Under Fire (Love Over Duty #1)(29)

Before driving home, they'd headed south down the island. All her life, she'd known that Navy SEALs trained along the beach. Hell, before they'd closed access to that part of the shoreline, she may have even seen them a time or two. Hauling logs up and down the dunes, or diving in and out of the water. But it felt different knowing that this was a place Six had spent a large chunk of his life, and she'd never met him. In fact, if he hadn't approached her on the balcony at the presentation, their paths would likely have never crossed. As she'd dropped her mom off at home, she'd commented that Louisa had seemed distracted. It was nothing less than the truth, and she knew she needed to do something.

By the time she turned her car onto her driveway, she was exhausted, but she knew she needed to make a list. She took a deep inhale of the lavender she'd planted in the container by the front door, letting it soothe her as she turned the key in the lock and stepped inside. Louisa took her purse upstairs and placed it by her desk before she kicked off her shoes. Thankfully, the wooden sculptures were where she had left them. Quickly, she grabbed a notebook and headed to the kitchen. Once seated, she turned the page in her notebook and started a new list. SIX.

Her pencil hovered above the page as she replayed Wednesday evening's events in her mind. He'd stayed for nearly three hours and had switched to water after his first beer. As they'd watched the movie, he'd asked her questions about what had happened, and she'd explained how she'd truly believed Vasilii would do the right thing for the sake of the lab's reputation. Once Vasilii had completed his investigation, he'd call her up and apologize for being so short with her, she was certain. He wouldn't tolerate that kind of mess in his lab.

Six had challenged her to call the police, but she owed it to Vasilii to trust him that the right people had been involved, let him carry out his own investigation in his own way first. Plus, despite Ivan's suspicious behavior, hovering over her shoulder in the lab all day, there could be an explanation she hadn't considered. Science had taught her not to close off potential avenues of investigation. She'd promised Six, however, that if Vasilii's findings were anything other than the truth as she knew it, she'd call the police immediately.

What should she write on this list? He was understanding. Was helpful to talk it through with. Has eyes the color of a winter storm.

Gah. This was useless. She slapped the pencil down on the table. Just thinking about the man was stirring her up all over again. He'd never touched her  …  Well, except for the times when their hands had reached into the popcorn at the same time. At first it had been awkward, and she'd pulled her hand out right away. But Six had turned it into a game, grabbing her fingers when they came within the proximity of his. His reflexes were so quick that she didn't have time to whisk hers out of his reach. Occasionally he'd held on to her fingers for just a fraction longer than she would have held on to his, had the tables been reversed.



       
         
       
        

Louisa leaned back in her chair. The way he'd looked in blue denim that hugged his ass and the black T-shirt that was so dull yet freaking heavenly in the way it followed the contour of his biceps had been delicious enough. But the way he always led with one side of his mouth when he smiled with the other side following and the way he'd look at her from the corners of his eyes without ever moving his head just added to the tension. He'd probably noticed how  …  aware  …  he made her after she hurried to the kitchen to top up her wine when she still had half a glass left. She'd just needed to leave the room before she imploded.

The sound of her phone ringing made her jump. Six flashed up on her phone. Literally. A photo of him sitting on her sofa appeared on the screen.

"Did you mess with my phone?" she asked.

"Hey, Louisa. I'm good, thanks for asking. How are you?" Six asked, his easy drawl laced with humor.

Fine. She didn't need to be quite so curt. "I'm good. What's up?"

"I'm coming around later," he said. "Will you be home?"

He was what? "Why?"

"Because that third shelf of yours in the kitchen looks like it's going to collapse. I'm adding a middle bracket to all the shelves so they'll bear more weight. So are you in? It might be late. Like nine-ish."

She ran a hand through her hair, suddenly feeling bulldozed, and studied the shelves. He was correct. They were bowing in the middle. How come she'd never noticed it before? And was the answer really a man she barely knew coming to her house for some DIY? "Um … "