Free Navy SEAL Noel by Liz Johnson Page B

the cinder blocks at his back. He rattled something off in Spanish, waved his gun and returned to picking at a piece of breakfast still stuck between his teeth.
    Jess didn’t have to speak the language to know that he wanted them to pipe down and get back to work. But how was she supposed to concentrate on emptying the metal cans when all she could think about was Will’s cryptic words the night before? He had to have a plan, because even she knew hers had been woefully inadequate to really get to safety. And he was the one trained for these kinds of situations. He was supposed to take charge and get them out of here.
    Except...except it was easier to know that in her heart than it was to keep her doubts from surfacing with each of his promises.
    By the time lunch rolled around, Sergio wasn’t even pretending to watch them anymore. He yelled something, kicked the door open and then stepped into the midday sun. Without a look over his shoulder, he closed the door on them, and Jess, who hadn’t been unguarded in the lab since she’d arrived, couldn’t repress a low giggle. “I suppose he’s as tired of watching us unpack musty boxes as we are of doing it,” she said.
    This earned her a half smile that quickly disappeared as Will hurried across the room and jumped onto the counter. “Will you watch the door? Sergio said he was hungry, so I guess he went to find some lunch. But he’ll be back. Whistle as soon as the door starts to open.”
    â€œWhat are you doing?”
    He pointed to the window that he’d opened the day before. It was barely as wide as his shoulders, which, to be fair, weren’t as skinny as they had been in high school. “I’m collecting intel.”
    She rubbed her hands together and walked in his direction. Her thoughts weren’t quite formed when she opened her mouth, the words tumbling out. “Maybe I should do that.” She waved a finger in his general direction. “I mean, you have to squat to keep from being seen. I’m short enough that I could stand there easily.”
    He glanced down at his thighs, which were indeed straining to keep him at the right level, and shrugged. “Sure. If you want to.”
    â€œI do.” Accepting his outstretched hand, she let him pull her onto the counter. Scooting in beside him, she gripped the edge of the sill with her fingertips and pulled herself up just enough to peer into the courtyard. The location of the lab gave her a partial view of the grassy common area and the big house, blocked by some of the neighboring buildings. “What should I be looking for?”
    He let out a loud laugh, and his white teeth flashed in the grim room.
    A battle raged within her—one side wanting to enjoy his laugh, which had always put her at ease and warmed her heart, and the other wanting to slug him for laughing at her. The latter won, and she pushed his shoulder with her fist.
    Will’s body swayed, which just brought on another chuckle. “What did I do?” His eyes twinkled as he bit his bottom lip—most likely to keep from laughing again.
    â€œOh, you know what you did, William Gumble.”
    â€œNow it’s getting serious.” The crinkled lines below his eyes implied just the opposite. “No one has double-named me since I turned twenty-five.”
    â€œNot even your grandmother? I seem to recall she was pretty fond of calling you by all three of your names once upon a time.”
    â€œNope.” Will took a little step forward, crowding Jess’s personal space. “Abuelita passed away three years ago.”
    â€œOh. Will.” Jess’s words were more sigh than anything else, and suddenly she was too far away from him. Close enough to feel the air around him stir as he sucked in a quick breath was still too far. She needed contact. She pressed a flat hand against his side.
    He didn’t jump or even acknowledge her touch until he turned