Navy Seal Survival

“No, I kind of hoped you would prefer beer to whatever that is you’re drinking.”

Natalie crossed her arms over her chest. “Do I look like a beer drinker?” Her lips quirked again.

Duff chuckled. “Not really but, like I said, I hope you are.”

She relaxed and held out her hand. “Actually, I don’t really like sweet, fruity drinks.”

“Thank goodness.” He handed her one of the ice-cold bottles. “I was afraid I’d end up drinking both. Alone.”

“Glad to help my fellow rescuer out.” She tipped the bottle back and drank a long swallow before glancing up into Duff’s eyes. “You don’t take no for an answer often, do you?”

“I’m persistent. When I want something, I go after it and stay after it until I get it.”

She snorted softly. “A prize to be won?”

“No, a challenge to be met.” He lifted his bottle and tapped it against hers. “Anything worth having is worth fighting for.”

“Like?”

“Freedom. The lives of your friends and family...” His voice deepened. “The love of a woman...”

She blinked, her smile spreading. “Wow, are you always this smooth with the ladies?”

Duff grinned. “Heard that on a movie. That’s the first opportunity I’ve had to use it.” He set his bottle on the table and took hers from her hand and placed it beside his. “Come on. Let’s dance.” He slipped his arm around her waist.

She hesitated. “And if I don’t want to?”

“You do,” he said. The fact she hadn’t told him to bug off already gave him hope.

“Cocky much?” she asked.

“Only when I’m sure of myself.”

“Which is often, I take it.”

Despite his arrogance—or maybe because of it—she allowed him to lead her onto the dance floor. An upbeat reggae tune had some couples leaving and others stepping up the pace.

Once on the dance floor Natalie tilted her head to the side. “Sorry, but I don’t know how to dance to this music. I tend to be all left feet.”

“Then you haven’t had the right partner.” He swung her away from him and then pulled her into the curve of his arms, her back against his chest, his lips beside her ear. “Just relax. I’ll do all the work.”

The warmth of Natalia’s hand in his and the way she wore that incredibly sexy blue dress, made Duff’s insides curl and his body heat.

He twirled her beneath his arm and back to face him, his hips moving to the rhythm, his feet keeping the beat, urging her to follow.

The more he moved with her, his hand resting on the small of her back, the more her body relaxed. By the end of the song, she could anticipate his moves as if they’d danced together for years and she fit perfectly against him. Her long legs and lithe, athletic body felt right in his arms.

When the music switched to a slow, sensuous rhythm, Duff pulled her against him.

For a brief moment her body stiffened and then melted against him, her hand resting against his chest. He liked how warm and firm it felt there. Yeah, he could get used to this woman.

“So, what brings you to Cancun?” he asked, his lips so close to her ear he wanted to nibble the pretty earlobe. In her heels, she still wasn’t as tall as he was, but she was close.

His arms around her tightened and Duff leaned his cheek against her hair. “I’m sorry. Was my question too personal?”

She glanced up at him as if realizing for the first time that she was dancing with him. Her brow furrowed. “What was it you asked?”

Her question hit him in the ego. He’d have to make a better impression to keep her attention. “What brings you to Cancun?”

“I’m on holiday,” she said with a smile.

“Alone?” he asked.

“I wasn’t supposed to be, but that is the way of it. My friend’s aunt died and she had to cancel at the last minute to attend the funeral.”

“I’m sorry for her loss.” He pulled Natalia close to his body and swayed to the music, his hips rubbing against hers, causing an instantaneous reaction. His trousers tightened and he wished they were somewhere more private—like his bedroom.

Natalia leaned into him, her fingers curling into his shirt, her nails scraping his chest.

Duff swallowed a groan rising up from his lungs. She was doing crazy things to him without even trying.

Natalia smiled up into his face. “What about you? Why did you come to Cancun?”

“Same. Vacation. Long overdue.”

“Tough job?” she asked.

He snorted. “At times.” He didn’t talk much about his work, except to his Special Boat Team 22 teammates. Most SEAL assignments required top-secret clearance. Information about those operations was only shared with people cleared for that particular mission. He found himself wanting to tell Natalia all about it. But he couldn’t.

The music ended and she stepped away. “Thank you for the dance.” She turned to walk away.

Not wanting the night to end yet, Duff caught her hand. “Will you dance with me again?”

She lifted one shoulder. “Maybe, but for now, I’m going to visit with my new friends.”

And that was it. Natalia walked away, leaving Duff standing in the middle of the dance floor.

She returned to the group of young women and took up a position on the periphery, her gaze scanning the room again and again.

Duff frowned. What was she looking for?

A hand containing a chilled bottle touched his arm. “You look like you could use this.”

Sawyer handed him the cold beer and took a drink of his. “So, what’s the story?”

“What story?” Duff tipped his bottle and drank a long swig of the cool liquid.

“You came, you danced and she walked away. Now she’s dancing with another guy.” Sawyer jerked his head toward Natalia, who was walking toward the dance floor with a different man.

Duff’s jaw tightened. So it wasn’t her new friends she wanted to hang out with. Natalia wanted to dance with another man.

“Did you say something to make her mad?” Sawyer persisted.

“I don’t think so.”

His friend shook his head. “This is a first. I haven’t known a single female to turn down the Duff’s incredible charm.”

“Shut up, Sawyer.”

Sawyer gave him an innocent grin. “Just saying.”

So, Natalia wasn’t interested. He should move on and find another willing female to spend time with. Unfortunately none of them appealed to him like Natalia.

She danced with a couple of different guys before Duff had had enough. He pushed away from the bar and announced to his friends, “I’m hitting the rack.”

“Me, too.” Montana stood, stretched and draped an arm over Duff’s shoulders. “We’re on for scuba at zero-eight-hundred.”

“Should be fun,” Quentin added.

“What’s fun about scuba without blowing something up?” Sawyer asked.

Duff shook his head. “See you guys in the morning.”

Sawyer leaned toward Quentin and Montana and said loud enough for Duff to hear, “He’s just sore about being shot down by the pretty blonde.”

Montana laughed. “Is that it? Duff’s giving up?”

Quentin shook his head. “Never thought I’d see the day.”

Duff left the cabana without waiting for his friends. As he entered the hotel, he glanced back at Natalia, dancing with yet another man.

He shrugged and turned away.

Who needed a female complication, anyway?

* * *

FOCUS ON MELODY.

Natalie smiled and laughed at each of her dance partners’ jokes and acted as if she cared. If someone was after young blonde women, she needed to be seen and considered. Dancing with several men put her out in the middle of view as a single white female. She had to take advantage of it, even though she’d rather be dancing with Duff. For some reason the tough-looking man with a smattering of tattoos across his shoulders and back made her feel more feminine than any other man she’d ever been around.

When she’d been with the SOS, she’d felt as if she’d had to prove herself equal if not better than her male counterparts. Most of the men and the women who worked for Royce Fontaine were prior military, secret service or FBI. Natalie had been working as a boring desk jockey with a natural ability to shoot straight and true every time.

Her love of shooting had come about when she’d moved to Washington, DC, and realized just how dangerous the city could be for a single woman.

She’d gone to the range to learn how to fire the .40-caliber pistol she’d purchased to protect herself. After firing a few times she discovered she was good and had tried other weapons the range had in stock. Soon she was an expert shot with every weapon the range had to offer, and salesmen were asking her to test and demonstrate their new releases. When she wasn’t working, she was at the range.

Natalie had landed the SOS job when she’d run into Fontaine at the range. He’d been there at the request of the salesman. Royce had watched her fire several of the new weapons the salesman had brought along that day. When she’d finished firing, she’d given her feedback and turned to find the SOS boss staring at her with a smile.

That had been the beginning of the job she’d grown to love, utilizing her skill with guns and her love of adventure. She’d become a Stealth Operations Specialist, one of the only agents who’d never served in combat or law enforcement.

Royce had set her up to go through a special three-month training program similar to infantry basic training only with mercenary soldiers. They’d cut her no slack and expected her to play rough, despite being a female. She’d come through, scoring the highest on weapons qualification, even on the live-fire courses and urban terrain exercises. She had a sixth sense for when to shoot and when not to shoot.

She’d been an operative for two full years before her parents were killed in an automobile crash, right before her younger sister’s high school graduation.

Natalie’d had no other choice. Family came first, and you didn’t give up on them.

As she danced she watched the bar. Several men stood out to her. Of course Duff and his friends, who’d arrived the same day as she, because of their obvious physical fitness and laid-back charm. Natalie sensed no threat from them. The bartender was a compact man with dark hair and darker eyes. He served drinks quickly, without talking, and the wait staff seemed a little intimidated by him.

Then there were the two Hispanic men who’d sat at a table in the corner, drinking Coronas and watching Melody’s friends and her as she danced with a sandy-blond-haired playboy from New Jersey.

To Natalie every man in the place was under suspicion until she proved his innocence. And all bore watching.

When Duff and his friends left, Natalie felt her energy leave with them. Melody’s friends didn’t have the heart to stay and party when two of them would leave the next day and Melody remained missing.

“We’re calling it a night,” Lisa said. “I hope you have a better vacation here than we did.” She hugged Natalie. “Please be careful.”

“Thank you.” Natalie hugged the other woman, as if by so doing, she was a little closer to her sister.

They rode up the elevator together and parted ways in the hallway of their floor.

A soon as Natalie entered her room, she tapped her earbud. “Anything?” she asked Lance.

“Got into the security videos. I’ve spent the past three hours going through all the footage.”

“And?”

“I ruled out the hallway. The lobby had several characters I found lurking in the outdoor cabana. Could you slip away for a few minutes to check out the faces, or do you want me to try to send snapshots to your cell phone?”

“I don’t want any hackers to intercept the messages. I’ll be there in five minutes.”

“Wear the earbud in case you run into any trouble on the grounds.”

“Will do.” She slipped out of the blue dress and stilettoes and into a long casual dress and flat sandals. If someone asked her where she was going, her answer would be for a walk on the beach. She took the stairs down to ground level and walked out the back door of the hotel. The pool was lit and glowed a soft ocean-blue, the water rippled by the salty breeze.

Natalie schooled her pace to take it slow, like a person on vacation enjoying the night air, not like a woman on a mission to save her sister. When the path curved toward the bungalows, she veered in the opposite direction and took a more direct route to the beach. If someone followed her, she didn’t want him or her to discover her repeated visits to the bungalow where Lance worked.

By the time she reached the bungalow ten minutes had passed and the wind had picked up, whipping her long hair around her shoulders and across her eyes.

Lance opened the door as soon as Natalie knocked.

She slipped inside and crossed to the computer screen. The video had been paused on two dark-haired men sitting in the corner of the cabana. “I saw these two tonight. Same table, same corner of the cabana.”

“Happen to get their names?”

Natalie shook her head. “No. They stayed at the table the entire time.”

Lance fast-forwarded the video, stopping on an image of Melody and a man dancing.

Her heart came to a hard stop in her chest and Natalie sucked in her breath. Her gaze caught on Melody, laughing, dancing and flirting. She was so happy and carefree.

When her heart started pumping again, it raced, anger pushing blood through it faster and faster.

Natalie leaned toward the screen, trying to see the man with her, only getting the back of his head. “Can you see his face anywhere in the video?”

Lance shook his head. “No matter how many times I replay, I can’t get a clear shot of his facial features.”

“Melody is five feet two inches tall and, based on what she’s wearing, she’s probably got on at least three-inch heels, making her five feet five. He’s at least another five to six inches taller than her. That would put him right around six feet tall. And he has dark hair.” She straightened. “Anything else?”

“Several men in the lobby of the hotel. Some of them with women who appeared to be girlfriends or wives. Others were alone.” He clicked on the touch pad and another view popped up on the screen. “This is the lobby.”

Lance took her through several minutes of video he’d tagged as potential. When they were done, Natalie didn’t feel any closer to finding her sister than before. “Tomorrow morning, I’m scheduled to go on the dive boat Melody and her friends sailed with.”

Lance’s brows dipped. “Stay with your dive buddy in case you run into trouble.”

She snorted. “What are the chances the people who took Melody will hit the same dive boat two times in a single week?”

“Slim to none. If these creeps are smart enough to kidnap three women without raising a red flag with the local authorities, they won’t go after someone on that dive boat.”

Natalie sighed. “I know it’s a reach, but maybe I’ll get some information out of the crew. Perhaps one of them is in cahoots with the operation.”

Lance clicked another button on the computer and a GPS tracker screen appeared. “Either way, I’ve got you covered. Get some sleep tonight and be careful down there tomorrow.”

“I don’t hold out hope on sleep.” Natalie crossed to the door. “I can only imagine what Melody is going through.”

“Yeah, it’s gotta be tough when it’s your sister. She’s not my sister, and I can hardly wait to catch the bastards.”

Natalie smiled. “Thanks for your help, Lance. It’s nice to know SOS is backing me.”

“We miss having you around. Nobody quite equals our best sharpshooter.”

Warmth stole through her. They might not be blood relatives, but the members of the SOS team had been like family.

She opened the door and checked to make certain the coast was clear. A light breeze stirred the air. The moon shone bright through the gently undulating palm fronds, stirring shadows. But nothing else moved.

Natalie left the bungalow and headed toward the beach.

She passed another bungalow and was about to cut across to the more direct path leading through some bougainvillea bushes when the snap of a twig sounded behind her.

She spun, ready to face an attacker. Again, nothing moved in the shadows except the shadows themselves.

A shiver rippled across her skin in the balmy night air. Rather than cut through the thick bushes, she continued on the pebbled concrete path toward the beach. Once on the sand, she’d be in the open. Unless whoever was following her had a gun and planned to shoot her, she’d have half a chance at defending herself.

Natalie picked up the pace, stretching her long legs, trying to put distance between her and whoever or whatever was following her. By now she heard footsteps behind her.

Whenever she turned, she saw nothing. Trained to survive in hand-to-hand combat, she knew her limitations. She was better with a gun. A large man could subdue her, if he knew what he was doing.

Once out in the open, she could face her adversary head-on. No more hiding in the shadows. By the time she burst out of the palm tree shadows onto the beach, she’d gone past powerwalking, skipped jogging and was running all-out.

She turned to look over her shoulder and ran into a solid wall. Arms wrapped around her, holding her so tightly she couldn’t move.

She tried to scream but a hand clamped over her mouth.

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