Chapter 1

One

Jessica Killian stretched her leg on the barre, curving her body over so she could touch the top of her pointe shoe with her index finger. Her muscles strained and she welcomed the burn. There was nothing like ironing out her kinks and making her form nimble and loose, ready to take to the stage for her part as a ballerina in the opening dance sequence for the show.

A bout of nerves slammed into her; another thing she welcomed. If she didn’t get pre-show jitters, she worried something bad was going to happen.

Not that Jess never got jitters—she always did—but today they seemed more intense.

More fluttery.

Was it because this was the last leg of the national tour, and afterwards, her next career move was up in the air?

Was it because she was in San Diego?

Was it because there was a Naval base nearby?

Jess didn’t allow herself to think too much about the last idea. When she’d seen the list of cities on the tour, San Diego was their last port of call.

The Naval Base, Coronado, was close by.

Finn Spelling lived in San Diego.

Jess adjusted her stance and bent at the waist, feet flat on the ground, and touched her toes.

Finn.

She never allowed herself to think too much about Finn, her mom’s nephew. Her cousin by marriage only—there was no blood connection between them. Their family history was complicated. Her birth mom had died when she was a baby and she had no memories of Debbie Killian. When her dad had fallen in love with Finn’s aunt Poppy, she was happy to have a mom and she loved her with her whole heart. Finn, whose own parents had died when he was six had been adopted—not by his aunt Poppy who’d been his original guardian—but by Cerise and Brodie.

Yep—complicated.

Finn was the first boy she’d ever loved.

First boy she’d ever kissed.

First boy who’d broken her heart.

“Enough,” she muttered. There wasn’t any chance she and Finn would run into each other. He was a SEAL now, and likely deployed, doing something too dangerous for her to comprehend.

He was nowhere near her. Or this theatre. She could count on one hand the amount of times Finn had come to see her dance. She’d stopped getting her mom to invite his mom and dad to her performances after the fifth time they’d come, and he hadn’t shown up since.

Even now, disappointment sat low in her belly. All the times she’d looked into the audience, hoping to see his face, came back to her, but she’d found only an empty seat next to her mom’s.

“Dammit, you’re over this. Get your head in the game,” Jess chided. The last thing she needed was to be distracted and cause herself an injury.

Her career hung in the balance; getting injured now would put a nail in the coffin for getting another contract with the dance company. As it was, they were wary after what’d happened to her last year.

Another shudder rippled down Jess’s spine, but it had nothing to do with nerves and everything to do with Bartholomew Anderson.

He’d come so close to ruining everything for her. He hadn’t succeeded. There was no way he could touch her now. Not when he was locked away on the other side of the country.

Her mom and dad had wanted to come out in the hopes of seeing her final show, but her little sister was sick, so they’d stayed in San Antonio.

It sucked. Jess had been looking forward to seeing her parents. She needed one of her dad’s big bear hugs. Maybe it was better they hadn’t come, because Mom would’ve insisted on seeing Finn, if he was in town.

Jess’s aim was to do the show and hopefully not run into her former crush.

Heat coursed through her cheeks, remembering the last time she’d seen him. Four years ago, she’d just turned twenty-one, and had had one too many drinks with her friends. She’d graduated from Julliard and been offered a position as a dancer with the Baxter Dance Company, one of the most elite dance organizations in America, and she’d been thrilled.

Finn had turned up at the bar in his dress whites, looking sinfully sexy. He’d been to a Navy Ball and he and his friends had decided to hit the town. Out of hundreds of bars in New York, he’d walked into the one where she’d been.

Her friends had fallen all over themselves to get close to him and his friends.

Finn had asked her to dance and, on the crowded dance floor, they’d shared a kiss.

A heat of the moment, totally unexpected kiss.

A kiss that still curled her toes when she thought about it—which she tried not to. Especially before a big performance—like tonight.

A kiss that was still the best kiss she’d ever had.

“You ready, Jessica?” Madame Baxter, the director of the dance company, stared her down, as if she’d read Jess’s mind and discovered she wasn’t focused on her routines or her performance.

“ Oui, madame .” Jess bobbed her head.

Geraldine Baxter wasn’t French, but insisted that everyone call her madame and use French wherever possible in their responses.

“Good. Make sure you keep your posture straight during your solo. You slouched during practice today.”

“ Oui, madame .” Jess blew out a breath when the director left to go berate another dancer.

There were so many things she loved about dancing with the Baxter Dance Company, particularly the variety of dance genres they performed, but sometimes, Madame Baxter made life unbearable.

Maybe she should take some time off after the tour was over, before she accepted another contract—if she got one.

Maybe she should spend some time with her family in San Antonio. Although after being independent and living by herself for years, it’d be hard to go back to live with her parents and have to explain where she was going.

Why she got up in the middle of the night, to check the locks on the doors for the fiftieth time. Keeping what she’d gone through the previous year from her parents had been tough, but she hadn’t wanted them to worry. In the end, it’d all worked out and now the threat was gone.

Again, she pushed the thoughts of Bartholomew away and focused on getting her mind fully on the upcoming performance. Jess always gave everything she had to make sure the patrons that turned up left inspired and happy.

Petty Officer Third Class Finn ‘Hive’ Spelling straightened his jacket and waited out in front of the theatre for his date. He had no idea what she looked like, only that she’d be wearing a green dress.

His teammate Brennan ‘Oak’ Oakley had convinced him to join him and his current girlfriend, Sylvia, on this date. Oak didn’t want to have to sit through a dance show by himself.

Finn always tried to avoid anything to do with dance. It brought back memories of Jess, and the way she’d always danced around him when he was a kid. He firmly buried the memory of how she’d felt in his arms and the way her body moved against his, the one and only time they’d danced together in a crowded New York bar.

“Fuck,” he muttered, as his body flared to life. Great, he was going to greet his date with a hard-on. One in no way intended for her. “Way to make a first impression.”

“Who you talking to?” Oak slapped his shoulder.

“No one. Where’s Sylvia?” He looked around for Oak’s date.

“She got a call. She’ll be here any second.” His buddy shoved his hands in his pants pockets. “Sylvia said Marian is nice. You should have a good time tonight.”

Finn stared in disbelief at the words spouting from his friend. “Right. That remains to be seen.”

Sylvia appeared, shifting from foot to foot, as if uncomfortable in her fancy shoes. “I’m so sorry, but Marian can’t make it. She...um”—she looked away, red bursts blooming in her cheeks—“She got back together with her boyfriend.”

Had he heard her correctly?

Have I just been stood up?

Why the hell had he agreed to a blind date?

How many blind dates turned into forever?

None.

How many blind dates ended in disaster? Just about every one, and tonight was no exception.

“Great. Good to know. I guess I’ll be going then,” Finn grumbled, annoyed he’d gotten dressed up for nothing. Although, part of him was relieved he didn’t have to walk into that theatre and see the show.

“No!” Oak shouted.

He turned, arching an eyebrow and crossing his arms over his chest. “No? You want me to play third wheel on your date?”

Oak shrugged. “You’re here. Seems a waste to head back to base to stare at the ceiling of your room.”

Finn lived on base. It was easy and convenient. It wasn’t like he couldn’t afford to purchase a house. He had a trust fund that had many zeroes in it. He just didn’t like to touch that money.

He preferred to live off what he earned. His parents were proud of him for doing what he was doing. No way would they have any issue with him using his trust fund to make his life more comfortable.

But the last thing he wanted to do was throw his wealth around, although all his teammates knew who he was and who his father was—Brodie Spelling, tech billionaire turned rancher and volunteer firefighter/paramedic.

“I don’t know. My ceiling is pretty entertaining,” Finn drawled.

“I’m really sorry about Marian, Finn. I had no idea she was still talking to her ex. Otherwise, I never would’ve suggested Oak ask you to come along this evening. But...” Sylvia fluttered her eyelashes. “You’re here, and we have a ticket. I’ve heard it’s a really good show. It’s been getting rave reviews.”

He didn’t care if it was getting bad reviews. He’d rather be anywhere else than standing in front of a theatre, dumped by a woman he’d never even met.

It shouldn’t bother him, but it did. Finn had always wanted the type of love his parents shared, but his occupation made it hard to make a relationship stick. Most of the women he met were only interested in sleeping with a SEAL.

Part of the reason he’d agreed to the date was because Sylvia wasn’t that type of woman. She seemed to really like Oak, and his buddy liked her too.

Oak caught his eye. “Come on, Hive. Maybe you’ll catch the eye of one of the dancers. Or patrons.”

Yeah, Finn wasn’t looking for a hookup, but he could see the desperation shining in his friend’s eyes. Oak wanted to be there as much as he did. This was one of his brothers. He’d give his life for him.

Finn supposed he could give a few hours. “Fine. As you said, I’m already here.”

“Excellent.” Oak’s relief was stamped all over his face.

“Shall we go in?” Sylvia took Oak’s arm and headed toward the large, open doors.

Finn took a deep breath and followed. There was a low buzz of conversation as they crossed the threshold, where people milled together. They all looked excited and happy to be there.

He wished he had some enthusiasm, but he didn’t. Being back at a theatre, about to see a dance show, was messing with him. It was bringing up memories and feelings he’d long ago buried.

Everything about this night was annoying but confusing at the same time. Annoying because he’d readied his mind to meet a total stranger. Confusing because of being back in a world he’d avoided because it reminded him of the one person he shouldn’t want.

A person Finn had tried hard to forget, even though it was virtually impossible, considering their familial relationship.

A person whose smiling face was gazing down from the large banner hanging from the ceiling.

“Jess.” He whispered her name from the depths of his soul. Finn skidded to a halt, staring up at her image.

The four years since he’d last seen her dropped away and, even though he was looking at a picture, he was back in the bar in New York, holding her as she danced. Laughing with her. Kissing her and almost losing his mind with need.

In this photo, she was even more beautiful than she had been that night. Her hair up in a tight bun. Her red-stained lips stretched wide. Jess’s eyes sparkled, as though she’d been laughing only seconds before the image had been captured.

“Hive? You good?” Oak’s voice dragged Finn back from his memories, and the chatter from the patrons seemed louder than it had when he’d walked in.

“Yeah, I’m good. Sorry.”

Oak studied him, and Finn kept his face neutral—at least he hoped he did.

During his time as first a combat medic and now a SEAL, Finn had learned to keep his face emotionless. It wasn’t always easy passing on bad news, not to mention giving himself a modicum of separation from the injured person he was treating.

“Do you know her?” Oak asked, pointing to Jess’s picture.

How did he answer that?

There was a certain gleam in his teammate’s eyes, as if he was finally going to get some hot gossip to share with the rest of the guys.

One thing Finn had always prided himself on was his honesty. The guys knew he came from a wealthy family. Knew who his dad was. What they didn’t know, was too much about his family.

They knew he had a sister, but not that his parents weren’t his birth parents. Or that his childhood with his aunt hadn’t been the greatest after his parents died. He’d long ago accepted it and moved on. He now had a good relationship with his aunt.

Fuck, did that mean Aunt Poppy and Slick were here to see Jess perform?

No, if Aunt Poppy was coming, she would’ve told his mom, who would’ve called or emailed him to see if he’d be around so his aunt could see him.

“Yeah, I know her,” he murmured.