Identity: Unknown. Suzanne Brockmann

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СКАЧАТЬ a week early,” Becca told him, hoping her briskness would counteract the effect his quiet smile and strange words had had on her, “but that’s good, because another hand quit on me yesterday.”

      He was silent, just standing there watching her with those eyes that seemed to see everything. For a moment, she was almost convinced he could see back in time, to yesterday morning’s disastrous conversation with Justin Whitlow, and back even further to Rafe McKinnon’s quiet resignation. For a moment, she was almost convinced he could see her anger and her frustration and her defeat.

      “You do still want the job…?” she asked, suddenly afraid that he didn’t like what he saw. After all, bad things always came in threes.

      He turned, squinting slightly at the blinding blueness of the summer sky. His gaze swept across the valley, and Becca was certain that unlike most people, this man saw, really saw the stark New Mexico countryside. She was sure that with his intense hazel eyes, he could see the terrible, almost painful beauty of the land.

      “You own this place?” he asked in his quiet voice.

      “I wish.” The words came out automatically and all too heartfelt. As his eyes flicked in her direction, she felt exposed—as if, with those two little words, she’d given too much of herself away.

      But he just nodded, his lips curving very slightly in the beginnings of a smile.

      “Who does own it?” he asked. “I like to know the name of the man I’m working for.”

      “The owner’s name is Justin Whitlow,” Becca told him. “He’s the one who pays your wages. But I’m the boss. You’ll be working for me. ”

      He nodded again, turning back to gaze out at the vista, but not before she saw a glimmer of amusement in his dark eyes. “I don’t have a problem with that,” he said quietly.

      “Some men do.”

      “I’m not some men.” He looked back at her again, and Becca knew without a doubt that his words were true. This quiet, slender man with the watchful hazel eyes wasn’t just “some men.”

      But exactly what kind of man he was, she didn’t know for sure.

      * * *

      “Hey, babe, long time no see.” Lt. Lucky O’Donlon of U.S. Navy SEAL Team Ten’s Alpha Squad pulled Veronica Catalanotto into his arms and kissed her hello as he came into the kitchen of his captain’s house.

      “Luke. Hi. Did Frankie let you in?” Ronnie’s smile was warm and she seemed genuinely glad to see him. And since she was one of the top ten most beautiful, nicest, smartest women he’d ever met, that welcoming smile was going to be good for quite a number of fantasy miles. But then she went and ruined it by smiling exactly the same way at Bobby and Wes, who had come in behind him.

      “How was your trip, boys?” she asked in her extremely classy British accent.

      Captain Joe Catalanotto’s wife always called the intensely dangerous and highly covert operations that Alpha Squad was sent out on “trips.” As if they’d been away sightseeing or visiting museums.

      Wes rolled his eyes. “Oh, man, Ron, we came really close to being cluster—”

      Bobby’s size extra-extra-large elbow went solidly into his swim buddy’s side.

      “Fine,” Wes said quickly. “It was fine, Ronnie. As always. Thanks for asking, though.”

      Veronica wasn’t fooled. Her smile had faded, making her eyes look enormous in her face. “Is everyone all right? I mean, of course I’ve already asked Joe, but I’m not sure he’d even tell me if someone had been hurt.”

      Ever since a year and a half ago, when the captain had nearly been killed by terrorists on what should have been a routine training mission, Veronica looked even more fragile than she had before when the squad went out on an op. She’d never found it easy to deal with the fact that her husband regularly left—sometimes without any warning—on highly dangerous missions. And now, after seeing Joe in a hospital bed, fighting for his life, it was even more difficult for her.

      “Everyone’s fine,” Lucky said quietly, taking her hand. “Really.” Hotshot Cowboy Jones had jammed his ankle coming in too hard from a HALO jump, but aside from that, they’d all made it back to California in one piece.

      Veronica smiled, but it was a little too bright and a touch too brittle. “Well,” she said. “Joe’s expecting you. He’s down on the beach.”

      “Thanks.” Lucky squeezed her hand before he released it.

      “Should I set extra plates for dinner?” Veronica asked evenly.

      Lucky exchanged a look with Bobby. The captain had called them to this meeting on their pagers, sending them an urgent code. Whatever was up was important. Despite the fact that they’d only been home a day and a half, chances were they’d be going wheels-up again within the next few hours. And knowing the way Joe Catalanotto liked to lead from the front, it was more than likely he’d be shipping out with them. It seemed, however, that he hadn’t mentioned anything about that to his wife.

      “I don’t think so, Ronnie,” Bobby told her gently.

      “Probably not this time. It really smells great, though. Those cooking lessons are paying off, huh?”

      “I was working all day,” she told him ruefully. “Joe made the stew.”

      Damn. The captain’s wife may have been beautiful, smart and sexy as hell, but the woman was a menace in the kitchen.

      “Are you sure you can’t stay?” she added. “There’s plenty and it’s quite good. There’s no way Joe and Frankie and I can possibly eat all of it.”

      “Something’s come up. I think the captain’s planning to take us kids out on another field trip,” Wes told her before either Bobby or Lucky could muzzle him. Mr. Insensitive and Completely Oblivious. “So, yeah, we’re sure we can’t stay.”

      “Well,” Veronica said tightly. “Off for another month, are you? Thanks for letting me know, although that’s something that would’ve been nice to hear from Joe.”

      Double damn. Lucky cringed. “Ron, honest, I don’t know what’s up. If he didn’t mention anything to you, well, maybe we’re not going anywhere.”

      Veronica visibly composed herself. And sighed as she looked up into their somewhat panicked faces. “Don’t look at me like that,” she chided them. “I’m stronger than you think. I knew what I was getting before I married him. I don’t have to like it when Joe leaves—isn’t that what you SEALs always say? I don’t have to like it, I just have to do it. Just take care of him for me, all right?”

      She was pretending to hang tough, but her lower lip trembled an infinitesimal amount, giving her away. “Go,” she said. “He’s waiting. And you can tell him he doesn’t have to worry about breaking the terrible news to me anymore.”

      Lucky followed Bobby and Wes out the kitchen door but hesitated on the deck, looking in through the window to watch her set only two places at the kitchen table—for herself and Frankie, her toddler son—still trying not to cry.

      Lucky СКАЧАТЬ