Pirate's Promise (Sentinels of Savannah #5) - Lisa Kessler Page 0,80

for a damned phone.”

Greyson smirked and studied the screen again. He hadn’t heard from her since the day she’d said good-bye and walked away without looking back. Why would she reach out now?

He should ignore it. Maybe she felt guilty or just wanted to see if he was still twisting in the wind. He stuffed his phone back in his pocket and finished the climb down.

When he dropped to the deck, Colton raised a brow. “Everything okay?”

“Aye.” Greyson peered up at the mast. “She’s almost ready to set sail again.”

Colton nodded. “Tomorrow, we finish installing Bob’s new appliances in the galley, and we’ll be good to go.”

“All right.” He clasped Colton’s shoulder as he headed for the gangplank. “I’ll see you then, mate.”

“Night, Greyson.”

He made it all the way back to his truck before he took his phone out again, eyeing the text. What if she was in trouble? He set the phone on the passenger seat.

She had all of Department 13 at her disposal, and he’d seen her shoot. She didn’t need protection.

Then why reach out?

He picked up the phone, cursing himself as he typed out:

It’s not practice unless the sea is moving under your feet.

Forcing himself to put his cell down, he drove home.

He’d originally bought the house between the Colonial Park Cemetery and the Savannah Theater back in 1902 and had been passing it down to himself through a family trust ever since. Drake had helped him renovate it a few years ago, so although all the historical touches remained in place, his electrical and appliances were all state of the art.

Unlike his friend Drake, Greyson had no fear of technology. He welcomed it.

Inside his garage, he allowed himself to check his phone again. There was a new text from her.

Maybe we could practice sometime.

This couldn’t lead to anything good. But he was a moth to a fucking flame. He knew better, but he couldn’t help himself. He replied quickly.

Pick a day.

He waited. No reply came. Damn it. He shoved the phone into his pocket and got out. The motion sensors in the garage lit up as he punched in the security code and entered his house. Then his phone rang.

Her name lit up on the screen, and he hesitated to answer.

Sending a text was safe. He didn’t have to hear her voice. With each buzz of his phone, the desire to hear her voice grew. He should let this go to voicemail.

But he pressed the button anyway. “Are you all right?”

There was a pause, and he instantly wished he had never hit the damned accept button. He closed his eyes and entered the house, cursing himself. What was it about this woman that made him so weak?

“I wasn’t sure you would answer.” The sound of her voice flooded him with a tempest of emotions. Relief, love, hurt, and…home.

He did his best to bottle it up, but he couldn’t jam the powder back inside the cannon now. He’d already lit the fuse. “Probably shouldn’t have.”

She cleared her throat. “I’m going to be in Savannah tomorrow. Is that too soon for target practice?”

Yes. Much too soon. He still dreamed about her nearly every night, still woke aching to hold her. And he still hadn’t deleted the damned photo off his fucking phone.

He poked at the unopened mail sitting on the counter. “I’ll be busy helping Colton and Bob install the new appliances in the Sea Dog’s galley.”

He hadn’t said no, but this excuse was the closest he could muster. Hearing her voice was a balm to his soul.

“I could come by the ship.”

He ran a shaky hand down his face, struggling to find his footing in this emotional quicksand. “What is this about?”

…

She asked herself that same question as she sat behind the steering wheel of her car with tears staining her cheeks.

Hearing his voice again had been a solace she couldn’t put into words.

She hadn’t cried since her first night back home. Back then, she’d wept for what she lost, but now… Now, her tears were from relief. After three weeks of burying herself in case work, she’d finally found her mooring. Greyson.

This man, this pirate, he was her reason for facing eternity. This wouldn’t be easy, but the second he’d answered that phone, she’d known it would be worth the effort.

Unless it was too late.

“Aura?” Just hearing Greyson say her name made her heart race. “You still there?”

“Yeah.” She took a breath, gathering her thoughts. “The honest answer is, I’m not sure. I needed to hear