“I know that.”
I stood back away from the deck and slipped off my soaking pants. She gaped for a second before realizing I was wearing a bathing suit underneath and quickly looked away.
“A little warning next time,” she said.
“I’d rather you watched. I know you like to look.”
She peeked back over at me as I stripped my shirt off.
“Don’t flatter yourself.”
“You think I don’t notice you staring? You’re like a starving animal.”
“What’s that?” she asked suddenly, pointing at the scar on my leg.
“That’s a scar, babe. I have a lot of them.”
“But it looks fresh.”
I was silent for a second. “I was wounded on my last mission. That’s why I’m even home, actually. Command mandated that I take some R&R, and so I did.”
She reached out but pulled her hand back. I laughed at her. “Go ahead,” I said, “touch it.”
She reached out again and her fingers gently touched the rough flesh of the scar. “Does it hurt?”
“Sometimes. Not as much anymore.”
She looked at me quietly for a second, and then her eyes narrowed. “What’s that?”
I followed her gaze and saw it immediately: a boat, gray against the gray ocean, slowly coming toward us. It was small and fast, the kind of boat that was built for taking other ships by surprise. I wasn’t sure I would have spotted it if she hadn’t noticed it first, which was impressive in itself, but I didn’t have time to think much about her eyesight.
“That’s a boat,” I said softly, mostly to myself.
“What’s it doing out here?”
“I’m not totally sure.”
She moved away, watching the boat coming slowly closer. Suddenly, a bad feeling hit me right in the gut; it was the same feeling I used to get before combat missions. I knew what it meant.
Danger was coming.
“I think you should get below deck,” I said to her.
“Why?” she asked, still watching.
“It’s not safe up here.”
She laughed. “What are you talking about? Because of that boat?” She looked at me like I was crazy.
“Yes,” I said softly, coming up behind her. “We don’t know who they are.”
“This is the Outer Banks, not Somalia. They’re not pirates.”
“They might be. The coast guard can’t patrol every inch of water all the time. Plus, we’re sitting ducks.”
She looked at me, her surprised good humor turning into worry. “You’re serious.”
“I am. Go below deck until they’re gone.”
The boat was coming up faster now, and I got a better look at them. The two men were nondescript but young looking. I couldn’t see if they were carrying any weapons, but they’d keep them hidden as long as possible. Their clothes suggested they were prepared to move quickly, but they weren’t wearing ski masks and camo gear, either.
“No. You’re just being overprotective.”
“Claire,” I growled at her, “get below deck or I’ll throw you down there.”
“Come on, cut it out—”
I didn’t let her finish. I grabbed her and tossed her over my shoulder like she weighed nothing.
“Nate, what the hell!”
I walked over toward the stairs leading below deck. “For your own good,” I said as she began to smack my arms and back.
“Put me down, you asshole!”
“Nope.”
I carried her down the steps, grinning softly to myself. I stopped in front of the storage room and placed her down on her feet. She huffed and blew the hair from her face.
“Go in and stay there.”
“No way.”
I gave her a long look. “Do it or I’ll make you.”
She sighed and opened the door. “Five minutes.”
“Until I get you.”
“Ten. See you soon.” She shut the door behind her.
Relieved, I moved fast. I didn’t have a gun, but I did have my knife strapped to my pants. I went back on deck and noticed how much closer the men were. I quickly grabbed my jeans and slipped the knife from the sheath. Then I gripped it against my thigh, crouching down next to the railing.
The boat was coming fast, and the closer they got, the more positive I was that they were definitely pirates. They were headed right for our boat, and neither of them were talking into the radio or trying to signal us at all. They had grim looks on their faces, as if they were about to do something horrible. Those were looks I knew very, very well.
But there were only two of them, which was good.
I waited until they got within shouting distance. My heart went calm in my chest as my battle instincts took over.