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“Yeah.” He exhaled, frowning, then took a swig of his beer. “You realize your dad might never forgive you for selling his books, right? I thought winning his approval was the most important thing to you, after your foundation.”
Toni stared past him into the night. “Well, if he’s guilty, then I’m going to need to get used to the idea that I shouldn’t value his opinion anymore. And if he’s innocent, this might be the only way to save his life, with Arrieta after him.” She sniffled and gave a sad little snort. “Either way, I think it’s more on him than it is on me that this is the only way I can get him to show up for me. My whole life I’ve stayed in the background and been the good, obedient daughter.” The resignation in her voice broke his heart. “At least now he’ll have to acknowledge me, for better or worse.”
“Yeah.” He smiled. “Especially since you leaked the auction to Huff Po. Pretty ballsy move, partner.”
“You liked that, huh? He’s going to be so pissed.” She laughed, the sound washing over him like a caress as she clinked her bottle with his. “Letting his competition break the news will give me some extra zing where Dad’s concerned. Plus, thanks to their blog post, the monetary donations to Williams Wishes have tripled just in the last hour,andI got a text from Sheik Saaed asking if he can add a few more friends to the bid list for the special items.” She polished her fingernails on her white tank top. “I still got some moves.”
“Yes, you do.” Spence looked at her, waggling his brows suggestively. “And I have to say I won’t mind seeing your dad’s nuts roasting over an open fire after he printed those lies about me.”
“Cold-as-Ice SEAL Guilty of Murder?”Toni chuckled, then looked down at her lap “Yeah, I saw that. Not exactly a stellar moment in journalism.” She scooted around on the seat, fidgeting. “Hey, listen. About what happened at the oasis. I just want you to know I don’t usually, you know, do things like that with my bodyguards.”
“Glad to hear it,” he said, his tone droll.
“I’m serious. With my hectic schedule and all the responsibilities of running the foundation, I don’t get the chance to date much. And when I do, I’m leery because so many guys are only there because of my fortune and my family name. It’s tough for me to open up and trust someone enough to… well, you know.”
“It means a lot that you trusted me,” he said quietly. “What happened out there between us was…amazing. Where women are concerned, I don’t usually—” He shrugged. “Let’s just say there’s a grain of truth to that ‘cold-as-ice’ thing.” She gave him a dubious look, and he snorted. “Just becauseyou’regood at getting past the surface doesn’t mean everyone is. I usually keep people at a distance. Even people that I’m dating. With you…it’s harder. Which is why it would be a bad idea to let it be anything more. I need to keep my head in the game. Stay focused. It’s how I’m going to keep you and my teammates safe.”
“I understand,” she said softly. “It’s funny—looking back on it, it almost seems like a mirage. A beautiful oasis, a perfect afternoon. More of a fantasy than anything real, wouldn’t you say?”
“Yeah,” he agreed, sad but resigned. “Just a fantasy.”
They stayed silent for a few long moments. It wasn’t uncomfortable, but it didn’t seem to have quite the same warmth he’d felt between them in the past. He supposed that meant they were both withdrawing. As they should.
“What are you most nervous about tomorrow?” he asked after taking his last swallow of beer.
“I just really want to get this presentation right and impress Sheik Saaed enough to gain his support. It will literally keep my foundation going.” She picked at the label on her beer bottle. “What about you? Do SEALs even get nervous?”
He chuckled. “Hells yeah, we get nervous. God, you should have seen how Nick would trip all over himself when he was head over heels for Natalie and was trying to get her to go out with him. She was a waitress at this place we used to go, and he’d turn into a nervous wreck any time she looked his way. It was hilarious.” He chuckled. It felt surprisingly nice to share a good memory about Nick—to think about him in some way other than that last, awful day.
Toni laughed. “That’s what makes you guys nervous? A little attention from a girl?”
“Well, it has to be therightgirl,” Spencer pointed out.
“Seriously, though,” Toni said. “What do you think might happen tomorrow?”
Spencer sighed. “I don’t know. I feel like we have a solid plan—which probably means it’ll go to shit in about five minutes. Plans usually do. I just want things to go smoothly, with no gunfire or violence, if at all possible. And I’d really like it all to work out for you too. I can see how much this all means to you.”
“Yeah. I’d like that,” she said, finally facing him once more. “But you’ve taught me something, Spencer Nixon.”
“I have?”
“Yep. That sometimes you have to set aside what’s best for you in favor of what’s best for others.”
“Huh?” He scrunched his nose. “You lost me.”
“That’s why I’m doing what I’m doing tomorrow. I still want my father’s love—maybe I always will, no matter what sins he’s committed. But I want to catch the bad guys more.”
“I taught you that? Really?” He blinked at her. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For listening to me, for giving Kyle and the rest of my team the benefit of the doubt. For tomorrow.”
“Don’t count your chickens yet, cowboy.” She winked at him, then drank the rest of her ale in one long swallow. “Like you said, things could still go horribly wrong, even with four SEALs on patrol.”
“True. But no matter what happens, we’ve got your back.” He narrowed his gaze. “Earning Kyle’s respect isn’t easy, but once you have it, he’s loyal to a fault. Between him and Gage and Scotty and me, we won’t let things get out of hand.”
“How long have you guys worked together?”
