Chapter 9

Surprisingly, Yolanda was right on time. “Do you want to drive all the way or park at the bay and take the ferry over to Coronado?” she asked.

“Let’s drive,” Haley replied. “I hate lines and crowds.” She’d always despised being confined but had noticed it a lot more since coming home. California seemed so much more congested after the wide-open spaces of Alaska.

They took Yolanda’s VW convertible, driving with the top down, the radio blaring, and the wind whipping their hair. Haley leaned back, relishing the combined sensations of warm sun and cool breeze. The day was picture perfect, clear and cloudless, casting rays of light rippling over the frigid waters of San Diego Bay. The bay was dotted with sails and kayaks as they drove over Coronado Bridge.

Traffic into San Diego was surprisingly light but became heavier once they crossed the bridge, and then came to a virtual standstill once they hit Ocean Boulevard toward Central Beach. With its silvery sand and backdrop of majestic mansions, there couldn’t be much greater contrast after living for months in the Arctic wilderness.

After driving up and down the street several times, they finally found a parking spot. Haley shaded her eyes and gazed out at the pristine beach while Yolanda unloaded a couple of folding beach chairs and a small cooler.

“If you’re hungry, I packed a few snacks, but save your appetite for dinner. We have an early reservation at Candelas.”

“Sounds great to me,” Haley replied. Candelas on the Bay was a local favorite offering a unique fusion of Mexican and French cuisine and breathtaking views of the San Diego skyline. “You know, I’m really glad you talked me into this.”

“Me too, chica.” Yolanda’s mouth curved into a wistful smile. “Who knows if we’ll ever get another chance to do this kind of thing again?”

“Probably not for a while,” Haley agreed.

“You aren’t coming back after you graduate, are you?”

“I don’t know where I’ll end up, but probably not here.” She laid her hand over Yolanda’s. “But we’ll still keep in touch wherever I end up.”

“Sure we will.” Yolanda didn’t meet Haley’s gaze. “There’s a perfect spot for us.” She pointed down the beach, and they walked past a cluster of small dunes where they set up their chairs. They stripped down to bikini bottoms but left their shirts on. Although it was a gorgeous day, it was still a bit early in the season for sunbathing.

“I’m dying for a run,” Haley said, already kicking off her shoes. She couldn’t wait to bury her toes in the soft, powdery sand. “Wanna go with me?”

Yolanda shook her head with a laugh. “You know how I hate to sweat. Besides, this body was not designed for that kind of physical exertion.” She waved Haley on. “You go ahead. I’ll be right here.”

Haley headed down to the waterline where the mile and a half of packed sand offered the perfect surface. She hadn’t run on the beach in forever. It was another simple pleasure she’d missed. She started at a fast jog, but, invigorated by the ebb and flow of the Pacific waters blasting her feet and ankles, quickly sped to a sprint.

Panting from her run, Haley returned to her original spot where she waved to Yolanda. Throwing trepidation to the wind, she tore off her shirt and dove into the frigid surf, emerging a few moments later with a shriek of laughter that died on her lips the second her gaze met a pair of sky-blue eyes.

* * *

Reid had always preferred the mountains to the ocean, but then again, there weren’t many beaches in Wyoming. On top of that, he’d experienced about as much sand as he could stomach after three tours on the Arabian Peninsula, but Garcia had insisted the beach was the best place to meet up with Yolanda and Haley. He’d agreed with little enthusiasm—until spying a mermaid, in all of her golden-skinned glory, emerging from the water.

Dripping wet in her tiny turquoise bikini, Haley blasted the breath from his lungs. This new version of her obliterated all lingering memory of the girl in the demure yellow sundress at the Temecula Stampede.

She halted in front of him with a glare. “Reid? What are you doing here?”

“It’s a gorgeous day.” He gazed up at the sky. “Do I need another reason?”

“Are you trying to claim this is just a coincidence? You aren’t even dressed for this. Who wears jeans and boots to the beach?”

“It’s not coincidental at all,” Reid said. “I wanted to see you and asked Garcia to set something up.”

Her gaze swept past him to where Garcia and Yolanda lounged together. She’d wondered about Yolanda and Rafael, but had never asked if they were still seeing each other. She’d wring Yolanda’s neck for this.

“You didn’t have the balls to just call me yourself?”

“Would you have come?”

“Nope.” She shook her head. “Absolutely not.”

“That’s what I thought when I got your package. Why did you send it back when I told you I’d come for it?”

“I didn’t want to see you again.” Her bluntness was like a blow to the gut.

“I don’t get it. You answered all my emails. Why the sudden turnabout? Are you involved with someone?”

“Maybe.” She tore her gaze away with a guilty look to focus on a group of squealing kids on boogie boards. She continued to avoid his gaze as she tied her wet hair into a knot on top of her head.

“That’s not an answer. Either you are or you aren’t. Which is it?”

“It means I’m thinking about seeing someone.”

“But you aren’t yet. That means I still have a chance,” Reid said.

“I t-told you before, I’m not into m-marines.”

Her lips were blue-tinged and her teeth chattered. His gaze dropped a tad lower to her beaded nipples and his prick swelled. He whipped off his T-shirt and offered it to her. “So you keep saying, but you are into me.”

“You conceited j-jackass! J-just because I l-let you k-kiss me once?”

“It was more than once and more than just a kiss.” He grinned back. “And for the record, I’m very much into you, too.”

Her eyes drifted over his bare torso, lingering for several seconds. When he caught her staring, she snatched his shirt from his hands. The shirt swallowed her delectable body, covering her to the knees. He almost wished he’d let her shiver instead.

After a moment she broke the silence. “You want to know why I returned your jacket? I’ll tell you why. I found a picture in your pocket, Reid. A picture of you with another woman. It was inscribed on the back. A night I’ll always remember. Tonya. Wanna explain that?”

He exhaled in exasperation. “That’s an old picture. Taken three years ago at my brother’s last wedding. Tonya’s the ex I already told you about. It was over between us before I ever met you.”

“Then why do you still have the picture?”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “To be honest, I had forgotten all about it. I can’t even remember the last time I wore that jacket.”

“Why should I believe you?”

He cupped her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. “Because I’m telling you the truth. Look, Haley, I can understand your caution, given your history, but I’ve done nothing to deserve your mistrust.”

“What do you mean given my history?”

“C’mon. Let’s walk. We’ve got a lot to talk about.” He kicked off his boots, leaving them in the sand, and then pressed a hand lightly to her back. She balked at first but then gave in, reluctantly matching his steps. “When I met your grandparents, they explained a few things to me.”

She halted, digging her heels into the sand. “What kind of things?”

“Haley kind of things.” He guided her back into motion down the beach toward the red roofs of the Hotel del Coronado. “They told me about your mother and father.”

“I don’t have a father,” she protested.

“Sure you do. Have you ever tried to get in touch with him?”

“No!” she snapped. “Why should I? He’s never tried to contact me.”

“There’s two sides to every story, Haley. Maybe you should hear his.”

“You’re justifying what he did?”

“No,” he said firmly. “I’m not justifying anything at all. I just believe in hearing both sides before passing judgment on anyone.”

She snorted. “I suppose it only makes sense when you’re as much of a dog as he was.”

He grasped her tiny shoulders and spun her around. “What the hell is that supposed to mean? I told you the night we met that I’ve only been with two women in my life and that number hasn’t changed. I don’t sleep around, Haley. I’m not a liar, and I don’t cheat.”

“You really expect me to believe that?”

He watched doubt and uncertainty warring in her eyes. “You can believe me or not, but it’s still the truth.”

She didn’t comment but began walking again. Minutes later she asked, “If that’s so, then why did you and Tonya split up?”

“I didn’t mess around on her if that’s what you’re thinking. She broke it off with me. She said she didn’t want to wait.”

“Oh.” Her shoulders relaxed. “I suppose I can understand that. Waiting has to be very hard. I think it would take a very strong person to cope with that… I can’t imagine dealing with all the stress and uncertainties of a loved one in such a dangerous situation.”

“So you don’t think you could do it?”

She cocked her head, as if considering the question. “I don’t know. I’d like to think so, but it wouldn’t be easy.”

“A lot of worthwhile things don’t come easy,” Reid answered. “Like you, Haley Cooper. You give ‘difficult’ a whole new meaning. I know it’s hard for you, but I’m asking for your trust.”

She spun on him, hands on hips. “Why? What am I to you, Reid? What’s the big appeal here? I’m not getting it. Is it just the challenge?”

“Maybe that’s part of it,” he confessed. “But it’s a lot more than that, and I’m pretty sure you feel it too.”

She shook her head. “Don’t even try to go there now, cowboy. You passed me up when you had your chance.”

“I had a real good reason for waiting. The timing wasn’t right for either of us. But I’ve thought about this… about you… for a long damned time, so don’t take it as lack of interest on my part.”

“Well, there’s none left on mine.” She jutted her chin defiantly but then licked her lips. “I told you then that it was a one-shot deal.”

“Is that so?” he asked. Vulnerable one moment, bold the next. Haley was a bundle of contradictions. Whether it was conscious or not, she’d issued a challenge and an invitation at the same time. He would have been tempted by either one, but the combination was damn near irresistible.

* * *

This was supposed to have been a girls’ day out, time alone with her best friend. Not a walk down the beach with an incredibly hot, half-naked marine. What the hell was she thinking? In truth, she’d stopped thinking the moment he’d stripped to the waist.

Her gaze rested at eye level on the USMC tat of an eagle stretching out its talons above his heart. His well-developed pecs, broad shoulders, and rippling abs made her mouth water. She couldn’t deny his physical appeal. Everything about Reid attracted her at the basest level, but she was above all that primal lust. Wasn’t she? She prided herself on her intellect and self-control, but just being with Reid seemed to bring out all these dormant animal instincts, every one of which craved to be satisfied.

He stepped in closer, intentionally invading her personal space, and then his mouth came crushing down on hers. He suddenly swept her up into his arms and waded, jeans and all, into the surf. She screamed as the icy waves blasted over them, but he muffled the sound with his glorious mouth. Within seconds, the heat of lust displaced the cold, her protests forgotten with the invasion of his hot tongue.

He gripped her ass and she moaned, wrapping her legs around his waist, seeking his hardness to ease her ache.

“I want you, Haley,” he groaned. “Come with me.”

“Here?” she asked.

“No,” he chuckled. “That’s not quite what I meant. I have a room. A bed. I want to take you there. Will you go with me?” His gaze met hers with an intensity that made her shiver. “I held back the last time and regretted it the whole time I was away. I don’t believe in living with those kinds of regrets anymore. Life is too damned short.”

Seconds ticked by. Her mind whirred with irresolution.

She wasn’t ready for a relationship, but she still wanted him. Reid excited her in a way she’d never experienced with anyone else. They were still nearly strangers, but seemed to connect on a level that she didn’t understand. Maybe it was only lust, but what did it matter? She desired him too. She needed to feel passion at least once in her life.

He kissed her again, teasing her with promises of things to come.

She kissed him back, sucking his lower lip between hers, releasing it slowly, thrilling at the flare of his pupils. “Yes, Reid,” she replied in a husky whisper. “That’s one thing we finally agree on. Life is too short for regrets.”