Chapter 10
When Sachie woke to the sound of her alarm, she stretched and opened her eyes, taking a moment to remember where she was.
When the memories flooded back in, she turned to the empty space beside her, wondering if falling asleep in Teller’s arms had been nothing more than a delicious dream that had chased away her recurring nightmare.
She glanced around the room, the gray light of predawn giving her just enough light to verify she was alone.
Her chest tightened with a longing she didn’t expect.
After her nightmare, she’d slept deeply.
The fact she’d been held in Teller’s arms had to be the reason.
The good night’s sleep wasn’t the only reason for the unexpected and overwhelming longing she was experiencing.
She’d liked being held. And not just by anybody.
Teller hadn’t asked for anything, hadn’t come on to her, hadn’t berated her for being scared. He’d wrapped his arms around her and held her until she woke up, and then while she finally slept.
Her body tingled at the memory of being pressed against his length.
What would it be like to lie naked with him?
Sachie flung back the covers and leaped out of bed. Such thoughts shouldn’t be foremost in her mind when she had bigger problems to solve. Besides, the man was assigned to her as a protector, not a lover.
And there she was, right back to imagining them naked, writhing together in a passionate embrace.
Sachie moaned, reached for jeans and a blouse from her suitcase and quickly dressed, putting an end to any ideas involving bare bodies.
A quick glance at the clock on the nightstand showed she had fifteen minutes before the time they’d agreed they needed to leave.
With her hairbrush and toothbrush in hand, she left her room and crossed the hall to the bathroom. As she reached for the doorknob, the door swung open.
Teller stood before her, naked from the waist up, hair tousled and a dot of shaving cream clinging to his chin.
Sachie’s breath caught in her throat, and she struggled for words, her gaze fixing on his broad chest.
“Good morning,” he said, his voice low and sexy as hell, making her quiver all over.
She never quivered. What was wrong with her?
“Good morning,” she managed to say.
Teller cocked an eyebrow. “Is there something you wanted, or were you going to join me in the bathroom?”
His words made her realize she was blocking his exit.
She jumped back. Heat rose up her neck and flooded her cheeks. “No. No. I’m sorry.”
He shook his head. “Nothing to be sorry about.” He stepped through the doorway and waved a hand. “It’s all yours.”
Sachie dove into the bathroom, closed the door and leaned against it. Holy shit. She’d acted as if she’d never seen a bare-chested man before.
To be honest, she’d never seen a bare-chested man like Teller.
Get a grip, woman. He’s just a man.
Her personal experience with men hadn’t been the greatest. Any attraction to this one could only lead to more heartache and disappointment.
Not that Teller was like the other men who’d let her down in the past, or at least as far as she could tell.
She straightened, relieved herself, brushed her teeth and then smoothed the tangles out of her hair. For a brief moment, she stared at her reflection in the mirror and reminded herself she was a strong, independent woman worthy of respect.
And love.
She’d settle for respect for now. Although she’d come a long way from the abused shell of herself that she’d been, love still seemed a stretch.
Done in the bathroom, she returned to her room, repacked her suitcase and carried it down the stairs.
Leaving the case by the front door, she followed the fresh aroma of brewing coffee to the kitchen.
Chef Ule stood at the stove, cracking eggs into a skillet while Teller and Hawk hovered around the coffee maker, speaking in low tones.
As she entered the room, Teller and Hawk turned.
“Ah, just in time.” Hawk lifted the carafe and held it over an insulated mug. “The coffee is ready, and we were discussing a plan of action.”
“Has it changed?” she asked as Hawk filled the mug and then handed it to her.
“Not at all,” he said. “I’m just reminding Teller to feed any clues to Swede. He can be searching the internet while you two are pounding pavement for answers.”
Sachie sipped the steaming brew carefully. “That’s good to know.”
“Any names you unearth or incidents you recall that might have made the news, he can research, check online articles, run background checks and, if necessary, tap into the dark web for more nefarious connections.”
Sachie blinked. “He can do that?”
Hawk nodded. “He has and will when it comes to the safety of our operatives and clients.”
“Kalea always sings his praises. What is he, some kind of internet hacker?” she asked.
“We prefer computer guru,” Hawk said with a grin. “Can I interest you in scrambled eggs and toast? Ule should have something ready shortly.”
Sachie glanced at the clock on the microwave. “Thanks for the offer, but we need to leave in the next few minutes for the airport.”
“You can take the coffee with you,” Hawk said.
Ule appeared beside them and held out what looked like paper lunch bags. “Ham, egg and cheese breakfast burritos and blueberry muffins. Don’t go away hungry.”
Sachie took the bag and hugged Ule. “Thank you, Ule.”
Teller accepted his bag and shook Ule’s hand. “Thanks, Ule. Your culinary skills never fail to impress.” He turned to Hawk. “Thanks for putting us up for the night. We’ll keep you informed of our progress.”
“If you need backup, don’t hesitate to call,” Hawk reminded him. “With some of the team on Oahu, we can have them where you need them quickly.”
“I have their numbers.” Teller glanced toward Sachie. “Ready?”
She nodded and led the way out of the kitchen to the front door.
“Wait!” a voice called out.
Sachie turned back.
Kalea made her way down the stairs, holding onto the rail.
By the time she reached the ground floor, she was shaking her head.
“You don’t realize how critical it is to see your feet when descending stairs until you can’t see your feet.
” She grimaced. “I just want a hug before you head back to Oahu. I’m sorry the Big Island wasn’t the haven you hoped.
I hope you consider coming back after you nail the bastard who’s doing this to you. ”
Sachie hugged Kalea. “I’m coming back. There are enough young people on the Big Island who need help to keep me busy, and I kind of like the smaller city and quieter pace.”
“Oh, good,” Kalea said. “I’d love to see you more often, and I want our baby to get to know and love Auntie Sachie as much as we do.”
“I’ll be back,” Sachie repeated. “I want to know your baby as well. I’ve always wanted to be someone’s Auntie.”
Sachie followed Teller out the front door and down the steps to their vehicle. He opened the passenger door and held her coffee and breakfast bag as she climbed in and buckled her seatbelt.
Sachie settled the travel mugs of coffee in the cup holders and took the bags of Chef Ule’s breakfast while Teller rounded the hood and slid into the driver’s seat.
They sipped coffee and ate burritos during the hour-long drive across the island to Kona International Airport, only speaking to comment on the fog in the mountains and the difference in terrain and lush vegetation between the east side of the island and the rugged lava fields of the west.
Though the burrito was amazing, Sachie only ate half of hers, wrapping the rest to eat later when her stomach wasn’t knotted.
“Are you nervous about flying?” Teller asked as they neared the airport.
Sachie sighed. “I shouldn’t be, considering how short the flights are. We’re barely up in the air before we’re descending to land. I just think of all the things that could go wrong and that I have no control over. I’m in awe of Kalea’s ability to fly airplanes. I don’t think I could.”
“I spent so much time in military aircraft, I had to learn to be okay with it,” Teller said. “Mostly helicopters, flying in and out of hot zones.”
“I’m sure you were more concerned about the mission ahead or the enemy shooting you down than the actual flight.” Her lips twisted. “Which makes me feel like a big baby being afraid of flying from one island to another; it’s like riding a bus.”
“Some fears can’t be explained away,” Teller said. “I don’t think you’re a baby. I especially didn’t think you were anything but a badass when you flew out of the closet ready to gut me with a butcher knife. That was pretty ballsy.”
Her brow furrowed. “I almost killed you.”
“Almost being the keyword. You did good.” Teller nodded. “Had the attacker gotten to you before I did, you might have inflicted serious harm on him. He might have reconsidered any further attacks.”
“Or he could’ve killed me, and you and I wouldn’t be flying to Oahu looking for him,” Sachie said, her tone flat.
Teller cast a frown her way. “Now that’s just negative talk.”
She sighed. “You’re right. Project your desired outcome and follow through.
That’s how I made it through college after all that happened to me.
” She squared her shoulders and sat up straighter.
“We’re going to find who’s stalking me, put him away and get on with my plan to own a house with a yard and a puppy. ”
“That’s my girl,” Teller said with a grin. “Badass to the core.”
“That’s me,” she said, feeling anything but badass. “A firm believer in faking it until you feel it.”
Forty minutes later, as the airplane left the runway and flew out over the open ocean, Sachie gladly accepted Teller’s hand to squeeze throughout the flight and the landing at the Honolulu International Airport.
As the plane taxied to a stop, she released her death grip on his fingers and breathed for the first time in what felt like an eternity.