Page 6 of SEAL's Paradise
“Do you have an exact date of the next shipment?”
“Negative, just a basic timeline.I need to find the man at the bar, and I need you to locate who he’s working with.It’s someone who has access to the munitions storage and could get away with photographing weapons before he steals them.”
“Hmmmm.”
She stared at him.“It’s clearly a servicemember or contractor who has clearance to enter base.Someone who could assist with smuggling out weapons and then offloading them onto a boat to sneak them out of the country.”
“It seems like someone would notice if a damn missile went AWOL, kitten,” Sawyer quipped.
“It does.Someone is covering it up.I don’t know how, but it’s happening.Weapons have disappeared, and the buyer is planning to purchase more.We don’t know how big this web of criminals is.”
“There’s security at the harbors,” Sawyer protested.“How the hell are they sneaking a goddamn missile out of Oahu?”
“There is security,” Riley agreed.“And the ‘how’ is just one of many questions I need answers to.I’ve been working alone, but I need someone on the inside.”
He eyed her carefully, the silence stretching between them.Sawyer finally cleared his throat.“Tell me what you want me to do.”
***
RILEY BLEW OUT A SIGHas she sat in the driver’s seat of her convertible ten minutes later.That had gone better than expected, but Sawyer wanted more answers from her.Her mind tracked back over their conversation moments ago.
“I need information on who has access to where munitions are stored,” Riley said.“I know you can’t watch twenty-four-seven, but someone is hanging around there.They’d provided photos to the buyer, so I know they’re not just accessing the information through computer systems.”
“Tell you what,” Sawyer quipped as he eyed her appraisingly.“We’ll talk shop after I find out some more info about you, kitten.”
She frowned, not liking where this was going.“And how long would that take?Because we’re running out of time.Another exchange of money for weapons is set to go down in three weeks, according to the messages we’ve intercepted.We don’t have an exact date, but it’s happening.How much more info from me do you need right now?”
“I’ll take you out tonight,” he said, seeming unbothered.“Get to know you better.And then I’ll decide if I can trust you—only then will I help you,” he said, nailing her with his gaze.
“Take me out?I’m not going on a date with you,” she protested.
“Then I guess we’re done here.”
Her jaw dropped as he turned on his heel, his long legs taking him further away from her with every step.And goodness if he didn’t look good in the jeans he wore.The denim hugged his tight ass and muscled thighs.Boots peeked out from beneath his pant legs.It wasn’t what men normally wore around Oahu, but this was Sawyer.A freaking enigma.Damn him for making this more complicated than it needed to be.
“Sawyer—wait!”she called out.
Sawyer looked back and flashed her a cocky grin, pausing in the gravel lot.She tried to ignore the way he filled out his tee shirt, all hard muscle and tightly-leashed strength.Even now, he stood out in stark contrast to the other families and people milling about the fruit stand and parking lot.He was arrogant and good-looking.In perfect physical condition.And right now, much to her dismay, he held all the cards.
“Something you wanted to say, kitten?”he asked.
“Fine.We'll go on a date together.One.Date.”
“Now that sounds better,” he said, his grin widening as he sauntered back toward her.“You owe me.You’ve been lying to us all along—pretending to be someone you’re not.Do you even have a daughter?”
She blanched.
“Well?”he asked, cocking a brow.
“No.”
“Exactly.You’ve been pretending to be a single mother and waitress, and I don’t know the first damn real thing about you.If I agree to help you with this, I want to know who you are.Everything.I’m not risking my career for your fine ass if I don’t know the whole of it.I’ll pick you up at seven.”
“I’ll meet you—”
Sawyer cut her off.“No.We’re doing this my way, or we’re not doing it at all.I’ll pick the place and make the plans.And I’m definitely picking you up.It is a real date after all,” he chided, clearly enjoying this far too much.
She huffed out a sigh.“Fine.I’ll text you my address.”
