The restaurant was hopping, and Daisy hated to take up a table when the server had more tipping customers waiting to be seated.
“We should head out,” she told him.
Cannon slipped some cash into the bill folder and held out his hand. “Your chariot awaits.”
She loved the feel of his strong hand, so gentle with her, but pulsing with potential energy.
It was a beautiful night out.
“Walk along the beach?” he offered.
“Yes, that sounds perfect.” She could walk hand-in-hand with him all night long.
Within a few minutes, they were on the sand, finally escaping the glaring lights of the city.
Their pace was slow and comfortable.
“How long have you lived in Southern California?” she asked.
Before he could answer, someone yelled, “Hey!”
Half a dozen men came toward them, outlined by the lights behind them and even though Daisy couldn’t see them, she knew it was the huge drunk guy from the bar and his buddies.
Cannon stepped in front of her. “Keep walking,” he told the guys. “Nothing to see here.” His voice was soothing and convincing.
“There is something to see here,” said the leader. “Me kicking your butt.”
The guys were only about ten feet away. A couple of them were carrying bottles of beer.
Cannon said, “I don’t want any trouble. You tell me which way you’re going and we’ll go the other direction.”
Daisy considered pulling out her cell phone and calling the police but Cannon was so calm and confident, she just felt like he had this under control. He’d talk their way out of this, the peacemaker that he was.
The big guy came right up into Cannon’s face. “You think you’re all tough? You probably aren’t even a SEAL. Let’s see your proof.” The rest of the group formed a half-circle around them.
“I never said I was a SEAL,” said Cannon. “Now if you’ll excuse us,” he started to lead Daisy out of trap the men had formed, but the big guy shoved him. Cannon wasn’t even knocked off balance.
“You’re not excused,” the big guy said, bringing a round of laughter from his buddies.
“I don’t want a fight,” said Cannon, facing them but trying to back away with Daisy in a safe position behind him.
“Of course you don’t,” said the big guy. “Cause you’re gonna lose.” He pointed with both hands, and his friends spread the circle out wider, cutting off almost all directions of escape.
Cannon was rigid and poised, she could feel him tensing like a snake preparing to strike. He was calm but threatening as he said, “Listen, friend. This is the last time I’m going to say this. Walk away. Don’t say another word. Just turn around unless you want to get hurt.” There was no more negotiator, just a soldier giving orders. Moving backwards and to the side, he stayed between Daisy and the men as he guided her away.
The big guy said, “Fine you go. We’ll just keep your woman here with us and—”
From five feet away, Cannon shined a flood light right in the man’s face, and when the guy lifted an arm to block his eyes, Cannon was there, shoving the flashlight into the guy’s neck. It crackled with electricity. The guy shook and fell to the ground. Cannon dropped the flashlight and it ended pointing up at him like a spotlight. The knuckle device was on one hand, but he had a short rod in the other. With a flick, he extended it to about three feet, and jabbed another guy in the gut. Another crack of electricity and that guy went down, twitching as well.
With another flick, he closed the baton and hurled it at a guy on the other side of the semi-circle who had started closing in, smacking him on the head and sending him reeling backward. The closest guy to him tried to throw a punch, but Cannon spun behind him. Before Daisy knew what was happening, the guy was flying through the air. He came down hard, landing head first in the sand.
Only three guys were left standing. Cannon darted forward and decked one right in the nose, sending him flying back.
Two more, one on either side of him. The guy in front came forward ready to hit Cannon with a beer bottle. Did he see the guy behind him?
Before Daisy could call a warning, Cannon back-kicked the guy so hard in the chest he went reeling back into the surf. Then Cannon grabbed the wrist holding the bottle and snapped it with a sharp blow from his elbow. The crack echoed across the beach. Cannon dipped down and came up with an uppercut that lifted the guy off the ground.
“Snicker-snack,” he said, then the guy landed with a thump.
By now, two guys were trying to get up. As graceful as a dancer, Cannon stepped twice and bent to pick up that baton, flicking it open and popping each guy with a jolt of electricity.
Daisy found herself wrapped in one of Cannon’s arms, staring up into his chiseled face. He hadn’t even broken a sweat and wasn’t breathing hard, but Daisy was completely out of breath.
“Daisy? Are you okay?”
Had that fight really just happened? Daisy was still a little terrified, but also excited that her bodyguard boyfriend had just single-handedly taken on a gang all by himself.
Still confused, she asked, “Did you … say, ‘snicker-snack’?”
Cannon grinned guiltily and nodded. “Couldn’t resist.”
So that part of the fight really had happened. Daisy glanced around and saw half a dozen men lying in the sand in various uncomfortable positions. That was no fantasy; it had really happened.
“Are you okay?” he asked again.
“Yeah,” she said, her mouth drooling a little for the kiss that she hadn’t gotten.
“Just a sec.” Cannon walked over to where another man was trying to come to a standing position. He placed that black brass knuckle thing against the back of the guy’s ribs and said, “You had your chance to walk away.”
Snap! went the electricity and the man fell twitching, face down in the sand.
Cannon picked up a couple gadgets and tucked them away, except for the flashlight, which he used to keep an eye on their attackers. So the weapons had been real too. That didn’t surprise Daisy; she didn’t have the imagination to come up with all those different types of stun devices.
He dialed 9-1-1 and gave a quick and dirty run down of what had happened, then asked for a police and medical response.
Daisy just stared around at the carnage, still having a hard time wrapping her mind around how quickly this had happened. Her hero boyfriend really was like a living, breathing Harry Dresden, just instead of using spells for fire and electricity, he used a veritable arsenal of stun gadgets that she hadn’t even known he was carrying.
“What if they’d had guns?” she asked.
He got that amused smile again. “I would have dealt with it.” He faced her and she could see concern grow on his face even in the darkness. “I’m sorry if you felt threatened.”
“I … actually no, I didn’t feel threatened at all. Even though I didn’t know you were a super spy action wizard hero or something, I felt safe. They could’ve had an army and I would have felt safe.”
Cannon took another glance around to make sure no one was going anywhere. Seeing that the scene was secure, he put an arm around her lower back and pulled her close. She could feel his steady breath on her face and her heart kicked into overdrive.
The way he looked at her like some super spy who’d just saved the world made her knees weak. But he was a million times better than some playboy movie spy. He had softness to him in contrast to the hardness she’d just witnessed. Throttling six men one second, and holding her so softly and tenderly the next.
He leaned forward and when their lips touched it was more thrilling than her first time on stage in college singing “I Could Have Danced All Night.” It was satin and stone in the perfect combination. Already primed by his studly heroics, she melted into his embrace and into the kiss. She was helpless to resist, even if she had wanted to. His lips were sweet, sweet stun devices and she was glued to where she stood and loving every se
cond of it.
She felt his eyes open and opened hers to see him looking over her shoulder. She turned her head to see a guy trying to crawl away. The stun baton was suddenly in Cannon’s hand and extended at full length. He didn’t even have to move to reach out to him and give him a prod like a naughty cow would get.
Yet another guy went into the sand twitching like a daddy long-legs spider’s amputated leg.
He looked back at her and said, “No mind switch that time.”
Daisy giggled, amazed he was so good at seeing that.
A pair of flashlights announced two cops coming down the sand toward them. Cannon stepped away from Daisy half a step and held his arms out. His posture was super natural and unthreatening; it was hard to imagine he was responsible for the scene around them.
“I have two firearms,” he announced calmly. “One ankle holster, one belt.”
The cops visibly tensed, and one drew his weapon but kept it pointed at the sand. Cannon remained calm and unthreatening.
He’d had guns the whole time! Why hadn’t he used them? That was easy for Daisy to answer: he hadn’t needed them. So many men would have started with the guns instead of trying to talk their way out of a confrontation, then ending it with the minimal amount of effective force. His hero status bumped up a few notches.
“Any other weapons?” asked one of the cops.
“A stun baton, blast knuckles stun gun, a stun gun flashlight, a pocketknife, a straightblade knife, kick spikes in the laces of my right shoe,” he looked at Daisy and gave her a sly smile, “and my fists.”
A short cackle escaped Daisy’s mouth, but the officer was not amused. “I recommend you don’t try being funny. You preparing for the zombie apocalypse?”
With a straight face, he replied, “Not being funny, but I don’t think electricity affects zombies.”
“You’re probably right. So why are you walking around pimped out like a one-man army?” He held the flashlight on Cannon while his partner pulled Cannon’s guns.
A couple more flashlights approached with policemen behind them.
“I work in personal security,” said Cannon. “My concealed carry permit is in my wallet.”
The cop grabbed that as well.
“Ma’am, are you carrying?”
“Me?” asked Daisy. “No. Uh uh.”
A couple of the men stood and tried sneaking away but the cops ordered them to a stop.
Cannon said, “These men attacked us. I was defending myself and the lady.”
When the other cops arrived, they put handcuffs on everyone, Cannon and Daisy included. Then they separated them to ask them all questions separately.
More police came, as well as some paramedics to take a look at the injured guys. After the interviews, the cops conferred and it didn’t take long to decide that Cannon and Daisy were telling the truth and the other guys had started everything. They dropped the handcuffs, took Cannon and Daisy’s contact info, and gave Cannon his guns back.
Cannon and Daisy thanked them and walked back toward the restaurant.
“Sorry about that,” said Cannon. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“How could I be wrong with you here with me?”
“Not how you wanted to spend your date, though. Do you need to go? Have I put you off or scared you away?”
Anything but. She could tell he was giving her an out but she didn’t want it. “It’s late, but I don’t have anywhere to be.”
“Let’s head back to my car. Drive to somewhere more populated and talk more.” He took her hand, and she wondered if he had residual electricity coursing through him because she could feel the zing.
“That was amazing, Cannon. You realize that?”
“I know,” he agreed heartily. “Best kiss I’ve ever had.”
She laughed. “I wasn’t talking about the kiss, even though it was amazing too.”
Cannon shrugged. “Six drunk guys? Not really.”
“My ex-fiancé would’ve run away screaming.”
She felt a hitch in his step. “Fiancé?” He let her hand go and put an arm around her.
If she knew it would get that reaction she would have told him about Sterling sooner. “We dated for three years, all through his internship and residency.”
“A doctor?” Cannon’s voice rose a little. He was actually flustered already by the conversation, which made Daisy feel a little bit special. “What happened.”
“Remember what I told you about not being second place in a man’s eyes? That I wanted you to not be distracted tonight?”
“Yeah. Did I pass?”
“First things first,” she told him. “Sterling didn’t pass. There was always something more important than me.”
“Well he’s an idiot.”
Daisy laughed again. “But you passed. So far. Even before saving my life, you had passed.”
They arrived at a black Land Rover with tinted windows, the kind of car she expected to see in a presidential motorcade. He opened the door for her, but before she could climb in, he stole another little kiss. Hopefully there was more of that coming tonight from her probably boyfriend.
The inside of the car was like a spy car—large console, a walkie-talkie type radio, extra buttons and knobs that she was afraid to touch because she didn’t want to launch a missile or eject herself.
Cannon climbed in and when he put the key in, the spy dashboard really came to life.
“Nice ride,” she said.
“Company car,” replied Cannon. “I tricked up the inside a little bit.”
“You and your gadgets.”
The metal bracelet he wore on his wrist started buzzing and a pale blue LED started running around it. Before she could ask if that was connected to the car, Cannon had his phone in his hand, hit a couple of buttons and held it to his ear.
“This is Culver. Tango seven seven.”
Daisy couldn’t hear whoever was on the other end of the line.
“I’m fine. The police had my phone for minute.”
“No, I’m clear.”
He listened for a minute.
“Uh huh. Right away.” He hung up and started the car. “Daisy, I have to run.”
Just like that? “So our date’s over? No drive? No talking more?” She shook her head and exhaled sharply. “Wasn’t I just talking about being dumped or neglected over and over?”
“I’m sorry, Daisy. My brother’s in trouble.”
“Warsong?”
“No, my … one of my other brothers. I really don’t have time to explain. Which way’s your house?”
Other brother? He’d said earlier he had one brother and one sister. “I can come along,” said Daisy. “This date hasn’t been exciting enough for me yet, I’m down for another emergency.”
He jerked out a laugh. “I thought you’d be terrified by now.”
“Not with you by my side,” she said, not joking in the slightest.
His mood changed momentarily, then he was antsy again. “Your house? Unless you’d rather catch an Uber, I can call one for you.”
“You’re so romantic,” she said with a little bite. She pointed to the right. What was happening? Hadn’t she just finished telling him how much she hated to be pushed to the side? Everything was perfect until things had fallen off a cliff. “Is the mission life or death, Cannon?”
He was driving fast and they’d already reached the next turn so she pointed to the left.
“It’s not a mission, I mean anything you could really help with.”
So it wasn’t life or death or he would have told her. So why did he have to drop her like a hot rock? What was it about her that made her always second fiddle in the eyes of everyone she cared about?
Two turns later, they had pulled up in front of her house. Cannon hopped out to open her door and walk her up to her house.
“This really is an emergency,” he said. “I wouldn’t do this to you otherwise.”
Daisy sighed. That was probably true, but h
ow often would emergencies come up? “It always is.” He didn’t have time, or interest, to listen to her sob story about her dating history, so she added, “Thanks for dinner. And protecting me. I still can’t believe not a single one of them touched you.”
He shrugged off the compliment. “It was kind of my fault they came after us. Maybe I shouldn’t have asked him to shut up in the restaurant. Thanks for being such a good sport about it.” At her front door, he turned to her. “I really had a great a great time, Daisy. I’d like to take you out again.”
Just like at the restaurant, she was the focus of his life right now, but she knew that in a few seconds he would be running off to take care of something more important.
“I had fun too,” she said. “And thanks for … standing up for me.” That was something no man had done for her, and very few men even could to the degree that Cannon had done. She opened her arms for a hug, but Cannon came in fast and took her face in his hands, then took command of her lips just like he’d taken charge of the fight earlier.
Daisy wrapped her arms around his large shoulders, surprised again at the bulk that his clothes always downplayed.
The kiss was simple, but there was no doubt he meant it, their lips locking into place, then taking slight maneuvers to explore the surface and spark electricity over the entirety of their lips. She could still taste a hint of sweet chocolate mixed with the mint he’d had on the way out of the restaurant.
“Mmm,” she said as he released her, then giggled at herself. Well, at least she hadn’t zoned out again.
“I’ll call you,” he said, taking a step back.
The date was officially over, and it was a good thing he hadn’t asked her out again right then and there because he had weakened her defenses with that kiss. Daisy was too confused to commit to anything right away; she needed a little time for some serious reflection. He was waiting for something. Oh, he wouldn’t leave until she was safe inside.
“Be safe,” she said, though why she didn’t know. It was anyone but him that had to worry because nothing could ever hurt this man.
After all, she was plain Jane, and he was an action-hero ninja who was used to hanging out with billionaires and the Queen of England’s personal artist.
The Peaceful Warrior: Navy SEAL Romance Page 9
