Shell Game Read online

  The frown deepened. “I don’t understand.”

  Tugging on their linked hands, he pulled her closer. Close enough that he could feel the light brush of her breath against his chin, the rise of her chest as she sucked in air, then held it.

  “It’s time for a change. Time to let the younger guys save the world.”

  Her deep long-held breath whooshed out, and she blinked. Hope shining in her eyes. “What kind of change?”

  “It’s time home meant more than a mailing address. Someplace close to my brother so he can remember what I look like. And someplace close to you.”

  Her brows shot up; her mouth fell open, and, if he’d been sure that surprised look was because she was pleased and not one of oh, shit, he would have laughed.

  “I, I don’t think… I mean—”

  “We haven’t had very much time together, and we still have a lot more to learn about each other. But I’d like the chance.” A strand of hair blew into her face, and he carefully brushed it away, tucking it behind her ear. “I wanted to break the asshole in the Panama hat’s neck with my own two hands for even daring to touch you. The idea of never having another day with you screwed with my head.” And heart. “I want to get to know you better. And when I think I know all there is to know, I want to learn more. I’d like a chance at forever.”

  The feel of Luke’s fingers lightly brushing against Sharla’s cheek left a trail of tingles down her spine all the way to her toes. Everything in her wanted to scream yes, yes, yes! But some small part of her brain scrambled to interpret everything he’d said. Starting with how he and Herbie could make a real difference.

  Luke ran the back of his hand along her jaw. “I can’t promise you that I won’t get hit by a bus or become some medical statistic, but I can promise that you won’t have to worry about where I go to work every day. I’ll never be wheels up again.”

  “Wheels up?”

  His hand dropped in search of hers. Fingers woven together, his thumb gently swirled across the already hypersensitive underside of her wrist. “Wheels up is when a team gets called on a mission. We’d have hours to report for duty and be gone. It’s hard on a marriage. Wives don’t know where their husbands are going or when they’ll be back.”

  “Or if they’ll be back.” Her voice came out low and scratchy.

  “You work in the ER, right?”

  She nodded.

  “How many families have you seen torn up at the sudden death of a loved one? Car accident. Heart attack. Whatever.”

  “Too many.”

  “Any of them teachers? Accountants? Maybe a plumber?” His gaze bore into her with an intensity she’d only seen once before, when he had come flying through the café door searching for her.

  “Probably.” She knew where he was going with this. But it was different. Not the same thing… Or was it? She was an ordinary nurse who, only a few hours ago, had almost gotten her head blown off by a crazed crook. “What exactly do you and Herbie have in mind?”

  Luke knew he’d made progress when the deep furrow between Sharla’s brows gave way to a smooth surface. All he had to do was pitch the last bit and pray for a smile. “For starters Herbie has a friend who just moved to a nursing home. Herbie has some suspicions about the quality of care. There’s also a resident who wants to know what her son is doing with all the money he keeps asking her for.”

  “Seems pretty tame work for a big bad SEAL.”

  “There’s more.”

  “More?”

  “Sophia thinks you need a better security system.”

  “Me?” The word came out just above a whisper.

  He tucked that rogue strand of hair behind her ear again and leaned close enough to hear her breath catch. “She thinks your current alarm system is outdated.”

  “She does?” Her gaze darted from his eyes to his lips and back.

  “She seems to think you need something more encompassing, newer, stronger.”

  “Stronger?”

  “A security system that can chase away the bad guys. And the ghosts.” He didn’t give her another chance to respond. Pulling her tightly against him, he let his mouth find hers. And, dear Lord, she tasted like heaven and hope. And home.

  If they hadn’t been in public in broad daylight, he would have continued a path down her neck. Lingered on the pulse point calling his name before moving on to her shoulder, her breast and not stopping until he’d reached the spot just below her hip that made her shiver beneath him. But this isolated spot aboard ship wasn’t isolated enough. Even lost in a tide of need and want, he could still hear the sound of approaching footsteps. A pair. Judging by the casual pace, another couple seeking a little privacy to enjoy the departing view—and each other.

  Grudgingly he pulled away, his forehead dropping slowly to hers, his breath ragged, and the blood in his veins still rushing south. “What do you say we finish this conversation in my room?”

  “That depends.”

  “On?” He lifted his head to read her expression.

  The longing in her dark eyes slid away, giving place to an amused sparkle. “Is this a test run of my new security system?”

  “Yes, ma’am. Installation is free. And I come with a lifetime warranty.”

  * * *

  “There’s no way around this. I need a bigger suitcase.” Sharla dropped her hands to her hips and shook her head.

  From behind her, Luke’s arms wound around her waist. “Pack the souvenirs, leave the clothes.” He nuzzled her neck. “You won’t need them anyway.”

  “Has anyone mentioned you have a one-track mind?”

  “Yes, ma’am.” He spun her around and captured her mouth in a breath-stealing kiss.

  Pulling away and smacking him lightly on the arm, she held back a smile. “You promised not to distract me if I let you help me pack. Just for your information, that’s distracting.”

  “I certainly hope so.”

  With a quick peck on the tip of his nose, Sharla turned to stare at the overflowing luggage. “This is just going to have to wait. Nana and Herbie are expecting us to meet them for trivia.”

  “Oh, I forgot to mention that Sophia said to meet them at Herbie’s cabin, and we’d leave from there.”

  “That’s different.” Hefting one shoulder in a halfhearted shrug, she shook her head, and followed Luke out the door and upstairs to the tenth floor. For a few seconds she feared she might find another scarf tied to the doorknob, before she shoved the absurd thought away.

  Luke rapped on the door. From the other side Sharla could hear Sophia laughing. The sound of her grandmother’s happiness made her smile.

  “Oh, good. You made it.” Sophia gestured them inside the room and moved next to Herbie. The two were grinning at each other like a couple of besotted teens.

  It had been great fun for Sharla to watch her grandmother and Herbie grow even closer this last week. With Gloria and George behind bars, and Luke’s assurance that his contacts had frozen not just the accounts Nana had found but several others as well, it all had made the last half of their cruise all the more enjoyable.

  And as usual Nana had pegged it. Gloria finally confessed to almost having amassed enough money to abandon George and live the remainder of her life worry-free.

  Sharla simply didn’t get it. There had to be millions in all those accounts. How much money did any one person really need?

  Herbie cleared his throat. He and Nana stood side by side, holding hands, their backs to the window. “Why don’t you both have a seat?”

  Sharla shot a quick glance at Luke before following Herbie’s direction.

  “Okay.” Nana smiled. “We have news. As you know, after the cruise I’m going to New York.”

  Sharla nodded.

  “Well, Herbie thought it might be fun to come with me to meet Leticia and some of my old friends.”

  Herbie added, “Instead of flying home, I also suggested we take a nice drive back to Florida. Pass through Philly and my old Georgia stomp
ing grounds. Teach your grandmother to do a little fishing.”

  Fishing? Nana? But the way the woman smiled up at Herbie, apparently Nana thought that was a peachy idea.

  “So if you have no objections,” Nana continued, “you’ll have the house to yourself for another month or so.”

  “A month?”

  “We’re going to take our time driving south,” Herbie explained.

  It took Sharla a few seconds to process the idea, but it only seemed fair. If Luke was coming to Florida to visit his brother—and her—then Herbie should be able to do the same with Nana in New York. Pushing to her feet, Sharla approached her grandmother and wrapped her arms around her, then moved over to give Herbie a big old bear hug too. “I’m trusting you to keep her out of trouble.”

  Herbie laughed. “You can count on me.”

  “There’s actually a little more news.” Nana sidled closer, leaning into the curve of Herbie’s arm. “After we return to Florida, we’re getting married.”

  Okay, that Sharla wasn’t expecting. She backed up and into Luke, who already had her back. “Don’t you think that’s rushing things a bit?”

  “Honey.” Nana shook her head. “We’re not getting any younger. At our age there’s no point in wasting any time.”

  Luke reached around Sharla to shake Herbie’s hand. “Congratulations.”

  Herbie beamed.

  Nana pulled Luke away from Sharla and into her arms for a hug. “You shouldn’t waste much time. She’s not getting any younger either.”

  “Nana!”

  “Just saying.” Nana held up her hands.

  “Which reminds me.” Herbie turned to open the closet.

  Sophia’s brows dipped into a scowl. “What are you doing?”

  “Getting out my carry-on. I want to give Luke here that address.”

  Sophia’s expression did a complete 180. The deep frown was replaced with a syrupy smile. “Why don’t you do that later, dear.”

  “No.” Herbie dragged the bag out and onto the bed.

  “Really, Herbie. That can wait.”

  “It will just take a minute.”

  Herbie unzipped the bag and, from the inside pocket, pulled out a handful of papers. He took a page from the top and gave it to Luke, then frowned at the manila envelope in the stack beneath it. “What’s this?”

  “Trivia starts in a few minutes.” Sophia took a step aside. “Why don’t you put all that away, and we’ll head downstairs.”

  His frown firmly in place, Herbie briefly glanced up at Sophia before opening the envelope and removing a trifold piece of paper. His eyes widened as he pulled out another, and then another, before looking up. “These are bearer bonds.”

  “What?” Sharla asked.

  “Bearer bonds,” Luke repeated. “You don’t see many of those anymore. They haven’t been issued since the laws changed in the eighties. Because they can be cashed in by anyone and not traced, they used to be especially popular with people wanting to hide or launder money.”

  “Fifty thousand dollars.” Herbie looked to Sophia. “The exact amount stolen from Sid.”

  Sophia’s brows lifted high, her smile never faltering. “Imagine that.”

  * * *

  “What am I going to do with that woman?” Sharla pushed open the door to her cabin.

  “I don’t know what to tell you.” Luke followed her into the room. When the door closed, he pulled her closer and, with his finger, lifted her chin to see her eyes. “You okay?”

  “With the bonds?” She shook her head. “I don’t know.”

  “Fair enough. And with Sophia and Herbie’s plans?”

  “You know, I think I am.” Despite the bond fiasco, the idea of Nana and Herbie made Sharla smile. She’d never seen Nana happier.

  “In that case”—he flashed that slow and powerful grin—“I’ve got some news too.”

  “Uh-oh.” She backed up to the bed and sat. “Am I going to like this?”

  “I hope so.” Luke took a seat beside her, lifted her hand into his and kissed her knuckles. “I sent in my resignation. This morning I received confirmation. It’s official. I am no longer an employee of the US government.”

  She’d known this was his and Herbie’s new plan, but deep down she feared when they returned to real life that Luke would change his mind and go back to saving the world one terrorist at a time.

  He pulled out the paper Herbie had given him. “This is a lead for office space in Weston.”

  “That’s by me.”

  He bobbed his head. “There’s also an apartment for rent on Hacienda Terrace.”

  “I’m around the corner.”

  He nodded again. “Or…” His mouth tipped up in that confident half smile. “I could wait for Sophia and Herbie to find their own place, and then rent her room.” That one charming brow rose high on his forehead, his eyes twinkling.

  She bit back a smile. “Pretty presumptuous, don’t you think?”

  “You heard what your grandmother said. We’re not getting any younger.”

  “Speak for yourself, buster.” Lifting their entwined hands, she waited for a sense of panic to set in. For fear to rob her breath. Any indication that things were moving too fast, too crazy. Too something. But the only thing filling her was an utter and complete sense of calm.

  “I’ll check out the apartment.”

  Luke’s smile held, but she could see the disappointment in his eyes.

  “Maybe look for something closer to the new office. I know apartments go fast, but I’m sure I can get something not too far.”

  He continued talking but all she heard was the blood rushing through her veins. Now she could taste fear. Fear of losing Luke. Fear he’d settle into a new way of life, and she wouldn’t be a part of it. Fear that not letting him fully into her life could be the biggest mistake she’d ever make. “No.”

  “Excuse me?” Brows creased in confusion, the man looked absolutely adorable.

  “No don’t rent that apartment just yet. I think you may be right.”

  “About?”

  “I strongly suspect I’ll be needing a new roommate sooner than later.”

  Luke’s face lit up like a kid with a new litter of puppies about one second before he rolled her onto the bed and, hovering over her, flashed his I’m-too-cute-to-resist smile. “Yes, ma’am. Lt. Luke Chapman volunteering for roommate duty, ma’am.”

  His lips came crashing down on hers, and, somewhere in the rising tide of sensations rushing over her, she knew a lifetime of Luke Chapman wouldn’t be long enough.

  Epilogue

  From the living room of US Navy Chief Billy Everrett’s house in Kona, Lt. Nick Harper had a clear view of the deck, the sandy beach in the distance and Brooklyn slipping his arm around his wife’s waist while nuzzling her neck. The scene resembled a travel poster promoting honeymoons in Paradise.

  Except of course Billy’s home wasn’t a honeymoon hotel; yet it was on loan from one friend to another. And tonight the honeymooners opened the doors for a family-style barbecue with both old and new friends.

  “Have you ever seen two more adorable people?” Maile Everrett, Billy’s mother, could do commercials for Come to Hawaii. Always dressed in bright floral garb, she never lacked for a welcoming smile. “It does a mother’s heart good to see such love. Gives me hope that even sailing the world with the navy, my son will settle down with a nice girl someday.”

  “What about nice boys for your daughters?” Nick looked across the deck to where the smiling newlywed couple chatted with the two youngest Everrett sisters.

  Maile laughed loud and hard. “I’m not worried about them, though I am waiting to see which one you fall in love with.”

  “Sorry, ma’am.” He raised his glass to her. “Against the rules. No fraternization with a buddy’s sister.”

  “I’m not talking fraternization, young man. I’m talking marriage.”

  Ava, the oldest of the Everrett girls, sidled up and kissed Nick on the cheek.
“Good heavens, Mom. Which one of us are you trying to marry off now?”

  “Me.” Nick shoved his thumb into his chest. “You’re off the hook. For now.”

  Much like her mother, Ava had a deep-in-her-throat laugh that could lift even the heaviest of hearts.

  Too bad love and marriage were not in the cards for Nick. Not anymore.

  “You behaving yourself, sailor?”

  “Always.”

  “Liar.” Still grinning, Ava smacked him lightly on the arm, the same way she would her brother Billy. “So how come you’re in town for this little soiree without my big brother?”

  A valid question. Same one he’d been asked all night by half the guests and her family. Especially since normally, when one member of his EOD team was on leave, they all were. But not this time. Half his team, including Billy, was currently attached to a SEAL unit for an as-yet-undetermined amount of time. Information he was not at liberty to share. But he and the rest of his team were doing a special security detail at Pearl. A short hop to Kona.

  “Luck of the draw,” he answered.

  “I’d like to take this opportunity to point out, you two make a lovely couple.” Maile flashed a cheeky grin and ran the back of her hand gently down her daughter’s arm. Across the way Luke dipped his wife in a dramatic kiss before lovingly patting her bottom and lingering to watch her head inside the house. “And on that note, I’m going to see if the bride needs help in the kitchen.”

  Keeping an eye on her mother as she waddled away, Ava shook her head, but the smile never faltered. “I swear Mom has marriage and grandchildren on the brain.”

  “That’s what mothers do.”

  “Yours too?”

  “Not really. I think she’s cutting me some slack because I’m busy saving the world.”

  Ava rolled her eyes heavenward and took a sip of her mimosa.

  “Seriously I think she recognizes her chances are higher with my sister, so Madeleine gets the brunt of Mom’s quest for grandbabies.”