Finding Carly (SEAL Team Hawaii #5)(62)

“Cool,” Carly breathed.

“And…in case you were worried about being out here and feeling vulnerable…I’ve got another surprise,” Jag said after he’d pulled into a parking spot.

Carly was shocked that she hadn’t even thought of worrying about someone following her. But Jag was right, being out in a remote valley might be the best opportunity for someone to try to snatch her, or even shoot at them. But before she could say anything, he continued.

“Everyone’s meeting us here.”

“Everyone?” Carly asked.

“Yup. And even Baker agreed to come.”

“Oh my gosh, this is gonna be amazing. Thank you!”

“Anything to see you smiling,” Jag said.

Carly couldn’t stop herself from throwing her arms around Jag. It was awkward with the console between them, but she heard him chuckling as he caught her. Carly kissed him. Hard. She couldn’t remember being this excited about something in a very long time.

She pulled away and sat back in her seat. “Well? Let’s go!” she said.

“Keep your pants on, angel,” Jag said with a chuckle. “I’ll come around.”

Carly practically bounced in her seat as Jag got out. Even in her excitement, she hadn’t made a move to get out. She and Jag had a routine and she was more than all right with it. Anyone who didn’t know the reason for their caution might think he was being chivalrous, or even over-the-top macho, but honestly, Carly wouldn’t feel comfortable getting out without Jag checking the area. That had been the hardest part about driving to the grocery story on her own…getting out of the car.

The second he opened the door, Carly leaped out and hugged him again. “If I forget to tell you later, I had an amazing time today.”

He chuckled, and the sound reverberated through Carly. “You’re welcome.”

Then something else he said finally registered. “You said Baker’s coming too?”

“Yup.”

“Holy shit, I don’t know if I’m ready to meet him,” Carly mused, some of her excitement dimming. She remembered everything the other women had said about him, and now she wasn’t so sure she wanted to come face-to-face with the man.

“You are,” Jag said. “Come on, let’s go see if the others are here.”

He took her hand and they walked toward the stairs that led into one of the buildings at the ranch. There was a huge porch that lined the front. Picnic tables were set up for people to eat lunch, wait for their tour to start, or just to relax. Jag held open the door for her, and Carly entered into a massive gift shop. She itched to browse, to find some cool dinosaur souvenirs. But as if Jag could read her mind, he leaned down and said, “After the tour.”

Carly mock-pouted, but she wasn’t really upset. How could she be?

With his hand at the small of her back, Jag guided her through the surprisingly crowded shop. It was still early, but it was obvious the Kualoa Ranch was a very popular spot for tourists and locals alike. They exited out the back door into a kind of courtyard. The towering, lush green mountains in the distance made Carly inhale sharply.

“It’s so beautiful,” she sighed.

“Yes,” Jag said softly.

When Carly turned, she found him staring at her, not the amazing view in front of them. “The mountains,” she clarified.

“Them too,” he told her.

Carly couldn’t help but shake her head. She knew she was blushing, but she loved getting compliments from Jag.

“They’re here!” a voice called out from their right.

Turning, Carly saw Kenna waving at them. It looked as if she and Jag were the last ones to arrive. “Did everyone else know about today?” she asked Jag.

“Nope. The guys decided to keep it a secret.”

“I figured. Because Kenna can’t keep a secret to save her life.”

Jag grinned. “That’s what Aleck said.”

They walked over to the large group and Carly hugged everyone as if she hadn’t seen them in months.

“They’re gonna split us up into two groups,” Mustang said. “Lexie, Midas, Ashlyn, Baker, and Slate will be in one group, and Kenna, Aleck, Me, Elodie, and you two will be in the other. If that’s okay.”

Carly had forgotten all about Baker already. She tuned out Mustang and Jag talking logistics and turned to the only person in the group she hadn’t met yet. He was standing off to the side, his arms crossed, and he was studying her intently.

Telling herself that she was now brave-Carly, and not cowardly-Carly, she took a deep breath and stepped toward the man. The moment he saw her move, he approached.

“You must be Carly,” he said in a low, rumbly voice.

“And you must be Baker,” she returned, holding out her hand.

Baker took it in his, and Carly held her breath. This man was…it was hard to come up with the right adjectives. She’d heard all about him from the others, but it hadn’t really prepared her for meeting him.

It felt as if he had an aura of danger surrounding him. She could practically see it. Like if anyone made even one wrong move, he’d pounce. He reminded her of a panther, beautiful and deadly at the same time. She gaped at him, not sure if she wanted to run or if that would somehow make him attack.

She felt Jag’s presence before his hand pressed on the small of her back. She couldn’t help but take a step back so she was leaning into him.