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After offering him a military salute, I had a terrible feeling he was going to renege on the offer. He simply gritted his teeth.

“Fine. I promise I won’t try and run away or even talk to anyone. I’ll do exactly what you say.”

“We’ll see.”

When he turned abruptly, I clawed the air and Tank immediately lifted his head. “Don’t say a word,” I whispered. “Not one.”

If I’d seriously thought I could break down the man’s defenses, I was wrong.

Sorely wrong.

We walked to the street near the hotel. Thankfully, my knee wasn’t throbbing nearly as much as before. A fresh bag of dog food was in his arms and I had some bottled water in mine. We looked like any typical touristy couple, only he was big, dangerous looking, and armed.

I’d seen the knife in a sheath strapped to his leg and watched as he’d loaded a fresh magazine of ammunition into his weapon, shoving it behind his back. I’d also noticed what he had in one huge duffle. The number of weapons was as terrifying as it was comforting.

He was prepared for anything. The man was a machine.

A sexy one.

I shook the thought away, yet there was a strong connection between us.

“Have you always wanted to be in the Navy?” I asked. Since my outburst, we’d both been quiet during the walk. He remained very much on duty, scanning the street every few seconds.

“You could say that.”

“That sounds like joining the military wasn’t your first choice.”

“Maybe not at first, but it grew on me,” Kage said. At least at this point his tone had lost some of the typical edge.

“Your father?”

“How astute of you.”

“You don’t need to be that way with me. I was just commiserating with you. My father wants me to work with him and I’ve fought him every step of the way, taking every job I could to keep from being forced into saying yes.”

I noticed a souvenir store and moved toward the door. He stopped me before I could push it open.

“Not so fast.”

“I doubt there’s anyone waiting inside on the off chance we’ll stop by because we really need saltwater taffy.”

Kage lifted a single eyebrow but allowed me to walk inside.

“It’s a tourist thing.” He trailed right behind me as I moved from aisle to aisle. Every so often I touched something, a silly glass figurine or a conch shell. When I reached the hats, I laughed and pulled one off, the bright pink color immediately creating the reaction I knew would happen.

He wrinkled his nose.

I shoved it on anyway, placing my hands on my hips and swinging from side to side. “Is it me?”

“You’re not a pink girl.”

“I’m not, huh?” I returned the hat to the hanger, selecting a black one instead. With Bermuda stamped on the front, it was at least more subtle than many of the other garish ones. I wound my hair and shoved it underneath. “Is this better?”

His nod was likely the only approval I’d get. Sighing, I moved toward the sunglasses, selecting a pair that reminded me of my great big savior. “Try these on.”

“I don’t need them.”

“Humor me.”