Funny how that didn’t seem like such a bad thing. Their eyes met, an unmistakable awareness sparking between them. His eyes grew even more intense, transitioning from a clear blue ice to a luminescent sapphire until they practically glowed. She felt his gaze throughout her entire body, heating her up from the inside. Her skin tingled; she could feel the blood pumping through her body with increased force as her heart began to hammer against her chest.
Kane was different, too, with his intensity. His seriousness. He was a kindred spirit. She sensed it, rather than knew it. He had it. All of the Callaghans did. It was in their eyes, in their faces, in the way they lived and looked out for each other, but she sensed it in Kane the most.
It took every ounce of control she had to break his gaze and lower her eyes. If she didn’t, she feared what she might do next. Something completely bizarre and out of character no doubt, like throwing herself into his lap and begging him to kiss her, just once. The memory of him stiffening against her the night of the evacuation was still fairly fresh in her mind; she was not anxious for him to withdraw again, not when he was becoming comfortable in her presence. She didn’t want to jeopardize that.
“So tell me,” she said, changing the subject. “What does Kane Callaghan do when he’s not secretly saving the world?”
*
Saving the world? Is that what she thought? Her shy smile and curious eyes gave nothing away; she could just be teasing him. He liked that. Most people were easy to read. It usually only took Kane a few minutes to get the full measure of a person, but she presented a bit of a challenge.
Either way, he figured a straightforward answer would work best.
“I’m an investor. I handle the family finances.”
“Really?” she asked, genuinely surprised.
“Really. Does that surprise you?”
“Yes, actually. You don’t strike me as the Wall Street type.”
He smiled, stretching the rarely used muscles around his mouth. She’d been exactly right about him not being a suit and tie kind of guy. But thanks to his brother the electronics genius, he could handle everything from anywhere accessible by satellite. And a series of customized scanner programs kept him up to date without him having to wade through all the bullshit.
“I’m curious. What type do I strike you as, then?”
“Hmmm.” Rebecca appeared to give it some serious thought. “A gladiator, perhaps. Or maybe one of those guys who did that Ultimate Fighting thing the teens are always watching on TV.”
Somewhat boldly, she let her eyes rake him up and down. Kane was glad he was sitting with his body angled and one knee up so that she would not be able to see the effect her gaze was having on him.
She laughed softly, her eyes sparkling. “I guess, based on our first meeting, that I thought you were part of the military.”
“I was, at one time.”
“Rangers?” she guessed.
“SEALs.” His father, his grandfather, and all of his brothers had been a part of the elite team. It was never questioned, it was simply done.
“Why did you leave?”
He shrugged. “I’m not very good at taking orders, I suppose.”
It would take him hours to explain all of it. How he wanted to make a difference. Thought he was. Then realized he wasn’t always confident he was fighting for the right reasons. He wanted to choose his battles, not be sent in blindly on the whim of another who didn’t have half his knowledge or any of his experience. Maybe someday, if she was still around and still interested, he’d go into more depth, but not here. Not now.
She nodded thoughtfully. He had the distinct impression that she understood what he wasn’t saying.
“What about you? What do you do when you’re not saving the world?”
“I started out wanting to be a teacher, but I guess things have a way of changing over time.”
“You know, I thought you were a nun.”
That put a grin back on her face, and she laughed. It was a light, musical sound that did something strange to his insides, warming them, making them lighter. If he didn’t know better he would have said a few knots just loosened up, too.
“I guess that explains the Mother Theresa comment,” she said. “I worked with the Sisters a lot, and often wore the same clothing to blend in. Even in the third world nuns are given a modicum of leniency and trust not extended to others. Teachers, regular relief workers, not so much.”
It was so much more than the clothing, though, that had made such an impression on him. It was her core of steel serenity, her blatant disregard for personal safety when others were in danger, and selfless acts such as the tender need she had to say a final prayer over the slain priest, knowing how much it would have meant to him. Maybe she hadn’t taken her vows, but she had the same purity of soul whether she realized it or not. It was what made her different from anyone else he had ever known.
“Did you ever consider joining them?” The question popped out before he had a chance to censor it.