Her eyes fluttered open. Then she stood in the chest deep water. She glanced around, and her gaze landed on him. Creed didn’t try to act like he hadn’t been gawking at her. He tilted his chin up. He should’ve smiled or waved, done something more friendly, but he was too lost in her gaze.
She stared at him for a few seconds and then dove under the water and swam away from him. She was like a beautiful siren, and he would follow her anywhere. Walking around the huge pool, he kept her in his sights. She pulled herself out of the water, and droplets glistened on her gorgeous skin.
Creed was twenty feet away, not sure that being lured in by her was smart, but how could he resist? Kiera glanced his way and gave him a sweet smile. Creed’s heartbeat increased. Maybe she wanted to be with him. He tried to hold on to his righteous anger over how she’d betrayed him, but it was getting harder and harder. Maybe if he spent the day with her, they could talk it all out, move past the hurt. He returned the smile and increased his pace.
A blond man in a floral swimsuit walked up to Kiera with a drink in hand. Creed cursed and turned away. The duke didn’t know who Creed was, but it was smarter not to get on the man’s radar if he did notice Creed keeping an eye on him at some point. His SEAL buddies claimed he was so stealthy he could track an owl and never be heard, but Sutton had told him several times not to underestimate the duke.
Creed walked behind a set of pillars and inched his way closer.
“A piña colada for the beautiful lady,” Gunthry said.
“Oh, no thank you.”
“What are your plans today?”
“I’m hoping to relax in the sun and listen to the ocean,” Kiera said.
Creed hoped that wasn’t an invitation. Of course, Gunthry took it as one, the creep. “Sounds perfect. I’ll join you.”
Creed crept out of his hiding spot and watched Kiera and Gunthry walk down the steps to the beach and settle side by side in a large cabana bed. His blood boiled. What was she thinking? He’d warned her to stay away from the duke, but she definitely wasn’t listening to his advice. All the anger from last night when he’d had to watch them dance resurfaced. Would Sutton think he was justified in pummeling the duke and jeopardizing the mission when the man hadn’t actually done anything besides lay on a covered mattress on the beach and smile and flirt with Creed’s girl? Doubtful.
Creed shoved a hand through his hair and pushed out a breath. He really couldn’t do this much longer. Thank heavens Sutton would be here soon. He was surprised he hadn’t received a knock on his door in the middle of the night. Sutton had his own jets, more than one, and he wanted the duke taken down badly.
His watch rang. He’d left his phone in the room. He pushed a button to answer and backed away into a shaded alcove so no one could overhear the conversation.
“Are you here?” Creed demanded of Sutton.
“It’ll be at least a day, maybe two. Everything all right?”
“What?” Creed exploded. He couldn’t sit around and watch Kiera flirt with Gunthry for another minute, let alone another day or two. What would he do if Gunthry kissed her. Argh! He couldn’t even let himself think it.
“Corbin’s got a situation and needs all of us right now. Is Gunthry a flight risk?”
“I highly doubt it.” Creed scowled as Gunthry ran his fingers up Kiera’s arm and she smiled sweetly at him. Flight risk. Gunthry appeared to be going nowhere but to Kiera’s suite. Creed’s fists clenched.
“Okay. Keep an eye on him. I’m going to send River and a few of my security team to England in my Airbus to pick up the MI6 guys and come apprehend Gunthry. They’ll try to hurry, but plan on it taking River at least until tomorrow night to get there with travel time and getting all the necessary clearance to apprehend Gunthry in Mexico. Hopefully, I’ll be able to fly straight there as soon as I take care of this situation with Corbin.”
Creed cursed under his breath. So best case, he was spending the next day and a half watching Kiera flirt with the duke? He’d explode. “Is that our best course of action?”
“Meaning?”
“Why don’t I just put a bullet between the duke’s eyes right now, and we’ll be done with him?”
Sutton chuckled. “Believe me, I love that idea and wish I could be the one placing that bullet, but his escape is too well-known. I’m not willing to risk my operation being shut down by Interpol for the sake of taking revenge on Gunthry.”
Sutton was incredibly impressive to Creed. If Kiera had been through what Liz and Ally had with the duke, Creed would’ve killed him long ago.
“We go through the proper authorities, and Gunthry rots in prison. I’m sure they’ll watch him and their guards more closely the next time they do a prison transfer.”
Creed could only grunt in response. He hated this Gunthry guy, and he hardly knew him.
“But I wouldn’t complain if a stray bullet landed between his eyes in the skirmish,” Sutton said.
Creed laughed, thankful Sutton was human.
“If I didn’t have so much faith in you, we’d run this differently. But it’s worth putting all the pressure I can on Corbin’s case until it’s settled. Keep an eye on him, and we’ll be there soon.”
“All right sir.” How else could he respond? He appreciated Sutton’s faith in him, but how was he going to do nothing do but wait and watch the love of his life flirt with a murderer? Creed was too far away to hear them, but he could see them clearly. Gunthry had rolled onto his stomach, and Kiera was rubbing sunscreen into his back. No, no, no. Creed could not hack this.
“Is Kiera all right?” Sutton asked, and Creed wondered if the man truly was more than human. He had psychic powers.
“Depends on your version of all right,” Creed grunted out.
“What does that mean?”
“Well currently she’s rubbing sunscreen into Gunthry’s back. So maybe she thinks she’s all right but she’s not going to be when I get my hands on her.”
Sutton’s silence was stony. “You need to warn her to stay away from him.”
“I did.” Creed forced the words out from a clamped jaw.
“Warn her again.”
“I think my warnings have pushed her the other way. She’s not exactly my biggest fan right now.” Which ticked him off almost as much as her touching Gunthry. Creed wasn’t the one who had betrayed their love. Why was she acting like him leaving to work for Sutton rather than sit around and watch her with another man was the bigger transgression?
“Blimey, Creed. You know how sadistic he is. Get her away from him.”
“Even if it compromises the mission?”
Creed could feel Sutton’s angst over the phone. “An innocent woman’s safety is more important than the mission.”
Sadly, Kiera wasn’t as innocent as she used to be, but Creed appreciated more than he could explain that Sutton cared about Kiera’s safety over recapturing the man who had ruined so many years of his life and tortured the woman he loved.
“Keep an eye on both of them, keep an eye out for Gunthry’s men, and above all else protect Kiera. If you have to choose, choose to keep her safe.”
“Thank you, sir.” Even though Creed wanted to have some serious words with Kiera right now, and the sight of her touching Gunthry made him physically ill, he knew he’d protect her. “Heart of a warrior.”
“Heart of a warrior.”
* * *
Kiera cast one more glance back at Creed, catching his dark gaze. He was obviously frustrated with her being with William, but William was a lot safer than Creed for her at the moment. She laid down on the beach bed underneath the cabana and closed her eyes, trying to ignore William and not think about Creed. William was the blond English guy that Creed had warned her about. He’d strutted up to her as she almost made the mistake of walking right into Creed’s beautiful arms. William had saved her from letting down her guard with Creed, but then the man had acted like she’d invited him along to the beach, telling her his name and all about his succ
essful investment business. He’d asked her to rub sunscreen on his back, which she’d tried to do quickly. He had an odd vibe and was too old for her, despite the obvious plastic surgery that made him look thirty.
William ran his fingers along her forearm. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about the mesmerizing way you dance. Would you accompany me tonight to go dancing?”
Dancing was definitely her language, but she wasn’t going anywhere with this noob. “I’ll have to see what the resort needs me to do tonight.”
“I checked with the manager. He assured me you’re free for the next three nights.” He smiled silkily at her.
Kiera arched an eyebrow, not appreciating him checking her schedule. “You could’ve asked me.”
“I just did.”
Kiera forced a smile. “Excuse me. I need to use the ladies’ room.”
He stood as she did, and she appreciated his manners, but she didn’t like the look in his too green eyes. “I’ll see you soon?”
She nodded, uneasy and not sure why. She had a lot of men hitting on her, especially since her fame with Just Dance and all her performances since then, but she wasn’t getting great feelings from this guy.
Sliding a white lace cover-up over her pink one-piece and picking up her flip-flops, she sauntered along the beach, squishing the soft sand between her toes. Walking up the first set of stairs, she dropped her flip-flops on the concrete and slipped into them before entering the nearest women’s restroom. It was an excuse to get away from William, not that he could see her this far away.
She glanced around but couldn’t see Creed anywhere. She wondered where he was then cursed herself for caring and for remembering how fabulous he’d looked in only swim trunks. Nothing had changed since he’d ditched her two months ago. He was obviously here for some job, and all he did was infuriate her, mostly because of her body’s response to him. Well, her body could forget about it. Those bridges had collapsed under the weight of his lack of love for her.
She used the restroom and was washing her hands when the door slid open. She glanced in the mirror at the very large man walking into a women’s restroom. The bright sunshine made it hard to discern the person’s face. Whirling around, her heart rate doubled, until Creed’s irresistible face came into view. Then it quadrupled.
“Kiera,” he said all warm and loving, as if they were them again. His eyes darkened to a smolder that made it hard to resist throwing herself at him.
Kiera pulled in a breath, shaky and off-balance with him looking at her like that. “What are you doing in the women’s bathroom?”
Creed crossed the short distance until he was right in front of her, inches from her actually. She couldn’t resist looking over the lovely muscles of his chest as he was in nothing but teal blue swim trunks.
“You like it.” He arched an eyebrow and flexed a bicep, all cocky and flirtatious.
“What are you doing?” she asked again, to avoid responding and revealing exactly how much she liked to look at him.
His brow furrowed, and his cocky grin disappeared. He leaned even closer, and Kiera could smell his sensual cologne and feel his warm breath on her forehead. She glanced up so she didn’t keep focusing on his chest, but that was a mistake. His face was more appealing than his body, and she had nowhere to go, backed up against the bathroom counter.
“You’ve got to listen to me and stay away from the d—the blond guy.”
Kiera pushed out a huffy breath and folded her arms across her chest to try to create some distance from him. That was another mistake as her arms brushed the taut muscles and firm skin of his chest, and heat flushed her face.
“What do you care?”
“Believe me, I care.”
Kiera tried not to internalize that, but she wanted him to care far too much.
“If you cared, why did you leave last night?” She couldn’t go into their past. Why he’d left her, and why, when he could’ve returned to her, he didn’t care enough to find her.
Creed’s eyes swept over her face. He let out a low growl of frustration. Then he wrapped his hands around her waist, picked her clean off her feet, and set her on the bathroom counter. Kiera gasped and wrapped her arms around his shoulders for stability. Creed pressed in closer to her, his gaze dropping to her lips before recapturing hers. He was going to kiss her, and she wanted him to, but how would her heart take it when he discarded her again?
Kiera’s fingers kneaded the muscles of his shoulders with her fingertips, reveling in the firm skin and muscle. She whispered, “You’re even tougher than I remembered.”
Creed smiled then. “I’ve always been tough.”
Kiera laughed at him. It was so Creed. He was overly confident and completely consumed with her, but was he truly consumed with her anymore? The look in his dark eyes said yes. Kiera couldn’t resist trailing her fingers from his shoulders to his chest. She loved the feel of his smooth skin and well-developed muscles under her fingertips.
Creed let out a low groan and then muttered, “Why can I never resist you?”
Kiera gasped, frustration and irritation tracing through her. She pushed at his chest as he lowered his head to capture her mouth with his. Heat exploded through her—desire and anger combined.
The door to the bathroom swung open. Creed pulled back and turned to the elderly lady who toddled in.
“Oh? Excuse me.” She giggled. “Didn’t know this was the place for a kissing session.”
Creed chuckled, but Kiera could hear the unsteadiness of it. She affected him. That knowledge made her soften toward him, but not enough to allow her heart to get tangled up with his and then be broken again.
Kiera slid off the counter but was still in the circle of his arms. “Excuse us,” she said to the lady, pushing out of his grasp and hurrying from the bathroom.
Creed followed, grabbing her arm before she could leave the sheltered alcove of the bathrooms. His eyes shot around the pool area then focused back on her. “Stay away from that guy, Kiera.”
“Or what?”
Creed’s eyes narrowed. “Or I’ll kiss you on the face until you don’t know which way is up.”
Heat flared in her abdomen, but she was angry enough to hold the attraction at bay. Right before their first kiss, they’d been placing bets on if his little brother Bridger could execute a certain skateboarding trick. The kid was the most gifted non-traditional athlete Kiera had ever seen. Creed’s bet had been if Bridger could jump off their pool house roof, do a backflip, and then slide down the pool railing on his board, she had to “kiss Creed on the face.” He’d tricked her into their first kiss that night, and she’d loved every second of it.
Pushing away the memories, she jammed a finger into his chest. “I don’t need the walk down memory lane. You are going to stop manhandling me and stay away from me.”
“Or what?” Creed challenged.
“Or I’ll call security.”
Creed smirked and folded those brawny arms across his perfect chest. “You know I can dismantle any security team.”
Kiera huffed out a breath. “You leave me alone, or I’ll kiss the blond guy on the face.”
Creed’s brows drew together, and his scowl was fierce. “Kiera,” he warned. “Don’t you dare disobey me.”
“Disobey you?” Kiera laughed. “Watch me.” She whirled and stomped away from him. He didn’t follow. She didn’t know if she was relieved or heartbroken all over again.
Chapter Nine
Kiera’s righteous anger had carried her throughout the day. After she’d stomped away from Creed, she’d gone back to the cabana and lounged around next to William for an hour, praying Creed was watching. She hadn’t gotten any glimpses of his glorious face or chest though, so she’d left to go try out the spa and reluctantly agreed to meet William at the steakhouse for dinner. Creed’s warnings had only served to tick her off, but she knew she wouldn’t be in danger, meeting William at a restaurant on the resort grounds.
She and William
were settled into a corner table, the lighting so dim she could hardly make out the menu. Her mind wandered far away from the steakhouse.
Even the massage and facial at the spa this afternoon couldn’t relax her or make her forget how it had felt when Creed had lifted her onto that bathroom counter, almost kissing her again. Why did he have to be such a hornet’s nest, stirring her up and then stinging her again and again? Why couldn’t she let him go? He was only the love of her life, after all. She shook her head, biting at her cheek to keep from tearing up at all they’d lost.
“Is something wrong with the menu?” William asked.
“What? No.” Kiera shook her head, her face flaming red.
“Oh. You looked upset.”
The waiter came and set their drinks down then waited to take their dinner order.
Kiera ordered the salmon and broccoli then took a large drink of her piña colada daiquiri to cool the heat in her face. Her mouth puckered. She wasn’t a drinker, but she thought this drink tasted off, like alcohol. Taking a small sip, she swished it around in her mouth then lifted the cup to her lips and discreetly spit it back out.
After William ordered, she said to the waiter, “Excuse me, this drink doesn’t taste right. Can you please bring me a virgin?”
The waiter glanced at William. He gave him a nod and the man took her drink and scurried away. Kiera was feeling decidedly uncomfortable. What kind of old-school waiter looked to the man for a woman’s confirmation on her drink? Why had she agreed to meet William here? To spite Creed would be the best answer. That was pretty stupid and immature of her. She didn’t really like this guy, but Creed had made her so mad earlier. She had every desire to “disobey him.” Who did the heart-breaking jerk think he was anyway?
The Stealth Warrior: Navy SEAL Romance 2.0 Page 7
