“Eyes front,” he ordered, and they obeyed, while she wiggled out of her wet shirt, replacing it with the camo shirt that skirted her thighs.
“All right, gentlemen, show me what you can do,” she ordered, rolling up the sleeves draped well past her fingers.
The RHIB turned toward open water and the helmsman put the paddles down. Wedged in one of only two seats shaped like a saddle, the wind hit her full on with the powerful outboards sending them above the waves, and churning the water astern of them. When the helmsman cranked the wheel, the tight turn was enough to throw just about anyone into the drink, and her thighs clutched the seat she straddled, but she still had to grab the bare shoulder of the SEAL sitting next to her on the deck. With a gentle but firm hand, he stabilized her. They ripped through the sparkling water of the bay, dodging a few other military vessels on exercise. Eventually, they returned to the dock at the same time the harbor patrol boat threw her lines to the pier.
“Thanks men, that was awesome.”
“You’re welcome, ma’am,” a SEAL with the name Briggs on his pocket piped up.
“Any time, Snow White,” another guy with chestnut blond hair and sharp blue eyes, shouted. They’d called him Tinman, and he’d almost caught her on the vessel.
“Oh, God, that’s not going to stick, is it?”
The SEAL with pearly whites and a bare, rock-hard torso winked at her. “Think so, ma’am.”
She eyed him with her cheeks puckering. “I think you should be calling me mom not ma’am,” she said, accepting his hand before jumping to the oiled timbers of the wharf.
Gord and Barry jumped to the wharf from the patrol vessel. Sauntering up the dock, she swung around to give the SEALs a quick wave goodbye. The Commander and the other dark-haired SEAL stood on the forward deck watching her. She couldn’t keep the grin from her lips after kicking the Commander’s arrogance in the shins. Kayla didn’t miss the low, sexy chuckle as she passed, or the way it unsettled her.
Chapter Four
Kayla and her trainer, John, sat at the console rehashing some geography as the end of the dayshift neared. A week had already flown by since the fam trip. The phone rang and John answered it. “Okay, sir.” Hanging up, he said, “Captain wants to see you.”
“Roger that, you got this?”
“Yup, looks like a bit of a busy stint coming up, don’t let the old guy talk too much. He likes to do that, tell you his old war stories. I want you to work this, so get back here.”
“No problem.”
She leaned in the open door and tapped on it. “Captain?”
“Kayla, come, and close the door.”
Close the door? She hated close the door discussions. Approaching, she saw the Commander buried in paperwork.
“Kayla, have a seat,” Captain Redding offered.
“Thank you, sir.”
Redding leaned forward and gave her his usual warm smile. “I hear you had a successful familiarization trip with a little excitement thrown in.”
“Yes sir, it was…ah, fun.” What the hell. It was fun.
He reached for a file and said, “Apparently you’re very good at tactical evasion as well as tactical communications.”
“Well, I mean one woman against eight SEALs, those are no odds at all.” A chuckle erupted from the other desk. Her heart stopped in her chest and the smile slid from her lips like something gooey on a hot hood. The thump of her pulse pushed away everything else, seeing a rare smile on the Commander’s face. As her smile disintegrated so did the Commander’s.
Redding cleared his throat. The Commander rose from his chair. Muscles flexed beneath his neatly ironed white shirt, pulling it taut. Daunting was a simpleton’s word to describe the man who approached her with controlled strength pulsing and a noble step. She’d hoped to have gotten used to him, like an overused headline on day old news.
“Well done, Snow White.” He reached out his hand to her.
She grasped it, and it swallowed hers whole. “Sir?”
“Something tells me I should put you on the team. I didn’t know Canadians were so agile and sly,” the Commander said, releasing her hand, too slowly.
Fierce eyes locked on hers. Instead of letting him strip her bare, she turned to Captain Redding. “You wanted to talk to me, sir?”
“I did. I wanted to say congratulations. John says you’re ready to fly solo.”
“No, sir.”
The Captain’s eyes widened with surprise.
“Sir, I’ve done this for a long time,” she assured him. “I’ll know when I’m ready. I’m weak in American policy, there are still some areas that need tightening up.”
The Captain glanced in a file folder, and shook his head. “John doesn’t seem to think so.”
“I do. I know my weaknesses,” she admitted, her heart paddling at a hundred miles an hour knowing the Commander watched her.
“What do you think it’s going to take?” the Captain asked, laying his hand flat on the desk.
“Two more weeks, maybe. I’d like more time to run over the org charts again, which I’m doing at home. This base has so many departments, whether military or extended agencies, and I want to know those thoroughly.”
Captain Redding shot a look in the Commander’s direction. “What do you think, Ghost? Should I let her go on her own? I think she’s probably being too hard on herself.”
She twisted to see the Commander burning her with a look, one she couldn’t describe, but she could feel it.
“I think she can assess herself quite well. I’d give her what she wants.”
“Two more weeks then, but your partners Gord and Barry are already planning drinks with the guys to celebrate graduation tonight.”
What had the Captain said? The Commander’s statement, I’d give her what she wants, made her pause. It wasn’t the words. It was the tone. “Sorry, sir?”
“Gord and Barry are graduating today, but I’ll give you two more weeks.” Redding closed the file on his desk and eyed her with a doubtful expression.
“Have you warned her?” the Commander asked.
“No, not yet.”
Crossing her legs and clasping her knees, she gave the Captain her attention. “Warning, sir?” She didn’t like the sound of that, and the Commander’s tone had fallen back to serious.
A look of concern crossed both the men’s faces. Redding breathed out heavily. “Kayla, have you heard of our troubles here on base?”
The Blood Shark headlines in the base newspaper shot to her mind, “Actually I have, if you’re speaking about the serial killer.”
“I want you to be careful, Kayla,” Redding warned in a fatherly way.
“I know, I’m right in his hot zone, brunette, thirties—he must have something against his mother.”
The Commander placed himself in front of her, leaning against the Captain’s desk. For a moment he surveyed her, then put one knee to the floor so they were eye to eye. “This isn’t a joke, Ms. Banks.”
“I realize that, Commander, but I’m sure they’re working hard to find him.” Her heart flew off into the atmosphere without getting clearance from her brain, the man was so close to her.
“They are, but until they do, you need to be careful. They think he’s working here on the base, and that means access to all the women on it.” His voice softened to a low timbre. “Don’t walk alone. Don’t put yourself in a vulnerable position.”
“I’ll be fine, Commander, besides, he only hunts beaut…Thank you for the concern, sir.”
“Looks like the guys are clearing out for the day. Are you going to join them?” the Captain asked, pushing away from his desk.
“I have to work for another hour or so.” She turned and saw Gord and Barry’s instructors shaking their hands, and more of the Base Command guys stroll in, no doubt to join them for a drink. She felt comfortable with them all, but she trumped all of them in age. Her brows tightened. “I think I’ll just—”
“It’s custom to put one bac
k with the graduates. Captain Redding and I are going. Some of my team will be joining us as well.” The Commander squared a gaze on her. “At times, their lives will depend on you, Ms. Banks. You should know who they are.”
The Commander was right. “Fine, one then.” She glanced up at him, but quickly put her attention back on Captain Redding. Only one, she thought—a very quick one.
“Besides, I believe I owe our resident Maple Leaf a drink, don’t I?” he said, without a hint of pleasantry.
His words sounded like a light-hearted tease, but his tone said something else entirely. The SEALs lived paradoxical lives. It would take time to learn their idiosyncrasies. He and his team dealt with countries wanting to annihilate anything American. They fought a silent war. It was one of the most dangerous professions in the world, and now she was part of that world.
* * * *
They rendezvoused at a popular bar, mostly populated by base personnel. The lounge sat shore side. Instead of smelling like stale beer and old wood, it wafted with a salty breeze. The décor reminded her of old San Diego charm, with a hint of Mexico. Large windows opened up to the ocean and a sprawling patio. Inside, tables jammed the space with barely a hip’s width between them.
Making her way through the tangle of chairs, a couple whistles bounced off the walls, and hence the reason why she didn’t want to come. She was well past whistles and catcalls. Suddenly they ceased, but it was because the Commander placed his hand on her shoulder, steering her toward a set of tables in the back. That in itself said a lot about who the man was and the respect he held.
“Commander, you’ve brought company,” a man in his early thirties said, rising from his chair. A lean, but very muscular body and dark Hollywood good looks came attached to the guy who grinned at her. “Hello, I’m Mace Callahan,” he said, extending his hand.
“Hi Mace, I’m Kayla.”
He laughed and pulled out a chair for her. “She doesn’t recognize me without the grease on my face,” Mace said. “You’ve got my shirt, Snow White.”
“Oh, right. I washed it. I’ll leave it with the Commander.” She turned and introduced Gord and Barry, as the rest of the Base Command staff found them. With the shuffle of chairs and a few tables, they all managed to fit.
“Men, I think you should talk to Snow White about how one little lady was able to evade all of you,” the Commander said, giving them all a severe glance.
With just a look from the Commander, the SEAL named Nathan moved over one seat, and the Commander sat down beside her. She could tell he was giving them the gears, and she sensed it wasn’t for the first time. Again, his words conflicted with his tone. Had she read him wrong, was there still a man lingering behind the hardcore warrior?
“So, where were you hiding to begin with?” Mace asked, sliding a finger across her hand to attract her attention.
Her brows rose. “You want me to give away trade secrets? Sorry, torture is the only way you’ll get it out of me,” she stated, giving him a wink.
He laughed and leaned back in his chair. “What can we get you? I think we all owe you one.”
“She’ll have rum,” the Commander said, turning to look for a waitress.
“Rum, huh?” the man who’d been introduced to her as Lieutenant Cobbs said. He was the SEAL who’d been standing next to the Commander on the bow of the harbor patrol vessel.
He sat beside Mace, but he was much larger in frame. Where Commander Austen’s features were true Californian with dirty blonde hair, blue eyes, and a dimple in his chin, the Lieutenant was dark, with sharp grey eyes, not to the mention very dangerous looking. She knew the features of a man didn’t relay the true nature of him, but she certainly wouldn’t want to be the enemy and have to stare Cobbs down.
“Commander,” a sexy voice purred from behind them. “You’re back, that’s good to see.” A woman in her late twenties with ample breasts mounding from her tight pink T-shirt, and her navel ring visible above her low-slung jeans, closed in on him. “What can I get you?”
“Amanda,” the Commander greeted, his steely eyes warming as they shared a brief look.
Although she was no Eleanor of Aquitaine, Kayla recognized sultry when she saw it. Amanda glued her gaze to the Commander, and her chest rose a little quicker. She understood completely, the Commander carried invisible weapons—an overpowering essence of male, dominance. Translated, it came down to hot, hard and sexy.
Before long, there were plenty of women hanging about. SEAL groupies, she figured. Gord and Barry didn’t mind getting confused with the SEALs and grasped the opportunity with both hands, as well as a couple of the girls. The bar flooded with bodies as people came in on the Friday night to relax and put one back. A live band rocked the place with sultry southern tunes.
Mace’s arm lay across the top of her chair, and every time he talked to her, his fingers brushed her shoulder. He’d moved around to her side as soon as Gord vacated it, and he didn’t seem to want to give it up, even when a couple of blonde sweethearts had tried to attract his attention. “They’re good, aren’t they?” he said, his mouth far too close to her ear.
“They’re very good,” she said, giving him a grin. Mace was just too cute, and way too young.
“The lead singer is a SEAL, and the rest of the guys are support for Team Seven.”
“Really?” That surprised her. They were damn good with the lead singer’s gritty voice swaying with a languid chorus about New Orleans. She could almost feel the moist heat against her skin and taste Cajun on her tongue.
She sipped on her drink, enjoying the boisterous conversations around her. She’d already stayed for one drink too many, and was thinking about leaving when the song ended.
The lead vocalists said to the crowd, “Turns out I’m not the only singer in here tonight.”
She swiveled in her chair and saw Barry standing beside the stage. Oh, shit! She was going to kill him.
“Apparently the new voice we’ve all been hearing coming from Base Command can carry a tune, and she’s here tonight. Let’s see if we can coax her up here. Come on up, Snow White.”
She shook her head vigorously and turned away from the stage. Maybe if she hid under the table, no one would find her.
“Snow White, yeah.”
The voices rose at her table. She shook her head, dropping her gaze to her lap. Barry was definitely going to rue this day. Mace and Tony jumped up and pulled on her hands, yanking her right out of her seat.
“Make way,” they shouted. She dug her heels in, but it wasn’t helping with the two muscle-bound men practically picking her up and carrying her.
“Guys, really. I can’t sing. Barry’s drunk.”
“Here she is folks, give her a big hand,” the lead singer said, pulling her up onto the stage. “So what’s it going to be, Snow White?” the guy asked, beaming a smile in her direction, and curling his arm around her to give her a little reassurance.
She sighed and looked out across the packed bar, and then at the guy on the keyboards. “Someone Like You by Adele.” The guy on the electronic piano nodded. The crowd applauded, and she took the microphone. “I sure hope you’re all drunk enough to forgive me after this.”
* * * *
“Sit down,” Tony and Lieutenant Cobbs yelled out at almost the same time.
His team certainly was taken with her, Thane thought. He turned his chair toward the stage as the piano man’s fingers introduced the sweet but sad melody. When the first notes rolled from her tongue, he leaned forward. Her throaty tones curled around him like Egyptian silk, and when she hit the chorus, the power of her vocals speared every heart in the room, but for certain—his.
“You’re gawking, Ghost,” he heard Red say next to his ear.
He didn’t bother denying it, but he closed the gap between his lips, and hung onto his swelling heart because it had never hammered in his chest like this before. She had definitely increased his pulse when he’d first seen her, but hell… Every man and woman in the pla
ce went silent, and when she hit the chorus again with that damn voice, people jumped to their feet realizing they were seeing something incredible, putting their hands together clapping and calling out to her.
Kayla had everyone in her spell until the song ended. He didn’t remember getting to his feet, but that’s where he was, like everyone else. She gave a quick little bow, offered the piano man a thank you, and departed the stage.
Hands accosted her as she made her way back to the table. Two sailors jumped in front of her and kissed her on the cheek. Kayla had almost made it back when a hand shot out and grabbed her. She jerked to a halt, her smile dissipating. Something flashed in her eyes as she tried to pull away. Fear? Anger?
A fierce slice of concern shot through him, and set his feet in motion, but he stopped. With a sedate smile and a couple of words, the guy released her. She clutched her wrist and flexed her fingers as she carried on. He’d hurt her, although her expression revealed nothing.
The team practically assaulted Kayla with hugs when she reached their table. She gave them all a thank you, then leaned over for her purse. Without a word of goodbye, she turned for the door.
* * * *
Man, she had to leave. These crazy buggers had to be all stone deaf or seriously pie-eyed. A hand gently grasped her shoulder when she straightened up, and the Commander leaned into her.
“Are you leaving?”
“Yes, sir, I have an early start tomorrow. I take the bus. I don’t live on the island. By the time I get home it’ll be after eleven.” She flipped the strap of her purse across her shoulder. “Good night, sir.”
He paused for a moment, searching the crowd, then his attention dropped to her. “I’ll give you a ride home.”
His stare was enough to pin anyone to the wall and keep them there, and she wasn’t exempt. “Thank you for the offer, Commander, but I don’t need a ride.”
“Then I’ll walk you out to the bus stop.”
Code Name: Ghost Page 5
