Page 2 of SEAL's Paradise
Riley huffed out a sigh.“I do have a sister.Radley’s not here though.She lives near Seattle, which is neither here nor there.I’ve been waitressing at Coconuts for a year, but things aren’t always as they appear.”She brushed back a strand of that luscious dark hair, and his eyes caught on a dagger tattoo on her inner wrist.
What the hell?
Sawyer considered himself a pretty observant guy.He had to be in his line of work.But this?This version of Riley he had to admit he never saw coming.And how the hell had he never noticed her ink before?
“You have questions.”
“You think?”he asked sarcastically, crossing his arms.Her eyes briefly landed on his biceps, and he smirked.Seemed she was still interested in him even if she claimed to be different than the woman he knew from the bar.
She waved her hand with exaggerated patience.“Let’s get on with it then.Ask away.”
“Who are you, Riley?”he asked.No pretense.No beating around the bush.She’d gotten him out here, and he wanted answers.For not being a waitress, she’d sure the hell waited on his teammates and him a number of times.Even their women knew her.Not a single thing she was saying made a lick of sense.
“I’ve been working undercover,” Riley said smoothly.
“At a restaurant?”He shook his head.This chick was killing him.Was she making up some bullshit story just to get his attention?It was a different angle, but then again, he was here, wasn’t he?
Score one for Riley.
“Lots of military types come through Coconuts,” Riley said.“I was investigating.”
“And?”
She stared him down, not the least bit intimidated that he was bigger than her.He supposed she had no reason to be, not at the moment.They were surrounded by people off a highway at a fucking fruit stand.What was the worst that could happen?
“At first, I thought it was you,” she said, her voice as sweet as honey.He could imagine her whispering sweet nothings in his ear.Maybe sitting in his lap while she rode him, her arms wrapped around his neck, her bare breasts rubbing against his chest...“I realized I was wrong.”
His gaze snapped back to her eyes.“And what’s this person you’re ‘investigating’ doing that has your feathers’ ruffled?”he asked, making little air quotes with his hands.
She smirked.“Kittens don’t have feathers.”
He chuckled.Score two for Riley.
“Don’t be a smartass,” she continued.“I’m serious, Sawyer.I’ve been working at Coconuts looking for a mole in the military.Someone has been selling state secrets and stealing munitions from Pearl Harbor.”
Sawyer narrowed his gaze.“And you don’t think I would have heard about this if it were true?Come on now.We would’ve been briefed about munitions suddenly going missing.NCIS would’ve been investigating and interviewing sailors.”
Riley slid her sunglasses atop her head, shooting him a look with those big brown eyes.She arched a brow.“You think?That would ruin the investigation if you knew they were onto you.”
“You thought it was me,” he said dryly.
“I had my suspicions.”
“Kitten, I’m a Navy SEAL.I’m around weapons just as much as the next guy, but surely my commanding officer would notice if ammo suddenly went missing or if our ops were compromised.Everything’s been by the book, and we’re hella successful on everything we run.I’ve got no reason to believe a thing you’re telling me.”
“Not ammo, Sawyer.That’s not the type of munitions that are missing.We’re talking about missiles.”
His jaw ticked as he stared at her, working that over in his mind.Her gaze briefly raked over him, and he resisted the urge to smirk.Maybe her little act at Coconuts wasn’t all for show.The looks she gave him.The blushes.She might’ve been watching him, but she was into him, too.
And hell if he wasn’t into the new and improved Riley.
She was suddenly like a bright and shiny new toy he wanted to play with.To strip bare and explore with his hands and mouth.Forget this undercover bullshit story she was going on and on about.They could have some fun between the sheets and pretend this entire conversation never happened.
“You expect me to believe you,” he finally said when she didn’t add anything else.“Why the hell would I do that?”
“I’m a former government operative.I ran assets.Collected intelligence.Spent time overseas.I work with my sister now, doing jobs as they’re needed.”
“Who do you work for?”he demanded.“I haven’t seen you flash a government ID, kitten.I think you’re bullshitting me.”
