The Navy Seal's Rescue

“I walked.”

“You staying at the Seaside?”

She nodded. “Only ten minutes by beach,” she said with the smile that had drawn him in the first time he’d seen her. “Did I pass? Do I get some alcohol now?”

“Sounds like you need it.”

“Most definitely.”

“Yeah, reunions must be a b—” He didn’t finish.

“A bitch? Yep.”

He’d already decided what to pour her. Nothing fancy, not for her. Figuring he’d start off with something as high-end as those earrings, he grabbed a glass and a bottle of his Lagavulin twelve-year Scotch, which he liked better than the Glenfiddich. Neat or on the rocks, he wasn’t sure about that detail.

Wyatt went for neat. And was rewarded with another one of her gorgeous smiles.

* * *

SO HE’D GUESSED she was a Scotch drinker. Wyatt was either really good at reading people, or Cricket hadn’t left the no-nonsense image behind in Chicago like she thought. She watched him hesitate, probably wondering if she drank it on the rocks.

Seeing Ginny and Harlow had felt good, and it would be even better when they connected with Jade once she straightened out her delayed flight—she was hoping to arrive sometime around 2:00 a.m. Jessica—no, Cricket—hoped she didn’t regret promising to wait up for her. Ginny had left the reception early to pick up her daughter from a party. Harlow had hooked up with a football player from back in the day, a guy Cricket barely remembered. They’d begged her to join them but she’d lied. Told them she had a headache and she still hadn’t seen Ronny yet. That part about her dad was true.

They’d talked on the phone when he returned from the fishing charter. She’d just gotten to the reception and he’d had a long, taxing day and suggested she come over for breakfast tomorrow. Waiting for anything wasn’t Ronny’s strong suit, and after what Ginny had told her about his accident, Cricket hoped he wasn’t avoiding her.

No, that was crazy. Ronny probably hadn’t given it a thought. Nothing fazed him. It wouldn’t have occurred to him that Cricket might be worried about his health.

She looked down at the Scotch the bartender slid across the bar to her. Neat. Perfect. She’d been surprised that he hadn’t given her the Glenfiddich that was already down, but had gone for the top of the line. Trying to score points? When she took her first sip, she gave him a ten out of ten.

She heard the guy next to her sigh, and realized he’d been trying to hit on her, but she’d been lost in her own thoughts, and if there was one thing she’d learned how to do in law school, it was ignore distractions. Luckily his phone rang and he quickly got involved in the call.

“So, did I get it right?” Wyatt folded his muscled arms across his chest and leaned back. His gray eyes looked darker than they had this afternoon, his stubbled jaw, as well. And damn, he was still hot.

“Oh, yes.” She lifted the glass in a salute, then took another sip. “But you would’ve been right with wine or beer, as well.”

“Huh.” He frowned. “What kind of beer? Specialty microbrews made in small batches, or...”

“Actually, I’m not that picky when it comes to beer. Lately I’ve been leaning toward Corona. Unless I’m having sushi, then it’s...” She flashed back to the evening in Grant’s office, and just like that her mood plummeted.

“Kirin?”

She blinked at Wyatt, and seeing curiosity flare in his eyes, she lowered her gaze and nodded.

“Got an order.” The woman’s voice came from directly behind her.

“Be right there,” Wyatt said. “Hey, would you prefer something else? This being a vacation maybe you want something pink and frilly?”

“Don’t you dare.”

“Blue, then. With a couple of cherries, a matching umbrella?” he said as he drifted toward the end of the bar.

Cricket smiled, watching him take a slip from the blonde waitress who was staring at her. Wyatt said something to the young woman and she hurried around the bar to the beer tap. While he mixed drinks, she filled mugs. He didn’t look too happy when she seemed to go out of her way to stand close enough that her hip rubbed against his thigh. But then maybe that was just part of the gig. Just because he’d flirted with Cricket didn’t mean he wasn’t playing with the Happy Meal toys.

Nope. He laid down the law. Cricket couldn’t actually hear what he’d said but she was good at reading body language. Besides, the waitress hastily hopped a foot to her right and, stone-faced, finished filling three mugs. Maybe Wyatt wasn’t just the bartender but the owner. Not that it mattered, at least not to Cricket.

She’d be here for another two days, spend some time with her dad, catch up with old friends and acquaintances, and then return to Chicago and tell Grant she hadn’t changed her mind. Sanford Burbidge could fry for all she cared. Yes, innocent until proven guilty—she got the concept, she even believed in it—but sometimes you just knew a person was evil and capable of doing evil things. She didn’t have to be a criminal attorney to know that wasn’t a rare experience.

But dammit, what if being true to herself really could torpedo her career? It was possible that Grant was using the threat to strong-arm her, just to placate Burbidge. She didn’t want to think he’d do that, but making senior partner was singularly important to him. She had no illusions where his career was concerned. Still, the firm had other female attorneys much better qualified to defend the creep. All Cricket would be was a figurehead, a very reluctant, pissed-off figurehead. How would that help anyone?

Grant wasn’t stupid. Quite the opposite, in fact. And he knew her better than anyone at the firm. Surely she could convince him to talk Burbidge out of it, reason with the partners and smooth any ruffled feathers...perhaps even without letting them know just how vehemently she opposed being placed in such an untenable situation.

“You’re away from work, sitting in a bar on the beach, drinking good Scotch...”

She looked up. Wyatt was back, leaning against the counter behind him, those tanned muscled forearms crossed again and he must have known how much that stance complemented his strong, broad chest. His snug T-shirt hid nothing.

“So why look as if the world is about to cave in on you?” he asked.

“Um, maybe because it is?”

His mouth twitched into a wry half smile, as if he didn’t believe a word. “You sure? The mind is a dangerous place to be roaming around this late.”

“Amen to that.” Cricket let out a soft laugh, then drained her Scotch.

When he picked up her glass and raised his brows, she nodded.

“Hey, if you need an ear...” He shrugged. “I’m a bartender, it’s my job.”

“You’re so full of shit.” Bobby or Billy—she’d forgotten—was off the phone and snorted like a pig. “Anyone tries to unload on you and you tell ’em to go find a damn shrink.”

Wyatt pinned him with quite an impressive glare. “I’m selective,” he said, and grabbed the Scotch.

After he poured her drink and corked the bottle, something behind her caught his attention. “Excuse me,” he murmured, suddenly preoccupied. “Sabrina.” He stepped to the side and motioned. “You okay?”

“Fine,” a woman’s soft voice replied.

“What are you doing here?”

“I came to work. I’m really, really sorry I’m late, Wyatt. Please don’t fire me. I—I couldn’t help it.”

“I wouldn’t do that,” he said, then muttered a curse. “What happened?”

Cricket sat up straighter, fighting the urge to turn around. Something about the way Wyatt looked stirred some instinct that lifted the fine hair on the back of her neck. If she hadn’t seen him with the children earlier, the hard edge in his eyes would’ve given her a completely different impression of him. She couldn’t resist a brief peek.

The bruise on the young woman’s face was impossible to miss, even though she’d tried her best to hide it with her long auburn hair. Cricket’s chest tightened at the sight. At what it so clearly meant. The woman, who couldn’t have been more than twenty-five, and Wyatt were speaking quietly, their conversation not meant to be overheard, but Cricket couldn’t do anything about it, short of getting up and leaving.

“It’s fine, Wyatt. I promise. Can we drop this?”

He took so long to respond, Cricket stole another quick glance. The hardness was back in his eyes. “Don’t worry. Take the rest of the night off.”