for men in uniform for the sole purpose of putting another notch in their bedposts with someone they see as dangerous. And she never could figure out why some women found killing to be sexy, anyway—even sanctioned killing. Having done her fair share, she could say with complete honesty that there was nothing sexy about it. The men and women in the military who did it, did it for a living and, she was pretty sure, most didn't enjoy it—understood it yes, but enjoyed it, no.
She cocked her ear toward the table of men, wondering what they would say next. For a while they said nothing, so she sat back and stretched again, propping her feet on the empty plastic chair on the other side of her table. She took another sip of beer and closed her eyes.
“Shit, I'm going to ask,” she heard one of the men mutter and she couldn't help the grin that stole across her face.
“Excuse me, ma'am,” the man said as he came to stand next to her. Dani looked up into his face. It was one of the two older men from the table. He was tall and handsome and hid his eyes behind a pair of sunglasses. His brown hair was military short and his chest was defined under a gray t-shirt. Baggy shorts hid what Dani guessed was a lower half that was a perfect match with his upper half.
“Yes?” Dani said, tilting back her bottle for another sip.
“I was wondering what brings you to town?” he asked. His question was direct, nothing subtle about it, but there was an underlying hesitation that Dani found endearing—like he was trying to be more nonchalant than he was—which was difficult, coming from this six-foot-plus man.
“Work,” she replied, knowing he hoped for more of an answer, but not willing to give one yet. This was probably the most fun she would have in San Diego.
“Uh huh,” he said, crossing his arms over his chest. “At the base? I mean, I'm just curious. We don't usually see…well, let's just say that you—”
The sound of Dani's phone cut him off. “Excuse me for a minute,” she said, taking out her phone.
“It's me,” came Ty's voice.
“Drew gave you phone privileges again?”
“Yeah, well,” he cleared his throat. “What are you doing?”
“Eating at Mamarita's and chatting with another handsome SEAL,” she replied. The man standing next to her straightened and, behind his glasses, she felt his eyes snap to hers in surprise. And suspicion. “You are a SEAL right? Or used to be?” she asked him.
His brows disappeared behind his sunglasses. “Yes, ma'am.”
“And he's going to ‘ma'am’ me to death even though he's older than me,” she added, speaking back to Ty.
“What's his name?” Ty demanded.
“What's your name?” she repeated the question. For a second it looked like the SEAL might not answer, and then he spoke.
“Dan Fowler. Fawkes,” he answered, adding what she assumed was his handle.
“Like a little, red, furry fox?” she asked.
“No, like Guy Fawkes. I like to blow shit up,” he added.
That didn't surprise Dani; he looked the sort. After repeating what he'd said into the phone, she laughed, then listened to what Ty had to say.
“I'm supposed to tell you that if you even think about trying to pick me up, Ty, who I am supposed to refer to as Folsom Fuller,” she added with a smile, “will make you wish you never even had balls.”
Shock registered on Fawkes's face for a split second, and then he rocked back in laughter. “Ty Fuller?” he laughed.
Dani nodded. “Big guy, scar on his right knee, bullet bite on his butt,” she added for clarification. Fawkes laughed again.
“Hey Roddy,” he called to one of the other men. “She's Folsom's girl, that lucky son of a bitch. I told you she belonged to somebody.” Dani opted to ignore his use of the word ‘girl,’ again, and turned to look at Roddy, who was rising from his seat.
“No shit? Folsom?” he said, as he walked toward them, leaving the younger men at the table, brows furrowed, trying to put pieces together. “Well, I'll be damned,” he added stepping close enough to shake Dani's hand as she introduced herself to the two.
“That him on the phone?” Fawkes asked. Dani nodded and handed the phone to him. He took it, stepped away and started talking trash with Ty.
“So what brings you to town?” Roddy asked, taking a seat across from her. “Last I heard, Fuller was working vice. Are you vice?”