Brooks let out a long slow breath, then reached for her hand. At first, she seemed reluctant but then laced her fingers with his.
“Let’s take a walk,” he said calmly. “Lennon, my parents met when my mother, a former Marine, was leading her team and my father’s team into an enemy encampment. Someone tried to kill her, which resulted in her becoming paralyzed. My father blamed himself for all of it.”
“But he couldn’t have known,” she frowned.
“No. He didn’t know but he thought it should have been him. He fell in love with my mother at first sight and tortured himself for more than a year thinking about her.
“I’m telling you all of this because somewhere, deep down, I just kept thinking that if something happened to you, I would feel the same as my dad. It would be my fault.”
“Brooks, it wouldn’t be your fault. Accidents happen. People die. I don’t want to die. I don’t want anyone to die but I will not be lied to, especially by someone I thought was my friend.”
Brooks pulled her to the bench on the dock, forcing her to take a seat beside him.
“I am your friend, Lennon. I want to be more than your friend and I know we have to work toward that. I promise, you have my word, I will be honest with you going forward.”
“Thank you,” she nodded. She hesitated a moment, then looked up at him. “I’d like to be more than friends as well. You kiss like a professional.” He laughed, shaking his head and she grinned at him.
“Do you have a lot of experience with professional kissers?” he mused.
“Not really. Do you have a lot of experience kissing so that you’re that good?”
“Not really,” he laughed. “I’m not a virgin. I certainly have had women in my life but no one special.”
“Men always say that. Do you know why?” she asked. He shook his head. “Because it’s not special to them but nine times out of ten, it’s special to the woman. We’re built differently. When we’re with someone, we are, in most cases, with just that person and only that person. We naively believe that the man we are with could possibly betheman that we will be with for the rest of our lives.”
“You sound as though you’ve had some experience to the contrary,” he frowned.
“I can tell you that I definitely have,” said Lennon. “Not a lot but some. I’m very, very careful about who I date, who I allow in my home, who I give my number to. I won’t be anyone’s part-time victim. Or a victim at all.”
“Good for you,” he nodded. “If you didn’t notice, my family is full of strong women with brains, beauty, and opinions. I happen to like women like that. It was why I was attracted to you.”
“Liar,” she smirked. “You liked my ass.”
Brooks laughed so loud she actually jumped. She laughed with him, nodding.
“You are right. I like your ass. But I really, really like the rest of you, Lennon. Your beauty, your intelligence, your sense of right and wrong, justice, all of it.”
“I like you, too, Brooks. Can I tell you something?”
“Anything. You can always tell me anything.”
“I’m scared.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Brooks’ heart was cracking with her admission of fear. He pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her shoulders.
“It’s okay to be scared. Even SEALs are scared sometimes. If you’re not scared, you’re stupid. You plan for the threats. Over and over and over again. It’s a non-stop process. That’s what we do here. You’re safe here. Bora won’t get to you on this property. No one will.”
“I know that but what is he doing? He can’t possibly be doing anything good down there if that’s where he is. Do you think that’s where he is?” she asked.
“If I had to bet, I’d say he’s headed that way for sure. But why? Did the witnesses say anything else? Did they indicate why he wanted to do this?” She shook her head.
“Only that he was going to work with the cartels and rule the area. He can’t possibly believe that the Americans would let him rule that part of the world after killing at least one of his own,” she said looking up at him.
He smiled down at her beautiful face, those big eyes sucking him in.
“No, they wouldn’t let him but he damn well probably believes he’s as good as anyone out there. He is a good Marine. Or at least he was. But he can’t be doing this just with the help of the cartels. Even they wouldn’t want him running the country.”
