Page 175 of Her Defiant Warrior

The couple turned to him and they exchanged pleasantries for a couple of minutes, then Lainey extricated them so they could continue on toward the bar. There were only two people in front of them, when her mother came up to them.

“There you are, Lainey. I want to introduce you and Matt to Captain Hale and his wife. He’s high up in the Navy. Not an Admiral, mind you, but still very high up.”

Captain Hale? Mateo felt the blood rush from his head and his muscles clench.

Rose tapped the silver-haired man standing in front of Mateo on the shoulder and he turned around.

“Mateo Aranda?” Captain Hale said slowly.

Mateo grimaced. Shit, he’d only exchanged words with the captain twice. What were the odds he’d remember one Chief Petty Officer when he had over a thousand men in his command?

Rose went on, oblivious. “Captain Hale, this is my daughter Lainey and her beau Matthew Agular. He’s a scientist.”

“Hello, sir, it is nice to meet you. If you’re in the Navy, where are you stationed?” he asked, attempting to cover. He didn’t dare look at Lainey to see if she’d caught his real name. Mateo watched the captain’s eyes flicker. If the captain knew who he was, then he’d realize that Mateo would know damn good and well that he was currently living in Virginia Beach, and that would tell him he was working undercover. Shit, Kostya was going to get an earful tonight. He just hoped he’d have time to give him a heads-up before the captain called him.

Make that two earfuls, judging by the look on Lainey’s face.

He was positive now that she’d caught his real name.

The captain’s wife turned around just then and smiled at Mateo and Lainey.

“This is my wife, Scarlett. We live in Virginia.” He said to both Mateo and Lainey.

Scarlett smiled. “We have it on good authority that the man behind the bar has bottles of Heineken hidden away. My husband is really hoping that the rumors are true.”

“Yes, it sure is upsetting when things turn out not to be true, isn’t it?” Lainey responded to Elizabeth as she pulled her arm away from Mateo and took a step away from him.

Fuck!

23

Captain Hale knows Matt? Or should I say, Mateo Aranda.

And now he’s suddenly acting like he doesn’t.

Little things about Matt started adding up in her head. His watch set to military time. His alpha attitude. The way he looked so dangerous—no, deadly—when he was angry.

He’s not a scientist. Is he in the Navy? Why is he lying?

Why is he lying to me?

Lainey heard the chimes, which meant that everyone needed to take their seats.

“It looks like we made it just in the nick of time.” Scarlett smiled as Captain Hale took his beer from the bartender. “I told him that you wanted one too, Mr. Agular,” she said to Matt.

“I don’t think there’s time. But thank you, Mrs. Hale.” Lainey smiled. She watched and waited as the couple drifted away.

Matt—or should she be thinking Mateo?—was making a point of looking at the bartender and not at her. “Come on, we need to get to our seats. As for the beer, you’re just shit out of luck.”

He reared back. “Did you just say shit?”

“Yep. And I’m going to be having a few more choice words to say to you tonight, Mateo Aranda, so start thinking on whatever bedtime story you want to try to shovel down my throat. Now let’s get up there and make nice, and then I’m on the first flight home to Maryland.”

The problem with trying to stalk away in five-inch heels from someone who was well over six feet tall, is that they were going to surpass you. Which Matt did. She tried to walk around him, but he moved with her.

“We look stupid,” she told him. Stop this.”

“Lainey. You need to let me explain.”