Navy Seal Captive. Elle James
died living it.”
Quentin shoved the phone into his pocket and turned toward the exit. “I have to admit, I was surprised to see you coming. But even more surprised when the redhead came down first.”
Sawyer glanced around and didn’t see the woman named Jenna anywhere. “I take it Jenna arrived safely at the bottom.”
“She did. She and her pretty friend left, claimed they needed to get back to find a piece of missing luggage. The redhead told me to tell you thanks for the encouragement.”
Disappointed he’d missed her, but glad she’d gone before him when the cable was still intact, Sawyer asked, “You didn’t happen to catch her full name, did you?”
“She didn’t offer a last name.” Quentin turned back to Sawyer. “Why? Are you interested?”
Again, Sawyer shrugged. “Just wondered.” Hell, yes, he was interested, but he’d be damned if he let Quentin know. He’d pick at him incessantly.
“I did get her roommate’s name, though.” Quentin patted his smartphone. “Carly Samuels. We have a date tonight.”
Figured. Quentin didn’t waste time when it came to women. He was a charmer, and women fell for him all the time. Perhaps the best-looking man on the team with his black hair and ice-blue eyes, he usually had his pick of the ladies.
Quentin had a date and Duff was with his lady friend, Natalie, leaving Sawyer and Montana fending for themselves for dinner and drinks. Which suited Sawyer just fine. Montana was a big, outdoorsy mountain man who didn’t say much but was good company. They had a week and a half left of their two weeks in Cancún. Granted, he loved his SEAL teammates like brothers, but he could use a little quality time away from them, preferably in the company of someone of the opposite sex.
As they slid into the rented Jeep, Quentin turned to Sawyer. “You had a few minutes alone with her. Why didn’t you get her name and number? We could have gone on a double date.”
“We weren’t alone. The attendant was there. And who said I wanted to go out with her, anyway?” And he sure as hell wouldn’t go on a double date with Quentin. No, if Sawyer had gotten Jenna’s number, he’d have taken her out alone. Maybe for a walk along the beach in the moonlight. If she showed even the slightest interest, he might have stolen a kiss. Those pretty pink lips she’d chewed on prior to taking the big leap on the zip line were full and plump. Made for kissing.
“You’ve got to get out there, be more sociable, network and sell yourself.”
Sawyer’s fingers tightened on the steering wheel at Quentin’s comment. He’d heard the same words from his father’s mouth on more than one occasion. Quentin was right. He hadn’t dated in a while, and he was getting rusty at socializing with women.
What Quentin and his father never understood was that Sawyer didn’t like being in the limelight. Especially in front of all of his father’s peers. He’d rather be the best he could be at his job in the navy SEALs, the one place he’d proven he was good enough to make the cut. Besides, wearing the uniform was usually all he needed to find a date when he really wanted one. Too bad he was in civvies here.
“So do you have plans for tonight?” Quentin asked.
“Yeah. I plan on spending the afternoon on the beach. Maybe I’ll rent a WaveRunner. Then I’m going to eat seafood and have a few beers with Montana. I don’t have to live for excitement like you.”
Quentin shook his head. “Since excitement seems to follow us, you might need a little rest and relaxation.” He linked his hands behind his neck. “Missions always leave me wired, ready to expend some energy.”
“Like winding the springs on a watch?”
“Yeah. Something like that.”
“Not me. We’ve spent the past few months either training or performing back-to-back missions. I could use some downtime to regroup and get my head on straight.”
“Well, you do your thing. I’ll do mine.” Quentin shot a grin his way. “With the adventurous and beautiful Carly.”
Sawyer almost opened his mouth and asked Quentin to secure the phone number for Carly’s friend Jenna. Then he thought better of it. He didn’t need Quentin to find him a woman. If he really wanted to go out with her, he’d find her himself. She had to be somewhere in Cancún. The resort area wasn’t that big. He might even run into her on the beach.
His pulse quickened at the thought.
* * *
EVEN AFTER THE long drive back to the resort, Jenna Broyles still shook from her experience on the zip line.
“I can’t believe you actually did it,” Carly said for the tenth time as she got out of the rental car and met Jenna in front of the hood. “I’m so proud of you.” She hugged her and stood beaming like a mother bird on her chick’s first flight. “So how does it feel to be adventurous?”
Jenna pressed a hand to her belly. “A little nauseating.”
Carly laughed. “You’ll get over it. Just like you’ll get over being stood up at the altar.”
That reminder bit into Jenna’s newfound adventurous spirit. Though it had been almost two months since she’d stood in the anteroom at the church, wondering where Audra, her maid of honor, was and waiting for her cue to walk down the aisle, it still hurt that her groom hadn’t bothered to come to his own wedding. He’d not only failed to appear but also run off with the maid of honor.
Jenna had been adjusting the veil over her hair, wishing her mother could have lived to be there at her wedding, when the text had come through.
Sorry. Can’t make the wedding. Changed my mind. Keep the tickets for the honeymoon.
She’d stood dry-eyed, shocked and unable to comprehend what had happened, until her father came through the door to lead her down the aisle. One look at her face and he’d grabbed the phone from her hand.
After a few choice words, he’d hustled her out of the church into the waiting limousine and taken her to the home she’d grown up in, where she could lick her wounds. Carly had done the honors of sending everyone home and canceling the reception and wedding band. She’d joined Jenna and her father at the ranch, ready to take one of the rifles over the mantel to Tyler’s lying, cheating heart.
Jenna had heard through the grapevine that Tyler had slept with Jenna’s former best friend, Audra, on the night of his bachelor party. He claimed Audra was more fun than his boring bride, and he couldn’t go through with the wedding knowing he’d be stuck in a mundane marriage for the rest of his life.
Jenna had planned her wedding for the date her parents had been married in February. But as an accountant, she couldn’t plan their honeymoon until after tax season. She’d almost forfeited her tickets until Carly talked her into going. She needed to show Tyler and, more important, herself that she wasn’t boring. She knew how to be adventurous.
Of course, she had to take Carly along with her to show her how to do it.
Carly pulled in front of the resort hotel, shifted into Park and got out.
“Aren’t you going to park it yourself?” Jenna asked. “I don’t mind walking a little.”
Carly clucked her tongue. “Don’t be so tight. We’re only here for ten days. You might as well live a little. Let the valet park it for us.” Her friend tilted her head. “Come on. It won’t kill you to be a bit extravagant.”
“I just don’t like spending when I don’t need to,” Jenna grumbled as she got out of the vehicle and joined Carly on the sidewalk.
Carly handed over the keys to the valet and sauntered into the hotel.
Once inside, Jenna eyed the front desk. “I’m going to ask whether my suitcase has arrived.”
“Okay. I’ll go