his chiseled face awash with pain.
His face was expressionless, controlled and devoid of emotion.
So unlike the first time she’d met him, when he’d begged her not to take his leg and made her heart melt for him just a little bit.
“Commander, what a surprise to find you here,” he said pleasantly, but she could detect the undertone of mistrust. He was questioning why and she had the distinct feeling her appearance was an unwelcome one.
“It’s my day off and I thought a run along the beach would be nice.”
It was nice until I ran into you.
“Never heard someone mention a run as nice.” He raised an eyebrow.
Erica gritted her teeth. “I haven’t seen much of the base since I first arrived. I’m usually sleeping when the sun is out.”
Ha ha! Take that.
He nodded, but those blue eyes still held her, keeping her grounded to the spot as he assessed her. No wonder he’d been a Navy SEAL; apparently he could read people, make them uneasy and do it all with a cold, calculating calm. Even though it annoyed Erica greatly that it was directed at her at this moment, she couldn’t help but admire that quality.
It was why it made the SEALs the best of the best.
Only, she wasn’t some insurgent being interrogated or some new recruit. There was a reason she’d been one of the top students in her class at Annapolis.
She wasn’t weak. She was tough and stalwart and could take whatever was dished out. She’d told him as much.
This she could handle. It didn’t unnerve her. When he’d shown that moment of weakness, begging for his leg, that had shaken her resolve.
“No,” he finally said, breaking the tension. “I suppose you haven’t seen much of the base.”
Erica nodded. “No, I haven’t, but I’m not complaining.”
A smile broke across his face, his expression softened. “I know you’re not.”
“What’s going on out there?” she asked.
“SEAL training,” he said and then shifted his weight, wincing.
“I didn’t know this base was equipped for that.”
“Yes. It’s where I did my training.” He cleared his throat. “I mean …”
“I knew you were a SEAL.” She held her breath.
He feigned surprise. Captain Wilder might be good at interrogating and striking fear into subordinates, but he wasn’t much of an actor. “How?”
Erica wanted to tell him it was because she’d been the one who’d operated on him—that he’d been on her ship—only she didn’t think that would go over too well. He was obviously hiding from her that he had a prosthesis, as if such a thing would make her think differently of him.
Did he think it was a sign of weakness? If he did, he was foolish, because Erica saw it as a sign of strength. A testament to his sacrifice for his country. Only she kept that thought to herself. She doubted he’d be overly receptive to it right now. The last thing she needed was to tick him off and have him state she was mentally unstable or something.
So instead she lied. “I looked up your record before I shipped out. I wanted to know who my commanding officer was in Okinawa.”
His gaze narrowed; he didn’t believe her. She could tell by the way he held himself, the way his brow furrowed. Only he wasn’t going to admit it. “Is that so?”
“How else would I know?” she countered.
“Of course, that would be the only way you’d know.” Thorne crossed his arms and turned back to look at the ocean. “Aren’t you going to ask me why I’m not out there swimming with them?”
“No,” Erica said.
He glanced over at her. “No?”
“With all due respect, Captain Wilder, that’s not my business.”
“Yet knowing I am a former SEAL was?”
“Any good officer worth their salt tries to find out who they’re serving under. The reasons you left the SEALs or aren’t active in missions any longer is not my concern. Some things are better left unsaid.”
His cheeks flushed crimson and she wondered if she’d pushed it too far.
“You’re right. Well, I may be retired from the SEALs, but I still oversee some of their training. Anything to keep involved.”
Erica nodded. “A fine thing to be involved with.”
Thorne smiled again, just briefly. “Well, I don’t want to keep you from your run. If you continue on down the beach, there’s another nice path which wraps around the hospital and forks, one path leading into the village and the other back to base. If you have the time, be sure to check out the village and in particular the temple.”
“Thank you, Captain.”
“When we’re off duty, you can call me Thorne.”
Now it was Erica’s turn to blush. It came out of the blue; it caught her off guard.
Maybe it was supposed to.
“I’m not sure I’m comfortable with that.”
“What harm is there in it?”
She didn’t see any harm. When she went on shore leave with other shipmates or was off duty she didn’t address them so formally. What was the difference here? The difference was she was never attracted to any of them, had never seen them so vulnerable and exposed.
“I’ll think about it.”
He cocked an eyebrow. “I have to say, I’m hurt. Am I so monstrous?”
“No.” Erica grinned. “I only address my friends so informally.”
“I’m not your friend?”
Now it was her turn to cock an eyebrow. “Really? You’re asking me if we’re friends?”
“I guess I am.” He took a step closer to her and her pulse raced. She’d thought he was handsome when she’d first seen him, but that was when he’d been injured. Now he was healthy, towering over her and so close. She was highly attracted to him, she couldn’t deny that. He stirred something deep inside her, something she hadn’t felt in a long time.
Yearning.
There had been a couple other men since Captain Seaton, but not many, and none in the Navy. She didn’t have time or interest.
Until she met Thorne.
Thorne was dangerous and, being her commanding officer, he was very taboo.
“We barely know each other, Captain. How can we be friends?”
“Easy. We can start by using our given names. I’m Thorne.” And then he took her hand in his. It was strong and sent a shock of electricity through her.
Get a grip on yourself.
She needed to rein this in. This was how she’d fallen for Captain Seaton. He’d wooed her. She’d been blinded by hero worship, admiration, and she wouldn’t let that happen again.
“We’re not friends,” Erica said quickly.
“We can be.” His blue eyes twinkled mischievously. He was playing with her and she didn’t like it. Thorne ran so hot and cold. He was trying to manipulate her.
“I don’t think so, Captain.” She suppressed a chuckle of derision and jogged past him, laughing to herself as she continued her run down the beach and perfectly aware that his eyes were on her.
Thorne