His Innocent Lover (Slade Security Team 3)

more about filling up private bank accounts than it was about saving anything.

She’d be a perfect way in for him. He let her hold linger on his skin. She had soft hands—the corn-fed Wyoming girl was for real, but he wasn’t. He gave her his best smile. “Sounds good. I’m heading out this weekend, if you want to tag along. Meet me at the cove. Say noon, Saturday?”

She let go of his hand and gave him a smile that made him think twice about leaving, “Sounds good.”

He glanced at the business card she’d just pushed at him, with fingers that sported brilliantly polished nails. That was one thing he hadn’t expected—Day-Glo nails. What other surprises did she have?

He read the name and number and gave her his killer smile again. “I will definitely be calling you, Chloe.”

Chapter 2

Trent flopped into a chair at the office and glanced at his brother, who was bent over a computer. Without looking up from the display, Travis asked, “How’d it go?”

“Better than I thought it would. I’ve got what could be a great way in. What’s next in the game plan?” He leaned forward and braced his elbows on his thighs.

They’d been with Slade Security for almost six years, and while both of them actually tried to catch as many waves as they could, that had become harder and harder recently. Slade was spreading his people pretty thin these days.

Hitting the save button for the program he’d been working on, Travis leaned back and stretched. “Thought maybe I’d hit the bars near Coronado and see if I can catch any word on the street about who’s hiring. These Guardians of the Earth bozos have to be getting muscle from somewhere.”

Trent shook his head. “Could be overseas talent. Slade thinks they’re digging up locals for the attacks in Jawhara. I don’t get why Slade doesn’t just go for some bad PR on these dudes—a few words in the right places and their funding would dry up in a week.”

Travis lifted one eyebrow. Trent knew that look. Travis had been born two minutes earlier than Trent, but they both looked close enough to identical that it came in handy, at times. But Travis was a lot more laid back about things. Trent was already about to climb the walls from the lack of action.

“The organization’s done a lot of good. Slade wants proof before action—and to find out if it’s just one bad apple in the barrel—”

“Or a whole bunch of monkeys. Yeah, yeah, I heard the speech from Slade already.” He sat up. There were times he missed his SEAL days—you had your orders, you went, you fixed the problem, you got out. Of course, sometimes you shot up the wrong target, too. It was no wonder that Slade liked to be cautious about confirmation.

Getting up, Trent headed to the office fridge and pulled out a sparkling water. He tossed one to his brother and came back. “I’m set up as a surfer who’s looking to help. Shouldn’t be too hard to find out what’s what—the receptionist wants to learn how to surf. Those attacks on the drilling sites in Jawhara were carried out by amateurs who couldn’t even blow up the pipeline right.”

Travis shook his head. “Surf? Seriously? You know damn well the Sheikh of Jawhara and his brother are more than ready for these attacks to end. In fact, Khalil is supposed to be back in the states in two months, and I for one would love to have this taken care of by then. That’s what we get the big bucks for, after all.”

Finishing his drink, Trent tossed the can into the trash. He wondered what Chloe would think of that—did she recycle everything? But he only asked, “Have you found replacements for Brock and PJ, yet?”

Travis shook his head. “Slade said he’d handle it. I keep telling him he should just pull those two back from Jawhara, but he says they’re looking settled and happy. Meantime, it’s double duty for us. If you’re going to be giving surfing lessons, shouldn’t you make sure you still remember how to surf?”

Trent grinned and started for the door. “Guess that means I get to break out my board and make my cover solid. Later, dude. I’ve got to polish up my skills if I’m going to pass for the real thing. Then I’m going to see about a surprise dinner tonight.”

“Yeah, well don’t blow it, or Slade will have your head.”

“Worry on, bro. I’m catching a wave.”

Chapter 3

Chloe Baker glanced around the office. Coffee off—check. Alarm set—check. She couldn’t believe the Guardians had her locking this place and setting an alarm—what was there to steal, a few posters and a desk? But she had her orders and she wanted to keep her job.

She’d been in San Diego for all of four weeks. The temp agency had placed her at Guardians of the Earth, and so far it was an easy job. She wasn’t all that thrilled to be working for an environmental group—she’d been raised to associate ‘tree hugger’ with ‘nut case’—but these people seemed to be doing good things.

Plus she needed the money—San Diego was a lot more expensive than she’d thought it would be. However, it was also close to dad’s nursing facility and his doctors, and so far the weather had been great, with cool mornings and sunny afternoons.

Locking the door, she shook the knob to test that the lock had caught and peered through the glass to confirm that the alarm was blinking red. She turned and just about collided with a broad chest. He caught her arms, and she looked up at surfer dude.

She recognized that crooked smile at once—he’d been in earlier this afternoon. Now his shaggy, sun-streaked brown hair looked windblown, and the salty scent of the ocean clung to him. He’d changed from shorts and a T-shirt into jeans and a loose Hawaiian shirt, with large green-blue plants and flowers that made his blue eyes pop in his lean, tan face. Her pulse jumped a notch and she gulped down a breath. “Hey.”

Oh, that’s good—way to impress him with your wit. She grimaced.

He didn’t seem to notice. He set her on her feet and his smile widened into an easy grin. “Chloe, lovely Chloe, what kind of food do you like to eat?”

She stared at him, glanced behind her, and back to him. “Uh—weren’t we meeting Saturday? At the cove?”