his being not to press her up against the elevator wall and show her exactly what he was thinking, that he’d fantasized about her for five years.
“Well?” she demanded and he realized he hadn’t been listening to a word she’d been saying. He’d totally zoned out, which was unlike him. He rarely lost focus, because if you lost focus you were dead.
At least that was what he’d picked up in his years in the Navy SEALs Special Ops and on the numerous dive missions.
Tyler had lost focus and that was why the sniper would have finished him off, if Thorne hadn’t thrown himself in the path. Just like the stupid mistake he’d made when Liam had thrown him out of the way and paid with his life. Thorne had only lost a leg saving Tyler’s life.
Just thinking about that moment made his phantom limb send an electric jolt of pain up through his body and he winced.
“Are you all right?” Erica asked, and she reached out and touched his shoulder.
He brushed her hand away. “I’m fine.” He took a deep breath.
“You look like you’re in pain.”
“I said I was fine!” He straightened up, putting all his weight on his prosthetic and working through the pain. “I won’t give you an easy ride, but I also won’t be so cruel. I realize that my actions are detrimental to your mental health.”
The words “mental health” struck a chord with her. He could tell by the way the blood drained from her face. He knew they would hurt. In her file he’d read that her first commendation had been turned down due to her being unfit emotionally. Though he didn’t have the details as to why, that was unimportant. His barb worked and he regretted it.
“My mental health is fine,” she said quietly.
“Is it?”
She didn’t glance at him as she slapped the emergency button, the elevator starting again. The elevator stopped on the next floor and the doors opened. She stepped out. The confidence, the strength which had been with her only a moment ago, had vanished.
And, though he should be pleased that he’d got to her, he wasn’t. Thorne hated himself for doing that to her.
It’s for the best. She’s dangerous to you.
“Thank you for your time, Captain. I will see you on Saturday at zero nine hundred hours.” The doors closed and she was gone and Thorne was left with a bitter taste in his mouth. His small victory wasn’t so sweet.
“AHA!” ERICA PULLED out her sneakers from the box. “It’s been a long time.”
Great. You’re talking to sneakers now.
Maybe she was overtired. As she glanced around the room at all the boxes she realized how disorganized her life had become.
It wasn’t many boxes, but she didn’t really like living in a state of chaos. She’d gone from the USNV Hope to San Diego and within forty-eight hours she’d been posted to Okinawa.
If she kept busy she didn’t notice it so much, but now that she had some free time it irked her.
She’d rather be busy than not. Relaxation was all well and good, but she had a job to do. She stared at her bright-blue sneakers with the neon yellow laces. Although she loved running, it was not what she wanted to be doing today.
Erica would rather be in the hospital removing a gall bladder. She’d even take paperwork.
This was a new posting and she had a lot to prove. Not only to herself, but to her comrades.
Damn Captain Wilder.
Questioning her mental health like that. How dared he?
Are you surprised?
He was probably just like Captain Seaton—threatened by her. She cursed Captain Seaton for being a major puenez, or “stinkbug”, as her mamère often said about men who were scared of strong women. She was also mad at herself for being duped by Captain Seaton and letting him affect her career.
And then she chuckled to herself for condemning her superior who had given her the day off. Most people wouldn’t be complaining about that and she found it humorous that she was condemning the man again.
Hadn’t she done enough damage when she’d had to take his leg after it had got infected?
The guilt about ending his career as a SEAL ate at her, but not her decision to take his leg. There was no help for that. He would’ve died.
Perhaps he would’ve preferred death?
“Your father wanted to die and the Navy gave him the means to do so.”
Erica shuddered, thinking about her mother’s vitriol, because it made her think of that last moment she’d seen her father—the haunted look in his eyes as he’d shipped out.
“Be good, Erica. You’re my girl.”
He’d held her tight, but it hadn’t been the same embrace she’d been used to. Three days later, he’d gone AWOL. Two weeks later, after a dishonorable discharge, he’d ended his life.
You did right by Thorne. Just like the surgeons saved your father’s life the first time he was injured. You saved Thorne’s life.
It was her job to save lives, not end them. His desire to die was not her concern any more. She’d saved his life and they’d taken him away. Captain Thorne Wilder was no longer her concern.
She’d done her duty by him and that was how she slept at night.
Erica sat down on her couch and slipped on her running shoes, lacing them up. There wasn’t much she could do. She wasn’t on duty today, unless there was an emergency, so she might as well make the best of it. Besides, running along a beach might be more challenging than running laps on a deck.
She stretched and headed out to a small tract of beach near her quarters. Though the sky was a bit dark, the sea wasn’t rough, and the waves washing up on shore would make her feel like she was out on the open sea. Back on the Hope.
As she jogged out toward the beach she got to see more of the base. It was pretty active for being on such a small island far off the mainland of Japan.
The hospital was certainly more active than being on the Hope. Unless they were responding to a disaster, there were stretches at sea where they weren’t utilizing their medical skills. Those stretches were filled with rigorous drills and simulations.
As she headed out onto the beach, she followed what appeared to be a well-worn path along the edge so she wouldn’t have to run in the sand.
Erica opted to go off the path and headed out onto the sand. It slowed her down, but she didn’t care. It would work her muscles more.
Besides, even though it was a bit overcast, it was still a beautiful day on the beach. The palm trees were swaying and the waves lapping against the shore made her smile.
As she rounded the bend to a small cove, she realized she wasn’t the only one who was on the beach at this moment and it made her stop in her tracks.
Thorne.
He was about fifteen feet away from her, in casual clothes, his arms crossed and his gaze locked on the water. She followed where he was looking and could see swimmers not too far out in the protected cove.
I have to get out of here.
She turned to leave but, as if sensing someone was watching him, his gaze turned to her. Even from a distance she could feel his stare piercing through her protective walls. A stare which would make any