A SEAL Wolf Christmas

“Former cop?” she asked, caustically. She knew he wasn’t, knew he was taking the proper precautions after having come across trespassers in the dark, but she didn’t have to like it. She didn’t have any ID that showed she was Anna “Jorgenson,” either.

She passed over her driver’s license, waited for the man to say something, and was prepared with an answer about her last name being different from Bjornolf’s.

He cocked a brow, looked at her, and said, “Says here your name is Anna Johnson.”

Bjornolf grinned. “We’re newlyweds.” He gave Anna a squeeze, either for show or reminding her that she was supposed to remember the role she was playing.

She instantly said, “I’m not changing my name.” She smiled up at Bjornolf. “Woman’s prerogative. It’s too much of a hassle. What if the honeymoon doesn’t last?”

“Oh, honey, it’ll last.” Bjornolf gave her a look like he would show her just how much so, once they were back at the cottage. She swore he wasn’t playacting, either. And she had to admit his comment made her wish he wasn’t just playing a role. “Come on. I know Nathan’s upset about this, but we can return at daybreak and see if we can locate it then.”

She gave him another smile that said, “Right.” Then she looked at the man. “Your name is…?”

“Everton. The owner. Tell Nathan if he wants to make arrangements to have his kinfolk come look for something of his in the middle of the night to get permission first.”

“So… can we have permission?” she asked, trying to sound sweet and innocent.

“No. Come back in the morning when we’re open.”

She looked up at Bjornolf, slipped her arm around his waist, and said, “Guess we ought to go home to bed, then.”

“Exactly what I had in mind, honey.”

They turned to leave and had taken a couple of steps, when the man said in a surly, commanding way, “Wait!”

Bjornolf stiffened beside her, his eyes narrowing as they faced the man.

“I didn’t hear you calling Nathan’s name. If you were looking for him,” Everton said.

“She was. She has a soft voice,” Bjornolf growled as if he didn’t like that the man was questioning Anna’s story, and if they needed to take this to a physical level, he was game.

Anna loved him for it. She expected the man to ask why he didn’t hear Bjornolf calling out Nathan’s name and she stiffened a little.

“Anything else?” Bjornolf asked the question as though the man had better not pose another one.

Everton slid his gaze from Bjornolf to Anna, his expression irritated. He looked like he didn’t believe them. “Nah. Just don’t come back here again when we’re closed.”

Anna was dying to ask Everton why he was wandering around the property in the middle of the night. Bjornolf quickly said good night and escorted her off the farm.

She had to admit Bjornolf was good for a rescue. She was also glad they had their own vehicles at the Christmas tree farm. That way she didn’t have to hear his guff the whole drive back to the cottage about why she shouldn’t have gone alone tonight.

What she didn’t expect was for him to escort her through the parking lot, walk her all the way to her car, pull her into a hard embrace, and kiss her like they were newlyweds. Long and penetrating, hard and gentle, and every kind of delicious kiss in between. He finally released her and dragged in a breath of cold air. His heart was pounding furiously, his breath short, puffs of white vapor floating between them.

The kiss was nothing short of miraculous, full of feeling, and she wondered if he’d been worried that a bad guy might have taken her out. Any team member wouldn’t want to lose their partner, but his concern for her seemed like it was much more than that.

“Damn but you taste good, Anna,” he said softly, his eyes dark with feral need as he rubbed her arms. The heat sizzled through her blood beneath the jacket and sweater she wore.

“He better be watching us,” Anna warned in a whisper, but she didn’t mean it. She loved the way he kissed.

Bjornolf gave her a devilish smile and a quick kiss on her cold nose, his mouth hot against her skin. “Follow you home, honey.” He pulled her door open, and once she climbed in, he closed it for her. She waited for him to enter his own vehicle and start the engine before she drove off.

She hadn’t needed to wait for him, but something in the back of her mind nagged at her. Bjornolf had come to watch over her. What if someone tried to take him out and the only one who could save him was her? Not that they were in a jungle environment fighting drug-running terrorists here. But who knew what they were really up against?

Her lingering there had nothing to do with his kissing her, or pretending to be newlyweds if Everton was watching. Her duty as part of this new team was making sure Bjornolf had backup if he needed it, she told herself.

As his Land Rover followed her, she thought of the night she’d led him to the hotel where he’d finally tracked her down and gotten the best of her. She couldn’t help but look in her rearview mirror, watching his headlights and feeling a sense of deja vu. Except that time, she’d thought he was an assassin. This time, he was on her team. Only it seemed as if he was looking for more than a temporary arrangement.

Yeah right, she scoffed. How much of that was her interest in him rather than his interest in her, and she was projecting what she wanted rather than what he truly desired?

Anna assumed that they’d talk as soon as she parked and Bjornolf followed her into the house. What she didn’t expect was that she’d wait for him to walk her to the door, even allowing him to take her hand as if they were wolves on a date.

What was wrong with her? With him?

They didn’t need to pretend to anyone here.

Bjornolf didn’t say a word, just held her hand possessively and escorted her to the porch. Then he unlocked the door and closed and locked it behind them.

“Did you want some cocoa?” he asked, as if he didn’t want the night to end.

She shook her head. “You have to go with Nathan to buy Christmas ornaments tomorrow.”

She saw a flash of disappointment cross his face. She was surprised he hadn’t said a word about her investigating the crime scene on her own.

She remembered the dog tags in her pocket and pulled them out. “I found these right before Everton came across me.” She glanced down at them and read the inscription. “Thomas Cremer. The other dead man, maybe?”

Bjornolf wasn’t looking at the dog tags when his gaze met hers. He’d been observing her face with a mixture of respect and astonishment. “Now I know why Hunter recommended you for this job.”

She gave Bjornolf a slight smile, appreciating his comment more than a little.

He took the tags and examined them, sniffing them. “The second dead body we smelled.”

“Yes,” she said solemnly. “The man had also been in the service.”

“I’ll let Hunter know in the morning. Guess we ought to turn in.” He looked hopeful that she’d say he could join her in her bed.

She gave him a quick smile and headed down the hall before she changed her mind. “’Night, Bjorn.” As a humorous touch, she’d called him by the shortened version of his name that he’d given the man at the tree farm.

“Night, honey,” Bjornolf said as if they truly were newlyweds and he’d be joining her in bed shortly.

She looked back over her shoulder and saw the wicked gleam in his eye, a challenge that said he wasn’t leaving the situation as it was for long. She gave him a sassy smile back, daring him to make her change her mind.

She walked into the room and was about to close the master bedroom door when she heard Bjornolf curse as he stalked out of the guest room. He began yanking off his shirt as he headed for the back door.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, framed by the doorway into the master bedroom.

“Nathan’s gone.”