Under Pressure Read online

  Shit. He was out of options.

  He’d stared down heartless terrorists. Watched as boys who were barely strong enough to hold the guns they were using died in a war they likely didn’t understand. He’d jumped out of perfectly functioning airplanes and plunged his body into raging cold seas. Putting his own life on the line was nothing new. Danger and fear were nothing new. That kind of stress he could easily deal with, because he was equipped to handle it. Felt comfortable and confident in his skills and training.

  So why the hell couldn’t he conquer this?

  The only easy day was yesterday.

  Today, the Navy SEAL motto was cold comfort. Taking a deep breath, Asher forced himself to relax his body. He would find a way to make this work.

  Kennedy hadn’t given him any other choice.

  And he’d be damned if he’d let her see him at his weakest.

  * * *

  KENNEDY HALF EXPECTED to have to track Asher down, which was why she’d told him nine when their plane really didn’t leave until ten. Padding in extra time for disaster had simply been good strategy.

  Until the man actually strolled up to the gate at eight.

  She should have been relieved. She wasn’t. Because that meant they had an hour and a half to kill sitting outside their gate before their flight boarded.

  Asher folded himself into the uncomfortable chair next to her, the bench kind with chrome arms sticking out to delineate each seat from the next. Why hadn’t he taken one chair down?

  His shoulders rubbed against hers, forcing Kennedy to shift into the opposite corner to get away from him.

  The flight was going to be hell.

  “Nine, huh,” he murmured in that deep, dark voice that always managed to send a shiver down her spine.

  The only outward reaction Kennedy allowed was for her mouth to tighten into a frown.

  “I suppose I deserved that,” he said, stretching his legs out until they practically touched the bench on the opposite side of the aisle.

  He was tall, at least a couple of inches over six feet. With wide shoulders and a narrow waist that tapered into the most perfect tight ass she’d ever seen. He could wear the hell out of a pair of jeans. Or a business suit. Or a wet suit.

  Wait, what had they been talking about?

  “Yes, you did. I’m just glad I didn’t have to chase after you.”

  The minute the words left her mouth, Kennedy regretted them. She held her breath, waiting for the smart-ass comment she knew was coming.

  “Darlin’, if I’d known you wanted a chase, I’d have been happy to oblige.”

  Kennedy raked him with the sharp edge of her gaze. “I don’t chase.”

  Asher’s lips tugged up at the edges. “No, I can’t imagine you would, baby girl.”

  God, she hated when he called her that. But she’d given up reprimanding him for the slight a long time ago.

  She needed to pull this conversation—and the entire trip—back to center. And the fastest method for that was reminding him—and herself—just what their purpose was.

  Reaching into her bag, Kennedy pulled out the glossy dossier she’d prepared for Asher and handed it to him.

  He took it, his big fingers tangling with hers for a moment before finally letting go. Asher stared at her for several seconds and then glanced down, flipping through the papers.

  She’d taken the time to write up a detailed agenda for the trip and included that along with a draft script. She’d thrown in some background information on the production team and even included a copy of the proposal she’d submitted when pitching them the idea for the show.

  He studied it, silent and still. And yet, Kennedy could practically feel the energy vibrating beneath his skin. Or was that just her imagination?

  Closing the cover, Asher let out a low whistle. “You need a hobby.”

  “No, I don’t.”

  His eyes cut to her above the frosted edge of the plastic she’d placed on the front and back of the document. He held her gaze, to the point where she wanted to squirm beneath the pressure of his scrutiny. But she wouldn’t.

  That was the thing about Asher that she’d learned early on...he was excellent at spotting and exploiting weaknesses while keeping any he might possess firmly under wraps. She worked damn hard at making sure not to reveal any to him. Or any more.

  It was bad enough that he’d been an unwanted part of the most humiliating night of her life.

  No matter how hard she worked or how competent she was, she didn’t think she’d ever live down that night. At least not with Asher.

  “Look, this shouldn’t be difficult for you. You’re charming and gorgeous.”

  “Thanks.”

  Kennedy ignored the self-confident grin that curled his lips. “The camera will love you. You’ve got the script. Do me a favor and look over it on the plane.”

  Maybe that would keep him occupied for a while and out of her personal space.

  His gaze raked across her body, lingering on the low V-cut neckline of the T-shirt she’d thrown on this morning. It was unremarkable and not her normal office attire. But they were heading for Nassau where they’d meet up with the Amphitrite before sailing out to open sea.

  She would not apologize for dressing comfortably, even if the way he was watching her made her regret not putting on the business clothes she typically used as armor.

  His chest rose and fell as he leaned farther into her. Kennedy wanted to move away, but her body wouldn’t listen to the commands her brain was screaming.

  God, he smelled good. That was the only clear thought running through her overwhelmed brain.

  “Are you sure that’s what you want to do on the plane, Kennedy? I’m sure we can think of...more pleasant ways to pass the time.”

  She blinked. Her body swayed. Somehow her hand ended up planted in the center of his chest. His wide, strong, hard chest.

  A jangling sound startled her, breaking the spell. She jerked back, realizing it was the ringtone on her phone.

  A smirk tugged at the edges of Asher’s lips even as a single, wicked eyebrow crooked up. The man knew exactly what kind of effect he had on women. Any woman with a pulse.

  Irritation flaming through her, Kennedy snatched up her phone and said, “Hello,” without even looking at her screen.

  “Ms. Duchane? This is Simone from Masters, Dillon and Cooper.”

  Kennedy’s eyes widened. Her heart leaped into her throat and then immediately dropped to her toes.

  This was the phone call she’d been waiting weeks to receive.

  Pushing to her feet, she cut Asher a quick glance and then walked away. She really didn’t want him to hear her side of this conversation.

  Crossing to the other side of the busy terminal, Kennedy tried to find a quiet corner.

  “Hi, Simone. It’s great to hear from you. I’m sorry about the noise, but I’m at the airport waiting to board a plane for work.”

  “Well then, I won’t keep you. I just wanted to let you know that everyone at the firm was very impressed with your résumé and your Skype interview. If you’re still interested, we’d like to offer you a position.”

  “Yes. Absolutely.” She really needed to try a complete sentence. “I’m thrilled to get this opportunity.”

  Masters, Dillon and Cooper was one of the premier advertising agencies in the Pacific Northwest. They handled major corporate clients with ties in the area, including an international coffee chain, a well-known airline, an adventure vacation company and many more. This was the chance of a lifetime. Exactly the kind of position she’d envisioned when she’d chosen marketing as her major.

  She’d been working her ass off the past five years to earn this kind of opportunity and couldn’t believe she’d succeeded in landing it almost immediately after graduation.

  Her hands started trembling, so much that Kennedy had to press the phone tight against her ear in order to hear the rest of what Simone said.

  “Excellent. We’re excited
to have you on board. But we need you here in three weeks. Is that doable?”

  Kennedy began pacing, her restless energy and excitement needing an outlet so she wouldn’t squeal into the phone and scare the poor woman on the other end.

  But that was a mistake, because when she turned, her gaze collided with Asher’s from across the terminal. He was watching her, that intense stare sending another shot of adrenaline through her body.

  His presence was a reminder of the hurdles she still had to jump in order to make this work.

  “As I mentioned in my interview, I’m in the middle of a major project that I can’t simply walk away from, but it should be complete by then.”

  “Excellent, because your start date is important. Mr. Masters, Ms. Dillon and Mr. Cooper are forming a new division of the company and plan to make you part of that team. The kickoff meeting is in three weeks, and they require everyone present then.”

  Kennedy swallowed, anxiety twisting in her belly. Three weeks wasn’t a very long time to get her life ready to move across the country, especially when she would be spending the majority of that on a ship in the middle of the Caribbean. But this was too good an opportunity to pass up.

  “That shouldn’t be a problem.”

  “Wonderful. I’ll send you an email with more details and some paperwork we’ll need you to complete. Safe travels and we’ll speak soon.”

  Kennedy murmured her goodbyes.

  In an ideal world she’d have taken the time to make lists, sift through details and plan. But she was about to board a plane and then hop immediately onto a ship heading for the open sea. She didn’t have the luxury of time.

  And if making a handful of phone calls saved her the torture of sitting back down next to Asher, even better.

  The first call she placed was to Jackson. He’d been aware that she’d interviewed, but decided not to tell his business partners about her potential resignation until it was an actuality. Luckily, it was late afternoon where he was. Unfortunately, he didn’t answer his phone, so she had to leave him a message. Not the way she wanted to break the news to him, but with the difference in their time zones and them both soon being in remote locations, she didn’t have much choice.

  The next call was to her parents, who were thrilled she’d gotten the position but upset she’d be leaving so soon. After sweet-talking her mom into some sorting and packing, Kennedy hung up the phone, still buzzing and giddy from the excitement.

  Until she turned, her gaze landing on Asher once more and the blatant reminder that several things still had to fall into place.

  No matter what happened, this documentary had to be completed on time if she had any hope of making it to Seattle.

  2

  IT HAD BEEN several months since he’d been on the Amphitrite, but he always enjoyed being out in the field. Asher pulled the sea air into his lungs, letting it fill him up. Warm sun beat down on his skin, reminding him just why he did this.

  There was nothing like making your living with the beach as your office. Any beach. He’d seen some of the most gorgeous sites in the world...and some of the worst humanity had to offer.

  But that was behind him, and something he’d never even think about changing. Serving with the SEALs had been an honor. A legacy. The best thing he could ever hope to do with his life.

  He’d grown up with stories of his father, the hero. The flag they’d handed his grandmother across the casket had hung on the wall above his bed.

  All things considered, his life had turned out pretty well...even if there were days he felt empty.

  He might not have any real family—because it was difficult to think of his mom as family when he hadn’t heard from her in twenty-seven years—but he didn’t need any. He’d forged his own connections in the brotherhood he’d found with the SEALs and the two men he considered closer than friends. Jackson, Knox and the rest of the Trident team were all the family he needed.

  The quiet shush of water against the hull of the ship worked to center him. A welcome distraction from the fiasco that was about to unfold.

  It was late afternoon, the heavy orange-red sun hanging low against the horizon as they headed away from Nassau. It would take them several hours to reach the dive site. The team had come into port to get supplies and pick up Kennedy, himself and the production crew that had met them at the dock.

  Asher had studiously avoided Kennedy and the pile of heavy black cases and bags that had been loaded on under her watchful eye. It was better for his peace of mind.

  Unfortunately, her voice, sharp with censure, floated across the deck, making that difficult. “Be careful with that!”

  He turned, slumping against the hard railing, arm outstretched across the smooth surface. His gaze followed her every move. She was a hard woman to ignore.

  Kennedy was a whirlwind of action. She made him tired just watching. A tiny stick of dynamite. She was bossy, full of opinions and not hesitant about sharing them...with anyone and everyone. Honestly, she reminded him quite a lot of his grandmother.

  He’d loved his grandma with all his heart. Had been devastated when she passed six years into his tour with the SEALs. She’d been tough and smart, sweet and exacting. She’d pushed him, often beyond the boundaries he thought he could reach.

  But she’d loved him. In his entire life, his grandmother had been the only woman who ever had.

  Kennedy was a princess, but not the annoying self-centered kind. It had taken him one family function with her brother and father both present to realize the men in her life had given her confidence, made her feel secure in herself and her place.

  And that confidence looked good on her, even if it was occasionally intimidating.

  She was barely five feet, but it was hard to remember that when she looked at you out of those whiskey-colored eyes, so warm and bright. He liked whiskey, especially on her.

  Kennedy directed the group of people milling about. They reminded him of a colorful school of fish, darting here and there without any real direction. But he had no doubt she would bring order.

  She instructed the production crew where to store their gear and what bunks they’d be occupying for the next few weeks. Without so much as a cheat sheet. Kennedy knew exactly who was who, where they belonged and kept all the shit straight in her head.

  It was impressive.

  And why she’d be so damn successful.

  At first he’d been very vocal about his reluctance to hire Kennedy. She was young, still in college, and they’d been a fledgling company with enough things working against them. He’d wanted to hire someone with experience and contacts that could help get Trident Diving and Salvage established.

  And then he’d met her. And his protests had doubled, not because he thought she couldn’t do the job—it had taken him five minutes to know that she could—but because he’d needed to put as much distance between them as possible for his sanity.

  So he’d pushed in every way he could imagine, placing walls and anger and animosity between them, hoping they’d be insurmountable obstacles.

  But somehow Kennedy always seemed to scale them.

  About twenty minutes after they’d shoved off, the chaos abated. She stood on the now quiet deck, her feet spread wide to compensate for the motion of the ship. Asher had the perfect view of her ass and the tight denim shorts that cupped the curve of it. He wanted to run his palm up the bare skin of her thigh, slipping his fingers beneath the hem.

  Biting back a curse, he watched her shoulders rise and fall on a heavy sigh. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides for several seconds before she unfurled them.

  “Did you enjoy the show?” she finally asked, turning just enough to look at him across the slope of her shoulder.

  He grinned. It shouldn’t matter that she’d known he was there, watching. But it did.

  “Always entertaining to watch you work, cupcake.”

  Her mouth tightened, and something dangerous flashed through her golden eyes before she got c
ontrol of it again.

  Turning deliberately, she faced him, letting her gaze slip across his body, taking in his negligent pose for several seconds before crossing the deck to him.

  She stopped a couple of feet away, just out of reach. Smart woman.

  Crossing her arms over her chest, Kennedy speared him with a level gaze. “The crew would like to start tonight. Just a few test shots.”

  “Won’t it be dark?”

  Her lips twitched, drawing his attention. Part of him wanted to push until that ghost of a smile went full-blown, but he didn’t. Because her smile was deadly.

  “Did you notice all the crates? I’m pretty sure a few of them contained lighting equipment.”

  “S-Smart-ass.” Asher ground his teeth together, forcing his mouth closed.

  And there it was, what he’d been dreading from the moment Kennedy had backed him into a corner.

  He waited for her to react, but she didn’t. Instead, she shrugged. “They just want to get you on camera, no pressure and nothing important.”

  No pressure. That was a rich joke. This entire project was nothing but pressure. A situation he wasn’t trained for and had zero experience handling. Hell, even thinking about it made his tongue swell, choking him—or at least if felt that way. It would get so much worse once the camera was in front of him, that blank eye staring, judging, recording every one of his failures for eternity.

  And with Kennedy watching...all the ingredients for a full-blown disaster.

  Her eyes ran up and down his body again. With one sweeping glance she ignited every nerve ending, making them all throb relentlessly.

  He didn’t want to want this woman. And, yet, he couldn’t seem to stop his physical reactions to her—all of them.

  “I’ll have wardrobe come to your room in about an hour. You might want to take a shower.”

  Asher forced out a wicked grin. He chose his words carefully, deliberately. “You telling me I’m dirty, angel?”

  She popped out a hip, balling a fist on it and glaring at him with irritation.

  “Just so we’re on the same page, are you planning on cooperating or making this whole experience a pain in my ass?”