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“No, the waterfall sounds cool. I haven’t explored Oahu as much as I want yet.”
“Awesome. Can I come pick you up? It’d be easier to go there together since it’s a little off the beaten path. You’d be safe with me,” he hastily assured her.
Callie felt heat rising within her. “Yeah. I know that.”
“We won’t be fighting off any bad guys, just the tourists,” he said, clearly trying to make light of the situation. “Actually, this is one place that isn’t a tourist trap, which is why I like it. Some of the well-known areas are tourist hotspots. You can hardly move without someone taking a selfie.”
Callie laughed despite herself.
“I know, that was sort of what you probably did with your travel blogging. I mean no disrespect.”
“I wasn’t offended,” she assured him. “I love to share my travels, but I wasn’t posing in the perfect outfit, blocking other people’s views just to take the perfect photo.”
“I figured. You’re more of a laid-back traveler, I take it.”
“What makes you say that?” she asked.
“Even on the plane, you had on leggings, sneakers, and a denim jacket. You weren’t dripping in jewelry and didn’t have designer logos splashed all over you. Trust me, we see all types of people here in Hawaii. Plenty of visitors are casual vacationers, but you can always tell the travelers with money. They’ve got designer everything and want you to know it. Honolulu does have lots of high-end stores to cater to them.”
“That’s true,” she admitted. “I’ve mostly stuck to the touristy souvenir shops. I’m surprised you remember what I was wearing on the flight.”
“I remember a lot of things about you. I hope that doesn’t freak you out. You caught my attention even then, Callie.”
Warmth wound through her at his admission. She liked the way he said her name in his deep voice. Wyatt wouldn’t have called her if he genuinely didn’t want to get to know her more. His attention was flattering—not to mention a little unnerving. “Wow. I’m not sure I can live up to your expectations,” she joked. “I remember you, too, of course. Everyone was rushing around in a panic and then—bam. There you were.”
“I don’t expect you to be anything but yourself,” he assured her. “I had a great time the other night. We’ll just spend the afternoon together hiking and enjoy ourselves. I can pick up some food on my way over, and we can make a picnic out of it if you’d like. Hey, you can even take a bunch of photos for your blog if you want—in case you get back to that.”
“No, I don’t think we want all the tourists to find out about this place if the waterfall is as amazing as you say.”
“True enough,” he agreed with a low chuckle. “We’ll keep it to ourselves. The guys and I have hiked up there before doing some exploring. I think only the locals know about it.”
“And you’re pretty much a local now.”
“Somedays it feels like it,” he said. “This isn’t the worst assignment I’ve ever had—not by a long shot. If the Navy ever wants to send me to another military base, I might have to decline. Hawaii is an amazing place.”
“Can you do that?” she asked in surprise. “Refuse to go where the Navy sends you?”
“Nope,” he said, and she could almost picture him smiling. “Luckily, my team and I work well together, so they have no reason to split us up or send us elsewhere. SEAL teams can’t be stationed just anywhere.”
“Well, that’s good, because I just got to Hawaii. I mean....” She trailed off, feeling flustered.
“I know what you mean. I’m glad you’re here. Trust me. Hawaii is a pretty sweet assignment, but getting to know you will make it even better. Why don’t you text me your address? I can swing by the store and then pick you up in an hour. That give you enough time?”
“Of course. Like you said, I’m pretty laid back. I’ll be ready.”
“Awesome. If you want, you can wear a swimsuit under your clothes.”
“We can swim there?”
“Yep. It’s beautiful. A swim under the waterfall feels good after a long hike. I’ll bring a backpack with me to carry everything.”
“I’ve got one, too,” she assured him. “I’ll bring a towel and stuff. Sunscreen, water, all that jazz.”
“Perfect. I’ll see you soon, Callie. I’m looking forward to it.”
“Me too.”
AN HOUR LATER, CALLIE was riding alongside Wyatt in his SUV. She’d met plenty of people on her travels over the years but didn’t usually rush off alone with a man she barely knew. Yet Wyatt was hardly a stranger. He’d seen her at her absolute worst and hadn’t been fazed by it. He’d been angry, perhaps, at the circumstances, but he wasn’t put off by her tears or fear on the airplane. He’d calmly called out orders and helped to evacuate the hostages. In some ways, she felt closer to him than many of her friends or her family. He’d been there and seen her at the scariest moment of her life. He’d literally lifted her onto the inflatable slide, sending her on her way to freedom.
