Navy Orders. Geri Krotow

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СКАЧАТЬ when she realized what she’d said.

      “I didn’t mean it in a bad way, Ro. But you said it was a relief when Dick broke up with you.”

      “What else was I supposed to say? You’d already married him!” Ro shook her head. “You’re right, it was a relief—to be free of that relationship. It wasn’t going anywhere. But that doesn’t erase the lying and deceit you and Mom pulled.”

      “You hadn’t even seen him for over nine months!”

      “I was at war, Krissy. You know, keeping the world safe so that people like you and Dick could find each other and fall in love.”

      “Touché, sister.” Krissy pronounced it “touchy.”

      Ro rubbed the back of her neck.

      “Look, Krissy. I wasn’t expecting you. It’s the end of a very long week. I’m in the middle of a project at work that’s just begun and I won’t even be home this weekend. You need to catch a flight back to Newark. Now.”

      “I don’t have any money.”

      “You had money to get here. Surely you didn’t buy a one-way ticket?”

      Ro was proud of herself. Not too long ago she would’ve paid for whatever Krissy asked for or needed. That all stopped when Krissy became Mrs. Richard Brewster.

      “Well, not exactly. I bought a nonrefundable ticket but my return flight isn’t until next month.”

      “Next month?” Heat crept up her neck and Ro was grateful she’d put the knitting needles away. If they were in her hands she didn’t know if she’d stab her sister or herself from sheer frustration.

      Krissy had never grown up. Ever. And now she was going to be a mother. She was carrying Dick’s baby.

      Dick and Ro had never planned on having kids. It would have been too difficult with both of their demanding careers. So why did seeing the evidence of Krissy’s baby make Ro want to go to her room, slam the door and knit an ugly sweater?

      The doorbell jerked Ro out of her rumination.

      She looked at the clock on the microwave.

      “Crap.”

      She strode to the front door and, for the second time in ten minutes, opened the door.

      “Hey, Miles. I thought you were going to call.”

      Ro stared at Miles and thought his face was too damned handsome for someone who’d had as long a Friday as she had.

      “I did, but you didn’t pick up.” Belatedly, Ro realized she’d left her cell phone in her car. “I thought I’d stop by—you realize we only live two neighborhoods apart?”

      “No, I didn’t know that. Come on in.”

      “Who’s there, Roanna?”

      Ro turned and looked over her shoulder as Miles stepped into her tiny front hall and Krissy poked her head around the corner from the kitchen.

      “A work colleague.” She sighed. “Miles, this is Krissy. Krissy, Miles.”

      “Hi! I’m Ro’s sister.” Krissy walked over to Miles as she held a dish towel in front of her belly and gave a flirty little wave with her free hand. Did she really think Miles wouldn’t see she was pregnant?

      Why did it bother her if Krissy wanted to flirt with Miles, anyway?

      “Krissy’s my half sister. She dropped in for a quick visit. Unfortunately, she’ll be gone by tomorrow.”

      “Nice to meet you.” Miles smiled at Krissy, and the resulting stab of awareness in her midsection made Ro take notice. She’d never seen that nice a smile on Miles’s face before. God, was he flirting back with her pregnant half sister?

      Wish it was you?

      His gaze jolted her back from her unwelcome revelation.

      “We need to go. It’s going to be a late night.” He held up his phone. “I got a text from Ross. This is a good time for us to head over to the house.”

      “Who’s Ross?” Krissy inserted herself as though she were working the case with Miles.

      “He’s our CSO, the wing’s number two guy.” Ro was not in the mood to explain the navy staff system to Krissy.

      “Don’t worry about me here, Ro. I’ll be fine.” Krissy was only too cooperative when it suited her needs.

      Ro gritted her teeth.

      “I’m not worried about you, Krissy, not at all. You’re an adult, and I know you need the time to make sure your travel arrangements back to New Jersey are squared away for tomorrow.”

      Krissy ignored her and kept her gaze on Miles.

      “Is she always this serious at work, too, Miles? Ro’s never learned how to lighten up.”

      “Ah, Ro is the consummate professional at work. I don’t really know how she is outside of work.” He offered Krissy a placid enough expression, but Ro saw the muscle twitch next to his mouth. He’d love to add that she wasn’t the most cooperative woman he’d ever known, she’d bet a skein of cashmere on it.

      To his credit, Miles kept his trap shut. Ro reluctantly gave him more points.

      “I’ve got what I need—let me get my backpack.” She squeezed past Krissy into the kitchen. Ro’s home was the perfect size for her but with Krissy and now Miles inside she found it claustrophobic.

      The fact that Miles towered over her and was built like a rock didn’t help matters.

      He’d barely fit in your sleigh bed.

      No matter how professional she was, she couldn’t stop herself from being human.

      She just hoped she’d keep her most human instincts under wraps.

      When she felt the door latch behind her she let out a deep breath and went into the still night with Miles.

      * * *

      THE IMMEDIATE, PALPABLE quiet was rare for Whidbey Island. Since it was perched on the most northwestern corner of the continental United States, every weather formation that came in from the Pacific or down from the Artic passed over the island. Ro often imagined her cottage was at the very edge of the earth. The winds had a habit of being unforgiving and brutal to anything but the native fauna.

      It was so quiet she could hear Miles’s breathing as they walked down her winding drive to the road where he’d parked.

      His motorcycle.

      “Where’s your truck?” She bit her lip. She’d have to go back to the garage and get her car—no way was she riding on that bike.

      He sent her a mischievous smile. “Left it at home. Too many people know my truck. This СКАЧАТЬ