Page 16 of Carter's Battle

“I don’t mind.” He rinsed the plates and then looked around. “Dishwasher?”

“I don’t have one,” she said with a sigh. It was on her list to install but the money just wasn’t there for that kind of thing. It would involve redoing the entire kitchen because of the way things were laid out. Gambling like she had last night would help her earn the cash, but until she’d been forced back into it, she hadn’t even given it a thought.

“Okay.” He set them down in the sink and started looking around again.

“Just leave them. I’ll get them later.” He was annoying her. Suddenly, it felt as if her lack of a dishwasher was a mark against her. Having him in her small kitchen made her uncomfortable enough for altogether different reasons, and now she felt some kind of silent rebuke.

Carter turned and she handed him his coffee. “Here.”

“Thanks. I don’t have a dishwasher either. Never saw the need when there’s only me.” He flashed her a smile and took a sip of coffee as he leaned back against the counter. “Why is the coffee so much better on this island?”

Mia blinked. Damn that smile and its ability to slay her every time. And now she just felt stupid about the whole dishwasher thing. She was way too sensitive about her home. She sighed and then took a sip of her own coffee.

“So…” she began as she searched for some topic of conversation. “How long are you in town for? Dahlia mentioned you and your friends were visiting out at the ranch with Hawk.

“Yeah,” Carter agreed, but he cocked his head as if asking how she knew that.

“It’s a small town. A group of new guys showing up at Ohana’s pretty much means we’re all gossiping about you.”

“Good to know. We’re in town for a few weeks. We’ll see how it goes. We’re testing some equipment out at the ranch.”

“You’re in the military? Navy, is it?” Mia tried to be casual about it. The way she’d heard it from one of Dahlia’s texts, they were SEALs.

“Yeah,” he said.

The corners of his lips curled slightly upward as if he knew she was trying to play it cool.Shit. She needed to get this man out of her house. He was messing with her mind.Overtired. That had to be it. She took another sip of coffee. It couldn’t possibly be the fact that he was sexy as hell and standing in her kitchen giving her a look that made her toes curl and her lady parts tingle. Nope, it couldn’t possibly be that.

CHAPTER 10

“You look great, by the way.”Carter set his mug on the counter. He meant the compliment. She looked spectacular in the dress. It hugged all her curves and showed off her legs in a way that Carter felt below his belt. Damn if it wasn’t super distracting. He needed to focus on the problem at hand. “But why do I have the feeling that you still being in a cocktail dress at eight in the morning has to do with those three goons who were here?”

Mia glanced down at her dress like she’d forgotten she was wearing it. “Forget it, Carter. Like I said before, I don’t need your help. Thanks for breakfast but you know where the door is.”

“Mia, you need help. I know it, andyouknow it. Whatever it is, you’re in over your head.”

She whirled around, her hands on her hips which was never a good sign. Carter braced himself for the coming storm.

“What makes you think I can’t handle myself? I’ve been taking care of myself for years. I don’t need you interfering in my life. Just because you bring me food doesn’t mean you have any say in my life. Just. Butt. Out. Stop coming over. Forget where I live.” She glared at him.

Carter kept his voice measured and his stance relaxed. Dealing with Mia reminded him of working withinjured animals. Eliminate sudden or potentially threatening movements.Proceed with caution.“I’m sure you can take care of yourself in normal circumstances, but I also know that this isn’t normal. Three men stood in your house and hurt you. This Bobby guy said you had to do what he wanted because two lives depended on it. None of that is normal. Whatever is going on, you need help. Please let me help you, Mia. I don’t want to see anything bad happen to you.”

“Too late.” She let out a long sigh. “Look, I really appreciate that you want to help me. I truly do but you can’t get involved in this. It’s hard enough as it is, I don’t need any further complications. So, thank you, but I think it’s better if you don’t stop by anymore.” With that, she turned and headed around the corner.

He had no doubt she was standing by the door waiting for him to leave but he wasn’t willing to give up just yet. Navy SEALs never quit. He moved toward her sofa. “I get that you’re worried and you’re in trouble. You don’t want to make it worse, but Mia, my job in the Navy is basically dealing with trouble in all kinds of hellholes around the world. I know what I’m doing, and I can handle myself, no question. I’m not afraid of a two-bit thug. More importantly, I can help you keep your friends safe. Let me. I can keep you safe and no matter what happens to me, I guarantee I won’t hold you responsible.”

Carter had no idea why he was so willing to get into the middle of whatever this was to help Mia, but he just knew that he was determined to keep her safe. If he had to guess it was probably a reaction to being holed up in Hawai’i while his CO tried to figure out what the hell was going on with the other half of the team. The last eight months had taken a larger toll than he was willing to admit. It was one thing to go out on an op with his teammates when he knew they had his back when the shit hit the fan. And it always did. It was another thing altogether to haveto look over his shoulder to check for ‘friendly fire’ while at the same time fighting the known enemy in front of him.

The bottom line, he was tired of feeling helpless. Of not being able to do his job properly. Of not knowing if he could trust four members of the team who had sworn allegiance to each other. And now being out of the loop with the investigation, made him itchy. He wanted to be in a situation that he could control. That he could affect the outcome without worrying about someone supposedly on his side doing him in. He wanted a situation where he wasn’t helpless and it was clear who the bad guys were.

“Mia, you need help and if I’m honest, I need something to do. There’s a lot going on back on the mainland and currently I can’t be a part of it. I’m not so good with that, so I need a distraction. You would be doing me a favor by letting me get involved. And I swear I can keep you safe and help with your friends.” Okay, that last part might have been an exaggeration but at least he could try.

Mia bit her lip and dropped her hand from the doorknob as she studied him. A pounding on the door made her jump. She stared at it and all the color left her cheeks.

“Let me answer it.” He rushed to her side. In a low voice, he said, “Go stand in the hallway out of sight.”

She hesitated but then the pounding rattled the door again, and she nodded. Carter waited until she was no longer visible, then opened the door a bit and stood in the opening, blocking the view inside. “Hello. Bobby, is it?”

Bobby glared at him. “I want to see Mia. Now.”

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