Page 43 of Royal Agenda

“We are not sappy—we are romantics. There is a difference.” He opened his fingers like a flower blooming. “And you are one to talk, are not Scots famous for their romanticism?”

Liam snorted again. “I’m only half Scot.”

Ryker set his jaw. “Your ‘hey baby’ approach to women may work for one or two dates, but if you want to woo a woman’s heart—win her love—you will need romance, my friend.” He paused for a moment and then added, “One day you, will beg me for help to win your lady love.”

Liam shook his head. “No way. I’m never getting that deep again.”

Again? Ryker paused before responding. A broken heart was quite the motivation to avoid love. “That is where you are wrong. When it is love, true love, it feels like no work at all.” He turned before Liam could offer a counterargument.

“Whatever,” he mumbled behind Ryker’s back.

Ryker ignored him. He and Grace had a connection, but they needed time together for it to grow. He was no fool. Her work took her all over the world and she was free as a bird and could fly away at any moment. Perhaps she would come back. Their future was uncertain. However, he would not throw away an opportunity to be with her just because his heart would break. To do so would be cowardly.

A while later, he lowered the binoculars and turned to Liam. “What do you know of the Titan Marine Salvage Company?”

Liam pulled his shoulder-length hair into a man bun.

“If I cut your hair, you would be respectable. The type of man a woman would take home to meet her mother.” He had heard that phrase from one of his clients and thought it was poetic and spoke to a man’s character.

“I get it–it’s your job and all that. But you gotta understand that I’ve been in the Navy a long time–haircuts every three weeks. I’m taking our little undercover mission as an opportunity to express my individuality.”

Ryker opened his mouth to argue, but Liam held up a hand to cut him off.

“As an added bonus–it really cheeses off my commanding officer, and there’s not a darn thing he can do about it.” He grinned.

Ryker could not hold back the laughter. “Fine. Keep your hair. But you will use the shampoo and conditioner I bring you.”

“Deal.” His gaze cut to the black boats and then back. “Here’s the tea on Titan.”

“Tea?” Ryker wrinkled his nose.

“Tea–the inside information.”

Ryker snickered. “You mean ladie’s gossip?” He had a distinct image of his mother sitting with royal visitors over fine china tea cups discussing what really needed to happen in the castle, the country, politics and then the world–in that order.

“No, it’s not, you don’t understand. It’s just an expression.”

Ryker leaned against the captain’s chair. “By all means–serve me the tea.”

Liam clamped his mouth shut and shook his head as if Ryker had missed the meaning. He did not. SEALs were not the only ones who knew how to tease to build camaraderie.

“Titan was in the marines. There’s always a rivalry between SEALs and marines but this guy takes it to a new level. He’s been needling Sean since we got here calling him newbie and making comments that undermine Sean’s business. Never outright saying he can’t do the job. You know Sean, he can’t just let it roll off his shoulders so he underbid the guy–by a lot and scored a great contract. By the looks of things, Titan has about as much patience as Sean.”

Ryker nodded. “What else? Is he in danger?”

Liam lifted a shoulder. “We have Sean’s back. I can’t see Titan doing anything illegal though–he’s a ruthless businessman.”

“I have dealt with worse,” Ryker conceded, thinking of his tio who would have him killed if he stood in his way to the throne. If he knew what Ryker was doing now, he’d be after him. There was no safe space for him–except a graveyard and he had no intention of landing in one of those anytime soon.

“Hey, Ryker?” Liam asked as he made a note in the logbook.

“Yes?”

“What’s conditioner?”

“I am surrounded by savages.” Ryker spent the next ten minutes educating Liam on hair care.

Eventually, Sean and Mack popped up, their faces grim.

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