Dominant Deception [Black Ops Brotherhood 3] (Siren Publishing Classic) (12 page)

“Yes, sir. I understand,” Anna responded in her same hushed tone.

Jack smiled slightly as he rose from his seat.

“Good, I’ll have Steve make all your arrangements. If you need anything talk to him.”

“I can make them, sir, through DTS,” Anna offered.

“We have another way we do this, and we don’t want anyone knowing what you’re doing.”

* * * *

Anna said nothing as
Captain O’Malley
turned and walked out. She could hear Captain O’Malley and Mac in the next room, but she couldn’t make out that they were saying. She shook her head and let out a sigh. Reaching for the phone, she knew she had to get out of the office for a little while if she wanted her equilibrium to return to normal. She punched in five numbers and waited.

“Civilian Personnel, Mrs. Zarrachi speaking,” the voice on the other end said.

“Hey, it’s me. Can you do lunch today? I really need to talk to someone.”

“This isn’t Friday. Didn’t you bring your lunch?” Tammy said.

“Yes, but I really need to get out of here,” Anna said urgently.

“This better be good. I’ll be breaking my date with Jessie.”

“Please, Tammy. I need to talk to you,” Anna said seriously.

“This
is
good. What time?”

“Now?”

“Okay, I’ll see you in about five minutes. O Club?”

“Yeah, that’s fine.”

Anna fished money from her purse and grabbed her BlackBerry. She noted her destination on the board in the front office. When Anna saw Tammy, she almost started to cry. It was a relief to see someone so familiar and comforting. They walked through the serving line and found a table. Tammy seated herself as Anna quietly took her seat and looked down at her food. Tammy started in on her salad. Anna took a long drink of her iced tea and picked at her fruit plate.

“What’s up?” Tammy asked.

“I’m going TDY.”

“Oh? Where?” Tammy asked in the same even voice.

“I can’t tell you.”

“Okay. When?” Tammy asked with a frown.

“Sunday.”

“This Sunday? Is there a reason for the sudden trip?” Tammy asked, returning to her nonchalant, conversational tone.

Anna had been rattled since her experience the weekend before. She’d called Tammy in panic the day she’d been reassigned. Anna picked at a strawberry before answering.

“My boss,” Anna said.

“The new one? What do they do again?” Tammy asked as she stabbed a piece of chicken in the middle of her salad.

“They’re Navy. Special Operations.”

Tammy had berated Anna for her habit of turning a conversation into a cross-examination. Tammy was giving her the
look.
Anna was doing it again and it was starting to wear on Tammy.

“Anna, what’s wrong? So you have to go TDY? It’s not like you have plans,” Tammy asked, somewhat annoyed.

Anna dropped her fork in frustration.

“I do have plans. I planned on working on the house, like I do every weekend. By the way, you can’t tell anybody about this. It’s
him
,” Anna said venomously.

“Him? Your new boss? I thought you liked him? And who am I telling that cares?”

“No, not the guy who’s right next door. It’s the captain, the commanding officer of the group.”

“The panty dropper?” Tammy teased.

“God! He sends me into a panic attack every time he walks into the office. The worst thing that ever happened to me was running into that guy. My life has not been the same since! He ruined my weekend, he’s interfered in my work, and now apparently I’m on his time, not mine. I didn’t join the Navy and I don’t wear a uniform,” Anna said, releasing her pent-up frustration at her situation.

Tammy munched on her salad and listened as Anna ranted about Captain O’Malley. Anna looked toward the entrance and stopped. She dropped her head.

“Oh my God! I’m done, let’s go.” Anna stood to leave.

“I’m not! Sit down. What the hell is wrong with you?” Tammy demanded.

“He just walked in! I can’t get away from him!”

Tammy’s face brightened.

“Really? Where?” Tammy asked, turning around. She looked at Anna who had started to leave again. “Sit down. You’re starting to look stupid.”

Tammy was busy scanning the dining room as Anna sat.

“Quit turning around!” Anna demanded.

“Where is he, damn it?” Tammy insisted.

Captain O’Malley
and Commander Wilson were seating themselves at a table on the far side of the dining room.
Captain O’Malley
remained standing while Commander Wilson seated himself.
Captain O’Malley
picked up his glass and walked to the bar where the water and tea were located. Anna nudged her head in the direction of the pair as she picked up her fork and started in on her fruit salad. Tammy waited for
Captain O’Malley
to appear. Anna looked down at her food and started to eat a piece of cantaloupe when she heard Tammy suck in a breath through her teeth.

“
Holy
testosterone, Batman!
I think he’s gotten better looking since Saturday. Is that even possible?” Tammy stared at
Captain O’Malley
.

“Oh my God! Tammy, please, help me here,” Anna pleaded.

“
Damn it
! He’s beautiful!”

Tammy gave her full attention to Anna as she reached for Anna’s hand.

“Honey, I know it’s been a while, but I think you’re confusing a panic attack with an orgasm. I know. I just had one looking at him,” Tammy said.

“Seriously? It hasn’t been that damn long!”

Anna rolled her eyes. She wanted to hand Tammy a napkin so she could wipe the drool from the corners of her mouth.

“Will you focus? What am I supposed to do?” Anna demanded.

“Do? Do him, if he’ll let you! Is he a SEAL?”

“They’re
all
SEALs,” Anna snapped.

“I knew it! What the hell are you bitching about? Do you know how many women would gladly trade places with you?” Tammy scolded.

“Yeah, well, let them! I would gladly go back to where I came from.”

* * * *

Tammy sat back in her chair and stared at Anna. There was a lot more to this than Anna was letting on. She’d known Anna for years and no one had ever flustered her like this before.

“What’s up? I know it’s been a while but
you’re
no cold fish,” Tammy said, returning to her salad.

“So? Your point is?”

Tammy kept sneaking glances at the men seated on the other side of the room. She smiled inwardly as she looked back at Anna. Anna was sneaking glances over at
Captain O’Malley
as well. Tammy shook her head in disbelief. Watching
Captain O’Malley
and Anna was like watching two master fencers duel. It was fluid poetry. The two of them were flirting with each other from across the room! Tammy watched in awe. It was so natural that neither of them realized they were doing it. Tammy sat back and took a hard look at Anna and then glanced at
Captain O’Malley,
who was looking at Anna,
again
. Despite all Anna’s efforts to turn into a shrinking violet, her natural personality was something she couldn’t smother.
He
had noticed and honed in on her like a magnet.

“What’s his name again?” Tammy asked.

“Who?”

Tammy rolled her eyes. “You know damn good and well who!”

“Captain O’Malley? Jack is his first name.”

“Anna, what’s got you so upset about this guy? Did he try something with you last weekend?”

“No!” Anna said incredulously.

“Is that what’s got your panties in a wad?” Tammy asked playfully.

“What?” Anna asked with a pained expression.

“Maybe you want him to try and he hasn’t?” Tammy teased.

“No! Okay, here’s what happened…” Anna went on to detail what she’d seen and heard in the base commander’s office.

Tammy started laughing uncontrollably. When Anna got to the part about General Schultz’s call Tammy was beside herself.

“Shut up!” Tammy giggled

“It’s not funny, Tammy!” Anna said in a harsh whisper.

“The hell it isn’t! It’s about time someone put Spivey in his place.”

Anna told Tammy she didn’t disagree but didn’t want to give Captain O’Malley any brownie points, either. Anna finally came to what had been bothering her since she’d been reassigned.

“I don’t want that directed my way. I guess I just worry about not being able to do what he expects. I’m way out of my league here,” Anna said.

Tammy looked to the other side of the dining room.
Captain O’Malley
was engaged in conversation with two other men who had joined him and Commander Wilson at the table. Anna was clearly overreacting, in her opinion.

“I like him. Spivey’s an asshole. And I don’t think you can compare your situation with the show you got last week,” Tammy said.

Anna looked across to where Captain O’Malley was sitting. He looked up at the same time. He smiled and turned away. Anna turned to Tammy.

“Damn it!” Anna exclaimed.

“Now what?” Tammy asked, trying to stab a tomato.

“I feel like I’m in high school around him. That’s the second time I’ve done that. The second time I run into him maybe I’ll knock him down,” Anna said miserably.

“Whoa! What? Knock him down? Back up, I didn’t hear this one.”

“It’s nothing.” Anna resumed picking at her lunch.

“Oh no, you’re not getting out of it that easy. What happened?”

“I ran into him,” Anna said simply.

“I run into people every day, but I don’t knock them down. So?”

“No, I literally ran into him. The Friday of the Spivey thing, that morning I was coming in and I was reading an e-mail on my BlackBerry. He was coming from the break room and I was going to my office which is down the hall. When I turned the corner, I
ran into him.
My BlackBerry went flying and landed in pieces on the ground. I was so embarrassed. He had to put my BlackBerry back together again. It was a miracle the phone worked after that.” Anna popped a grape into her mouth.

Tammy chuckled and glanced over at the table once more.

“Anna, I think you’re letting his rank get to you. He seems like a nice guy and he doesn’t seem half as hung up on his position as you are. If he were so damn stuck up, he wouldn’t be eating with his guys. What happened to the five-star chef?”

“What do you mean?” Anna asked, confused.

“Don’t screw with me. I’ve known you
way
too long.” Anna looked away. “Look at me! You remember, eight years running,
Texas Monthly
, the spread in
Good Housekeeping
,
Southern Living
. Five-diamond resort. Need I go on? The five-star, I-don’t-take-crap-from-anyone chef. You were the wife of a powerful politician. No one
ever
screwed with you. All of a sudden you act as if you’re helpless
and
clueless. It doesn’t become you, Anna.”

Anna said nothing. They’d been down this road before. Tammy had suggested Anna get therapy after Marc and Alyssa had died. Anna seemed to crawl into a shell, never to be found again. It was hell getting her to even get out and get a new job. Not to mention talk to anyone she didn’t already know. Anna’s self-confidence had suffered almost irreparably. Tammy glanced at Jack once more.
He could fix her right up
.

“Anna, for a long time you have underestimated yourself. I talk to people and know that you’re very good at what you do. In fact, they prefer to see you instead of most of the pompous-ass kids that think they’re God’s gift to technology. This guy had you moved for a reason. Either he’s uncontrollably hot for you and is about to rock your world. Or, he really believes you can help them.”

Anna smiled wistfully and
looked down at her half-eaten salad.

“They both told me that, Colonel Jackson and Captain O’Malley.
They believed I could help them…
” Anna said.

“You have nothing to worry about. He’s probably married and he’s the noble type all those hero types are. I think he really believes in you and you need to do your best and
not
disappoint him. I know you can do it. You can handle whatever these guys throw at you,” Tammy said with a dismissive wave of her fork.

Anna looked away. Tammy could tell she was deep in thought and maybe even a little confused at her feelings. It was clear she and
Captain O’Malley were attracted to each other.
Tammy wanted to smile.
Captain O’Malley had no idea what he was in for with Anna Santiago.

“If you would quit dressing like a bag lady, you could be a knockout.
Again
. Get out there and show him you can handle him and whatever else comes your way. For you, it’s not hard and
he
sees you for what you really are,” Tammy said nudging her head in Captain O’Malley’s direction.

Anna took a deep breath. Tammy knew what she was asking was easier said than done at this point. Anna liked her comfortable, quiet life with no one inside. In essence Anna was comfortable in the world of self-pity she’d created. Tammy had been pushing Anna for months now to get off her cross and move on.

“I guess you’re right. The faster I get this thing over with the faster I can get back to normal.” Anna sighed.

“Uh huh,” Tammy said, glancing at
Captain O’Malley
once more.