Navy SEAL Survival (8 page)

“Of course,” said an auburn-haired woman Natalie recognized as the one they called Allison as she jumped to her feet and dragged two more chairs to the small table.

It was a tight fit, but Natalie didn't care. At least she was close to them and included in their group. She'd have a better chance of keeping them safe.

“Like Kylie, are you all staying one more day before flying out?” Natalie asked.

They nodded as one.

“We were all scheduled to fly in and out on the same plane,” said Brianna, a black-haired, petite beauty.

“Yeah.” Chelsea, the sandy-blonde, sighed. “We even had seats all grouped together.”

“It doesn't feel right without Melody, Jodie and Lisa here,” Hanna said. She pushed a strand of light brown hair back behind her ear.

“You have two more nights here and one whole day.” Natalie glanced around at the sullen faces. “You can't spend it in your hotel rooms moping.”

“We were all supposed to go on the excursion to Chichén Itzá tomorrow,” Kylie said.

“We were so looking forward to visiting the ancient Mayan pyramid. Especially Melody.”

Natalie remembered how excited her sister had been. She had been working toward a minor in archeology in college. Chichén Itzá had been on her radar since she'd first read about it in a
National Geographic
magazine when she was eight years old. Their parents had promised to take them when they were older.

That dream had almost died with their parents. Natalie had been so happy for Melody to have this opportunity. Now it seemed as though her sister would never get that chance.

The hell she wouldn't.

“Aren't you going?” Natalie asked.

“We hadn't planned on it,” Chelsea said.

Kylie's lips twisted. “Although we paid for the trip in advance and they won't give us a refund.”

“Then go.” Natalie searched their faces. “Otherwise tomorrow will crawl by. There's no reason you shouldn't see the ruins.”

“What about Melody?”

“Go for her,” Natalie urged.

Kylie nodded. “I don't feel any better for having stayed in my room all day. The time dragged.” She nodded toward Chelsea. “What do you think?”

Chelsea was already nodding. “We should go. It will make the day fly. Then, before we know it, we'll be on our way home.”

“Without Melody...” Allison said.

“Do you think they'll ever find her...you know...body?” Brianna asked, her voice a soft whisper.

“I hope so,” Chelsea said. “Her family will want closure.”

“She only had a sister,” Kylie said. “I can't imagine how terrible it was for her to get that call.” Her eyes filled again.

Natalie fought the urge to cry with Kylie, but she wasn't ready to give up on her sister. Melody was alive and—damn it—she was going to find her, if it was the last thing she did.

Kylie sniffed and pushed away from the table. “I don't know about the rest of you, but I could do with one more drink before we leave.”

“Me, too,” Chelsea said. She, Brianna, Allison and Hanna stood as one.

The six women paid for their meal and left the restaurant, walking out the back door of the hotel to the cabana. People were drifting into the bar as the sun set, cloaking the resort in semidarkness displaced by the lights from the hotel and the blue glow of the pool. Twinkling lights hung from the ceiling of the cabana, giving just enough light to see without being so bright it disturbed the ambience.

Natalie shot a glance around the bar. So far her Navy SEAL protector hadn't showed up. It was just as well. She didn't want the other men in the bar to think she was with him, in case one of them was scouting potential victims.

The music was played loud, limiting the amount of talking between the girls. They all ordered frozen strawberry margaritas and, as the night before, made a toast to their missing friend.

Natalie raised her glass to her lips, the sugar and frozen concoction melting in her mouth.

The music slowed and some of the dancers left the wooden dance floor to refresh their drinks. Others swayed to the rhythm of the band, pressing close together, hips rubbing against hips.

“Would you like to dance?” a voice said over her shoulder.

With a start Natalie turned on her chair and stared up into gray eyes. A nice-looking man with short-cropped blond hair smiled down at her.

“Excuse me?”

He chuckled. “I asked if you would like to dance.”

She glanced at her sister's friends.

They all stared at the handsome man.

“Go on. We'll save your drink for you,” Chelsea said.

Natalie didn't feel much like dancing with the stranger but, as last night, being out on the dance floor would put her in the line of sight of anyone scoping the crowd for likely victims.

“Okay,” she said and laid her hand in his.

His grip was strong and he practically lifted her out of her chair.

Natalie followed him to the dance floor, her gaze darting toward the entrances. Where were the SEALs?

As the stranger pulled her into his embrace, Duff and his friends entered the cabana.

A thrill of recognition and anticipation zipped through Natalie. Duff's large form and broad shoulders would make any woman's heart flutter. The man was gorgeous and looking her way.

Duff's gaze found hers and he frowned.

Natalie sucked in a quick breath and stumbled.

“Careful,” said the man holding her in his arms. “I've been known to be all left feet.”

“No. I lost my step.” She dragged her gaze from Duff's and looked up into her partner's eyes.

“I'm Rolf Schwimmer.” He winked and spun her around in a fancy dance move.

“I'm Natalia.”

He dipped his head. “A pretty name for a lovely woman.”

“Thank you.”

“Are you here on vacation?” he asked.

“I am.”

He nodded toward Melody's table. “With your friends?”

She glanced toward the girls. “No, I met them when I got here. But they've been good enough to allow me to join them.”

“What part of England are you from?”

“Oxford. And you?”

“I'm not from England.” He smiled, his eyes twinkling.

“Obviously. Your accent is American.”

“Guilty,” he said. “I'm originally from Minnesota.”

“A long way from home.”

“As are you,” he pointed out.

“Are you on vacation?” she asked.

He shrugged. “Not so much. I only wish I was here for pleasure. Alas, I'm here to conduct a little business.”

“What kind of business?”

“I'm in securities and acquisitions.”

“Like buying assets?” she asked, her mind going to what this man could be doing and if it had any relation to her missing sister.

“Something like that.”

He didn't look down at her. Instead he danced her around the floor in a tight hold, molding his body to hers. For a while he didn't speak. When the song ended, he held on to her hand. “Stay for another? You're the only person I know.”

She laughed. “I don't know you.”

“Okay, so you're the only person who hasn't turned me down.” He winked. “Dance with me again.”

“One more time then I want to sit with my new friends.”

The song was fast-paced and required skill at the salsa. Natalie backed up a step. “I'm sorry, but I'm not good at this dance.”

“Then we'll look terrible together.” He swung her away from him and back into his arms. “See? You're a natural.”

Natalie narrowed her eyes but didn't have time to study his face before he swung her out and back again. She laughed. “You've obviously done this before.”

“Maybe.” His feet kept time with the music, stepping forward and back, his hips swaying. “Don't let my blond hair fool you. I've spent a lot of time in Mexico. And when in Mexico, you learn to salsa.”

By the time the song ended, Natalie was breathless. “Thank you.”

“Please.” He bowed over her hand. “Let me thank you.” He walked her back to the table, nodded to Melody's friends and then left her to take a stool at the bar.

“Wow,” Kylie said, her gaze following the man. “He was dreamy.”

“You ladies should dance.” Natalie took a seat and dabbed at her cheeks with a bar napkin.

“It would be nice to be asked.” Chelsea looked around the bar. “Aren't those the guys from last night?” She tipped her head toward Duff and his Navy SEAL friends.

“Didn't you dance with one of them?” Kylie asked.

Natalie nodded, steeling herself from looking that way. No matter how good-looking, the man she'd just danced with didn't have the same rugged appeal as Duff with his slightly shaggy hair and tattoo-laced shoulders and arms.

Her body shivered with anticipation, hoping Duff would ask her to dance again.

“You guys, don't stare.” Chelsea turned away. “You'll look pathetic and too eager.”

“Here comes one of them,” Hanna whispered excitedly.

Out of the corner of her eye Natalie saw a man moving toward them. Her heart skipped several beats and settled back to a normal if somewhat disappointed beat when she realized it wasn't Duff.

Sawyer walked across the barroom, stopping in front of Allison. “Wanna dance?”

Allison beamed and leaped from her seat. “Yes.” She grabbed his hand and practically dragged him to the dance floor.

“So much for playing hard to get,” Chelsea muttered.

One by one the young women were asked to dance.

Natalie kept a close eye on them and the men they were with. She'd be damned if her sister's friends were the next victims of the kidnappers.

“You're scaring the natives with that frown,” a deep voice rumbled next to her ear.

Natalie turned to look up into green eyes and her pulse rushed. “Hi.”

“The girls seem to be enjoying themselves despite missing their friend.”

“I had to convince them to come out tonight.”

When he held out his hand she slipped hers into it, liking how small he made her feel. Not in an intimidating way but in a way that made her feel protected. “Did your guys learn anything from the boat crew?”

“Nothing.” He pulled her to her feet and led her toward the dance floor. “Who's the guy you were dancing with?”

“Rolf from Minnesota.”

“What's he doing in Cancun?” Duff asked.

“He said he was here on business.”

“What kind of business?”

“Securities and acquisitions.” Her brow furrowed. “He's American.”

“So? Our abductor could be a greedy son of a bitch looking for a quick score.” Duff pulled her close and spun her around, putting her back to the man in question. His gaze swept over the top of her head. “Don't trust him.”

“Got it.” She rested her hand on his chest. “I'm worried.”

“I know,” he said, his gaze dropping to hers and softening.

“I'm no closer to finding my sister than I was when I arrived in Cancun.”

“What next?”

“I don't know.” As she danced in a circle, rocking back and forth, Natalie counted the five girls she felt somewhat responsible for. Three of them danced with Duff's friends, which made her feel a little better about their safety. But the other two were dancing with men she didn't know anything about.

Chelsea was dancing with Rolf, the handsome American, who'd asked Natalie to dance first.

Kylie was with a dark-haired man with an easy smile and classy clothing from his button-up starched shirt to dark, tailored trousers. Natalie watched as Kylie gazed up at him, her eyes shining despite the earlier tears.

Could he be one of the kidnappers?

Natalie glanced around the room. Men lounged with their backs to the bar, watching the action in front of the band. Were they part of the kidnapping operation?

“You're thinking too hard,” Duff said, his lips so close to her ear she could feel the warmth and smell the minty freshness of his breath.

“It's my sister I'm trying to find. If it was one of your family members, what would you do?”

His grip tightened on her waist. “Probably rip the place apart until I found who was responsible.”

“Right.” The music came to a stop.

The band announced a short break and laid down their instruments.

Natalie scanned the room, locating each of Melody's friends heading toward their table. One, two, three, four— Where was Chelsea? Her pulse ratcheted up. “I've lost one.” She stepped away from Duff, panic rising in her chest.

“Lost one what?” Duff asked, his gaze sweeping the room.

“Chelsea.” Natalie hurried toward the table where the other four had congregated.

Duff followed.

“Where's Chelsea?” she asked, trying her best not to show her apprehension.

“I don't know. She was dancing when we were.” Kylie glanced around. “Maybe she went for a walk with her dance partner,” she offered.

Natalie stared at each of the four, quickly pinning them, one at a time, with an intent look. “Do me a favor and don't walk off with anyone other than one of your friends tonight.”

“Why?” Kylie's brow dipped.

Natalie forced a smile. “You're in a foreign country known for drug wars and kidnapping. You never know if you're with a good guy or a bad one.”

Allison's face blanched. “I thought Cancun was safe. Well, other than what happened on that scuba dive.”

“You never know how secure you are. It's just safer in numbers.”

“She's right,” Hanna said. “Now you're making me worry about Chelsea. You don't suppose she went for a walk with her dance partner, do you?”

“Duff and I'll go look,” Natalie offered.

Kylie stared hard at Duff. “How do you know he's one of the good guys?”