Dark Tide. Susan Sleeman

tea was nearly ready, and if he lingered in the kitchen any longer, she’d figure out he was stalling so he could avoid her. It was for her own good. He couldn’t look at her and not remember what they’d once had. Something he still wanted in his life but couldn’t grab hold of.

      After her traumatic day, the last thing she needed was to deal with their past. She deserved to be treated with kid gloves right now. Her situation roused all his protective instincts and he wanted to be there for her, but he didn’t know if he could do it.

      What’s a guy supposed to do in a situation like this, God? Should I run as fast I can in the other direction? Let her find someone else to help as she offered to do?

      He looked over the large island to the family room, where she changed Sophia’s diaper. She wore his shirt buttoned up to the neck, giving a break to her black attire. A music major in college, she’d worn bold colors and bright patterns to complement her artistic flair. Never black. Maybe she’d changed, or maybe she’d dressed this way not to draw attention.

      She got up from the couch, Sophia in one arm, and held out the dirty diaper. “Do you have a trash can outside for this?”

      He nodded and before he could offer to dispose of it for her, she settled Sophia into his arms. “I’ll be right back.”

      He gaped after her and jiggled the baby. He could count on one hand the number of times he’d held a baby. Wouldn’t even take half of his fingers. Maybe he should put her on the sofa. Wouldn’t want to break her or anything.

      He was moving cautiously toward the family room when the patio door slid open.

      Dani stepped inside and her jaw dropped. “You didn’t mention a baby.”

      “I didn’t know what to tell you.” He quickly off-loaded Sophia onto Dani and sighed out a breath of relief. “She’s Gina’s niece. Her brother, Jon’s, child, but she has custody of her.”

      Dani arched a brow.

      “I’ll make sure she explains it when we question her. Just be patient.”

      “Me, patient?” She laughed and dropped onto the sofa. She put Sophia on her lap and cooed at the child. Eliciting no response, Dani patted her chubby hands together, something Derrick would never think to do.

      “What’s your name, little one?” Dani asked in a high voice.

      “Sophia,” Derrick answered.

      “Well, hello, Sophia.” A goofy smile claimed Dani’s face. With looks like that, it wouldn’t be long before she had a family of her own.

      Sophia grinned, revealing one tooth on the bottom, and despite Derrick’s lack of knowledge about babies, he found himself smiling back. Until the door opened. Then he tensed and waited for Gina to join them. He heard water running in the guest bath and knew she’d stopped to wash her hands. When she did enter the room and spotted Dani, a quick flash of unease crowned on her face. She probably thought Dani would let her have it for bailing on him all those years ago.

      Maybe she would. Although Dani was his twin and they often thought on the same wavelength, he never knew what was going to come out of her mouth.

      “Hello, Dani.” Gina marched purposefully across the room. Her strength even in the face of potential adversity didn’t surprise him in the least. Her vulnerability in the car, though—that’s what got to him.

      Dani looked up, and Derrick could feel her demeanor change from across the room.

      “Gina.” A sharp edge cooled her voice. “Long time no see.”

      “It has been a while for sure.” Gina’s tone was far warmer than Dani’s, but then she didn’t have a twin brother who’d been summarily dumped. “I didn’t realize you were coming over.”

      Dani cast an irritated look at Derrick, who shrugged in reply.

      “No biggie,” he said. “It just didn’t come up.”

      The teakettle trilled from the kitchen, and he escaped his twin’s glare to turn it off. He poured steaming water over a fragrant chamomile tea bag Dani had left in his cupboards. He kept an ear on their conversation—it seemed to be centering on babies and Dani’s recent marriage—and carried a mug for Gina and Dani to the family room.

      “You mentioned your brother had been murdered,” he said, directing them away from the baby talk so they could create a plan to keep Gina safe. When her smile fell, he instantly regretted his blunt choice of words.

      As he sat next to Dani, she socked him in the arm. “Tactful, sport. Real tactful.”

      Normally he’d spar with Dani, but she was right. He was going out of his way to deny the attraction he still felt for Gina to the point of being rude. But what else could he do? He couldn’t follow his interest and pretend things would be different this time. She’d hurt him when she’d left, but he’d hurt her first when he hadn’t been able to commit long-term. Nothing had changed in his life. He still choked at the thought of a lifetime commitment.

      So he had to get a handle on his feelings. How, he didn’t know. The only thing he did know for certain right now was if he let this connection that still existed between them continue to get the best of him, he’d hurt her again. And no man worth his salt would intentionally hurt a woman—or stand by and let her get hurt. So if someone really was after her, he’d have to protect her.

      No matter how much it would hurt to have her back in his life...and then let her go again.

      THREE

      “It’s okay, Gina, take your time.” Dani’s eyes, blue as her designer shirt, never left Gina. “We’re here to help when you’re ready to talk about it.”

      Gina tried to let the comfort of Dani’s tone take away her tension, but she could feel Derrick watching her from the arm of a leather chair, and his scrutiny made her nervous. She willed herself not to look at him and cleared her throat before beginning. “This all started with my brother, Jon. He was a member of the Coast Guard’s Pacific Tactical Law Enforcement Team stationed in San Diego.”

      “Wow,” Derrick interrupted. For the first time his face appeared animated. “That’s a pretty exclusive job. Only the best of the best are chosen for those teams.”

      “I’m surprised you’ve heard of them,” Gina said. “Most people don’t know anything about the teams.”

      “I’ve read about their successes over the years. I find it fascinating. Traveling the globe. Fighting the war on drugs and smuggling.”

      Right. A carefree life. No strings, no attachments. A job like that would probably be perfect for Derrick.

      “Well, I haven’t heard of them,” Dani said. “I didn’t even know the Coast Guard stationed people outside the country.”

      Gina nodded. “Oddly enough, they deploy on Navy ships and go wherever needed. They board suspected drug dealers’ and smugglers’ boats, arrest the criminals then turn them over to the authorities and move on. They can be gone more than two hundred days a year.”

      “So they’re like the cops of the water?” Derrick clarified.

      “Yes, except they don’t do any of the investigative work on the cases. The Coast Guard team solely handles the arrests.”

      “Would be hard to be married to a man gone so often.” Dani stared into the distance.

      Gina was sure Dani was thinking about how hard it would be to leave her new husband, and a flash of jealousy bit into Gina at how deeply dedicated the woman seemed to be to her marriage. If Derrick had shown the willingness to make that kind of pledge to her...but he hadn’t. She forced her mind back on her story. “It takes a big commitment and one Jon was looking to move out of after Sophia was born.”

      Gina’s voice faltered as she thought about