Chapter 5 #2
Lights bobbing on the water…
Saylor blinked, catching her balance against the wall as the memory faded. She glanced around the shower, jumping when a low tone sounded in her head.
It wasn’t real.
Just the aftermath of the chase. The effects of seeing that body — imagining it was someone she’d recognized from the Vigilant .
How it had morphed into Captain Baker for a few moments, the surroundings shifting into the Vigilant’s bridge, before quickly switching back.
It was bound to manifest a few unwanted ghosts.
She waited for the episode to pass, thankful she hadn’t inadvertently called out Zain’s name — had him barrel into the room, again, as if he’d missed a threat. She knew the fact she’d gotten hurt ate at him. If he thought she’d lost her mind, too…
The image of that man wavered in her head as she finished her shower, then stepped out. Zain obviously heard the water turn off because he knocked — gave her a few moments to get decent — then stepped inside.
He covered the short distance over to her, placing some clothes on the counter. “They’ll be big on you, but they’re dry.”
“Thanks. They’re perfect.”
He smiled, and her stomach fluttered. The man was far too sexy when he smiled.
Zain inched closer, glanced at her shoulder as he shook his head, then sighed. “You, okay?”
“Are you going to grunt every time you look at my shoulder? Because that’s going to get annoying.”
“It was my job to keep you safe.”
“No, it was your job to back me up, which you did.” She waved at the bandage. “This is just a reminder for me to do better, next time.”
Zain frowned, leaning in until his mouth hovered a breath away. “You were incredible.”
She palmed his cheek, loving the brush of stubble against her skin. “Almost as good as you.”
“Does that mean I get that do-over?”
Her heart thumped hard in her chest. “I was kinda hoping we could count the chase as the do-over. Make dinner with your buddies our second date.”
“Or, we could make this, right now, our second, and dinner our third.”
She snagged her bottom lip, wondering if any man had ever looked at her the way Zain was. As if she held all the answers. “I like the way you negotiate. There’s just one problem… ”
A hint of unease lined his face as he arched a brow in question.
She smoothed her hand along his jaw, drawing him closer. “If this is our second date, I definitely would have kissed you, by now.”
The right side of his mouth curled up, then he leaned in that last inch — brushed his mouth over hers.
Electric.
No other way to describe the heat that arced across her skin as his hands landed on her hips — drew her tight against him.
She inhaled and everything changed. Went from zero to a hundred in the blink of an eye.
One second, he’d been barely touching her.
The next, his mouth crushed against hers as he delved inside, tangling their tongues — making the room spin from the sheer intensity of the moment.
Zain lifted one hand and speared it through her hair, tilting back her head as he deepened the kiss. Stole the last of her sanity. She held on, wondering if they could make the counter work, when a throat cleared behind them.
Zain stilled, easing back without moving more than a breath away. He closed his eyes, the muscle in his temple pulsing as he sucked in a breath, then glanced over his shoulder. “Yeah, Chase?”
Chase shuffled on his feet. “Sorry to interrupt. Greer’s on the phone. She retrieved four bullets from the Zodiac, but while she was standing on the dock, she got this odd feeling. She’d like to know if she can take a quick look around your boathouse, Saylor. Unless you’d rather she didn’t. ”
Did Chase actually expect her to form words after that kiss? Because the only two that looped in her head were yes and more .
Zain grinned, the smug bastard, then stepped back, taking all the warmth with him. “Is that okay?”
She clenched her jaw, wondering if it was possible to die from sexual frustration, before nodding. “She’s not going to confiscate all that cocaine I’ve been running, is she?”
Chase rolled his eyes as he crossed his arms.
She laughed. “Tough crowd. And it’s fine. The door code’s zero two five eight, and the alarm code’s one zero two nine. I trust she’ll rearm it on her way out.”
Chase nodded. “I’ll remind her. Also, Foster called.
They’re on their way back. Atticus lucked out with only a sprain.
He’ll be more ornery than usual, but that’s nothing new.
They should be here with dinner in about twenty.
If you’re interested. Though, based on how I found you two, you might have other plans. ”
Zain scoffed. “And have you spin the narrative on this? I don’t think so. Besides, Saylor needs to eat something.”
She tiptoed up. “Yeah, you.”
Chase coughed. “And that’s my cue to leave, as soon as I check that bandage.” He walked over, examined her wound, then nodded. “It looks fine. Just do me a favor? Try not to get into another gunfight for a few days.”
Zain groaned. “You just had to jinx it, didn’t you?”
“Guess you’ll need to stay close, then, just in case.”
“Jackass.” Zain waited until Chase left before glancing down at her. “I swear, he did that on purpose. ”
Saylor sighed. “His timing was pretty impeccable, and I’d be more frustrated if your lips weren’t blue. You haven’t even gotten out of your wet clothes, yet.”
“You got shot. That trumps whether I’m a bit cold.”
“And I thought Chase had a flare for the dramatic. I’m fine, which means, it’s your turn.” She held up her left hand, then pushed past him. “No more excuses. We can’t go on our third date if you pass out from hypothermia.”
“I hadn’t realized the second was over, yet.”
“I’d say that kiss was a good place to end it. So, this…” She crossed back over and pressed her lips against his. Not as intense as before. More of a promise of where she wanted the night to go. “Can be the start of our third. And I think you know exactly where I’m hoping it’ll end.”
Zain leaned against the counter, looking so damn sexy it made her chest hurt, right in the center. “I’m hoping with breakfast.”
“Then, get cleaned up. We can’t show up at Foster’s with our teeth chattering, and I’m starving so…”
She grabbed the clothes, then backed out of the room, just like he’d done earlier, bracing her weight against the closed door as she brushed her fingers across her lips.
He’d tasted better than she’d imagined, and she couldn’t help but wonder if she’d spontaneously combust when they finally got down to business.
If spending the night with Zain would set a bar so high, no one else would ever meet it, let alone exceed it.
She hadn’t been in a relationship in what felt like forever, too focused on her job to make the time.
Getting assaulted by that asshole, Keith Watson, had only worsened the situation.
The beginning of the end of her career with the Coast Guard, the tragedy on the Vigilant sealing that fate.
She’d already had her honor questioned once, and being the only survivor of that damn incident had cast a shadow so large, she’d had no other recourse but to leave.
It hadn’t mattered that she hadn’t been at fault in either case, only that she’d challenged the old norms. Had somehow pulled through when more experienced crewman had died.
That she’d failed her mission. Failed Maddox.
That’s what had hurt the most. Losing family. The guy had been like a surrogate father. Had been just as invested in her career as her own dad. Knowing Maddox had lobbied for her to be part of his security detail in the hopes of repairing her reputation had only added to the loss.
She glanced back at the door. Zain wasn’t like anyone else she’d ever met, other than his teammates. He was confident and smart and had never treated her as anything other than his equal. With the way she’d reacted to that kiss…
It was time to stop hiding in the shadows. To make the most of her second chance. All she had to do, was put the past behind her.