Breaking Out (Military Romantic Suspense) (SEAL Team Heartbreakers Book 6)

by Teresa Reasor

  Piper bit her lip and shook her head, but a smile tugged at the corners of her delectable mouth.

  He’d succeeded in lightening her mood, and she hadn’t turned him down. Yet.

  She reached for a slice of bread, broke off a small piece, dipped it in the olive oil on the saucer, and popped it in her mouth. There was such grace and sensuality to the way she ate, Zach paused with a bite of ricotta pie halfway to his mouth. God, just watching her set him on fire. He set his fork aside and reached for his coffee.

  “How do you keep from being rolled out of here?”

  Her laughter was sexy as hell.

  “I’ve been eating Italian food my whole life, so I like to try other things. Mexican, Thai, Indian. I’m not fixing Italian on Sunday.”

  “Once you’ve lived off of MREs—short for meals, ready to eat—for a month, you’d eat the north end of a southbound elephant…if they weren’t an endangered species. Gives me the shudders just to think about the chicken fajitas.” He grimaced at the memory. “Thank you, Jesus, and the Bertinelli pastry chef who made this pie.” He finally forked in the pie and held the sweet in his mouth, letting it dissolve.

  Piper chuckled again. “What’s your favorite besides Italian?”

  Zach swallowed the bite. “Grilled steak and loaded baked potatoes.”

  “Typical guy food. I notice you didn’t even mention salad.”

  He shrugged and set his fork down to take up the coffee cup, which had miraculously been reheated while he wasn’t looking. Hell, the waitress walked by and left a fresh cup, and he hadn’t even noticed. He’d been too busy looking at her. “What can I say? I’m a guy.”

  “I think I can arrange steaks for Sunday.”

  “You don’t have to. I’ll eat anything.”

  “What kind of beer do you like?”

  “You don’t look like a beer girl. I can bring my own if I’m off the meds by then. I used to think beer was beer until the guys and I found some on sale at a liquor store and bought up cases of it. We called it turtle piss because it was so bad it took us forever to drink it all. I used it to make chili and steamed clams just to get rid of it.”

  Piper shook her head and laughed. “I have been known to drink a beer now and then, but you’re right, I prefer wine. But then I’ve been raised on it. You bring your beer, and I already have a good bottle of red to go with the steaks.”

  He folded his arms and leaned forward. “What about tomorrow? I’ve kept my distance, Piper. Isn’t three days enough since we’re planning dinner for Sunday night?”

  Her heart was beating hard in her throat. He could see it and wondered if it was fear or excitement.

  She moistened her lips. “What about tomorrow?” Her voice sounded breathy, and a rush of desire raced straight to his groin.

  He cleared his throat and swallowed. “You could bring Trouble over, and we could enjoy the sun, sand, and water. My apartment’s on the beach. We might even be able to swim some if the wind isn’t up. We can grill some yellowtail. I have some in the freezer. You can just relax, no pressure.”

  She took a sip of her water. “I have to work until noon. Then I’m off the rest of the day.”

  “Throw a swim suit or wet suit in a bag and come over.” He whipped out his phone and texted his address, just as she had done for him three days earlier. Her phone chirped, signaling the text had gone through.

  “Okay. I’ll come over around one. Are you sure you want me to bring Trouble?”

  He’d never had to work so hard in his life for a date. He wanted to run around the room and high five everyone. But even though he was improving, he couldn’t walk to the next table without pain, let alone put the move on this lady with any grace. Damn it.

  “Sure. He can hang out and play in the water. Retrievers like water, don’t they?”

  “Oh yeah, he likes water. He’ll drink out of your toilet and wipe his mouth on your clean pants, too.”

  Zach laughed. “You’re talking to a SEAL, Piper. A little water is nothing. We’ll keep the lid down. I have an outdoor hose we can spray him off with, and plenty of beach towels. In fact, why don’t I go to the office and collect Gracie? The master chief had a friend drop her kennel, toys, and food off at my house.”

  A waitress came by to clear the table and spoke for a moment to Piper.

  When the woman left, Piper went back to their conversation. “Come by at noon, and you and Tony can load Gracie into your SUV. Bring her kennel. She’ll need to be stable inside it while you transport her so she won’t have to fight against the movement of the car.”

  He was still smiling when they stood to leave. Piper excused herself to say good-bye to everyone in the kitchen and Zach waited for her.

  She had the leftover deserts with her in a Styrofoam container when she returned. “I thought we could finish these off tomorrow.”

  “Sounds good.”

  He paid for his meal and offered to pay for the desserts.

  “That was Mrs. B’s treat,” the receptionist said with a smile.

  “Thanks.”

  “You and Piper have a nice dinner on Sunday.”

  He looked up, surprised. “I’m sure we will.”

  “If I’d been smart I’d have texted you at your table and warned you to pretend you didn’t know me,” Piper said as they left the building.

  The air brushed against them like chilled fingers, damp, cool, promising rain. The fragrance of greenery from the landscaping around the entrance surrounded them. The sound of the passing traffic was only a soft whooshing sound.

  “I’m glad you didn’t. I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to wear you down about coming over tomorrow.”

  “You only met two members of my family, and they were watching you like a hawk, and had everyone in the restaurant doing the same.”

  The guy she’d hooked up with must have been a really bad asshole, and now he was paying for it in a small way. “I can take it, Piper. Once they get to know me and see I’m harmless, they’ll calm down.”

  “I have to tell you, even on crutches, you don’t look harmless, Zach.”

  He didn’t know whether to smirk with satisfaction or be worried.

  She fidgeted for a moment, then took a deep breath. “It isn’t your fault, Zach. It’s mine. My dad was killed in a robbery here while he was trying to protect me.” Her throat worked as she swallowed.

  Her shoulders didn’t look wide enough to carry such a burden. “I’m sorry, Piper.” How did she bear coming into the restaurant? He wanted to ask her what happened, but decided she’d tell him when she was ready. He reached out to grip her hand and held it for a moment.

  “It’s getting late.” She walked with him to his SUV and while he put the crutches in the back seat, she placed the container of desserts on the front passenger seat.

  Zach limped around the front of the vehicle and met her halfway. “I’ll see you at noon.” He slipped an arm around her and brought her in close to hold her, because it seemed to be what she needed. After a moment of hesitation, she relaxed against him and tucked her head under his chin. He ran a hand up and down her back, and with each caress she leaned in a little closer. He was aware of every inch of her body resting against his and tried to control his response, but, damn, it was hard. When she started to draw away, he released her and didn’t try to push for anything more. It wasn’t the time or the place.

  “Thanks, Zach.” She rested a hand on his chest for a moment.

  “See you tomorrow.”

  She took two steps away then paused. “Did the police contact you about Master Chief Flynn?”

  “Yeah. A detective named Sherman. I gave him the name of the two officers who questioned me so he could pull the interview. He said he’d get back to me.”

  “He had already talked to the clients whose files were compromised, so I didn’t have to convince the partners to call them.”

  “Good.”

  “I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t mention the burglary in front
of my family…I mean—when you meet the rest of them.”

  If she didn’t tell them and they found out, all hell would break loose, for sure. But it was her family, not his. And, hey, she was talking like he would meet the rest of them. “Okay.”

  “Thanks.”

  He watched the subtle sway of her hips as she walked to her car, a Chevy Equinox. He waited for her to get in before limping around and getting into his own, where he watched until she pulled out of the parking lot.

  He wondered what kind of situation she’d fallen into in college, and why she kept her family at a distance. She’d been embarrassed when her mother questioned him, but there had been pain and resentment mixed into her expression as well when she asked her mother to stop.

  Something bad had gone down, either before or after the robbery, and it had scarred Piper and her family. He’d just have to wait and see if she would share it with him. Or, he could look it up on the Internet so he’d have an idea what went down. Maybe he could figure things out for himself.

  Chapter 16

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  A headache pounded behind Callahan’s eyes. He stayed at the hospital all night, just outside the intensive care unit, so his mother could go home and rest.

  Since noon he’d been following up on things she asked him to check.

  He stood in the center of the barren living area of this particular construction project, then looked at the plans stretched out on a long sheet of three-quarter inch plywood laid atop two sawhorses, studying the structural changes. The crew had begun the renovation, and with the walls down, he could visualize the space.

  He’d already driven by one site and looked over the work. They were on schedule at this one only because he picked up a hammer and lit a buzz saw under the crew.

  And where the hell was Doug? He’d gone to all three of the other sites, and Doug hadn’t been at any of them. He even called his cell twice and gotten only a voice message.

  He reached for his cell phone again. When his brother finally picked up, he tried to temper his tone of voice. “Where are you?”

  “I’ve been making material deliveries all day. Where are you?”

  “I went by the sites and looked for you. Mom asked me to check out how things were going.

  “And?” Doug sounded a little testy.

  “And nothing. I did what she asked me to do. I checked out the sites.”

  “Where are you?” Doug asked his voice icy.

  “I’m at the Sutton house.”

  “I’m on my way.”

  He hung up so quickly, Cal gathered he was beyond angry. So be it. He was tired of his little brother. He’d kept his mouth shut and stayed out of things until he was invited.

  Cal shut his phone and stuck it in his pocket. He continued to study the plans for a minute.

  He wondered what Kathleen would think if they were building their house. He jerked the phone out and flipped it open. He hit Kathleen’s number. Her voice came over the line.

  “Hey, sweetheart. How’s it going?”

  “Everything’s fine. It’s really quiet around here without you. How’s your father?”

  “He’s still in intensive care, but he’s doing well. They had him sitting up today and walking. He still has a drainage tube and all that, but his color’s better, and he seems to be feeling better. No shortness of breath, and no pain other than the incisions.”

  “Fantastic.”

  “How are the plans going?”

  “The clients wanted some changes, so I’ll be working all weekend. I’ve set up a meeting on Tuesday morning first thing to turn the finished plans over to them. My partners at work will be looking them over on Monday to make sure I haven’t left anything out.”

  “So you still plan to fly in on Tuesday evening?”

  “Yes. Zach will drop me at the airport so I don’t have to leave my car in parking. He said he’d pick us up when we fly back here.”

  “Good. That’s a big help.”

  “How are things with your brother?”

  “I’ll know in a few minutes. He’s on his way over here to the building site I’m on. We have a crew who’s renovating a house, and I’m helping Mom keep things going like they should.”

  “I thought that was Doug’s job.”

  “It is.” He didn’t want to get into Doug’s exaggerations/lies with Kathleen until they were face-to-face.

  When the silence stretched, he heard Kathleen draw a deep breath. “I think I understand. We’ll talk about it when I get there.” She switched topics. “I’m feeling a little separation anxiety. I keep looking up, expecting you to walk through the door.”

  “Wish I could, Kathleen. I’m walking a minefield with Dad every time I go in to see him, because he wants to argue with me, and he’s not supposed to have any excitement. And Mom wants me to look over Doug’s shoulder until Dad is on his feet enough for her to do it. And we’ll talk about Doug when you get here. Anyway, I saw a beautiful house plan today. In fact, I’m looking at it right now, and I thought about you. Have you got a dream house in mind to own one day?”

  “Well, yeah. Most women do. No matter how much we fight it, we women have a nesting instinct, and home and hearth fall into that category. For the house I have in mind, though, I’d have to win the lottery.” She laughed.

  “If you’re going to dream, you might as well dream big. What about a starter home?”

  “Realistically, I suppose I’ll have to work my way up to the Hollywood mansion.” She gave an exaggerated sigh, and he could almost see her doing it and smiled.

  “I want to show you this house when you get out here. Have you ever thought about drawing residential plans?”

  “Yeah. I have a few plans I drew up for people during summers when I was doing my co-op. I’ll show them to you.”

  “Excellent.”

  “Have you been bitten by the residential bug, Cal?”

  “No. But this is going to be a beautiful house, and I’d like one like it one day.” He wanted to say “I’d like one with you,” but he wanted to say it in person. Lights flared in the windows, accompanied by the sound of a vehicle pulling up outside. “Doug’s here, sweetheart. And he and I have a lot to talk about. Can I call you back later?”

  “Yes, sure.”

  “Love you.”

  He hung up after her quick “love you” and turned back to the empty room. Doug shoved open the door and stepped in. Glimpsing his sulky expression, Cal mentally shook his head and counted to ten.

  Doug stalked toward him and led with, “I thought you said you didn’t want to take over, Cal.”

  “Believe me, I don’t. But you lied about your place in the company. You made it seem like you were dad’s go-to guy and you could run the show.”

  “I pick up the slack in every way I can. It isn’t my fault Dad left things in a mess and we’re having to scramble to keep up.”

  “You can’t work nine to five and run this company. It’s impossible. So if you want it, you’re going to have to start putting in some hours after everyone else has left for the day. Coordinating orders. Making sure the crews are staying on task and on schedule, and doing the paperwork to make sure the men get paid. Mom does the orders and the paychecks. Think she’s going to have time to do it with Dad underfoot while he recovers? And that doesn’t even cover meeting with clients and landing the jobs to begin with.”

  “I can’t be on five sites at the same time.”

  “Yeah. The crew at the Gibson place had fallen behind, but they aren’t anymore.”

  “And how did you manage that?” Doug’s tone grew ominously quiet.

  “I picked up a hammer and saw and worked with them for a couple of hours. I recommend you put someone else in charge of pickups and deliveries and stay with the crews, Doug. Pickups are grunt work. Anyone can do it. They need you working with them so they aren’t tempted to slack off.”

  “Says the guy who walked away.”

  “Says the guy who was kicked to the curb. Y
ou want to be in charge? Get with the program and prove to Dad you can run the show. Put someone else in charge of the grunt work, get in the trenches, and keep the crews moving. This is going to fall on you when I go back to San Diego.” And if Doug couldn’t handle things, the whole show would crash and burn. His father’s company would go down the tubes.

  He didn’t have time to pussyfoot around this shit. “This is your livelihood, not mine. But it would be a real shame to see it fail after the hard work the three of you have put into it. I don’t think any of you can afford to lose the income.”

  “We’ve got five jobs going and only two trucks to pick up supplies.”

  He was still focused on the minutia when the larger picture was more important. “Every guy you have on the job has a truck. Pay them a twenty-five- or thirty-dollar stipend plus gas if they’ll use their truck to pick up a delivery. Or have the companies deliver. It’ll cost more, but it will free you up to keep things going. A large order will be a flat rate.”

  “All right. I get what you’re saying.”

  “Find someone who can take care of some of the weekly responsibilities, like taking care of the orders and deliveries, and maybe the paychecks.”

  Doug’s features tensed. “I thought that’s why you were here.”

  “I promised Mom I’d help out until you get your feet under you. That’s it. I have a girlfriend I’m missing more every day, and responsibilities at home.” Cal looked away. “Besides, it isn’t good for me to be around Dad. His idea of communication is ripping everyone around him a new asshole every chance he gets. I’ve held my tongue for two days, but it isn’t going to last.”

  Doug crammed his hands into his jeans pockets and wandered around the site, checking the work. “It looks good,” he said, his tone grudging. He rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. “I might know someone who can take care of the paperwork. I can put a couple of the guys in charge of deliveries and get a system going. You can take a couple of the sites each day, and I’ll do the other two, and we’ll share the fifth one between us.

  “Good. Get on the phone and get whoever it is to come in to talk about the job first thing in the morning. Paychecks are due next Friday. You and Mom can interview—is it a woman?” At Doug’s nod, he continued. “Mom knows more about what the job entails, since she does it. It would be good for her to sit in on the interview, since she’ll be working with the new person afterward, if she thinks she can handle things.”