Page 32 of The Lieutenant

When he opened my door, I cringed deep inside. He was making some point and while a small part of me believed him when he said he wasn’t into hurting women, I was a cautious woman. My ex had taught me that valuable lesson.

“Come, Kara. This isn’t going to be tough.”

“I’m not going diving.” Why was he staring at me like something was wrong?

“Something happened on a dive.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“It does to me.”

He sounded so sincere. “I just can’t do it. I’m sorry. If that makes you think less of me, then so be it.”

Only because I was about ready to have a panic attack. Oh, good going. I was trying my best to act tough and self-preserving and I might faint at his feet.

“I would never think less of you and I never said we were.” He held out his hand in such a way I knew he wasn’t going to take no for an answer. I finally accepted it, hating myself for doing so almost immediately.

“Then what are we doing?”

“We’re going night snorkeling.”

“What?” While he had a tight grip on my hand, I still managed to yank it free. “I’ve never done that.”

“Night diving?”

“For my advanced certification, but that was different. It was dark and cold and honestly, I didn’t like it very much.”

“This is entirely different. But you’ll need to trust me. Do you think you can?” He pressed his hand on the small of my back, refusing to allow me to get out of this.

“Trust you? I’d need to have my head examined.” Why, oh why did he have to laugh in the sultry tone that sent shivers down my spine? I licked my lips, my mouth completely dry.

He managed to push me inside and I was immediately taken back to the early days, the very first time I’d gone resort diving. I’d been completely green, learning to breathe through old traditional tanks in the Bahamas before being taken on a forty-foot dive for the first time.

Yes, the situation was controlled and I’d loved every minute of it, but this was different.

“I don’t have a swimsuit.”

“Neither do I,” he said. “We’ll take care of that here.”

“Where will we change? I’m not doing it in the car.” No siree. Not with him looking on and anyone who walked by the fancy vehicle he was driving.

“They have changing rooms.”

“In here?” The man had an answer for everything.

He grinned in his knowing, almost mischievous way as he conversed with the woman behind the counter in Greek. I stood right where I was, the anxiousness creating major butterflies in my stomach. I’d been surprised and impressed by his impressivedinner skills. I’d mostly enjoyed our conversation, but this was another situation.

The woman pointed toward a wall at the back of the store. In front of various snorkels and masks were racks of women’s swimsuits. I hadn’t thought about packing a swimsuit for the trip. Why would I?

Kolonaki was only close to paradise. Why should I have even considered taking any time for myself? As Jacob had reminded me, this wasn’t a vacation.

The man was such a hard-ass.

“Select anything you want,” Havros said from behind me. “My treat. Oh, and so there’s no misunderstanding. There is no backing out. You are mine for the night.”

While he walked away, leaving me standing in the middle of racks of neon yellow, fuchsia, and saga blue, I could still feel his presence almost a full minute later. His for the night. The thoughts running through my mind were horrendous.

They also reeked of passion.

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