Private Maneuvers (Wingmen Warriors 4)

"Problem?" She edged closer to the dock. "If you don't want to go, just say so." Just her luck, the quiet guy would decide he finally wanted a lengthy chat. She needed her farewell. And she needed it uncomplicated.

Darcy dangled the underwater camera between two fingers. "I want us to say our goodbyes with style. Make a cool memory to commemorate a special friendship."

Max's eyes stayed pinned on her for the slap of four waves against he dock before he tipped his head to gesture her into the boat. "Sounds like a plan."

Since the man never said much, she took the sign for an all-out invitation and stepped gingerly onto the nose of side of the boat. Max reached to brace her, but she kept her feet sure this time.

Steady.

No wayward body brushes. She had her battle strategy for the day to forget Max Keagan and move on with her life and mission. If only she didn't want to explore his hidden secrets as much as his muscled chest.

A prospect more dangerous to her peace of mind than the next few hours with a half-naked Max.

Robin stood on the sunning deck of the VOQ, time clock punched for the workday, and watched the bay through binoculars from the higher vantage point. Keagan was nowhere in sight.

But out there. Somewhere.

Anticipation fired. Satisfaction wouldn't be far behind. Hours perhaps.

Through the binocular scope, Keagan's dolphins were making their displeasure known from their bay pen. Their clicking and squawks carried on the breeze as they powered through the clear water in frantic circles.

Did they somehow know the time had come for Keagan to die? Perhaps.

Robin lowered the binoculars and returned them to the case. If only Keagan were visible. What a rush to watch him thrash, try to protect his woman, then watch her die before he joined her.

The order had been given.

How the dolphins sensed things went beyond human comprehension. All the more reason they had to be contained at the time of Max's attack. Hell, a couple of highly trained dolphins could provide more protection than a pack of police dogs. Even a lone trained Navy dolphin could protect a ship. Robin shuddered at the memory of a past exercise where one trained dolphin had rather forcefully prevented thirty Navy divers from reaching their intended target.

A dolphin powering by at thirty miles per hour sure disrupted the water and senses.

Definitely better to implement the attack without Lucy and Ethel on hand. Darcy Renshaw had provided the perfect opportunity with her impromptu dive offer.

The attempt to incapacitate the dolphins with tainted fish earlier in the week had only garnered a fifty-percent payoff. Apparently, Ethel had been on a diet.

Thank God Max hadn't located the tap before an alternative plan could be implemented. The guy was so damned close. Keagan's swim pattern now ran directly over the tap, even without a helpful nudge to place him in the position to justify eliminating the diver.

Too damned competent for his own good. Not that it would help today with a force of armed attackers against two tourist divers.

Robin dropped into a white deck lounger and readied to watch the sun set on Max Keagan and Darcy Renshaw's last day in Guam.

Chapter 9

Max stared out over the nose of the boat at the submerged plane wreckage he planned to explore with Darcy. Hell, he hadn't played tourist in...well, never. His and Eva's dives had always been work and training related. But Darcy would enjoy it, and he would enjoy watching Darcy enjoy herself.

His other plan to hang out on a sandbar had been stalled by her tight-lipped attitude. He'd wanted to talk, odd for him no doubt, but Crusty was right. Darcy needed closure for the time they'd spent together. He needed closure.

No luck.

The woman was surprisingly reticent today. He could pry information out from the steeliest sources, but couldn't bring himself to push her. She'd given him space. He'd do the same for her.

Heaven knew she deserved something more from him. Of course she would never know that he'd watched over her. She would likely deck him if she knew his real mission.

If ever a woman balked at being protected, it was Darcy. Not that she would ever know about his job. Or about the real Max.

But she could, a voice taunted. A dumb-ass voice that would lead him into a hellish repeat of the past. Better to exhaust their bodies with exercise. He needed to burn off restless energy, anyway.

Max cut the engine. "You ready, mermaid?"