Hunter's Heart (14 page)

He said nothing and left the room.

The coffee had just finished gurgling and dripping into the glass pot when she came into the kitchen. Dressed and gripping her bag.

“I’m ready to go.”

He filled the cups he’d set on the counter with the steaming liquid and held one out to her. She shook her head.

“Take it, Celia.”

She came closer, accepting the cup as her eyes scanned his arms. Grimacing at the scratches, she glanced away.

“I said I’d take you home after we talked. I’d kinda like to get a shower and get dressed first.”

“You said
if
I wanted to talk. I don’t.”

He rubbed his eyes then scratched at his beard. “I’m no head doctor. I do know talking helps.” Ignoring him, she went to the glass doors leading to the deck, separated the vertical blinds and peered out.

“We stayed in bombed abandoned buildings in cities,” she said, without facing him. “Mostly women, kids, old men, seeking shelter.” She paused to sip coffee. “When one side or the other would feel the need to cleanse the earth of their ethnic enemies they’d bomb again.” She turned. “The night bombings were the worst. No warning. I’d wake up to explosions. Flashes….

Last night I woke up in a strange place and it sounded so much like I was there again.” Her eyes closed and she took in a huge breath. “I freaked. I apologize. That’s it. I’ve talked. I want to go now.”

In his team, he was the king of keeping his face free of emotion, but Celia?
Damn
. She took it to another level. He simply couldn’t read her. “Why do you want me to take you home? I told you I had plans for us.”

Her chin jutted out. “I thought you were just saying that so I’d get up.” She gave him a cold stare.

“The first night we went out, you told me you didn’t like to play games and I told you I didn’t either.”

“I don’t like head games. You’re right. But, last night.” Her gaze drifted over his arm. “What I did to you. And now you know how I lived.” She shrugged. “No one would want to be around me, be with me, after that. Let’s just get it over with. Take me home.”

He used every bit of control he had to keep from crossing the space between them and holding her until her pain was gone.

“No games, Celia. I have to say it smarts you think I’d walk away because of something you had no control over. I don’t believe we’re defined by shit that happens to us. We’re defined by how we deal with it. How we get on with our lives.” He paused to drink some coffee and let his words sink in. “Seems to me you’re doing a damn fine job of getting on with your life. What happened last night was self-preservation. Your survival instinct went off like a close support missile. You woke up ready to fight for your life. I know how it is. Tell ya the truth, it’s happened to me.”

“Don’t lie to me so I’ll feel better.”

“Not lying. Cross my heart.” He traced an X over his heart with his index finger. “Very true. I hadn’t been in the teams long. Was back from a particularly rough deployment. In bed with a woman I’d never been with before.” He sipped more coffee then threw a look her way, making sure she was good with him talking about sex with another woman.

She seemed okay.

“She shook me awake and I went Navy SEAL on her. Luckily, I didn’t touch her.” He rubbed his chin. “She was
not
happy and I never saw her again.” He let that sink in for a moment while he finished his coffee. Actually, the team was spending a few days in Hong Kong training and he’d convinced a beautiful Eurasian woman to come to his hotel room. He
had
gone SEAL and mercifully hadn’t hurt her. On her way out the door, she’d cussed him in French, Chinese, and English. Worried about PTSD, he’d talked to his SEAL brothers.

His
brothers
laughed themselves sick at his expense before finally admitting shit like that happened to them. He was advised to warn the woman next time.
Yeah right
. He did that once and the gal booked before they got it on. Cue more laughter from his
brothers
.

No doubt Celia suffered from PTSD and should be getting help. Maybe she was. Not the time for that discussion. Until he knew more, listening was all he was prepared for. He put the cup on the counter and walked to her.

“Celia.” He stroked her arm. “What’s past is done. Today is what we have and I want to spend it with you. If you want, I’ll take you home. But, only if you don’t want to be with me. Not because of what’s happened in the past. Are we a go?”

Her defiance faded like the steam from the coffee.

“You don’t want to talk about my life?”

“Not unless you do.” He took her cup, put it on the table and gently folded his arms around her. “I’m good for now.”

He knew enough about the horrors women and children endured during that war.

“Only thing I need to know is if you’re going to help me devour the belly of the beast and the unborn of fowl.”

She blinked several times and shook her head. “What?”

He grinned. “Eat bacon and eggs.”

Chapter 9

The Caesar’s Ghost

Celia agreed to spend the day with him. Even though she’d hurt him with her lack of trust, he was genuine about wanting her to stay.

They shared a silent breakfast that took longer to cook than to eat. While Hunter showered, she cleaned up and thought about how to reestablish the ease of the previous days’ and weeks’ shared company. She was the one who had damaged it and figured it was up to her to fix it.

In ten minutes, Hunter came into the kitchen dressed in a huge T-shirt and shorts. She was sure he’d chosen the oversized shirt to hide the marks she’d inflicted.

“You have your suit?” He leaned and laid a toothpaste-flavored kiss on her.

“Yes.” She was surprised he’d taken the initiative to smooth things between them.
No
. That wasn’t true. She wasn’t surprised at all. She took his hand and threaded her fingers between his. “I’m embarrassed and don’t know what to say about last night.”

“Not a word about last night.” He squeezed her hand. “But you could ask where we’re going today.”

She nodded “Where are we going?”

“Taking my boat out.” He released her hand and opened the pantry, retrieving a small cooler. “You have a hat?”

“Boat? You never mentioned you have a boat.” She supposed it was the surprise in her voice that caused him to stop putting ice in the cooler and look at her.

“You okay with that?”

“Yes.” She couldn’t contain the excitement in her voice. “It’s just, I’ve never been on a boat.”

“Whew.
For a minute I was afraid you didn’t like to be on the water.” He put four bottles of beer in the cooler.

She went to him. “Hunter?”

“Yeah?” He stood and gave her his full attention. She touched his arm.

“Thank you.”

His eyebrows almost joined as he considered her. He gave her that beard wiggling lopsided grin. “You, are very welcome,” he said. He made no move to touch her, just went back to collecting items they needed for the day.

Acknowledging her thanks, giving her space and not playing down last night—or worse, acting like it didn’t happen—put her at ease.

Once she put her suit on, they loaded a bag filled with sunscreen, CDs, extra clothes, and several large towels into his truck and were off. Hunter was in high spirits and chattered away about boats and boating terms. “Port means to the left and starboard means to the right.” Occasionally he sang along to a tune on the radio. She was pleased he kept his word and made no mention of the night before or of what she referred to as her former life.

At the marina entrance they turned into a gated driveway were Hunter held a card to a device cemented into the median. The gate moved away, and as they drove on her excitement grew.

“There.”

She looked where he pointed.

“Boats are stacked in that building like LEGO blocks. I call a couple of hours ahead and when I get here,
Caesar’s Ghost
, is in the water, fueled, and waiting for me. When I’m done, they clean her up and put her away. It costs, but with my life and schedule, it’s worth the money.”

Hunter parked and led the way over a floating walkway.

Ahead a young man saw them and waved. “Down here Mr. L.”

“Gotcha, JP,” he called back.

They went to where the young man stood, next to a fabulous boat. She halted like she’d walked into a wall.

“Come on.” Hunter placed the cooler and bags on the dock.

She didn’t move. He came to her and removed his glasses.

“You okay?”

“That…that’s your boat?”

“Yeah.” He looked over his shoulder at JP putting the bags and cooler in the boat. She isn’t the best-looking thing on the water but she’s mine. Are you disappointed? I should have told you it wasn’t much.”

She shook her head, looked around then pointed. “I thought it would be like that.”

He followed where she pointed. “The sailboat?”

“No. The boat tied to it.”

Hunter laughed. “That’s a dingy. I don’t think it would hold me.”

“Don’t think it would Mr. L,” the young man said, coming to them.

“Everything I asked for aboard? Hunter asked.

“Yes, sir. Bottled water, sandwiches, cheese, crackers the usual stuff you like. Put it on your tab. Receipt’s in the box.”

“You’re a good man, JP.” Hunter handed him a bill then hopped into the boat.

“Thank you.” The kid sported an ear-to-ear grin. “Glad to help anytime.”

Celia was sure he would, if Hunter gave him a twenty every time.

Hunter jumped into the boat with practiced ease. “Welcome aboard
Caesar’s Ghost
.” He looked up at her and held out his hands. “Put you foot here and jump. I got ya.”

She put her foot where he told her. Before she could take his hands the boat rocked and she fell onto him. He caught her, stumbling slightly, but with SEAL reflexes he quickly regained his footing. He held her off her feet and kissed her for what seemed like forever.
Oh yeah.
Last night was firmly in the rearview. The awkwardness between them disappeared.

She returned his kisses with enthusiasm. He gently put her down and took a step back, putting space between them.

“You ready to get this show on the road?”

“I am.”

“Want a tour first?”

She glanced around. The boat was fantastic but there wasn’t much of it she couldn’t already see. “Later. I’m so excited I only want to get going.”

He laughed, went to the controls and started the engine. “Ready?”

She nodded. “Ready and beyond.”

He navigated out of the marina with her standing beside him. “Is this as fast as you can go?”

“This is a “no wake” zone. Have to go slow here. We’re coming to the place where I can open it up. Sit down and yank that hat down,” he commanded. She sat in the white leather chair across from him. With a rush of noise from powerful engines the boat surged forward, slicing through the dark, blue water. She glanced behind at the trail of white foam.

“Where are we going?” she yelled over the wind and engine noise.

“A place where there aren’t so many boats and we can swim.”

She looked around at the zillions of boats. “Where? Forty miles out in the ocean?”

He laughed and reached out for her arm, pulling her onto his lap.

“No. We’ll stay on the Intracoastal.”

They cruised north for an hour before Hunter steered into a small cove then cut the engines and dropped anchor.

“Time for a swim.” He lost his hat and glasses, ripped off his shirt then planted a quick kiss on her lip-balmed mouth. “Last one in has to kiss me.” He dove in, coming up several feet from the boat. He flicked the hair from his face then held up his arms. “Come on. Don’t be a sore loser. I’m a good kisser.”

Not brave enough to go over the side as he did, she climbed on the backbench and jumped, coming up sputtering with Hunter nowhere to be seen.

“Hunter?” She did a three-sixty. “
Hunter
.” Something hit her legs. She screamed and kicked. Below her, strong arms wrapped around her legs, lifting her out of the water. It was deep here and there was no way he was standing.

“Welcome to my world. Can I interest you in the three-hour tour? It’ll cost ya a kiss.”

She laughed, not because what he said was so funny, but because he looked so happy. She nodded and he let her slide into the water then laid on a few salty kisses.

“Are you trying to impress me?”

“I am. Is it working?”

“Not yet,” she teased and looked disdainfully down her nose.

“Let the impressing begin. Keep your arms around my neck.” He floated to his back, exposing the raw scratches on his chest and she froze.

“Look at me Celia.” Water dripped off his hair and droplets trapped in his beard sparkled in the sunlight. “Don’t think about it. They don’t hurt. I heal fast. In a couple of days, they’ll be gone. I….” He went silent for a long moment. “I want you to know I won’t ever let anything happen to you. Ever.”