Read Online The Navy SEAL’s Holiday Fling: Ballybeg Bad Boys, Book 3 by Zara Keane - Free Book Online
Authors: Zara Keane
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hours.”
As if on cue, Jill yawned, making them both laugh. “If I’m snuggled up with you, I think I can manage a snooze.” She ran her palms over his chest and down between his legs. Her smile widened. “Or maybe not.”
8
A couple of hours later , Liam was thankful for his military training in dealing with sleep deprivation. He’d still need coffee to deal with the day ahead, but he was bearing up better than Jill.
“Ugh,” she moaned as she pulled her red Toyota Yaris into the space she rented near Blush Shoppe. “I feel like my eyes have been sandpapered,”
“Yeah. I’m not doing too good myself. Do you have a coffee machine at work?”
Her pretty face lit up with amusement. “Allegedly. It specializes in brown sludge.”
“Brown sludge or no, give it a shot. You’ve got a long day ahead of you.” He slipped his hand over hers, relishing the sensation of his skin absorbing her warmth. “I don’t feel comfortable leaving you alone. I wish I could stay with you today.”
She leaned across and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “I won’t be alone, Liam. I’ll be in a shop surrounded by assistants and customers. Plus we’ll have guards right outside the door.”
“I know, but—”
“It’s okay.” She squeezed his hand and gave him a bright smile. “You need to go and help Inspector Tobin and his team.”
He sighed and shook his head. “I don’t know how much use I am to them, actually. With my busted ribs, I’m no good in the field. All I’ve done so far was provide a description of The Ghost.”
“That’s a lot. I’m sure they’re grateful. And for all we know, The Ghost has already left the country. It’s easy to do here on the coast, especially if he can sail. Steal a boat and away he goes.”
The same idea had occurred to Liam, but it brought him little comfort. The Ghost had enjoyed a five-year run of successful attacks, always evading capture at the last second. As far as Liam was aware, the bomb at the Sheldon represented The Ghost’s first failure. A terrorist as arrogant as him wouldn’t take kindly to having his carefully laid plans screwed up. And courtesy of that stupid ass journalist, The Ghost would know Liam was responsible for foiling his diabolical plan.
Jill inhaled and exhaled. “I can do this,” she murmured.
“Are you—” he began but she cut him off.
“I can do this.” She looked him straight in the eye, nodded, and opened the car door.
Shaking his head, Liam followed suit. He understood why Jill was determined to return to work today. She wanted to show The Ghost she wasn’t afraid, that she wasn’t prepared to let a terrorist intimidate her. In her shoes, Liam would have done the same. But this was Jill. His Jill. His protective instincts screamed for him to keep her safe. And that meant far away from Blush Shoppe.
On the walk toward the parking garage elevator, he took her hand. It felt small inside his big one. “If you’re worried during the day, call me. Seriously.”
“I…might have deleted your number,” she said with a rueful smile.
He laughed and ruffled her hair. “I know you did. I’ve keyed it back into your phone and put it on speed dial. If you need to get hold of me, press nine.”
“Will do. And Liam…” She trailed off, a conflicted expression flickering across her face. “I don’t know what’s going on between us but I’m going to miss you.”
They stepped into the elevator. Liam hit the button for street level and the doors slid shut.
“I don’t know what’s going on, either, only that I don’t want this to be the end.”
The elevator pinged and Liam escorted Jill out onto the street and toward the Blush Shoppe store. Two burly policemen flanked the entrance to the store, looking incongruous under the mistletoe that hung over the door. The sight of their bulletproof vests and machine guns should have given Liam a sense of security, but only served to increase his growing sense of dread.
He slowed
As if on cue, Jill yawned, making them both laugh. “If I’m snuggled up with you, I think I can manage a snooze.” She ran her palms over his chest and down between his legs. Her smile widened. “Or maybe not.”
8
A couple of hours later , Liam was thankful for his military training in dealing with sleep deprivation. He’d still need coffee to deal with the day ahead, but he was bearing up better than Jill.
“Ugh,” she moaned as she pulled her red Toyota Yaris into the space she rented near Blush Shoppe. “I feel like my eyes have been sandpapered,”
“Yeah. I’m not doing too good myself. Do you have a coffee machine at work?”
Her pretty face lit up with amusement. “Allegedly. It specializes in brown sludge.”
“Brown sludge or no, give it a shot. You’ve got a long day ahead of you.” He slipped his hand over hers, relishing the sensation of his skin absorbing her warmth. “I don’t feel comfortable leaving you alone. I wish I could stay with you today.”
She leaned across and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “I won’t be alone, Liam. I’ll be in a shop surrounded by assistants and customers. Plus we’ll have guards right outside the door.”
“I know, but—”
“It’s okay.” She squeezed his hand and gave him a bright smile. “You need to go and help Inspector Tobin and his team.”
He sighed and shook his head. “I don’t know how much use I am to them, actually. With my busted ribs, I’m no good in the field. All I’ve done so far was provide a description of The Ghost.”
“That’s a lot. I’m sure they’re grateful. And for all we know, The Ghost has already left the country. It’s easy to do here on the coast, especially if he can sail. Steal a boat and away he goes.”
The same idea had occurred to Liam, but it brought him little comfort. The Ghost had enjoyed a five-year run of successful attacks, always evading capture at the last second. As far as Liam was aware, the bomb at the Sheldon represented The Ghost’s first failure. A terrorist as arrogant as him wouldn’t take kindly to having his carefully laid plans screwed up. And courtesy of that stupid ass journalist, The Ghost would know Liam was responsible for foiling his diabolical plan.
Jill inhaled and exhaled. “I can do this,” she murmured.
“Are you—” he began but she cut him off.
“I can do this.” She looked him straight in the eye, nodded, and opened the car door.
Shaking his head, Liam followed suit. He understood why Jill was determined to return to work today. She wanted to show The Ghost she wasn’t afraid, that she wasn’t prepared to let a terrorist intimidate her. In her shoes, Liam would have done the same. But this was Jill. His Jill. His protective instincts screamed for him to keep her safe. And that meant far away from Blush Shoppe.
On the walk toward the parking garage elevator, he took her hand. It felt small inside his big one. “If you’re worried during the day, call me. Seriously.”
“I…might have deleted your number,” she said with a rueful smile.
He laughed and ruffled her hair. “I know you did. I’ve keyed it back into your phone and put it on speed dial. If you need to get hold of me, press nine.”
“Will do. And Liam…” She trailed off, a conflicted expression flickering across her face. “I don’t know what’s going on between us but I’m going to miss you.”
They stepped into the elevator. Liam hit the button for street level and the doors slid shut.
“I don’t know what’s going on, either, only that I don’t want this to be the end.”
The elevator pinged and Liam escorted Jill out onto the street and toward the Blush Shoppe store. Two burly policemen flanked the entrance to the store, looking incongruous under the mistletoe that hung over the door. The sight of their bulletproof vests and machine guns should have given Liam a sense of security, but only served to increase his growing sense of dread.
He slowed
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