by Rachel Grant
“Nah. Pretty much done. Just augmenting a bag of salad. Dinner will be simple. Sautéed veggies, salmon, and salad. Why don’t you open the white wine I picked up in Forks? We’ll sit on the porch and watch the sunset before I put the fish on the grill.”
She opened the wine and poured them both glasses. She stood behind him and took a sip from hers as she admired his back.
“Just can’t get enough of my ass, can you, Gray?”
“Never,” she said, and slapped him on the butt. “The sun is getting low. Better get out there, or we’ll miss the green flash.”
“Good luck. I’ve been coming here on a regular basis for the last year, and have yet to see it.”
She pulled on a thick fleece coat and stepped outside. The wind whipped her hair. She searched her coat pocket for a ponytail holder and felt lucky when she found one. She settled in a heavy plastic chair, and Luke joined her a minute later. Unfortunately he’d covered his body with jeans and a jacket.
They sat in silence sipping their wine as the sun descended toward the sea. After a while, he scooted his chair closer and draped an arm around her shoulder. She responded by leaning her temple against his shoulder.
She’d think about how weird it was to have this moment of harmony with Luke, but she didn’t want to go there. She was tired of going there. “Thank you,” she said, “for insisting that I stay. That I dive again. You’re right. I need to do it. You’re also right that we did fine today, and I need to remember that.”
“I’m always right. Being right is one of my many talents.”
She laughed.
“Seriously, you did great. I was impressed.”
“Thank you.”
The sun hit the Pacific, and they were silent as they watched it disappear below the horizon. There was no green flash, but the hues of the sunset more than made up for it, as the sky transitioned from yellow to orange to pink and finally magenta. There were just enough clouds to hold the hues. The sunset was a gift, and exactly what she needed.
When the last drop of color disappeared from the sky, Luke stood. “I’ll get the grill going.”
The wind had whipped up, and Undine moved inside. It was nice to be in a cabin that had an actual couch, and chairs that weren’t barstools. She’d liked her little place in Neah Bay, but it had been slightly more than a hotel room compared to this. Plus, she was grateful to have company.
When dinner was ready, she asked Luke if he’d like a second glass of wine. “Nope. On bodyguard duty. One glass is all I get.”
“You really think someone could try again? Tonight? Here?”
“I have no idea, but I won’t take chances by dulling my response time.” He carried their plates to the table and held out a chair for her. She sat, getting a whiff of his warm musky scent as she brushed by him.
He sat across from her at the small, circular table. “I doubt we’ll be able to line up a boat for tomorrow. We definitely won’t have pure oxygen for the decompression stop without Ray. But I should be able to find a boat for the day after tomorrow.”
“That’s fine. I wouldn’t mind having a day to mentally prep. And I’ve got a lot of calls to make tomorrow. I’m going to email Erica the photos I took of Wrasse. We may as well get started analyzing the scant information we have and see if we can figure out what the sub hit.”
“I was thinking I could take you to Ozette or Cape Flattery, if you can spare a few hours.”
She smiled and lifted her fork. “I’d like that.”
As with everything when it came to Undine, the offer was impulsive. But he didn’t regret it. She needed a break, and so did he. They settled into their meal and kept the conversation light. After dinner, she insisted on cleaning because he’d done all the cooking. He moved to the couch and pulled out his laptop to answer the afternoon and evening’s accumulation of emails.
His boss had more questions about the potential for sabotage. Keith Hatcher, CEO of Raptor, emailed him privately to ask about Undine’s mental state and asked Luke to call him. “I need to make a phone call,” he told her and stepped outside for privacy.
Whoever had tried to kill Undine—and his money was on Yuri—so far had only gone for sabotage that could look like an accident, or straight-up opportunity, if the grill on the porch had been more than a drunken fisherman’s carelessness. So he was likely safe from sniper shots on the porch, but he left the overhead light off all the same.
He dialed the number Keith had sent. Had Undine told her friend, the historian who was engaged to Keith, that Luke’d had sex with her the other night and walked away in the harshest way possible? If so, he was about to face shots from a different sniper, via the phone.
Keith’s greeting was friendly enough. “Curt gave me a full update. Because this is a Coast Guard investigation, there isn’t a need for him to get involved, but I understand he’s reached out to the Special Agent in Charge in Seattle, to give her the heads-up that there could be an investigation coming across her desk. He’s especially curious about the possible Russian/Ukrainian connection, and asked me to keep him in the loop with anything we learn about Yuri.”
Luke dropped into the heavy plastic chair, shaking his head. Unbelievable that the US attorney general was monitoring the investigation. If Yuri Kravchenko really was behind the attempts on Undine’s life, the man was in for a nasty surprise. “Is the FBI going to start digging into Yuri’s background?” he asked.
“Right now, this falls under Coast Guard jurisdiction. Plus today you were diving on a Navy contract. The Navy will likely defer to the Coast Guard, but they will open their own investigation if they aren’t satisfied with the Coast Guard’s findings. But all that will take time, which is one reason Curt contacted me. I can cut some corners. Given that Undine engaged Raptor’s services after your first dive—which wasn’t a government-funded operation—and asked me specifically to look into Yuri Kravchenko, we can be involved. Basically we’re operating as PIs on this, but I can also provide personal security for Undine if you’d like to be relieved of that duty.”
And there they were, the real reason for this call. Luke was being given a gracious out. He glanced through the gap between the long curtains hung over the sliding glass door that fronted the cabin. Undine had settled on the couch with a tablet in her hands. The soft glow of the lights caressed her pale skin, and his heart rate picked up just looking at her.
When he went inside, he’d find a clip to hold the curtains together at the center. Not for privacy, but for safety. Everything he did over the next few days would have that priority.
“No. I’ve got this,” he said to Keith.
“I’ve read your service record—”
“Yeah. I heard.” He said it with more amusement than anger. He’d been irritated at first, but appreciated the protectiveness Undine’s friends had for her. He was starting to feel that way himself.
“Yeah, about that. I’d say I’m sorry, but I’m not. Trina was concerned about Undine’s PTSD and her overall emotional state. Given that you two had a history, and Undine fixated on asking you to take her down again, Trina wanted to know what sort of person you are. If you hadn’t checked out, she’d have insisted I send one of my skilled divers out to partner Undine. But one thing was clear when I checked your record—I don’t have any guys who have close to your experience underwater. It was obvious Undine had chosen the best man for the job and hadn’t picked you because she wanted an excuse to see you.”
“That’s also why I said yes,” Luke said.
“Which told me you’re a decent human being.”
Luke suppressed the urge to suggest heroic as a better adjective. The ridiculous boasts were for Undine’s amusement.
“So having read your service record, I know you’ve got the skills to protect her, but if you want out, I can send a guy.”
“How can you afford this? I know Undine can’t pay.”
“I have a discretionary fund set up by the company owner for things like this. Clients wh
o can’t afford our services but whose safety we take a personal interest in—either due to personal relationship or for national security reasons. Undine is family, and the potential for Ukrainian involvement makes this a no-brainer.”
“Is that why you were involved in Ian Boyd and Cressida Porter’s exfil from Turkey?” Luke had read the news accounts at the time and noted Raptor’s involvement, which had been a footnote in the reports. Undine had mentioned Cressida once or twice, and he’d gathered she now worked for NHHC.
“Exactly. Cressida and Trina are close friends, which put her situation on our radar.” He paused. “If you give me three days, I can send either Sean Logan or Josh Warner. Both are former SEALs. Neither has your experience underwater, but you guys who were based in Pearl Harbor are hard to match. By the way, if you hear any of your old buddies are looking for work, send them my way.”
“I’ll do that.” Keith was pushing hard the idea of Luke relinquishing protective duty for Undine, making him certain Keith knew some of the uglier details of his interactions with her. “Listen, I’m in this now, whether I want to be or not. She had a tough time today but she handled it like a champ. If I walk away from her, it would only set her back further. I won’t do that to her.”
“Good. As I said, Undine is family. I didn’t want to have to get all protective on your ass.”
“Yeah. I’d kind of like to avoid that too. Undine tells me you were a sniper…” He rubbed the back of his neck and searched for something to say. “So…you know the guy who shot bin Laden?”
Keith laughed. “No. You?”
“Nah. Dickhead.”
“Yeah. Oath-breaking asshole.”
Luke watched Undine through the gap and felt a sensation in his chest that was something other than lust. “I don’t break oaths, Keith, and I won’t let anything happen to her.”
Luke seemed anxious when he stepped back inside the cabin. “Who did you call?” Undine asked.
“Keith.”
Ah hell. Was this more meddling from Trina or genuine Raptor business? Undine loved Trina, she really did, and was touched that Trina cared enough to get involved, but harassing Luke was going too far. “He doesn’t know,” Undine said, “about the other night. I mean, I didn’t tell Trina. So if he was a jerk, it wasn’t because of that. And if he was a jerk, I’m sorry and I promise to kick his ass when I get home.”
Luke paused before her and held out a hand. “C’mere.”
She rose, and he pulled her against him, wrapping his arms around her waist. His big, broad body surrounded her in an all-encompassing hug. She tucked her face against his chest and wanted to melt with the pleasure of just being held.
When the embrace ended, she stepped back. “What was that for?”
“I just needed to hold you, I guess.” He stroked her cheek. “Keith was fine. He just wanted to make sure I intend to see this through. My guess is he wanted to be certain our past wouldn’t interfere with my ability to protect you. Honestly, that question didn’t occur to me. I’m not thinking about the past anymore.” He held her gaze, his eyes intent. “But I never asked you if you want me for your bodyguard. Keith said he could send an operative with dive experience. If you’d prefer someone from Raptor, say the word. I’ll stick with you until they get here, then bow out.”
Her heart squeezed. It would make sense if Luke wanted an out. “Is that what you want?”
“This isn’t about what I want. It’s about keeping you safe, and if you aren’t comfortable with me, you won’t be safe. You know the guys from Raptor. You might be more at ease with them.”
“You didn’t answer my question. Do you want out?”
“No.”
Relief flooded her. Given their history, she’d held herself back from making a move on Luke. He had initiated every kiss and touch, which was unlike her. She preferred being the initiator, and it was time to stop being timid with him. She pushed him into her vacated seat on the couch and straddled him. She draped her arms around his neck as his hands closed on her waist. “Good, because you’re the only person I want with me underwater or on land.”
She kissed him, and there was nothing tentative about her kiss or his response. Their tongues intertwined and his arms tightened, pulling her closer. His hands slid up her back, under her arms. When he reached her shoulders, he pressed down at the same time he ground upward with his hips. His thick erection pressed against the juncture of her thighs, and she groaned at the sparks of pleasure the sensation triggered.
She could think of nothing better than having Luke inside her, of losing herself in the joining of their bodies. She wanted his mouth on her, and she wanted to go down on him. She sucked on his tongue, imagining the head of his cock in her mouth and how she’d tease him until she finally relented and made him come.
His hands moved to her breasts, and she pressed against him to let him know she approved of the action. She tugged at his shirt. She wanted to be skin to skin. To run her hands over his incredible body and let him know exactly how much she appreciated the hours he spent in the gym.
Luke leaned back his head and released her mouth, flinging his hands wide at the same time. “Shit, Undine. I can’t do this.”
All hell, here it was. He’d throw their history in her face again. Anger surged. She might have initiated it, but he’d been an active participant in the kiss-and-grope. “Dammit, Luke, I’m getting tired of you holding the past against me—”
“No! That’s not what I meant.” His hands closed around her hips when she made a move to scramble off his lap. “I meant it when I said I’m not thinking about the past anymore. I’d be happy to never think about it again.”
“Then what’s the problem? I want you. You want me. We’re single, consenting adults.”
“If I have no-strings sex with you now, today, while you’re vulnerable, it would make me a complete asshole. We’ve already established that I’m an asshole, but that’s going too far, even for me.”
“I’m okay with no-strings sex.”
“You’re saying that because you’re ramped up. I am too. I want to bury myself inside you and forget everything for a little while. But I won’t take advantage of you that way. Not when all I can offer you is a no-strings, no-emotion fuck. We already did that, and you were pissed when I walked out. This time I can’t walk out. I made a promise to protect you. So we’d be stuck together in a tiny cabin, and you’d start regretting tonight pretty damn fast.”
His logic was solid, and she couldn’t ignore the hint of hurt at the fact that he wasn’t willing to consider anything beyond a no-strings fling, which meant that her emotions were already engaged.
No matter how much she wanted to deny it, it was too late for her to have emotionless sex with him. She climbed off his lap and rubbed her arms, feeling cold again even though the thermostat was still set high.
“I’m sorry, Undine.”
She nodded. “I guess I need to be content that you don’t hate me anymore, and leave it at that.”
“If it’s any consolation, turning you down right now is sort of killing me. I can guarantee I’ll be jacking off later.”
“Yeah, well, I hope the shower has a massage head.”
He closed his eyes and let out a small groan. “Okay, now I know what I’m going to imagine while I jack off.” He got to his feet and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. “I like the woman I’ve gotten to know these last few days. I’m glad that when this is all over, we can both move forward with peace between us.”
His words made it achingly clear that there would be no friendship, no ongoing contact, and she felt bereft just thinking about it. Trina had believed Undine was hung up on Luke from the moment she shared the sordid tale. What would Trina say when Undine returned to DC and it became clear that this time she really had lost her heart to Luke Sevick?
Chapter Seventeen
“Time to get up, sunshine.”
Luke’s voice was entirely too cheery for… She glanced at the clock on the n
ightstand, then pulled her pillow over her head. It ought to be illegal to be that happy to be awake at any time before seven in the morning. “Go away.”
“But we need to get our morning run in before we go to the gym. You don’t want to miss the sunrise.”
“Yes. Yes. I do want to miss the sunrise. I love missing the sunrise. It’s my favorite thing to miss.” She peeked out from under the pillow and fixed him with a one-eyed glare in the dark bedroom. “And for future reference, the only acceptable reason to wake me this early is for sex. Or fresh baked cinnamon rolls, and even then they better have frosting.”
He laughed. Usually she found the sound pleasant, but now it made her want to smother him with her pillow, just until he quieted and let her sleep. She wasn’t a monster.
“I take it you aren’t a morning person,” he said in that grating, cheery tone.
“I like mornings just fine. Morning starts at seven on workdays, and nine on non-workdays.”
“Today it starts at six fifteen because I need a run. And after we run, we’re going to the gym.”
“So your plan is torture then?”
“How do you think I got this amazing body you admire so much? It takes work, sweetheart.”
“Fine. Go work. I’ll sleep. I’ll be sure to admire your perfection when you get back. Everyone wins. Now let me sleep.” She flipped over on the queen-sized bed, presenting her back to him, then pulled the covers higher.
The bed dipped as he settled beside her and pulled her close, until he nearly spooned her, but for the layers of blankets that separated them. He nuzzled her neck. “Maybe I should have started this way. Woken you slowly.”
She wanted to purr, the caress felt so sweet.
He nipped at her shoulder. “But now’s not the time for this,” he murmured against her skin, “Because we need to go for a run.”
He really was a bastard that he’d kiss her to cajole her out of bed. “It’s really okay with me if you go for a run without me. In fact, I’ll give you my Fitbit, and we’ll both get steps.”
