Before We Kiss (Uncharted SEALs Book 6) (3 page)

Poppy glanced down at her rumpled, dirty dress. Reluctantly, she acknowledged her situation could have been much worse. She might have been blindfolded and forced to ride in the back of the pickup to the bandits’ hideout. If word had leaked, terrorists might have offered a much steeper payoff. Yeah, the encounter might have been much, much worse. She supposed her dirty dress, bruised ribs, and scraped elbows were a small price to pay.

She remembered the way the cowboy had barreled into her, an arm encircling her shoulders, a hand cupping the back of her head. He’d knocked the wind out of her, but he’d protected her from major injury. She had no doubt that if he’d used his full weight and momentum to take her down, she’d have wound up in the hospital. He was a big man. Tall with broad shoulders, a solid but lean middle… If he hadn’t knocked the breath out of her, she doubted her ability to breathe anyway. His nearly black hair and piercing brown eyes had captured her attention. Add that square jaw, firm mouth—and for the first time in a long time, she’d been instantly aware of him…as a man. She’d felt small and helpless—something she never felt. Just remembering his weight pressing down on her produced flutters in her tummy. Poppy blew out an exasperated breath. Her father had a lot to answer for.

Back at the dock, she was met by the captain and several more members of the ship’s security team. They hustled her past the line of passengers being checked for their cruise badges with their belongings whirring through metal detectors.

“We heard about the robbery,” the captain said, taking in her disheveled appearance.

“Don’t give me any apologies. That wasn’t your fault. We’re in Mexico. I’ll just be sure to discourage any soldiers and their families from taking that particular shore excursion.”

“Plenty of other activities are nearer the ship, including secure beaches, for them to enjoy.”

She nodded, wishing he would go about his business, but he seemed bent on escorting her to her door.

“I hear your detail took care of the problem?”

Rather than admit they’d had extra help, she gave him a tight-lipped smile. “Michael’s a very capable man.”

“Good to hear. He was a recent hire. Haven’t worked with him before.”

Poppy’s mouth thinned hearing that. But they’d reached the door of her suite. “Thanks. And thank your security detail. I hope the other passengers aren’t too rattled after this morning’s fiasco.”

He chuckled. “I’m already hearing it’s the talk of the cruise. They’ve had quite the adventure.” He waited while she used her pass card to open her door.

Once inside, she kicked off her espadrilles and began stripping on the way to the shower. Best way to forget about the man who’d made such a deep impression was to wash his lingering scent from her skin. She sniffed. Too bad it was so damn appealing …

Captain Lundt caught
up with Wiley just as he, Morty, Sly, and Joe headed down the long corridor in the bowels of the ship toward the elevator. They’d been the last in line to board.

“If I could have a word,” the captain said, with a quick, professional smile.

Wiley took a deep breath before pasting on an equally polite smile. Shit was about to hit the fan. “Of course.”

“Drinks in the sports bar on the promenade,” Morty called out as the three older men stepped into the elevator.

“After I hit the head,” Sly said, smacking Morty in the belly with the back of his hand. “I’ve been dying to go.”

Wiley shook his head then studied the captain. With a quick glance, he took in his tall, lean frame, deeply tanned skin, and ice-blue gaze. His neatly cut blond hair was silver at his temples, so Wiley pegged him as being in his early fifties. “What can I help you with?”

The captain didn’t waste any time getting to the point. “I’d like to know how you managed to sneak a weapon onboard my ship.”

“A weapon?”
Might as well go with ignorance first
.

The captain pulled a metal tube from his pocket.

Wiley rubbed the back of his neck. “Wondered where that went.”

“One of my security team confiscated it at the scene.”

“It’s not technically a weapon.”

“Not without these.” He pulled a dart in a plastic bag from his other pocket.

So, Michael hadn’t been quick enough to get them all. Wiley winced.

The captain gave him a hard look. “I would have appreciated knowing that Charter placed more men aboard my ship. I’m just as interested in keeping Miss Shackleford, and all my passengers, safe.”

Cover blown
. “She doesn’t know.”

“But I bet she suspects. Miss Shackleford doesn’t miss much. Are more members aboard?”

Wiley nodded. “But I couldn’t point them out to you. They’re embedded.”

“I’m changing your accommodations. Putting you closer to Miss Shackleford. We’ll do a better job protecting her if we work together.”

Wiley let out a slow, relieved breath. “What do you have in mind?”

“A stateroom on her floor. One just opened up. Don’t worry. The family that was there is being comped with a free cruise. They were happy to make the move.”

“How many beds?” This location would make his job easier. “I’ll want to try to maintain my cover—at least around the rest of the crew and passengers. Is there room for the three gentlemen who just left?”

The captain smiled. “Two of them will have to bunk together, but yes, we can accommodate them. I’ll make the arrangements and have your luggage delivered.” The captain reached out to shake his hand. “Mike vouched for you. I’d appreciate you not going cowboy on me. Keep me in the loop.”

“Yes, sir.”

With his hands in his pockets, Wiley stood watching the captain walk away. He wondered just what had motivated him to complicate his mission. The three old men were sure to get in his way. But he liked them, especially Joe. The story he’d told Wiley of the dwindling members of his Band of Brothers had reverberated with him. They’d enjoy the upgrade. And he wouldn’t be spending much time in the suite. Still, being nearer Poppy made his job easier.

Only, he wasn’t just thinking about the job. Not when his blood surged south and his body tightened just remembering her soft curves beneath him on the ground. He’d tried to be gentle—well, as gentle as any takedown could be. No doubt he’d left some bruises. As he entered the elevator, he spotted Mike step in beside him and hit the button to take them upstairs.

“Lundt’s a little pissed,” he said. “He knows I don’t belong to the cruise line.”

“How long have you been with Charter?”

“Never said I was.” Michael gave him a sideways look.

“Wait. Michael Espinoza—Mickey D?” At the other man’s nod, Wiley grinned. “You’re still active. How the hell—”

“I was loaned out to tweak the ship’s security and offer recommendations for improvements before a boatload of wounded warriors descended.” Mike gave him a sideways look. “Wiley Coyote, huh?”

Wiley felt a rush of warmth and pride fill his chest. As quickly as they shared grins, they bonded. It just worked that way when you met a fellow SEAL.

Once a SEAL, always a SEAL.

Mike scraped a hand over his face. “My girlfriend’s pissed I’m on a cruise without her. She thought I’d be soaking up sunshine on a lounge chair somewhere.”

“Better than knowing you just mixed it up with Mexican banditos.”

He winced. “Just as well she’s not here.”

Wiley grunted. “Better off with her pissed than in the middle of that shit back there.”

The elevator dinged. Mike pointed to the left. “Your new room is three doors down. Here’s the key. And hers, should you need it.” He slipped two cards from his pocket.

Wiley was impressed by how quickly the arrangements had been made. “So, I’m right across the hall from Ms. Shackleford?”

Mike waggled his eyebrows. “She’s showering. And she’s not stupid. Once she sees you’ve been moved to her floor, she’ll know for certain her daddy’s responsible.”

Wiley grunted. Her knowing would make things much simpler, since he’d already decided he was moving in with her.

Mike held open the door a moment longer. “When we get back to Miami…”

“We’ll have drinks,” Wiley said, lifting his chin. The moment the doors slid shut, he headed toward her room.

‡

P
oppy sat on
her bed with a towel wrapped around her body as she applied antiseptic to the scrapes on her elbows. They weren’t bad and didn’t require more than a Band-Aid, but she’d have to wear longer sleeves to hide the injuries.

Her cell phone chirped on the bed beside her.
Daddy
. It hadn’t taken long for the news to get back to him. She drew a deep breath and swiped the screen, tapping the speaker button. “Hi, Daddy.”

“Don’t you ‘hi Daddy’ me, missy. I want your butt on a plane home today.”

She took another breath. “Thanks for the suggestion,” she said, keeping her tone even, “but I’m probably safer staying put. Less exposure than taking a cab to the airport.” She knew from the long pause he was grinding his teeth.

“Don’t step off that boat again. And what the hell were you thinking, taking a bus trip into the jungle, anyway?”

“You know I have to vet the excursions before our cruise.”

“You could have sent Kylie. She’s just as much of a nit-picker as you are.”

She waited a moment before responding. The longer they spoke, the better her chances of him coming around to her point of view. And for his blood pressure to drop. Nothing spiked it faster than her getting into trouble when he wasn’t there to fix things himself. She was all he had left.

Guilt layered on guilt. She’d caused him more worry. “Daddy, I’m sorry, but the men you put on my security detail were up for the situation.”

“I heard one of them took out the bandits with a goddamn blow gun.”

The identity of the cowboy confirmed, she narrowed her eyes. “Well, it wasn’t like he could have smuggled a gun on board.”

“Look, you stick to the ship.”

She bit back a sigh at his tone. “I will.”

“I’ll have men meet you at the dock in Miami to get you safely to the airport.”

She would rather have done so under her own steam, but she understood the need. “Yes, sir. I won’t lose my detail.”

“You all right?”

His voice had gone from sharp to gruff.

“Just a couple of scrapes. I’m fine. And I’ll behave. Promise.”

The call ended abruptly. Something that didn’t bother her. Her father never liked saying goodbye.

A distant tap sounded, likely someone at her suite door. With her robe hanging on a hook in the bathroom, she decided to ignore the sound. Whoever it was would go away in a minute. She took a bandage from the tin and peeled away the paper. Just as she dangled the strip over her elbow, she heard the sound of a muffled snick. “I don’t need anything right now,” she called out to the room attendant, letting him know she was there.

Steps drew closer, and she frowned while shaking off the tape sticking two of her fingers together. Giving up, she shot off the bed, darting toward her robe. But before she made it to the bathroom, a large, familiar figure filled the bedroom doorframe. For just a second awareness swept through her—no doubt due to her state of undress and his well-built frame. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

The cowboy’s smile was slow but didn’t reach his eyes. “Checking out the accommodations.”

She frowned, wiping the sticky Band-Aid onto her towel. “Look, you might be here on my dad’s dime, but that does not give you the right to barge into my suite.”

“Our suite.”

What?
She raised her eyebrows. “I am not sharing this room with you.”

“Good thing you have two bedrooms, then.” A grin tugged at his mouth. “Wasn’t suggesting we’d share a bed too, and I won’t embarrass you by pointing out the fact that your first assumption is mighty interesting.”

“But you just did. Embarrass me, that is.” She hated knowing her cheeks were reddening.

He shook his head. “Yeah, couldn’t help myself. The blush—it’s pretty.”

Her jaw dropped as more heat rushed from her chest upward to fill her cheeks. “Get out!”

Again, he shook his head. “Sorry, babe. New orders. As long as you’re aboard, I’m your escort.”

She took a deeper breath, prepared to blister him with a scathing retort, but as luck would have it, her towel loosened and, before she could catch it, fell to the floor. Shocked, she stood gaping, a shiver running over her skin.

His gaze did a slow, downward plunge then rose again, locking with hers. His jaw scissored shut. “Yeah, nice blush,” he said, then turned on his heel and left.

She heard chuckling from the seating area. And what was she doing still standing here? Did she hope he’d pop his head around the door again for a second peek? Poppy shook herself and stepped into the bathroom to quickly don her bathrobe. Before exiting, she checked her appearance in the mirror. God, could her cheeks be any redder? She hated that she’d let him see her distress.

But there was nothing she could do now but brazen this out. No way were they sharing this stateroom. She seriously doubted her daddy had insisted that the scruffy cowboy room with her. The man was overreaching. And, as soon as she had her blushes and her heart rate under control, she would tell him so. She took deep, calming breaths and fanned her face, all while forcing away thoughts of the spark of interest she’d seen in his gaze as he’d eyed her nude body.