Chapter 8 #2
Taylor spun away, flattening herself against the door.
Surely, he couldn’t see her? Peepholes didn’t work that way…
did they? Of course they didn’t. Her heart was less than convinced, judging by the way it was hammering against her ribs.
She waited, blood roaring in her ears, until she felt brave enough to check again.
This time, however, he was gone, and Taylor had no idea whether she should be relieved or disappointed.
>>><<<
The third and final leg of their journey to San Diego proved to be as uneventful as the first two stages had been.
Shortly after they left the hotel, Rhys received a message from Wolf that included the address of their accommodations, and by mid-afternoon, he was parking the pickup in front of their base for the next couple of weeks.
The gray and white two-story house was a perfect fit for the residential area, which itself was very, very green, and very quiet. And, given she was now so used to the wide-open spaces of Texas, a little claustrophobic, with the homes being so close to one another.
“So, what do you think?” Rhys asked.
Taylor shrugged. “It looks very… California. It’s only missing a couple of surfboards on the porch there.”
He laughed. “You want to go surfing?”
“Not really. I can’t say it’s something that’s made it onto my bucket list. You ever tried it?”
“A few times. There’s a reason I didn’t join the Royal Navy and try out for the SBS.”
“SBS? What’s that?”
“Special Boat Service. It’s the Navy’s equivalent of the SAS. They do everything we do but underwater—or so they claim. Don’t get me wrong—we have to be good swimmers as well, but it’s something I prefer to keep as a recreational activity, given the choice.”
Taylor detected a little friendly interservice rivalry in the comment. She hoped Rhys wouldn’t have to call on whatever specialist skills he’d acquired during his career. “So, the SBS are kind of like SEALs, then.”
“Kind of.” He grinned. “Ready to go in?”
She managed a wry smile. “I guess we have to eventually—might as well be now.”
Taylor waited while Rhys exited the vehicle and came around to the passenger door.
He’d made it quite clear that he didn’t want her out in the open without him being right beside her.
In other circumstances, it would have been…
nice. She hadn’t dated in a while, and if she were honest, she’d have to admit she was a tad envious of the old-fashioned courtesy with which Nick had treated Charity from the moment they’d started seeing each other.
Rhys might be treating her with the same respect, but it was only because of the situation.
Still, a woman could dream.
Oh, no. No. No. And no. She was not going to investigate the basis for that particular thought—it would only be yet another step on the road to a place that had to remain strictly out of bounds.
Inside, the house was light and airy, the décor an interior designer’s perfect concept of a Californian coastal residence. The property itself was larger than she’d anticipated, which made the thought of exploring it more appealing.
“Go and have a look around,” Rhys urged. “I’ll bring our bags in.”
“You think it’s safe to do that?”
“I believe so. It’s likely Wolf waited until today to send the address because he wanted to check it out first. It’s what I would have done.”
Somewhat reassured, Taylor scanned their immediate surroundings again. “He has pretty good taste.”
“You approve then?”
She shrugged. “As much as I can without seeing the rest.”
“Then you’d better check it out while I take care of the bags. You can decide which bedroom you want at the same time.”
Her initial impression of the house was that it had character, and as she wandered through the property, the hardwood floors, delicate color scheme, and arched ceilings reinforced that perception. When she reached the kitchen, she came to a sudden halt.
Taylor hadn’t really given much thought to provisions, but there were two large brown bags on the counter and when she checked the refrigerator, she was even more stunned to see milk, juice, a variety of salads and other sides, and even some steaks.
It was when she turned back to the counter that she caught sight of the slip of paper under one of the bags.
“Caroline hopes the groceries will be suitable. If not, there’s a store a couple of blocks away. Talk soon. W.”
The groceries were more than suitable, and would save them having to find that store immediately. Taylor had just finished transferring the goods to the cupboards when Rhys caught up with her.
“What’s all this?”
She pushed the note across the counter. “It seems Wolf thought ahead to save us a trip to the store. Or rather, Caroline did. Who do you think she is?”
Rhys shook his head. “I don’t know, but I imagine we’ll find out soon enough. Have you taken a look at the rest of the house?”
“Not yet. I thought I’d better take care of the grocery bags first. Take a look in the fridge.”
Rhys crossed the kitchen and opened the door. He gave a low whistle. “As soon as we’re settled in, I’ll give Wolf a call. I owe him.”
Taylor resumed her tour of the house, now accompanied by Rhys.
One delightful surprise was the swimming pool out back, so even if they couldn’t get to the beach, there was always that option.
With the advantage of both privacy and security, maybe she could persuade Rhys to take the plunge after all.
No swim trunks, remember? So? Maybe he won’t mind skinny-dipping. You can shut that thought down right there.