he was feeling back beyond his overwhelming, head-exploding disbelief—Tash had grown up and gone off to college on the east coast, and was now dating a real, full-pedigree prince.
So when Alan—Admiral Navy—said meet Tasha’s boyfriend’s family, he was talking meet the freaking queen and her husband, the royal consort of Ustanzia.
And come on, Uncle Crazy. Like Queen Wila wouldn’t have a top-notch security team in place at her remote family compound...?
It was obvious that Alan knew exactly what Thomas was thinking as they sat in the man’s favorite local San Diego lunchtime spot, across from each other in his favorite padded booth. He said, “Yeah, I know there’ll be security at the lodge, but you damn well know that if there’s an incident, Tasha’ll run toward the danger and risk her own safety to shield the prince.”
Thomas sincerely doubted the security detail would allow that to happen, but he respectfully kept his eyebrows from going too far north as he steadied himself by looking around the busy restaurant that had become a SEAL Team Ten hangout. Not only was the food great at Werewulf’s, but in the evenings they ran classic SF movies—mostly post-apocalyptic gems—on a giant flat-screen on the wall. The audio track could be accessed via WiFi, and the owner, a friendly woman named Greykell Perks, even had high-end, noise-cancelling headphones for patrons who wanted to eat dinner and watch the films in absolute, uninterrupted peace.
According to the blackboard, ‘Wulfs was showing Buckaroo Banzai tonight. As Thomas breathed, he comforted himself by knowing that as bad as this request from Alan might seem, at least he wasn’t going to be tortured by space aliens anytime in his near future.
Although, okay. If Prince Idiot was bringing Tasha home to meet his parents, he was serious about her. So unless the royal parents didn’t particularly like the idea of her marrying their son....
She was, after all, an unruly American.
And, no. Their failure to protect her was as unlikely a scenario as his own potential impending torture by fictional characters.
Alan had taken Thomas’s long silence for the commentary that it was and was already shaking his head as Thomas finally met his gaze. “Yeah, I know, that’s just me being overprotective,” the admiral admitted. “I have checked out the queen’s security detail. The team is decent, but...” He smiled ruefully. “They’re not SEALs.”
And there it was: the one argument Thomas couldn’t deny. Add into it the fact that none of the members of the queen’s security detail were him.
But Thomas didn’t sigh heavily. At least not externally. Instead he simply nodded as Greykell brought their burgers to the table.
“Thanks, Grey.” He smiled at her before turning back to Alan. “I’ll make sure she’s safe,” he told the man—who was asking him to do this not as the top of Thomas’s chain of command at SpecWar, but as a long-time friend. “But that’s all I’ll do. She’s a grownup, so if you’re asking me to police her behavior in any way, or to keep her from—”
“God, no,” Alan interrupted him. “Of course not. I mean, this kid—Tedric—he’s not my first choice for Tasha. He’s way too entitled and self-absorbed, but... she’s been with him for over a year. She says she loves him, so... They moved in together a few months ago.”
Oh, shit, really? Thomas hadn’t known that. He clenched his teeth and forced a smile. “Well, okay then,” he said, keeping his voice light as he picked up his burger, pretending he hadn’t just lost his appetite. “I’ll stay out of sight. Low profile.”
“Yeah, no, I don’t want that,” Alan countered, and again his smile was rueful—apologetic even. “You know that expression, Walk softly, but carry a big stick? You’re kinda my big stick.”
This time, Thomas let his eyebrows rise to that full, uncensored Are you fucking kidding me...?
“I know,” Alan said, sighing heavily for both of them, “and I’m sorry, but I need you to do the whole, miserable, steely-eyed, visible bodyguard thing. Follow her wherever she goes, stand nearby at parade rest while she’s having lunch and dinner.”
“Jesus,” Thomas said, adding, “sir,” but thinking Damn, Uncle Crazy...
“Please,” Alan said. “There’s no one I trust more than you.”
So Thomas nodded. “I’ll make sure she’s safe, sir,” he said again, but he said it through clenched teeth.
“Thank you, Lieutenant.” Alan smiled and took a huge bite of his burger. Clearly his appetite was just fine.
Yeah.
Damn.
This was going to suck.
“I’m sorry, what...?” Natasha Francisco turned from zipping closed her suitcase to stare