Code Name: Ghost

by Natasza Waters

  He’d scanned the Base Command’s schedule more than a few times since coming home from deployment and finding Kayla under his roof. Worst of all, Red had caught him looking at it last week. He never picked it up and Red knew it.

  Quickly, he offered an excuse, saying he was setting up their next in-house exercise, and wondered who would be working in Command that day. Red knew he was full of shit, and pushed him, asking if he wanted someone in particular. It was a cardinal sin to lie to a SEAL brother, but he’d done it, for the second time in five seconds.

  This morning, standing in his kitchen sipping on his first coffee, he’d leaned toward his fridge. At least he’d lasted a week before photocopying her schedule and tacking it there.

  Daylight gave way to dusk, and a candle flickered between them. The warm breeze played with the tablecloth and the ends of her hair. The sounds of the restaurant became a background hum. Everything blurred except her. SEALs didn’t lose their concentration. At least he didn’t—normally.

  Kayla lifted her glass, and the ruby red wine slid down her sleek throat. A very kissable throat, one he’d thought more than once about grazing his teeth against, from jaw to the beating pulse in her neck. The hint of olive in her skin lured a raw need, and his mind grew fingers, tracing a path over the swell of ample breasts that could occupy him for hours. Could—but never would, yet it didn’t stop his imagination from seeking out and exploring her body. This was totally wrong, and he had to get a grip.

  She plucked up a plump prawn and sucked it slowly between her lips. Entranced, he watched her lick away a dollop of cream caught on the supple flesh of her mouth. Time slowed down, and mirrored the rhythm of his pulse with heavy thumps. The walls he’d built around himself cracked like sheets of ice breaking off and cascading into the sea.

  Why the hell was he sitting here with her? He should have dropped her off as she’d suggested, and floored his gas pedal to the mat.

  “Thane?”

  He hadn’t noticed the woman who stood a couple inches away from him.

  He blinked. “Leanne, hey!”

  Leanne’s head tilted and a bundle of blonde curls fell over her shoulder. Leanne was a New Zealand knockout. She didn’t hesitate, and leaned over brushing his arm with a very ample set of breasts he’d palmed a couple times, and kissed him.

  “Hi, baby. Where have you been hiding?” she asked.

  He darted a look toward Kayla. She’d stopped eating and a pleasant smile curved her lips, but it wasn’t her smile that bothered him—it was her eyes—interested, analyzing, but there wasn’t an ounce of agitation. The silence strained on for a little too long while he searched for something negative—anything. “Kayla, this is Leanne. Her brother is in SEAL Team Five.” Stupid thing to say since Leanne wasn’t being shy about giving him signals and Kayla was an intelligent woman.

  Kayla offered a friendly smile. “Hi, Leanne, nice to meet you.”

  Leanne barely brushed a glance her way. “So, when am I going to see you again? We had so much fun last time,” she teased, quirking her brow.

  “Sorry, I’m heading out soon.”

  Women were a great distraction, and ones like Leanne whiled away a few sweaty hours with a lot of satisfaction, but he’d learned long ago hanging around and making too many repeat performances just got him into shit. He offered Leanne a wink and a smile that usually worked to send her on her happy way.

  Leanne’s lips formed a pout and her brilliant blues begged for other things. “Well, you know my number. I’m on my way home now, actually. Drop by—later.” She twirled a curl around her finger and pulled up her shoulder into a little shrug.

  It amazed the hell out of him how brazen and nasty women could be to each other. Embarrassed at Leanne’s rudeness, he turned to Kayla, but she wasn’t showing a single sign of jealousy, and it friggin’ bothered him.

  “See ya later—baby,” Leanne said, and brushed her fingers across his shoulder as she turned to leave.

  “So, you do have a mission coming up?” Kayla asked, concentrating on her fork as she swirled the strands.

  For a split second, he thought about a nefarious response and then remembered who he was with. “No, I don’t, actually.” He darted a look across their little table at her.

  Kayla’s gaze popped to his.

  Great, now she’d think he was a louse for lying. Being a SEAL came with an arm’s length of attributes, honesty being one of them, and he usually was. Telling Leanne he wasn’t interested in a hookup in front of Kayla would have been an asshat thing to do. He’d probably screwed half the single women in Coronado and a healthy percentage in San Diego. He liked women, so sue him, but taking on a boatload of commitment with one woman was never going to happen. “We didn’t really click.”

  To Kayla’s credit, she said nothing, and reached for her wine. He would have bet a fleet of ships her response would be, “She seemed to think you did.”

  Nothing. Maybe it was a delayed reaction, and he waited.

  “What?” she asked, reading his expression.

  Who the hell was this woman anyway? Why didn’t she care about the blonde oozing over him? Maybe she wasn’t attracted to him. Why not? The more important question was why he was having a one-sided debate about this. He cleared his throat. “How’s your dinner?”

  She nodded. “It’s very good. How’s yours?”

  Sawing off a piece of his steak, and piercing a mushroom, he stretched his fork out to her. “Try it.”

  His soul melted into a puddle when she swept the piece of meat from his offered hand. Shit! An argument in his mind ensued, accusing him of doing it with purpose. Her beautiful, full lips cleaned his fork and he knew the next mouth on his cutlery would be his. He swallowed heavily. He couldn’t kiss her. Couldn’t touch her, but holy hell he wanted inside her.

  “Ooh, that’s seriously good, isn’t it?” she said swallowing. “Here, try some.”

  He watched her twirl her fork and his entire body twisted as if it were him in the tines, and then grew unbelievably cold when she pushed her offering onto the edge of his plate. What did he expect? Kayla was a straight up, no-nonsense woman. Fully aware she was a “one of” in Base Command. He’d practically threatened her by telling her she’d have to prove herself. He’d set the height of the wall he expected her to jump over. Nothing would make her veer from a strict code of conduct.

  “Commander, I’m fine waiting for Don. If you’d like to visit with your friend…,” she suggested openly without a single hint of angst.

  He gave himself the hardest internal kick in the ass he could, but it didn’t stop him from being one, and he gently caught her wrist. “No, Kayla, please.” His mouth went dry and his mind blank, peering into her eyes, the warmest feeling he’d ever known filled him, when she looked back into his. If a waiter interrupted them with an obligatory, “How’s your meal?” he might have to kill him. There should be a button—one that could stop the world from turning or another second from advancing, because this is where he wanted to stay for the rest of his days. “I apologize for that. We—”

  She gave him the warmest smile. “No apology or explanation is required, sir.”

  Sir—that’s what he was to her, just another officer, a guy in a uniform, and she wasn’t impressed like so many women were. So what did impress her? He wanted to know. No—he had to know.

  The expressions on her face, the fullness of her lips, her high cheekbones, and beautiful eyes had the damn yearning inside him growing to zipper-busting proportions. She was hands-off and always would be. With more than simple disappointment weighing in his chest, he knew after this evening he could never put himself in this situation with her again.

  Hell, where was Don anyway?

  Chapter Seven

  When the Commander’s friend Don arrived, Kayla liked him right away. He had an all-together, take-charge kind of aura without being pushy. The Commander and Don looked like brothers, tall, blond, although Don had longer hair, and they both took very go
od care of themselves physically.

  Don led them a block from the restaurant, then stopped in front of a beautiful four-story unit. “This is the place,” he said.

  The California stucco painted in bright yellow with floral sweeps in an ocean blue made the place scream “live here.” A lush, manicured garden and palm trees dotting the front lawn looked gloriously Californian. Every unit had a huge balcony, offering an expansive view across the walkway toward the ocean.

  “First impressions, Kayla?” Don asked, opening a file and giving her a sheet of paper with the specs on it.

  “I think I’m in love,” she drawled.

  “Okay, that’s a good start,” Don laughed, motioning for her to take the lead toward the entrance.

  Arriving on the third floor, Don said, “Chad Chamberlain is a good builder. I know him personally, and he doesn’t cut corners. This building is older, but well-maintained, and the condo I’m showing you has been totally remodeled.” He unlocked the door at the very end of the hallway. “This unit in particular is a little larger than the others facing the waterfront. It’s spacious and I’d say it’s a perfect size for you.”

  Don held the door open and she blew out her breath in a deep, sweeping exhale. With fifteen hundred feet of space, it had everything she needed. Painted with clean white and creams and chalky orange accents, it made her smile immediately. A bright, whitewashed kitchen with silver appliances, big enough for two to work in, sat to the left of the entryway, and looked over the living room and out toward three sets of French doors leading to the patio.

  She wandered into the master bedroom, the plush carpet soft on her toes. It was big, and the walk-in closet and en suite were huge, too, with an enormous Jacuzzi tub and separate shower. Seeing the Commander leaning against the bedroom doorframe, a quarter ways through a spin, brought her to a halt and she almost toppled over. He didn’t come in, but instead watched her, making her heart beat far too fast.

  With his arms crossed, he seemed content to stand there and gaze at her. The man emanated an effortless strength. She got the same feeling looking at him as she did coming home with a new book, excited to read it. Within the pages would be adventure and mysteries to unravel. All the events of his life that made him into the powerful man he was.

  “You like it, don’t you?”

  “What do you think?” she asked, before realizing it sounded a little too personal to be asking him.

  He unfurled his arms and ran one hand down the doorframe. “I think it’s well-built. You’d be happy here, and it’s a safe place to live. You’re close to the bus, and only about twelve minutes away from the base. Have you seen the balcony?” he asked.

  “Not yet.”

  He jerked his head in a friendly way. “Come on.”

  She heard him chuckle when she walked past him. Don stood on the balcony, the door open, waiting for her. As she stepped outside an enormous orange ball sank into the sea, extinguishing itself and the daylight. “Oh, my God,” she breathed, trapped in the sight. The Commander’s body brushed gently against hers, sending a zip of excitement through her veins, but she squashed it with a practiced hand.

  “Pretty nice place to have a glass of wine with a friend and watch the sun go down, don’t you think?” he said, close to her ear.

  Every hair on her neck stood up as her blood pressure skyrocketed. Friends? She didn’t have any friends except Barry and Gord.

  “Or make new friends,” Don added, glancing out toward the water.

  Her skin shrunk to three sizes too small when the Commander laid a warm hand on her shoulder. “How much room does she have to move on the price, Don?”

  “I think she has a little wiggle room. There’s still a few places in here for sale. Have you been preapproved for a loan, Kayla?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, they’re asking five hundred and twenty-five for the place, it’s an estate sale, but I think if you offer five hundred, you’ll have yourself a new home.”

  Her eyes bugged out of her head. “Say what?” she blurted, and slapped her hand across her mouth.

  Both guys shot a look at each other. “Is that too much, Ms. Banks?” the Commander asked, his brows rising.

  She couldn’t help it and burst out, “No, I’ll pay cash.”

  “Okay, then,” Don grinned at her. “Cash deal, better yet. I’ll call Chad, give me a second.”

  She whirled around. “Five hundred thousand dollars for this, are you sure there isn’t a mistake?” she said, and grasped his arm.

  The Commander laughed, and pulled a stray curl the wind whisked across her cheek, aside. Suddenly the laughter was gone. For one hold-your-breath-second their eyes met, instead of a cool blue, a deep warmth fused her to him, and that warmth strayed to her lips, as if all he wanted was to kiss…

  In the same instant, they both took a step back, and his gaze swung toward the ocean. “It sounds like real estate in Canada is a little exorbitant.”

  Her heart pounded in her throat, and her cheek tingled from his touch. Breathe, girlfriend. With a steady voice she said, “Not really, you just have to promise an arm, a leg and your first two children.” Grasping at the railing to steady her bearings, she didn’t clutch metal, but his hand instead. She immediately jerked away, but not before a spark lit inside her, like a sun going super nova.

  Don stuck his head out the door. “Five-oh-three okay by you? He’ll pay for the first year’s taxes.”

  “Yes,” she blurted, “God, yes.” She clutched her hands together and brought them to her lips. “I think I’d pay that just for that fireplace,” she said, stepping around the Commander and taking a closer look. Standing so close to him caused far too much anxiety. Look away, Kayla, just look away.

  The stonework with small ceramic tiles sunk into the plaster at skewed angles, and the heavy wooden mantle that she already had ideas for, sat on the right side of the balcony. There was plenty of room for a large table, chairs and she’d still have enough space to dance. Not that she planned on dancing with anyone, but she could.

  “Glad you came to dinner with me now?” the Commander asked, the glow in his eyes returning.

  Don stuck his head out one more time. “I forgot some paperwork. I’ll be right back. Enjoy the sunset on your new deck, and Chad says there’s a bottle of wine in the fridge, and two glasses in the cupboard.” He winked at the Commander.

  “Thank you so much, Don.”

  “You’re welcome, Kayla. It’s…uh, just you moving in, is that right? No husband?”

  She shrugged her shoulders. “No, it’s just me.”

  The Commander followed Don to the door and rested a hand on his shoulder, shaking his hand with the other. She couldn’t hear what they said, but she heard the Commander’s low timbre as he chuckled, filter out to her.

  “Congratulations, Ms. Banks,” the Commander said, offering her a glass of wine when he joined her again.

  Tipping her glass against his, she just couldn’t get rid of the perma-grin glued to her lips. “Thank you so much for your help, Commander Austen.”

  “Welcome home,” he said, his voice dropping to a low pitch that made her knees weak.

  She signed the offer to buy on the granite kitchen countertop, and paused to look around the spacious living room with built-in bookshelves and another fireplace. It was a milestone. Although she would have to watch the sun come up alone as she had most sunrises, it didn’t mar the moment. She reminded herself as she did every day she woke that life was good. Scanning the space soon to be hers, she paused to appreciate how far she’d come. Even though part of the journey had been on her hands and knees, she’d kept crawling. She had a job and a space of her own and little by little she’d investigate her new surroundings. Yeah—life was pretty good.

  Don departed, and she walked back to the balcony to watch the last spears of light disappear into the sea. The breeze wrapped around her with a delicious blanket of balmy warmth. She could stand out here all night, and maybe she’d d
o that sometime.

  Stepping up to the railing, the Commander leaned one forearm on it, facing her. “By the looks of it, you’re going to be very happy here.” He searched her eyes as he refilled her glass and his own, and then settled the bottle on the ground.

  “I’m usually happy wherever I am.”

  “No one to enjoy it with?” he asked, but it sounded more like a serious question than a come-on.

  She shook her head, and gazed down at the busy walkway below. “I can make my way home,” knowing she wanted to stay a little longer, and he probably wanted to leave. Then again, maybe she wanted him to leave. An incredible yearning to dwell on the small creases around his eyes or his rigid jaw and full lips, swelled inside her.

  “I always complete a mission, and tonight that means staying with you.”

  “Mission accomplished, we better go.” She reached for his glass so she could rinse it out before they left.

  “There’s no rush, Ms. Banks.”

  Easy for him to say, his heart wasn’t in an endless loop with his body steaming like an overheating engine. She couldn’t stand the vibration, and her screws were coming loose. “I’ve got plenty of time to enjoy when I move in,” she said, and tried to pluck the glass from his hand. When he wouldn’t let go she looked into his face. His gaze intent, she couldn’t even begin to imagine what his crystal blues were expressing. A tremble in her hand revealed her anxiety, and she had no way to hide it.

  “I don’t understand,” he said wistfully.

  She shook her head, not understanding his statement.

  “Why are you here?” His brows grew together.

  Absolutely nothing intelligent came to mind. How could it, with this incredible, noble man standing too damn close. “I applied for a job. I got the job.” The words barely dribbled from her lips. How the hell could her heart rate stay at this level without bursting? Finally, he pulled his gaze from hers, but to her dismay, it fell to her hand.