Page 20 of SEAL’s Paradise (Alpha SEALs Hawaii #6)

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R ILEY JOGGED ALONG the beach mid-morning, the sound of vacationers and locals mixing in with that of the waves crashing on the shore.

Her gaze flicked over the blue Pacific, taking in the sunlight glinting off the water.

She inhaled the fresh, salty air. It seemed so.

..clean. Pure. A refreshing reprieve from the grim realities of the world.

Running was the one thing that typically cleared her head, and she needed that quiet calm now more than ever.

Her mind was a jumble after their discovery last night. Thoughts tumbled through her mind, the possibilities spreading out before her.

After weeks of searching, the man at Coconuts had practically fallen into her lap.

Things were finally happening, and not all of it was pleasant.

She replayed the scene at the massage parlor in her mind.

No doubt a seedy side existed in nearly all towns and cities.

They’d seen part of Honolulu’s firsthand.

Drugs. Sex. Men with money and power coming for women without either.

Those women sold their bodies—either willingly or not.

The driver of the SUV had been happy to give Riley a cigarette when she’d approached him, but as his gaze raked over her, he’d asked if she was a cop.

Riley wanted to laugh. Toeing the line when it came to the law wasn’t necessarily how the Honolulu PD would operate.

She and Radley existed in their own world now—taking jobs they wanted while in the shadows, making up their own rules.

Radley had been out of contact for over a week now, but hopefully she’d be in touch soon. Riley had to hope she was safe.

And Riley had found her own champion in Sawyer. His fierce protectiveness had surprised her. Sure, the men had always looked out for the waitresses at Coconuts, but this was different. Significant. More. And when he’d kissed her? There’d been no mistaking the hot possessiveness in his eyes.

When had they gone from pretending to being something more?

Sure, she’d known him all this time, but she didn’t really know him.

The things that truly mattered were evident though, and it was a shock to find herself not hating him so much after all.

He was nothing like those men who used women for sex in exchange for drugs or cash.

He was nothing like the traitor from base who’d stolen military weapons.

He was honorable. Loyal. Good. He protected those weaker than him and fought for what he thought was right.

He was flirtatious and fun, too, which was a dangerous combination.

Riley had been too busy for much fun in her life, and she liked that he lightened her load in some way.

She felt an ease around him she couldn’t explain.

While her body reacted to his closeness, she felt comfort in his presence, too.

Riley ran faster, enjoying the burn of her muscles and sun on her skin.

Someday she’d be gone from this place.

Would she join her sister in the Pacific Northwest? It was a far cry from the sunny Hawaiian shores.

Her phone buzzed, and she pulled it from the belt bag around her waist. Riley always jogged with her phone, keys, and a weapon. Even here in sunny Hawaii, things could go wrong. She knew that as well as anyone.

Her eyes crinkled in confusion as she saw the call was from Sawyer.

Riley slowed her steps, settling into a brisk walk instead.

It was hard to talk on a cell phone when running.

Not that she hadn’t talked while running in the past—although that had been more about getting away from a bad situation, talking into a mic, listening through her ear piece.

She didn’t storm in like Sawyer and his teammates, but Riley had certainly been in countries when the shit hit the fan. Never did she think the agency she worked for would hang her sister out to dry.

She swiped the screen of her phone to answer Sawyer’s call.

“What’s wrong?” she immediately asked.

“Just some trouble in paradise, kitten. I had to loop in my CO. He wants to meet with you. Us.”

“Sawyer!” Irritation roiled through her. “This was supposed to be an undercover op. You’ve looped in your team, your commander—”

“He’s going to help us ID the guy,” Sawyer said calmly.

“We were running unauthorized searches on a government computer. He deserves to know what’s happening before an entire team of his SEALs get into trouble.

We’ll ID this guy and then find the second.

Commander Madden thinks higher-ups must be involved to have this covered up.

Surely someone had to notice that a fucking missile went AWOL. ”

“That was exactly DOD’s concern,” she said tightly, stiffening as she walked. “That’s why there’s an external investigation. I’m supposed to be covertly finding this asshole, not dragging a Navy SEAL team into this. Do you trust your commanding officer?”

“With my life.”

Riley let out a sigh. As much as it pained her to admit it, she trusted Sawyer’s judgment. He and his teammates were good. They were an elite, Special Forces team. If they thought their commander was as in the dark as they were about the situation, she’d have to believe them.

“Where should I meet you?” Riley asked.

“I’ll be at your place in ten minutes.”

He disconnected the call before she could respond, and Riley muttered under her breath. She could get back home in that time, sure, but she wasn’t going to waltz into base wearing a sports bra and skimpy running shorts.

Sliding her phone back into her belt bag, she turned around and headed back the way she’d come. She’d be there by the time Sawyer was, and after that?

Riley wasn’t sure what she’d say to his commanding officer.

***

S AWYER KNOCKED ON HER door a few minutes after she’d returned. Riley set down the bottle of water she’d been drinking and hurried to answer it, her running shoes squeaking on the floor as she quickly turned. She’d probably tracked sand all over the place, but she’d been in a hurry.

Everything about Sawyer seemed to rattle her. She wasn’t even worried about meeting his CO. It was him.

She turned the lock and yanked open the door, her heart thundering as she took in Sawyer in his camo fatigues and boots. Damn, he was hot. Had she even seen him in uniform before? Probably not. “I just came back from a jog. I need to shower.”

His appreciative gaze licked over her. “I don’t mind you all sweaty, kitten,” Sawyer said, flashing her a grin.

“Well, I’m not going to base with you while I look like this,” she said, gesturing to her running outfit. His gaze landed on her breasts in the sports bra, holding there a moment before he looked into her eyes.

“Good point. Everyone there will know you’re mine, but let’s not tempt fate,” he joked. “I can’t have some other sailor trying to steal you away from me.”

She rolled her eyes, then turned on her heel and headed back to the kitchen. She could feel Sawyer behind her, and her heartbeat sped up. Something about him always sent her body on high alert. “Grab some water if you want,” she said, quickly taking a few more swallows of her own. “I’ll be quick.”

“Need any help?” he asked, his eyes dancing with amusement.

“In the shower? That’d be a no.”

“For now,” he stressed. “Some other time, however—”

She was already walking down the hall but heard his laughter trailing behind her. The man was persistent. She’d give him that.

Riley quickly stripped in her bathroom, leaving her hair pulled back in a ponytail as she quickly showered. She wrapped a fluffy white towel around herself, then strode back into her bedroom, yelping in surprise at a big spider scurrying across her floor.

Sawyer was there in a flash, chuckling when he saw the reason for her fear.

“No worries. I got it, kitten.” She’d backed up against her bed, but she realized she wasn’t uncomfortable with Sawyer in her bedroom.

Not even with her being nearly naked. Sure, he was a flirt and a tease, but he’d never do something to a woman against her wishes.

There was that honorable characteristic about him once again. He was a decent guy.

He reached for a box of tissues on her dresser, and she flushed as she saw the satin bra and panties she’d grabbed and left right there to put on after her shower. He raised his eyebrows, enjoying her discomfort far too much, then rid her bedroom of the spider.

“Pink’s a good color on you, kitten,” he called out as he walked away, and her gaze landed again on her panties.

Freaking Sawyer Cole.

She was half-tempted to put on her bra and panties and casually walk out into her living room just to torture the guy.

It would serve him right. They were already short on time though, and her job in Oahu was to find the traitors and end the sale of stolen military weapons, not bring a cocky Navy SEAL to his knees.

The second option sure sounded like fun though.