitely some plastic surgery. The man was handsome, and she liked his accent, but she wasn’t partial to blond men. Dark hair, dark eyes, and tanned skin with short facial hair. There she went picturing Creed, as usual. He’d made it more than obvious he didn’t want her when he’d returned from the dead. Months had passed, and the cretin still hadn’t so much as called her. She knew Creed could track a shark through the ocean. If he wanted to, he would’ve found her on her travels through Thailand, the Philippines, Africa, and now the Caribbean.
The beautiful, innocent children on her service trips had helped her push her pain to the back of her mind. Yet her heart would never heal. If only she could tell her heart to forget about Creed. Sadly, hearts didn’t work like that.
“Maybe tomorrow?” The man persisted.
“Maybe.” She nodded to him and walked past. She didn’t think he followed, but as she walked along the dimly-lit pathways back to her suite, she could sense someone was following her. She thought about calling security, but for some reason, she wasn’t afraid. She could simply sense a presence.
Maybe someone from the show was enamored with her. She’d been a big name once. Now, she was a washed-up has been. Lately, she’d focused on charity performances, and though she hadn’t been able to forget Creed, she’d thoroughly enjoyed seeing new lands and meeting the people, especially the children. She’d also worked at several gorgeous resorts like this. The pay was fine at the resorts, nothing close to what she’d made when she’d starred in Vegas, L.A., London, and New York, but she didn’t really care much about the pay. She was happy to be far from America and the painful memories of Creed.
She took the elevator to her twelfth-floor penthouse suite. The resort treated her like she was still something special and had told her she could stay as long as she wanted. She only had to do the performance every few nights. They had a lot of other entertainment coming in.
Finally entering her room, she slid out of her heels, slipped her dress over her head and took a long shower before sliding into a floral, silk robe and blow drying her hair quickly and tying it back in a ponytail. She grabbed the room service menu. Supposedly, the Japanese restaurant was to die for. She could really go for a dragon roll and a crazy boy with no siracha right now. Ooh, and a shrimp tempura appetizer. She dialed room service and placed an order for way too much food, knowing she would never eat it all. She’d lost too much weight when Creed died and still struggled to eat a full meal.
Kiera stretched out on the king-sized bed in the master bedroom and sighed. It was comfy. Maybe she would take a short nap before dinner. Then she would stay up reading or watching a movie or something. What did she have to do tomorrow besides exercise and lay on the beach, being gracious to tourists who recognized her? She used to practice twelve to fourteen hours a day, but maintaining her fitness level was enough for the type of dancing she was doing currently.
There was a sharp rap at the door. That was quick. Kiera pushed off the bed and tightened the robe. She hurried to the door and opened it a crack. Glancing out, she expected to see dinner containers and a smiling attendant. Instead, she saw a glowering man with dark hair, dark eyes, tanned skin, and the perfect length of facial hair.
“Creed?” The world started spi
nning around her, and then everything went black.
She crumpled to the floor but could hear a voice floating above her. A voice she’d dreamed of hearing so often she knew it couldn’t be reality. The voice came from far above, just like Creed was far away and would never be here for her again.
“Kiera? Kiera?” Creed’s voice finally registered. It had to be him. She knew that voice like she knew her dance routines.
Kiera shook her head. She’d really lost it now. She’d dreamed Creed was at her door, and now, she was hearing his voice.
The door pushed softly against her, and she stirred, scrambling away from it.
“Kiera?” Creed truly stood above her in the doorway.
No. Creed coming for her was a dream she’d burned months ago, okay maybe weeks, but she had finally burned it and locked her heart away from the pain. Hadn’t she?
He pushed the door open a little farther and slipped inside. The door closed behind him, and Kiera couldn’t budge from off the floor. She stared up at his perfect face. She’d forgotten how huge he was—almost six four. He had so much muscle it made her mouth go dry. The white shirt showed off his tanned skin, and a few undone buttons revealed his muscular chest.
She shook her head. She must be in shock. Creed couldn’t be here. Creed had ditched her and didn’t love her. Why would he follow her to Cancun? He had much more important jobs to do other than tracking her down.
Creed bent down, wrapped his hands around her waist and easily plucked her to her feet. She’d been lifted so many times in her career, sometimes even pretending to be vulnerable or wounded for her part, but she’d assisted her partner with every lift. Creed had just lifted her as a dead weight. He was impossibly strong, and she was like a limp noodle. She leaned heavily against him.
“Kiera.” His voice went all soft and husky, and the way he was studying her made her feel warm and prickly from head to toe. Oh, how she’d loved him.
He wrapped his arms around her back and gently pulled her close. Kiera had no clue how to respond to this very real-feeling hallucination. “C-creed,” she whispered, not returning his hug, but loving the feel of his muscled chest pressing against her.
“Now come on, love. You can do better than that.”
“What?” She was so confused. She stared up into his dark eyes, and they were twinkling at her like they always used to do. All the angst, pain, and confusion of losing him disappeared and there was just her and Creed. No matter what had come between them before they were together now. It was so simple and beautiful.
“This is not a hug. A hug involves two bodies, four arms, and lots and lots of contact.” He winked. “Shall we give it another go?”
Tears sprang from her eyes as she stared at his handsome face and charming smile. She threw her arms around his neck and clung to him. Creed had said a similar line to her the very first time he hugged her. She’d been young and had never even held hands with a boy. She’d felt extremely awkward when the cutest boy at school had given her attention then hugged her at a party after a home football game.
“Ah, that’s better.” Creed groaned, and the warmth and desire in that groan filled her stomach with heat.
Kiera thought it was more than better. It was absolute perfection. Her head fit in the crook of his neck like they were built to come together. Creed! Her heart seemed to be cheering. Creed was truly here and holding her like she’d dreamed of so many times. It had taken him too long to find her, but he’d finally come for her and that was all that mattered.
He ran his hands along her back, and it felt like heaven with the silk sliding against her skin and Creed’s warm hands doing a number on her nervous system. He brought one hand up and loosened her ponytail then trailed his fingers through her hair. “Kiera.”
Kiera stared up at him as he bowed his head closer to hers. His mint-tinged breath and his warm, sensuous cologne made her stomach flutter. It was the cologne she’d bought him for Christmas one year—Burberry. It had a great mix of cinnamon, amber, and tarragon and made her want to melt every time she smelled it on him.
Creed was here. He was alive, and he was holding her. His breath brushed her lips, and Kiera sighed with longing. How she’d missed him, missed his touch. She arched up to kiss him as he whispered, “Oh man, I’m going to regret this in the morning.”
Then he was kissing her, and her brain couldn’t process anything but the pressure of his lips on hers. They’d been made to kiss each other. There was nothing on Earth she loved more than dancing except this. Creed always had a rhythm to his kisses, a natural and instinctive choreography, and tonight was the perfect arrangement for her. He started hard and fast, capturing her lips and conveying how he’d hungered for her. How they’d been apart for far too long. She returned the hunger and then some. This kiss was the kiss of a warrior who had won the battle and was back to claim what was due to him. Kiera should’ve protested that she wasn’t the girl waiting for the hunky hero anymore, but there was no strength in her to protest, only to savor and fully return his mind-blowing kiss.
After several blissful, heat-filled minutes, he slowed the kisses down and took his time exploring her lips and mouth. It was like he was tasting her and savoring her and couldn’t get enough. Kiera’s body hummed with awareness and desire from her mouth out. She could never get enough of him. Finally, the pain of separation, the waiting to be together was over. She was right where she was meant to be—in Creed’s arms and being swept away by his kisses.
Kiera’s head was so cloudy and full of Creed that she couldn’t stand on her own two feet. Luckily, she didn’t need to with his strong arms holding her close, burning fire through her thin robe. She held on tight to his broad back and let him work his magic on her mouth.
His lips left hers and slowly trailed down her neck, leaving fire in their wake. He was working his way back up to her lips, and she could hardly stand the wait, but then he broke away and straightened, muttering, “I can’t do this.”
Kiera blinked at him, confused and wanting him to keep kissing her. He couldn’t do … what exactly? He stepped back, released his hold on her and shoved a hand through his hair, staring broodily down at her.
He said nothing, and Kiera was chilled and shaky, swaying on her feet. She’d been ripped too quickly from his heat and touch. It was like being in a steam room then jumping into an ice-cold pool. Her head cleared bit by bit, and she thought of what he’d said right before he kissed her. “Why are you going to regret kissing me in the morning?”
Creed blew out a breath, and now instead of broody, he was openly glaring at her. “You need to put some clothes on.”
Kiera reared back and glanced down at her robe. It covered her, going clear down to her knees with double sashes at her waist that were both tied tight. Most of her stage costumes were more revealing. She folded her arms across her chest and glared at him. “No. Right now, you need to explain … lots of things.”
Creed glanced at her robe before meeting her gaze. “I need to explain?” He put a hand to his chest. “That’s exactly what I was thinking. I’m the one who needs to explain.”
The sarcasm dripped from his voice, but she wasn’t about to back down. “Exactly,” she said, not giving an inch. “You can start with why you ‘can’t do this,’ said right after we kissed. Then explain ‘I’m going to regret this in the morning’ being said right before we kissed. Then we can go back to hmm, I don’t know, you being not dead and never coming for me, and making me wish you were dead!” She pushed out a frustrated breath, clenching her fists when she wanted to pound on his chest. Yet she didn’t trust herself to touch him right now. Too much risk of getting lost in him again and losing her well-deserved anger.
“Why are you even here?” she shot at him.
Creed gave her a dry chuckle. “I’m not here to talk to you Kiera, and I’m definitely not here to kiss you. I’m here to give you a warning.”
Kiera’s heart had already shriveled and died when he was confirmed dead, but
when he came back to life and never came for her, her heart turned into a rock. Somehow, miraculously it could still hurt though. This wasn’t him coming for her. Of course, it wasn’t. He regretted even kissing her. Why was she even surprised?
“I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself without Mr. Bad-A Navy SEAL taking pity on my sorry self and coming to watch out for me.”
Creed took a step closer to her. Kiera stood her ground. The man who used to love and adore her was now trying to intimidate her. Why had she loved this cretin so desperately? She glanced over his beautifully-sculpted face and body. Besides his irresistible looks, he used to be fun, smart, charming, and nice. Now, he was simply the man who had never cared about her enough to return to her. The man who had killed her heart.
“Stay away from the older blond guy. The one with the lame English accent.”
It was easy to know who he meant. There’d only been a few blond men at the show tonight, only one she’d danced with, and only one who had an accent.
“Didn’t seem much older to me, pretty hot and fit actually.”
Creed’s jaw clamped tight, and a muscle worked in it. Kiera wanted to reach up and touch his jaw. Tell him she’d do what he asked if only he’d hold her again. She clamped her arms tighter around herself.
“Don’t you dare, Kiera. You just try and date him, and you’ll see what kind of a bad-A Navy SEAL I am.”
If she wasn’t so ticked at him, he would be inspiring to behold right now. All that muscle and raw determination. She could feel the strength radiating from him. She’d never been afraid of Creed, never would be, but she could imagine if someone was on his wrong side they’d be in peril.
Yet he had no desire to be with her, and the blond guy seemed to tick him off. Hmm. She wasn’t above using that to tick him off more. Turnabout was fair play. She’d been broken since he rejected her without having the guts to actually do it face to face. Simply sending her some Dear Jane letter that she’d wrongly assumed meant he loved her and wanted her happiness above all else. Now, she realized it was just a cop-out. Go live your life, go be happy. Then the dream-ruiner had been brought back to life and run away on his “missions.” He’d left her with nothing, her and her stone of a heart.
The Stealth Warrior: Navy SEAL Romance 2.0 Page 5
