Operation Date With Destiny (19 page)

“
Don
’
t be. Those guys know what they
’
re doing.
”
It was almost spooky how he seemed to know what she
’
d been thinking about.

“
I don
’
t think they do. I don
’
t think they
realize
how hard Tre
’
ago is going to fight for this.
”

“
I think you underestimate us.
”

She shook her head and swung her gaze to his face briefly.
“
I
’
ve
never
underestimated you,
”
she said quietly.

The moonlight cast just enough light on his face to see his features soften slightly. Gone was the usual sardonic glint to his eye—replaced now with something different…something intense and serious.

She wasn
’
t aware of moving or even if she
had
moved, but suddenly his warm lips had closed over her own and her hands went to his hips to hold her balance and she felt herself leaning into him, desperate to take more.

Maybe it was the after effects of having survived a near death experience—although she couldn
’
t very well blame an excess of adrenaline after having slept it off. Maybe it was this
underlying
attraction she
’
d had and been forced to push aside until she had Jackson back…whatever it was, her body had disconnected from her brain and had decided to make the most of the situation. The man could sure kiss.

Her hands clutched at the fabric of his shirt as he deepened the kiss—and suddenly she needed more. Her body was on fire, a fierce longing like she hadn
’
t felt in a long time flared up inside and the last
shred
of her tattered pride snapped.

She needed…something…she needed
him
…badly
. A
small moan escaped and she rubbed against him impatiently
. T
his wasn
’
t enough—it wasn
’
t nearly enough
. S
he needed to be closer. Her arms went to move to lock around his neck
,
but the action pulled at her wound, making her gasped as a sharp, swift pain shot through her body.

Instantly his gaze zeroed in on her face and took in the grimace of pain, moving her hands away from her bandage to check it.
“
It
’
s okay—I don
’
t think you tore anything open…sorry baby—I lost it there for a minute. You okay?
”
he
asked
, ducking his head a little to try and catch her eye
.

The physical pain in her side had
dulled;
it was now the emotional humiliation that was making her cringe. She
’
d just kidnapped this guy and put h
im
and his
friend
’
s
lives in danger and here she was ready to jump his bones like nothing had even happened!

Maybe he considered it some kind of payoff?
Maybe he had every right to think that,
a snarky voice inside her head said. She sure hadn
’
t been giving him any reason
not
to think she wasn
’
t easy. First she picked the poor guy up in the bar back in Hawaii, then in the jungle she
’
d made out with him like some randy damn school kid. She was
never
like this
.
S
he made sure she never led men on—not after…she hated thinking about Rothman and that last horrible summer with
Tre
’
ago
.

N
o
.

She shook her head quickly to dislodge the memory. She knew from a young age that men would take whatever they wanted—and all
it took was them to say you le
d them on somehow…even when you hadn
’
t. S
o
she
’
d gone through her high school years
labeled
as the
ice queen
and on through University, making sure she didn
’
t give anyone
any
opportunity to use something innocent against her
like that again
.
There was no way any men had
ever
misunderstood her after that…she simply kept to herself
.

“
I
’
m fine.
”
She waved off his concern and stepped further away
. “
But I think I better go back inside and get some more rest,
”
she added, turning away and walking back up the beach towards the resort without waiting for his reply.

“
Hey. Wait up. Hang on,
”
he demanded, getting in front of her and forcing her to look at him.
“
What
’
s wrong?
”

“
I
’
ve just over done it. I
’
ll be fine after I get some rest.
”

It was clear that he knew there was more to it, but thankfully he let it slide and they walked the rest of the way back to the house in silence.

She needed to get away from this place—there was just too much temptation
.
Women who were friendly and accepted her regardless of the danger she
’
d placed their husbands in
and a man who was having too much of an effect on her libido—not to mention her common sense. She was
not
going to study this bizarre reaction to the sarcastic, all too good looking Marine
,
who somehow threatened to destroy everything she
’
d worked so hard to build over the years
.

She needed to remember the reason she was in this situation in the first place and keep her mind on the job
.
 

****

Jackson was up and out of bed when she went in to see him later. He was playing a video game on the TV out in the main lounge room.

For a minute Destiny
paused to take
in the view before her. Summer sat on the opposite end of the lounge with a toddler on her lap while an older child sat on the floor
coloring
in. It was a homey, warm scene
. They looked like a happy little family
and a pain shot through her as she
realized
Jackson would never have this again.

Summer glanced up and sent her a warm smile.
“
Okay rug rats, let
’
s go down to the beach for a swim,
”
s
he
said, gathering her children up and scooting them out of the room.

Jackson glanced up and saw her standing there
. H
e didn
’
t smile a welcome, just lowered his gaze back to the TV screen and continued his game.

“
Whatcha
’
playin?
”
s
he asked taking a seat next to him, still careful of jarring her side.

“
Just a game,
”
he mumbled without looking at her.

She sat quietly while he raced street cars around a rather realistic street circuit and tried to ignore the dead silence
that lie
between them.
“
Do you feel like going for a walk?
”

“
No.
”

Okay. This was going well.
“
Look, can we just pause this game for a minute.
”

With a long, drawn out sigh,
the young teen r
eached over and pressed a button, before slumping back in his chair.

“
We haven
’
t been able to talk…about anything.
”

“
There
’
s nothing to talk about.
”

“
I know you
’
ve been through a lot lately—
”

“
I don
’
t want to talk about it—
any of it,
”
he said bitterly, cutting her off before she could finish.

“
Okay…when you
’
re ready to talk—
”

“
I won
’
t be.
Ever.
”

“
Jackson, I know it
’
s hard to think about—but you need to talk about it eventually.
”

“
I
don
’
t
want to talk about it—I
don
’
t
want to go for a walk and I
don
’
t
want you hovering around me,
”
he said, his voice raising
with each word
.

“
Well, what
do
you want me to do?
”
Destiny asked desperately.

“
Just go away—like always.
”

“
Like always? What are you talking about?
”

“
You left us—
remember?
You broke mom
’
s heart! You didn
’
t want us anymore!
”

“
Jackson…it wasn
’
t like that,
”
she felt as though he
’
d hit her with a giant piece of wood across the stomach.
“
I left because I wanted to protect you all.
”

“
Well that didn
’
t work out too well did it!
”
he yelled,
and
tears of rage and grief welling up in
his
eyes.

His words and accusations were like bullets
hitting her
—she couldn
’
t stop them and in truth she didn
’
t want to
. S
he deserved this—all of it. It was
her fault
their parents were dead. It was
her
stupid idea that she could control her father—
that
she could get her revenge on him without consequences
that had cost
parents
life. It was
her
stupidity.

“
I
’
m sorry Jackson…I
’
m
just. S
o sorry,
”
she said quietly, her head dropping in defeat. She felt sick inside—sick
,
and old
,
and tired
,
and
empty
.

“
I wish it had been you who died instead!
”
h
e said quietly.

Had he yelled the words, she could have almost believed they
’
d been said in the heat of the moment—but the cold, controlled tone
of his voice
left no
doubt
that he meant every word.

“
Trust me,
”
she said into the stunned silence that was left between them.
“
T
here isn
’
t a day goes by that I don
’
t wish exactly the same thing,
”
she said turning and leaving the room without a word. What more was there to say? He was right.
She
should be dead—not them.

Chapter
Twelve