SEALs of Summer 2: A Military Romance Superbundle (48 page)

She swallowed loudly. “Bonjou?”

He didn’t say a word. His gaze slowly raked over her until his eyes met hers.

“I’m Dr. Morno.” She cleared her throat. “Ysabeau. How do you feel?”

“No shit.” His lips twitched. “
You’re
Dr. Morno?”

“You came to see me four days ago.”

“Four
days
ago? Dammit, I’ve got to call—” His blue eyes flashed with anger. “They took my cell phone, didn’t they? My luggage, computer, everything?”

“I’m afraid so.”

“My secret pouch?” He reached for his neck and touched his dog tags. He seemed relieved they were still around his neck. He patted his chest. His hands slid down to the wrap around his ribs. “Where are my clothes?”

“I…I threw them out. Your suit was beyond repair.” She cringed remembering how it was soaked in his blood. “Your shoes and belt are behind the couch.”

“What about the pouch that was hanging around my neck? It had my wallet, passport, Visa. My ticket home.”

She shook her head.

“Sonsofbitches!” He pounded the couch with his fist and then bristled with the pain from his movements.

“Please, don’t exhaust yourself. We can call the U.S. Embassy and get you another passport. Credit cards and tickets can be reissued, as well.”

He tried to sit up. “I have to…” He panted with the effort. “…to call someone.”

“The Guardians?” She worked to control the quiver in her voice. This couldn’t be the end.

“My daughter. When I’m traveling, I call her several times a day. She’s probably worried sick by now.”

She blinked. A father calling his daughter several times a day didn’t match her image of the devil incarnate, or sexy Loa. “I’ll help you to the kitchen. There’s only one phone.”

“Thanks…give me a minute.” Sweat ran down his face. He exhaled through his teeth.

“Here, drink this. Slowly,” she warned as she gave him the glass of water.

He tried a few slow sips, but his thirst was great and he gulped the rest down. She was mesmerized by the tendons, muscles, and the Adam’s apple that worked while he swallowed. A woman could spend several delicious moments kissing that neck. She shook the thought away with a mental shrug. What was she thinking? Damned handsome man.

“Thanks, Dr. Morno.”

“Ysabeau. I read your dog tags, Luke Carter.”

“I still wear them, but I’m not in the Navy anymore.” His voice took on a business-like edge to it when he added, “I work for the Guardians.”

Her insides twisted. “I know.”

“Where’s the phone?” He struggled again to get up. The afghan fell away from his chest, and he realized how naked he was. “That’s right, no suit.”

“I’ll be right back.” Ysabeau went to her closet to find something, anything that would cover Luke’s large frame. “Sorry, this is the best I could do.” She held her robe out for him.

“Pink. I’m sure it brings out the color in my swollen eye.” He grinned. “Very manly.”

“Especially the lace.” His smile was contagious. “I’ll buy you some clothes tomorrow.” She helped him get his arms into it. He held it closed with one hand while she helped him get to his feet.

He teetered and finally made it to standing. “Crap, I’m pathetic.”

It unnerved her to see him look so distraught. That sort of expression she saw on her sick patients. “Lean into me.” She gripped his arm to steady him.

When he draped his arm over her shoulder, she was very aware of how strongly male he was, even in his weakened state and in her pink lacy robe.

He cocked his head and gazed deeply into her eyes. “Amber! I guessed it.”

“Excuse me?”

“Watching you sleep last night, I imagined your eyes would be the color of golden amber.”

Dimples too? Lord, he was cute, and dimples got her every time. Heat rose to her cheeks. She was flustered when he smiled at her like that. “Hang onto me, we’ll take it slowly.”

There was no doubt about it. The American
was
trouble.

And she was in it deep.

*

The beautiful lullaby
woman got Luke situated on a barstool and left him to make his calls. His head pounded. He leaned against a white tiled countertop and willed the small kitchen to stop spinning. Overhead, a large-leafed fan stirred warm air that smelled as sweet as orange blossoms.

He caught his reflection in the shiny toaster on the counter and did a double-take. Leaning closer, he tried to see himself with his one eye. His face was a swollen black and blue mess. That was one scary face. Pushing the toaster away, he dialed his home number.

Danny picked it up on the first ring. “Where in the hell’ve you been? I’m going nuts here. Why won’t you answer your cell?”

“Hey Dan, can you bring it down a notch?” He gripped his splitting head. “I’m in Haiti.”

“Still? You were supposed to come back days ago. I waited for three hours in the airport to pick you up!”

“Yeah, that’s not down, Danny. Click that volume a couple more notches. My head is killing me.”

“You’ve got a hangover, man? While Sunny and I are dying a thousand deaths you’re partying it up in Haiti?”

“I got my ass handed to me by Haitian street thugs. Trust me, it was no party.”

“No! Are you serious?”

“Geez.” Luke held the phone from his ear. “Softer, man, much softer.”

“Sorry,” Danny whispered. “Are you okay?”

“I’ll live.” Thanks to Amber Eyes. “Don’t tell Sunny I’m hurt, okay?”

“What’ll I say? She’s pretty worried about you.”

Luke massaged his temples. Danny didn’t know a thing about kids. “Say that it’s taking longer than expected. Keep it simple. Is she there?”

“She’s at the mall with her friends.” Danny said. “That’s all right, isn’t it? I mean, she said you let her go all the time.”

“It’s fine.” Now, Luke’s heart hurt too. He missed his girl something awful. “I’ll call her cell.”

“She left it here on the counter.”

“Huh, not like her. Tell her not to worry about me. I’ll call her later tonight.”

“Sure. Have you seen Dr. Morno yet?” Danny asked.

Luke gazed around the kitchen. “I think I’ve been sleeping on her couch.”

“How’d that happen?”

He scratched his stubbled chin. “I’m not sure.” He had a flashback of a woman holding his head in her lap. “She might have been the one who found me in the alley.”

“No shit? That’s a crazy coincidence. What’s she like in person?” Danny asked.

“Gorgeous.” He pressed his forehead. Did he just say that out loud? To Danny, the biggest mouth in the Bay Area?

“Really? Then you take all the time you need, bro.” The excitement in his voice was palpable. “Seriously, all the time you need.”

“It’s not like that. It’s…” For the life of him he didn’t know what it was. He just met Ysabeau, and yet he felt strangely close to her. “It’s complicated.”

“This is great! I don’t mean the ass-kicking, but the Guardians will give her the funding now, right? Don’t you owe her? I mean she’s nursing you back to health and letting you sleep on her sofa. They’ve got to take all that into consideration.”

Luke frowned. It was complicated. What kind of creep shuts a pretty lady down after she saved his life?

“I’ve got to hang up now, Danny. Tell Sunny I’ll call her tonight.”

He stood up too fast. Everything spun around him and the cozy kitchen became a teacup at Disneyland. He gripped the counter to stabilize himself. It didn’t work. He knew which way was up, he just couldn’t seem to make his body get there. Tilting to a hard right, he knocked the barstool to the floor with a crash. With horror, he realized that he was going down too.

“Luke!” Ysabeau ran into the kitchen and caught him just in time. “Careful. Your balance might not be right for a while.” Those amazingly deep amber eyes were full of compassion. Wrapping her arms around him for support, he noted that her skin really was as soft as it looked. She smelled like coconut oil. “I’ve got you. Come on, you need to rest.”

As she negotiated him back to the couch, he wondered what kind of creep shuts a pretty lady down after she saved his life
and
kept his ass from hitting the floor?

He’d soon find out.

‡

Y
sabeau let Luke
lean on her as they went back to the living room. He moved slowly, heavily, holding his ribs and inhaling and exhaling through clenched teeth.

Groaning, he lowered himself onto the cushions. His breath came out as a hiss. Sweat dripped down his face. “Piece of cake.”

She turned. “I’ll be right back with your pain pills.”

He reached for her, catching her wrist. “Wait. Please. Let’s talk first.”

She nibbled her bottom lip, not wanting to hear why the Guardians sent Luke Carter to her clinic. “Wouldn’t you rather I make you something to eat? A bowl of chicken broth, maybe? To ease your stomach.”

“Please, sit.” After a lot of painful shifting, he moved over so she had a spot on the couch.

Sitting a few feet away, she crossed her hands in her lap and waited for the inevitable. She would fight him with everything in her power to save her clinic and stop him. No matter the cost.

“You saved me in the alley,” he said softly. “I owe you my life.”

Her mouth opened. She did not expect this.

“Did the cops catch those guys who did this to me?”

She shook her head.

“Some parts are fuzzy, but one of those gang-bangers worked at the clinic. I can’t…” He pressed his forehead. “…I wish I could remember his name. He was young, skinny, angry eyes, and wild dreadlocks. Sound familiar?”

She swallowed. “Not really.”

“Someone needs to walk you to and from your car from now on. I’m going to be concerned about you until that gang is locked up.” His gaze was intense. “Please do this for me.”

He was worried about her? She blinked in confusion. “I’ll be fine.”

“No. It’s not safe. I was attacked by your clinic.” Dark memories clouded his features. They threatened to obscure hers, as well. “If you hadn’t been there—”

“I didn’t do that much,” she rushed in.

“They would have killed me.” He spoke softly, slowly, intimately. His deep voice had a way of rumbling up her spinal cord and sending shock waves through her body. “You held my head in your lap. I must’ve dripped blood all over you, ruining your clothes too. I couldn’t see your face, but your voice… I’ll never forget the sound of it. Thought it would be the last thing I’d hear. I couldn’t leave my daughter. She’s all alone—” he cleared his throat, unable to go on.

For a second, she was back in that alley too, crawling to get away, knowing she’d never make it. They could both have bled to death right then and there. “You don’t have to do this.”

It was as if he couldn’t stop himself. “I worried those creeps would come after you. I wouldn’t have been able to stop them.” He shuddered, imaging horrors she didn’t want to think about either. “You must’ve been scared, Ysabeau, terrified. But you didn’t leave me.”

“No.” The tears glinting in his eyes melted her heart. “I wouldn’t do that.”

He touched her arm. “I’ll never be able to repay you. But I’ll try. The phone bills, food, lodging, medicine.” He tugged on her robe on his body. “Clothes. Whatever I owe you, I’ll repay. I promise.”

She was lost in his impossibly-blue eyes. “Just…get better.”

“I will. And I’ll get out of your hair as quickly as I can.”

“What? No, you can’t leave yet! I’m not, I mean, you’re not ready.” Ysabeau scrambled. She needed a few more days, three at least, to adjust the serum based on her findings with Talitha’s blood sample and retest her patients.

“I have to go home. My friend will wire me money. When my head stops spinning, and I can walk a few minutes without using you as a crutch, I’ll ask you to take me to the US Embassy for a new passport.”

“No, you can’t travel yet. It’s impossible. You need to stay a couple more weeks to recuperate. Three weeks would be better.”

He studied her. “Three weeks?”

Her cheeks flamed hot. “Or longer.” She meant it as a statement, but it came out sounding like a plea.

“I can’t stay that long.” He shifted and clutched his ribs in pain. “Damn.”