Redeeming Her SEAL (ASSIGNMENT: Caribbean Nights Book 9) (11 page)

“What if I want to go parasailing?” she asked impulsively. “With you?”

He froze. “Are you asking me on a date, Audra?”

“Maybe.” The first real smile she could remember in a long time bloomed. “But only if you say yes. So don’t say no.”

Once, they’d both been thrill seekers who naturally drove each other higher and faster until it culminated in a physical clash of bodies that pushed the experience into another realm. She’d lost the ability to indulge in uncomplicated pleasures without all the emotional angst somewhere along the way.

She wanted that free-spirited woman back, and she wanted Charlie in equal measure.

He uncrossed his arms. “I’m not so sure that’s a good idea.”

Oh, not so fast. She’d have sworn she would let him touch her like he had yesterday over her dead body, but somehow he’d made it work, just like she was going to make this work. “Charlie, take off your sunglasses.”

Slowly, he slid them on top of his head, and her stomach flipped over as he speared her with the ice chips in his gaze. “What do you want from me?”

“We’re starting over,” she said firmly. “I can’t be here at Duchess Island and forget everything that happened before. Can you?”

“Not one single second.” But the bleakness in the statement told her he meant all of it, including what had happened since he’d left and come back. “I’m not at a place where I think we can start over.”

The heaviness that dropped onto her chest made it hard to breathe. “So that’s it? What was yesterday all about then if you weren’t looking for a way to start over?”

“It was closure,” he muttered, but he wouldn’t look at her and she didn’t think for one second that’s what it had been about.

Closure? As in he’d had a need to move on and didn’t think that could be accomplished without a couple of orgasms?

“That’s crap, Charlie. It was nothing of the sort. If anything, it was a start. But to what? I’m trying to figure it out, and the first step is admitting that I want to. How about you try the same?” she snapped.

Yeah, her Irish might be up a little, but so what?

The sun baked her skin as she waited for him to speak, breathe, blink, something.

Finally, he nodded once. “I want to.”

She went lightheaded so fast, she feared a face-plant into the sand might be imminent. But somehow she stayed upright.

“Then our do-over should go back to when you walked into FARC for the first time.” She’d seen him standing there in the lobby, and it had walloped her like she’d hit a brick wall. It might have colored how she’d handled pretty much all of their interaction thus far—after all, that was the moment when she’d realized she wasn’t over him. “Hi, Charlie. Long time no see.”

She stuck her hand out, and much like he’d done to her yesterday, she waited, invitation open as long as it took for him to accept. But she wasn’t about to pull him into a scorching hot kiss and then drop to her knees to suck him off until he exploded in her mouth with a spectacular climax… though she would like to get there eventually.

He wasn’t the only one who felt it deep inside when giving pleasure.

No, this do-over had nothing to do with sex and everything to do with how to get to the other side of the misery that had been the last year. It was an opportunity for absolution. To heal from the choices that had driven them apart. Only then could they truly start again.

He hesitated and, after an eternity, clasped her hand in his, swallowing it with his heat and presence and the overwhelming sense that finally they were starting to figure things out. Maybe.

“Hi, Audra.” Charlie held her hand without shaking it, and a wealth of unspoken things passed between them. Finally, he smiled, and it was so genuine that stupid tears pricked at her eyelids.

God, she was a mess if that could get her to cry when almost nothing else about this impasse with Charlie could.

Almost
. But today wasn’t a day for the bad stuff and the horrible events that had put them at odds with each other. Some of which he still hadn’t explained, like what had happened to make him send that text message when it was clearly
not
because he’d lost interest. This wasn’t about the past or the future. It was about right this minute, and all they could do was take that first step.

“Parasailing?” she prompted. “I know a guy who does that. He might be able to get us in on the down low when the boss isn’t looking. But I’ll probably have to trade it for sexual favors. I hope you’re okay with that.”

His rich laugh washed over her. “I’ve heard that guy is a jackass. You can do much better.”

“I don’t think so.” That sobered him, and the heavy awareness settled over them both. “But I’ll let you know after I’ve had a chance to make a proper assessment. Take me parasailing?”

He nodded once. “I can do that. Everything else is up for negotiation.”

T
here was only one guy Charlie could ask to take him parasailing with Audra and not get a crap-ton of grief for his trouble—Evan. But only because Evan didn’t make it a habit to run his mouth, a quality in short supply when it came to his team. Fortunately, Charlie managed to squeeze in the request between Evan’s construction job and his evening plans with Rachel.

To Evan’s credit, he didn’t say a word when Charlie introduced him to Audra and her two sisters, whom he would have rather not invited along, but it would have been difficult to cut them out when Audra was on the island expressly to spend time with them. Plus Jace had so helpfully already pumped them up for the excursion.

Doing the right thing was Charlie’s default. And would likely be his downfall.

Carly and Hannah were interesting. Obviously a handful. They actually looked nothing like Isaac, despite being triplets—a surprise even though it shouldn’t have been. Of course, he hadn’t seen Isaac in two years. Maybe his hair had turned lighter, but he doubted it. Audra’s was still deep red.

The girls were noticeably disappointed to see Evan in the driver’s seat of the boat instead of Jace. But he was scarce for a reason, and not just because Charlie had given him the jailbait speech. The last thing he needed was Jace busting his chops if Charlie looked at Audra the wrong way, and his roommate, of all people, would clue in that there was something there.

What, he didn’t know. But Audra’s heartfelt plea designed to get him to admit he wanted to figure it out had shifted something inside. Somehow, it had made it okay to take the first step. No one was forcing him to take the second one. For now, they were just two people who liked parasailing who were having an adventure together. With Audra’s sisters.

He’d almost asked about Isaac twice, because he was a good kid and Charlie was curious why he hadn’t come down this time from Miami. Audra had always been closer to her brother, or at least that had been the case once. Maybe things had changed. Really, it was none of his business.

Though there was plenty of room for four parasailers in this boat, Audra had crammed in next to him, and strictly for balance, he’d stretched an arm behind her.

“Thanks,” Audra murmured in his ear, her breath warm on his neck in a way he’d be an idiot not to notice. She was definitely not in back-off mode. And when Audra was in come-hither mode, there was little Charlie could do to resist. Or rather, he had absolutely no plans to. He could see where things led and take it from there.

“For agreeing to take you parasailing in exchange for sexual favors?” He bowed, hands together subservient-style, and slid the arm back in place because he liked the feel of her bare skin against it. “It’s really no bother. I’m free tomorrow too.”

She laughed, her lips grazing his earlobe—one of many side benefits of not being in the driver’s seat. Also she smelled good. And laughing definitely worked for him.

Evan sped out into the parasailing lane the requisite distance from shore and throttled back to allow Charlie to strap Hannah to the parachute. He let Evan double-check all the lines for Audra’s benefit and let her sister fly. Carly went next, and both girls had a blast. Unlike their brother who had gone a little green at the thought of being suspended over the water with nothing but a parachute between him and death, the sisters both jumped into the thrill with enthusiasm. The same kind Audra had exhibited once for everything under the sun.

“Go tandem with me,” she suggested when Charlie held up the harness to let her thread her arms through.

“Really?” He’d never done that before. Parasailing had always been a spiritual adventure in his mind, best done solo. Of course, he and Audra had done just about everything else in the world that turned him on. Why not do this together too?

She nodded, her eyes bright. “The whole point of this is to share the experience. I haven’t been parasailing since we went that last time before you left.”

“That’s a shame.” And telling. For some reason, it pleased him to know she hadn’t been trading sexual favors with every parasailing operator in the Caribbean. This was a special experience that only the two of them had done. He liked that more than he should.

He dug around in the cargo hold until he found the tandem harness and attached it to the parachute. Normally, he would have done this back on the dock before the guests arrived so he could check the lines ahead of time, but he hadn’t been expecting the request. His guys kept their gear in tip-top shape though, so it all checked out. One of the many benefits of running an op with former SEALs: no one ever missed details.

In moments, they were both strapped in and seated at the rear of the boat, Audra between Charlie’s legs, which was growing more and more uncomfortable the longer her butt rubbed up against his groin. Every bob of the boat put a little more wood on the pile until he was nearly cross-eyed. Evan took his sweet time checking the straps with a thoroughness that Charlie would applaud at any other given time, but not with a luscious redhead’s rear pressed up tight against him. After a million years, Evan shot them the thumbs-up.

The boat roared to life, cutting through the turquoise water at a brisk clip, and the wind caught the parachute, jerking them aloft. Audra cried out, and it sounded like the good kind, but just in case, he snaked an arm around her waist to remind her that he was back here—hard-on and all—and wouldn’t let anything happen to her.

She threaded her fingers through his and held on. That was so nice, he looped the other arm around as well. Her hair blew into his face, but he didn’t bat it away. His fingers were occupied tracing a little pattern on her stomach. Audra’s skin felt like silk under his fingertips, and he wanted more.

If the harness wasn’t in his way, he’d drift a little further south and really liven up the party with a foray into that bikini bottom that covered way too much of her lower half. Oh well. Someone owed him some favors around here, and his erection had been devising a whole list of ways Audra could pay up.

When they hit the zenith, the earth below them opened up with a breathtaking panoramic view of Duchess Island and the small land masses to the north: Countess Cay with the coral reef off the coast that he used to spend his days restoring. Baroness Cay, the nondescript outcropping of rock that no one cared about.

Ilhota Rosa put them all to shame, blooming out of the water with its amazing explosion of green growth and pink sand. Now a wildlife sanctuary to the pod of dolphins that frequented the small cove on the north shore, the jewel of this chain shimmered off the northwest tip of Duchess Island.

Audra’s eyes stayed locked on it too, and her fingers tightened against his. Likely remembering the time they’d swum with the dolphins and one had let Charlie rub its head. Afterward, he’d stretched Audra out on the shore and acquainted himself with her body. If she wasn’t thinking about that day, he’d eat his own shorts.

All of the reasons he’d left the military and returned to this corner of the world lay within his sights. The woman had eluded him thus far. But for the first time, he had a small spurt of hope that maybe things weren’t as impossible to reconcile between them as he’d convinced himself.

Not impossible… but also not probable. He’d told her they weren’t going to happen for a reason. But as far as he was concerned,
no promises
was still in effect.

Eventually, they drifted back to the boat and Evan unlatched all the straps. Audra’s eyes shone, and she was so beautiful, Charlie almost couldn’t stand to look at her. So he stuck his sunglasses on his face and pretended that Evan needed help… navigating. Or something.

At the dock, Hannah and Carly exited the boat, still chattering to each other about how great parasailing was. Charlie snagged Audra’s arm before she could follow them. She glanced up at him with those bright blue eyes, and he almost lost his train of thought.

“Instead of sexual favors, ditch your sisters and have dinner with me,” he murmured.

The stupidest idea in the history of ideas. But better than
come home with me
, which was what he’d almost blurted out. That was an even worse idea, largely because he didn’t want to parade Audra through the middle of Town where every ex-SEAL in a two-house radius would clue in that he’d brought a woman home. A rarity.