Code Name: Ghost (A Warrior's Challenge 1) (11 page)

“Okay, that’s a good start,” Don laughed,
motioning for her to take the lead toward the entrance.

Arriving on the third floor, Don said, “Chad
Chamberlain is a good builder. I know him personally, and he
doesn’t cut corners. This building is older, but well-maintained,
and the condo I’m showing you has been totally remodeled.” He
unlocked the door at the very end of the hallway. “This unit in
particular is a little larger than the others facing the
waterfront. It’s spacious and I’d say it’s a perfect size for
you.”

Don held the door open and she blew out her
breath in a deep, sweeping exhale. With fifteen hundred feet of
space, it had everything she needed. Painted with clean white and
creams and chalky orange accents, it made her smile immediately. A
bright, whitewashed kitchen with silver appliances, big enough for
two to work in, sat to the left of the entryway, and looked over
the living room and out toward three sets of French doors leading
to the patio.

She wandered into the master bedroom, the
plush carpet soft on her toes. It was big, and the walk-in closet
and en suite were huge, too, with an enormous Jacuzzi tub and
separate shower. Seeing the Commander leaning against the bedroom
doorframe, a quarter ways through a spin, brought her to a halt and
she almost toppled over. He didn’t come in, but instead watched
her, making her heart beat far too fast.

With his arms crossed, he seemed content to
stand there and gaze at her. The man emanated an effortless
strength. She got the same feeling looking at him as she did coming
home with a new book, excited to read it. Within the pages would be
adventure and mysteries to unravel. All the events of his life that
made him into the powerful man he was.

“You like it, don’t you?”

“What do you think?” she asked, before
realizing it sounded a little too personal to be asking him.

He unfurled his arms and ran one hand down
the doorframe. “I think it’s well-built. You’d be happy here, and
it’s a safe place to live. You’re close to the bus, and only about
twelve minutes away from the base. Have you seen the balcony?” he
asked.

“Not yet.”

He jerked his head in a friendly way. “Come
on.”

She heard him chuckle when she walked past
him. Don stood on the balcony, the door open, waiting for her. As
she stepped outside an enormous orange ball sank into the sea,
extinguishing itself and the daylight. “Oh, my God,” she breathed,
trapped in the sight. The Commander’s body brushed gently against
hers, sending a zip of excitement through her veins, but she
squashed it with a practiced hand.

“Pretty nice place to have a glass of wine
with a friend and watch the sun go down, don’t you think?” he said,
close to her ear.

Every hair on her neck stood up as her blood
pressure skyrocketed. Friends? She didn’t have any friends except
Barry and Gord.

“Or make new friends,” Don added, glancing
out toward the water.

Her skin shrunk to three sizes too small
when the Commander laid a warm hand on her shoulder. “How much room
does she have to move on the price, Don?”

“I think she has a little wiggle room.
There’s still a few places in here for sale. Have you been
preapproved for a loan, Kayla?”

“Yes.”

“Well, they’re asking five hundred and
twenty-five for the place, it’s an estate sale, but I think if you
offer five hundred, you’ll have yourself a new home.”

Her eyes bugged out of her head. “Say what?”
she blurted, and slapped her hand across her mouth.

Both guys shot a look at each other. “Is
that too much, Ms. Banks?” the Commander asked, his brows
rising.

She couldn’t help it and burst out, “No,
I’ll pay cash.”

“Okay, then,” Don grinned at her. “Cash
deal, better yet. I’ll call Chad, give me a second.”

She whirled around. “Five hundred thousand
dollars for this, are you sure there isn’t a mistake?” she said,
and grasped his arm.

The Commander laughed, and pulled a stray
curl the wind whisked across her cheek, aside. Suddenly the
laughter was gone. For one hold-your-breath-second their eyes met,
instead of a cool blue, a deep warmth fused her to him, and that
warmth strayed to her lips, as if all he wanted was to kiss…

In the same instant, they both took a step
back, and his gaze swung toward the ocean. “It sounds like real
estate in Canada is a little exorbitant.”

Her heart pounded in her throat, and her
cheek tingled from his touch.
Breathe, girlfriend.
With a
steady voice she said, “Not really, you just have to promise an
arm, a leg and your first two children.” Grasping at the railing to
steady her bearings, she didn’t clutch metal, but his hand instead.
She immediately jerked away, but not before a spark lit inside her,
like a sun going super nova.

Don stuck his head out the door.
“Five-oh-three okay by you? He’ll pay for the first year’s
taxes.”

“Yes,” she blurted, “God, yes.” She clutched
her hands together and brought them to her lips. “I think I’d pay
that just for that fireplace,” she said, stepping around the
Commander and taking a closer look. Standing so close to him caused
far too much anxiety.
Look away, Kayla, just look away.

The stonework with small ceramic tiles sunk
into the plaster at skewed angles, and the heavy wooden mantle that
she already had ideas for, sat on the right side of the balcony.
There was plenty of room for a large table, chairs and she’d still
have enough space to dance. Not that she planned on dancing with
anyone, but she could.

“Glad you came to dinner with me now?” the
Commander asked, the glow in his eyes returning.

Don stuck his head out one more time. “I
forgot some paperwork. I’ll be right back. Enjoy the sunset on your
new deck, and Chad says there’s a bottle of wine in the fridge, and
two glasses in the cupboard.” He winked at the Commander.

“Thank you so much, Don.”

“You’re welcome, Kayla. It’s…uh, just you
moving in, is that right? No husband?”

She shrugged her shoulders. “No, it’s just
me.”

The Commander followed Don to the door and
rested a hand on his shoulder, shaking his hand with the other. She
couldn’t hear what they said, but she heard the Commander’s low
timbre as he chuckled, filter out to her.

“Congratulations, Ms. Banks,” the Commander
said, offering her a glass of wine when he joined her again.

Tipping her glass against his, she just
couldn’t get rid of the perma-grin glued to her lips. “Thank you so
much for your help, Commander Austen.”

“Welcome home,” he said, his voice dropping
to a low pitch that made her knees weak.

She signed the offer to buy on the granite
kitchen countertop, and paused to look around the spacious living
room with built-in bookshelves and another fireplace. It was a
milestone. Although she would have to watch the sun come up alone
as she had most sunrises, it didn’t mar the moment. She reminded
herself as she did every day she woke that life was good. Scanning
the space soon to be hers, she paused to appreciate how far she’d
come. Even though part of the journey had been on her hands and
knees, she’d kept crawling. She had a job and a space of her own
and little by little she’d investigate her new surroundings.
Yeah—life was pretty good.

Don departed, and she walked back to the
balcony to watch the last spears of light disappear into the sea.
The breeze wrapped around her with a delicious blanket of balmy
warmth. She could stand out here all night, and maybe she’d do that
sometime.

Stepping up to the railing, the Commander
leaned one forearm on it, facing her. “By the looks of it, you’re
going to be very happy here.” He searched her eyes as he refilled
her glass and his own, and then settled the bottle on the
ground.

“I’m usually happy wherever I am.”

“No one to enjoy it with?” he asked, but it
sounded more like a serious question than a come-on.

She shook her head, and gazed down at the
busy walkway below. “I can make my way home,” knowing she wanted to
stay a little longer, and he probably wanted to leave. Then again,
maybe she wanted him to leave. An incredible yearning to dwell on
the small creases around his eyes or his rigid jaw and full lips,
swelled inside her.

“I always complete a mission, and tonight
that means staying with you.”

“Mission accomplished, we better go.” She
reached for his glass so she could rinse it out before they
left.

“There’s no rush, Ms. Banks.”

Easy for him to say, his heart wasn’t in an
endless loop with his body steaming like an overheating engine. She
couldn’t stand the vibration, and her screws were coming loose.
“I’ve got plenty of time to enjoy when I move in,” she said, and
tried to pluck the glass from his hand. When he wouldn’t let go she
looked into his face. His gaze intent, she couldn’t even begin to
imagine what his crystal blues were expressing. A tremble in her
hand revealed her anxiety, and she had no way to hide it.

“I don’t understand,” he said wistfully.

She shook her head, not understanding his
statement.

“Why are you here?” His brows grew
together.

Absolutely nothing intelligent came to mind.
How could it, with this incredible, noble man standing too damn
close. “I applied for a job. I got the job.” The words barely
dribbled from her lips. How the hell could her heart rate stay at
this level without bursting? Finally, he pulled his gaze from hers,
but to her dismay, it fell to her hand.

“Your hand is trembling.” A minute smile
curved his lips.

“We should go,” she blurted.

“There are never enough memorable moments in
life, Ms Banks. When they come, we need to recognize them, and hold
onto them as long as we can.” He gently pulled the glass from her
fingers. “This one,” he paused and nodded, “this one belongs to
both of us.”

Her head swiveled watching him as he
disappeared inside.
What the hell did that mean?

Driving back to her rental suite, she opened
the window and let the wind filter in, watching the lights of San
Diego flicker by.

“Decorating the place in your mind already?”
the Commander asked, as he slowed down for a light.

“Not really.” She crossed her legs and
looked out her side window. “Just tuning in to the fact that this
is home now. A few months ago, if someone would have told me I’d be
living in California, I’d have laughed and suggested they contact
the Public Service helpline.”

“How are Gord and Barry doing with the
change?”

“Those two are like women-seeking missiles.
They’re out partying every chance they get and when they aren’t
partying, they’re engaging in extreme sports, so they’ve been
traveling on their days off. They’re having a good time.”

“What do you do for fun?”

“Nothing.”

He craned his head toward her with a rippled
brow. “Nothing?”

“I’m a walker, that’s it.”

“A walker?” He shook his head.

“I walk, I listen, I see, and I walk some
more. Other than that, I work.”

He turned onto her street filled with 1980s
apartments with little face value. “Don’t you volunteer with a
nonprofit reading society?”

Now it was her turn to crane her head. “How
did you know about that?”
And what else did he know?

The Commander slowed down and stopped in
front of her rental, without her having to tell him which one it
was. Concerned or flattered? Neither, he was thorough, and it’s
what had kept him alive for so long in a profession that took a
life, like life takes a breath.

Turning his broad frame in his seat to face
her, he said, “You must enjoy working with kids to do that.”

She nodded. “I just started there. They gave
me four little holy terrors, but they’re pretty cute, too.”

Could there possibly be a sexier alpha male
in the world? How many women had kissed his lips? Her heart raced,
thinking about what that would feel like. She flung the idea from
her mind and concentrated on the fact she owned a wonderful piece
of real estate. It didn’t help. In a few seconds she’d have to say
goodbye to this intriguing man she’d just spent four hours with.
Denying the fact that his strength wafted from him like cologne or
his powerful body would make any woman squirm in her own skin was
futile. He was her senior officer. “I don’t know how to thank you,
sir. The day started off so frustrating. I never would have
imagined it ending this way. It’s the best birthday present I’ve
ever gotten.”

He drew back, dipping his head. “Your
birthday?”

She nodded, relieved he looked surprised,
that meant he didn’t know everything.

“July tenth, I’ll remember that for next
year,” he said quietly. “Maybe we’ve started a tradition.”

She stared into her lap. “I don’t celebrate
much, especially birthdays. And I only have enough money to buy one
place.” Levity wasn’t doing anything to remove the tense energy
filling the car. Time for her retreat. “Thank you again, Commander.
Good night.”

His expression sobered. “If you need help
moving, I know eight strong men who’d love to give you a hand.
They’re cheap: pizza and beer should do it.”

“Thanks, I’ll manage,” she said, grabbing
the door handle and cracking it open.

He reached into the back seat and handed her
the paperwork from her sale. “You’re one little lady who just wants
to do everything herself, aren’t you?”

You have no idea, and you never will.
She bit her lip, and then glanced at him. There was no point in
wasting daydreams on a man like him. “It’s easier that way,” she
admitted. “Good night, sir.”

“Kayla?”

He gently palmed her arm, and her nerve
endings sparked. She swallowed, trying to relieve the tightness in
her throat. His eyes burrowed too deeply into hers, and she had too
many secrets. Things he could never know. Stilling her hopping
heart, she turned her gaze on him.