Chapter Six

“Sir, I believe I asked you a question,” the smaller officer said.

“What’s going on here?” Scott asked, moving to stand closer to the woman he was going to protect for the rest of her life. That and marry her.

“We are looking for a man who was injured in this area who fits your description. Can I see your iden-tification, please?” The officer held out his hand.

“Sure, but if you don’t know who the man is, then what good is my identification going to do?” He reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet to get his card.

“You sure are asking a lot of questions. What’s your name?” He gestured impatiently for the piece of plastic.

“Lieutenant Commander Scott Leighton,” he snapped in return, handing over his military identification. He didn’t like the way the men looked at Alexis. Hell, I don’t like any man looking at Alexis. My Alexis.

“How do you know Ms. Rogets here?” the larger man asked in a snide tone.

Thick arms crossed, showing not one shred of pain from his wound, as a blond eyebrow rose. “Are you trying to imply something, Officer?” He looked at the nametag. “Johnson?”

The officer took a deep breath and tried to look as impressive as Scott, only to fail miserably. “Of course not, it’s just that we are wondering what you are doing here.”

Alexis shifted closer to Scott. “We are both in the Navy and have,” she paused and glanced at him, “served time on the same ship.”

Scott looked at the woman standing next to him, her head barely coming to his shoulder. She was ready to defend him. He held out his tanned hand for his ID. The officer returned to him with great reluctance. “I had some business to do around here and came to ask Alexis for her help on it.” His eyes dared the men to say anything to dispute him.

Clearing their throats, the police looked at the five young men also in the room and the smaller one, Officer Petrasla, nodded his head at them. “What are they doing here?”

Fists clenching, Alexis took a step forward. “They have every right to be here. They were here last night. This is my cousin and his friends. Are you implying something, now?” Her tone had grown cold.

It was a simple action by Scott, reaching out and touching her shoulder, but it halted her forward movement. “I’m sure,” he drawled, “that these officers wouldn’t insinuate anything when it is obvious that I am not the man they are looking for and the young men here are not doing a single thing wrong.”

Officer Johnson got the hint and shrugged. “Well, if you see him, Ms. Rogets, please give us a call.” He grabbed his partner’s arm and led him back out the screen door and down to the patrol car.

“What made them come here?” Scott asked once the officers were gone.

“They always come here. I don’t always know them but the officers always know me.” Alexis looked at the young men in her house. “Well, come on then. Breakfast is ready. Put your things away and get into the kitchen. I have better things to do today than babysit you bunch of ragamuffins,” she huffed even as she winked at them.

“We love you, too, Lex,” the group said as one before they headed for their sleeping bags to put them back in the hall closet.

She grumbled and walked off, just expecting that Scott would follow her. “Well, get yourself some breakfast, Commander, unless it isn’t your kind of food.”

Scott looked at the sideboard that teemed with steaming food. It looked like enough to feed an army, or at least his SEAL team. His stomach growled as the intoxicating aromas filled his nose.

“Go on, if you want any. Better get it before they get here.” Alexis nodded toward the stack of plates.

“And you?” His question fell as he reached for a plate, trying to hand it to her.

“No, I already ate.” She shuffled away from him.

His eyes moved slowly up and down her body. “Really?” he asked doubtfully.

“I snacked while I made breakfast.” The noise from the boys grew louder.

“Don’t you know I know you are lying to me? Trust me; I like a woman who’s willing to eat in front of me. Are you back to being scared, Alexis?” he challenged.

She snatched a plate and before she could say a word, he interjected, “Or did you need a good morning kiss?” His mouth was right next to her ear.

He felt her shiver. “I don’t think so,” she managed to mutter.

“I do.” His arm snaked around her waist, spinning her towards his body…and his mouth. Unlike their first kiss on the carrier, this one was gentle. A learning kiss. Scott slipped his tongue into her mouth and stroked it against her own. It was a slow, drugging kiss that left him shaking in his sneakers.

Time stood still for the two as they were locked in an embrace. Scott had one arm around her and her one free arm slowly made its way around his lean waist.

“Uh-hmmm,” came the interruption. “Lex, what the hell is Casper doing sucking on your face?”

They moved slowly apart, like snails in winter. Scott drew her bottom lip into his mouth as they separated, keeping her close for a moment longer. “I love how you taste,” he whispered as he released her.

“Eat your breakfast, Jay.” Her chest heaved as she moved towards the food herself.

“And Casper here?”

“Why do you keep calling me that?” Scott asked.

“Have you noticed your skin color, man?” Jay snapped, taking his plate and making it so Scott couldn’t stand next to Lex.

“I get it, Casper, as in the ghost, the Friendly Ghost.” He moved to the other side of Alexis and ignored the warning glare from her pintsized bodyguard.

“Man, I don’t want your lips anywhere near Lex,” Jay threatened.

Setting down his plate beside the seat that Alexis had taken, Scott sat down and pinned the young man with a purposefully bland stare. “My relationship with Alexis is not any of your concern.”

“Jay, sit down,” she interjected quickly. “Commander Leighton and I don’t have a relationship other than a working one. What you saw was a mistake and it won’t be happening again,” Alexis said firmly.

Like hell it won’t be happening again. “There you have it.” Scott sent Alexis a small shake of his head before dropping it and digging into his breakfast with relish. The relationship was too new for him to hash things out with a young man who wanted to protect her.

As the rest of the group sat down at her long table to eat, talk was turned towards Alexis and her plans for the day. “What gives you boys the right to think you can run my life?” she asked the young men.

“We’re family,” they responded as one.

“And, yet, you don’t stay out of trouble. I can’t help you out next time. You know that, don’t you?” Her tawny gaze pinned each and every young man there.

“Yes, Lex. We know.”

One by one they finished and put their dishes in the sink before kissing her on the cheek and leaving the kitchen. “Dinner’s at six-thirty; it’s ribs. I’ll do some laundry tomorrow as well, so bring a change of clothes,” she yelled to their retreating backs.

As the screen door slammed, it dawned on the two adults that they were completely alone. No young people, no crew, no ship, no regulations. Just them. A man and a woman who had a fierce attraction for one another.

Swallowing hard, Alexis shoved back from the table and took her dishes to the sink. She opened the dishwasher and began to load it.

“You can’t ignore me forever, Alexis.”

She shrugged. “I’m not ignoring you,” she lied. “I am just cleaning up.”

His chair scraped the wooden floor as he rose with his plate in hand. A glance at the sideboard showed nothing but empty dishes. Those boys had cleaned up every bit of food she’d made for them. “Wow, they sure can eat a lot,” he said as he handed her the plate.

“They are growing boys,” she replied easily.

“So am I,” he muttered as his gaze swept over her denim-covered ass.

Shutting the black door of the dishwasher, she leaned against it and met his blue gaze. “Tell me where you got the gunshot wound.” Her tone was doctor-like, demanding an answer.

“There was some kind of shootout a few streets over from where you found me. It was a stray bullet.”

Her eyes narrowed. “What were you doing down here, anyway? No offense, Commander, but you don’t exactly fit the look of the majority of people who come down here.”

“Would you please not call me Commander? If you won’t call me Scott, call me Harrier. But for the love of God, Alexis, we aren’t on any military installation anymore. Don’t call me Commander.”

“It’s easier for me to call you Commander, but I will try to call you Scott for the time being.” At his gesture, she took a seat across from him at the table. “What are you doing here? I’m not going to believe you have family down here.” She raised a brow quizzically.