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“Because the pool is down by thehouse.”
She stared at me, uncomprehending. “Thepool?”
“Yeah, the pool.” I brushed my mouth against hers. “You need to learn howtoswim.”
Chapter15
Tanner
Nina and Aiden’s laughter preceded their entrance into the kitchen, a joyful sound that validated my profiles and filled me with professional and personal satisfaction. I put down my glass of milk and smiled. God knew we needed less stress and more laughteraroundhere.
“Finally,” Zar huffed, marching up the stairs as Aiden and Ninawalkedin.
Nina’s cheeks and nose were flushed by the cold, but her eyes sparkled and her grin belonged in a happy snapshot. As for Aiden, since he’d gotten with Nina, he’d been riding life’s highest high. He had eyes only for her and the grin pasted on his face had to be hurting hischeeks.
Nina walked into my arms and nuzzled against my neck. “Long time no see.” She looked up at me through her lashes. “Missme?”
“Every second of every minute.” I kissed the top of her head and inhaled her scent, pine needles imbued with campfire and sex, plus Aidan’s male musk wafting from her pores. My head spun. Christ help me. I got hard just thinking about what they’d been doingallday.
Had Aiden been any other guy, I might’ve pounded a few into him, following in the glorious traditions of my father’s red-blooded macho displays. But as it was, I’d evolved from my caveman days. After all those years studying psychology and social behaviors, some of the stuff must have sunk in, because I was cool with Aiden and Nina. I glanced at Zar. His face was schooled into a stony neutrality. I didn’t dare guess what he was thinking and feelingrightnow.
I tightened my hold around Nina and rubbed her arms to chase away the cold that clung to her jacket. It was good to have her in my arms again. My father would never understand the way I’d changed. Or my reaction to Aiden fucking my girl. Who the hell cared what my father thought,anyway?
Zar wasn’t in a mood to wait. “Aiden, I need you downstairsrightaway.”
Aiden snapped to attention. He was careful not to give Nina any sense of alarm, but her eyes flew from metoZar.
“I was gonna give Nina a lesson.” Aiden took off his backpack and dropped it on the counter. “Maybe Tanner cantakeover?”
“Sure,” I said. “What kind oflesson?”
“It’s okay,” Nina put in. “It’s late anyways and we can do swimming lessonsanytime.”
“Swimming lessons?” Zar’s eyebrows clashed in a frown. “Why the hell would she need swimminglessons?”
Something about Zar’s tone must’ve rankled Nina. Or maybe it was all the unsaid, undone stuff between them catching the air on fire, because she stepped out of my arms andfacedZar.
“Isn’t it obvious?” Nina stood taller. “Ican’tswim.”
Zar looked as if she’d confessed to murder. “What do you mean youcan’tswim?”
Nina groaned and turned to Aiden and me. “Ishedeaf?”
“Nina had an accident when she was a kid,” Aiden said. “She’s afraid of thewater.”
“Afraid of thewater?”
It was a baffling concept to most SEALs and more so to Zar, who was clearly having trouble with…something. I wasn’t sure what was going on, but I could feel the storm gathering, the approach of two weather systems about tocollide.
“Don’t tell me.” Nina perched her hands on her hips. “You’ve never been afraid of anything in yourwholelife?”
“I’ve never been afraid of the water, that’s for sure,” Zar said, either ignoring or oblivious to Nina’s rising fury. “Swimming is like eating, speaking, shitting. You don’t stop eating when you choke on a bone,doyou?”
“No,but—”
“But nothing.” He turned on his heel and made for the stairs. “Get in that pool and figure it out. We need everyone in this house uptopar.”
I wasn’t sure if Zar was conscious he was using his Dom voice. Or if he realized the impact his words had on Nina. I wasn’t sure what was going on with Nina either. Her face flushed and her eyes sparkled with fury. She had no idea that Zar had been keeping a grueling schedule and that he’d spent the last few days making complex arrangements to keep her, her friends, and her family safe. She didn’t know that a vast plan to protect her from Dimayev had been activated, that Ulysses had gone into the highest security alert, or that Dimayev had sent another threatening message today. Had she known Zar like Aiden and I knew him, she might’ve suspected he was overreacting, but only because he was worried sickabouther.
