Diving Into Trouble

By Shona Husk

A submarine, a one-night-stand, and a forbidden workplace romance...

Kurt Garland is at a crossroads: sign for another two years as a submariner or leave and rejoin civilian life. With only weeks to make up his mind, he's torn between the financial stability and mateship of life in the Navy, and the freedom and balance outside of the military. With big life decisions on the line, Kurt needs space to think, so a one–night–stand with a sexy stranger is all he can commit to. Until his sexy stranger shows up on his submarine...

Getting accepted into the Submarine Corps was an enormous career goal for Rainy Miller, and she has no intention of screwing it up. A Marine Technician for the last eight years in the surface fleet, Rainy craves the new challenges of a submariner. With her training complete, she's about to join a boat for the first time, and her career relies on a good impression. When her one night stand shows up in the galley, she has to shut it down, walk away, pretend it never happened. But all submariners know that secrets don't stay secret for long on a sub.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Australia
• Release date: Jul 1, 2017
• ISBN: 9781489245496

Shona Husk

Shona Husk is the author of over forty books that range from sensual to scorching, and cover the contemporary, paranormal, fantasy and sci-fi romance genres. Her most recent series are Face the Music and Coven of the Raven. She lives in Western Australia and when she isn't writing or reading, she loves to cook, cross-stitch and research places she'd one day like to travel. You can find out more at www.shonahusk.com, or find Shona on Twitter and Facebook. Newsletter: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/k5n4n9

Book preview

Chapter 1

With HMAS Ellis alongside for maintenance it was an excuse to go out every weekend, and an easy way to waste money drinking in a bar when he’d much rather be watching the game at home and drinking at a fraction of the cost. Then he could’ve watched his football team lose from the comfort of his sofa.

Of course his west coast mates were happy as the Fremantle Dockers had won. Now Kurt Garland was sitting in a pub with a bunch of half-drunk sailors—not that that was extraordinary. Well maybe it was, usually they were fully drunk.

‘You having another to drown your sorrows?’ Blue leaned over and placed a hand on his shoulder.

‘Nah, I’m good. Besides someone has to drive you home.’ Being the driver was a good a good reason not to drink and to save money. He was going to need it.

‘I knew there was a reason we liked you, Sweetlips.’ Blue grinned and made his way back to the bar.

Kurt smiled and shook his head. At least he wouldn’t be nursing a hangover tomorrow. There was nothing worse than showing up at work bright and early with a pounding headache and a dry mouth and then having to cook. He’d learned that the hard way as an apprentice before joining the navy.

A group of women walked in all dressed up despite the cold. His gaze followed them for a moment. He was about to look away when one of them laughed. Her head tilted back as she spoke to her friend. They hugged and kept talking, moving away from where he was sitting.

The breath he’d been holding as she’d walked past eased out. Kurt glanced at his mates then at the women, no the woman, the one with the shoulder-length brown hair and a smile that could light up a room. She was a definite improvement on his mates.

‘Earth to Sweetlips.’

Kurt blinked. ‘What?’

‘Still sobbing about the Swans?’

No he wasn’t. He supported them because they were the New South Wales team and it was expected that he have a football team. ‘Yeah, bleeding.’ He placed his hand over his heart. He didn’t want to sit here any longer. ‘I might get a drink after all.’ He stood and moved toward the bar, but only got halfway there and stopped.

She was there sipping some kind of cocktail. As if aware that he was watching, her head turned a fraction and she caught his gaze. She smiled around her straw then went back to her conversation.

He’d taken two steps forward before he’d thought about it. Approaching her was a bad idea. She was here with people. He was here with people. People who would be watching him make this move. And yet, if he walked away he’d never get another chance.

Chance at what?

He didn’t know, but he wanted to know more about her, or at least get a chance to. No one had ever stopped him in his tracks before.

Fuck it. What did he have to lose?

Dignity, pride, not to mention the solid ribbing he’d get all the way home.

He looked at the woman again. She wasn’t wearing anything that should attract attention. Her black dress stopped mid-thigh, and she’d teamed it with black tights and boots. The only colour was her necklace, all red and silver. She was way better than anyone he’d dated in the last four years. Out of his league his father would say, before making sure every dream he had of getting out and having a better life was smashed.

Fuck him too.

Without glancing back to see whether his mates were watching, Kurt walked as casually as he could toward the woman, and her friends. He was sure he was in for a large helping of public humiliation.

She saw him approach and broke away from her friend by a few paces. The smile was still there only it was tinged with curiosity and a touch of wariness, but she was giving him a chance.

‘Hi.’ That was a predictable opening. He had to do better to keep her attention. Up close she had grey eyes, but they weren’t cold and unfriendly, at least not yet.

‘Hi.’ Her gaze slid over him like warm oil, slow as if she was observing and assessing every detail.

‘I know you’re here with your friends, but I was wondering if you’d let me buy you a drink.’ Usually if he was desperate enough to pick someone up in a bar he was much more under the influence. He’d only done it a few times and he’d regretted them all the next day. This would be different because he was almost sober … and he was sure she was about to say no.

‘It’s my sister’s birthday,’ she said pointing to the woman with dark hair that fell to her waist. He could see the resemblance.

Either she was lying and was saying no really politely or he had the worst timing. ‘I’m sorry. I hope she has a great birthday.’

He took a step back. At least she’d been nice about it. And yet her eyes weren’t saying no. There was a glimmer in them and she hadn’t turned away yet.

‘But if it wasn’t her birthday …’ Again she gave him that look as if she was quietly assessing him and liking what she saw.

His skin prickled and his temperature rose. Maybe he did have a chance with her.

‘Would you like me to come back next week?’ he said it with a smile, not being entirely serious. It was a ridiculous idea, wasn’t it?

Then she nodded. ‘Sure, why not?’ She held out her hand. Her short nails were painted red to match her necklace. ‘Rainy.’

‘Rainy?’ That was her name? He shook her hand, glad she had a firm grip. Her skin was cool against his. Her fingers slid over his as he released her. Already he missed the contact.

‘My sister is Sunflower. Maybe if you buy me that drink I’ll tell you how we were cursed with those names.’

‘I’d like to know. I’m Kurt.’ And he was sure his heart was beating a little too fast. He was hoping she didn’t notice.

‘It’s been a pleasure to meet you, Kurt. Same time next week?’

‘Sure.’ He spoke without thinking, then did the math. He wasn’t on duty next Sunday. He would come back next week in the hope that Rainy would be here. Had they just arranged a date?

No, it wasn’t that formal, it was only a second chance to buy her a drink and get to know her. Rainy turned away and rejoined her friends. A few glanced his way. This time he was well aware that they were talking about him, even if he couldn’t hear the words.

Chapter 2

Rainy Miller checked her watch; it was about the same time she’d seen him last week. She sipped her beer and pretended she wasn’t anxiously waiting for him to reappear. Usually she didn’t drink alone, but today she was making an exception and trying to be patient. Last week Kurt had wandered away from his friends and approached her, introduced himself and then asked if he could buy her a drink without the slightest hint of sleaze and the right amount of awkwardness, as though he really didn’t do things like that very often.

Any other night and she’d have accepted.

But it had been Sunny’s birthday and she was out with the girls. It had been her sister’s first birthday after separating from her husband, so Rainy had done the right thing and declined with a smile and the promise of next time.

And here she was pretending to be enjoying herself all alone, waiting for him to show.

While she could tell herself that listening to live music on a wintery Sunday evening was the perfect way to end her week off, and last night of freedom before joining the boat, in truth she’d rather be at home. She wasn’t a drink-alone-in-public kind of person. After eight years in the navy she was used to groups, loud groups. This was rather too mellow. She sipped her beer and scanned the room again. She’d really been hoping that Kurt would show tonight. They may have only spoken for a few minutes but she’d felt the snap of attraction as he’d looked her in the eye.

Perhaps she’d been too subtle. She’d been interested in him, but then who wouldn’t be? He had a nice smile, was friendly and when his hand had touched hers there’d been a definite spark. His handshake had been firm and warm, but not sweaty. She looked at her half-drunk beer. If he had been joking about meeting up today, she’d fallen for it. She sighed. That showed how desperate she was for a date and for sex. Not that she had time to date, but spending an evening with Kurt would’ve been nice. Spending the night would’ve been better.

She shivered. She really needed to get laid while she had the chance. There was no way she was sleeping with crewmates—she’d seen that turn sour fast more than once. And she didn’t like the idea of being celibate for another six months.

He had until she finished this glass, which was why she was drinking extra slowly. She shook her head. At least if he didn’t show up no one would ever know, except Sunny. Despite her sister telling her it was okay and to go for it last week, she couldn’t. She didn’t ditch her friends because something else suddenly turned up, even if that something else was dark-haired, brown-eyed and exactly the type to make her body remember how long it had been between lovers.

Kurt could be what she needed. If he showed up.

Waiting was making her heart beat a little faster, which she wrote off as nerves, not tightly chained desire. He probably wouldn’t show. It had been a one-off thing. She should’ve stayed home … and what? Triple-checked her things, reread everything about the Collins Class engines? Fretted about joining a boat for the first time?

Joining a ship was nerve-wracking enough—much like changing schools—joining a submarine where the crew was smaller and closer knit would be worse. She drew in a breath. This is what she wanted though. A new challenge and the chance to be based in her home state, instead of over east. She’d gotten through selection, through sub school, the whole time realising the size of the challenge she’d bitten off. When she sailed it would be three months in a tin can with forty or so other people, most of them guys.

Guys who were still not sure about women on subs even though it had been over a decade, guys who didn’t care as long as the job got done, guys who would give her shit because she was a stoker and worked on the engines.

She’d been proving the last type wrong for years and she was almost excited to be able to do her thing, hundreds of metres below the surface. How many mechanics could say that? She was smiling as she took her next sip, her gaze taking in the crowd again.

Fremantle had a very different feel to the bars in Rockingham near the base, HMAS Stirling, where the boats were based. The forty-minute drive to work was worth it. Freo had always been her home, her parents were Freo hippies, her sister was a Freo hippie … her parents joked that she must have been switched at birth.

Her casual perusal of the bar patrons stopped on a man coming in. His dark-brown hair and stubble-dusted jaw had been lodged in her mind all week, but he hadn’t seen her yet. Maybe he wasn’t alone, or he was meeting someone else. Perhaps he’d picked up someone else after she’d rejected his offer. She tried to ignore the sting of pain that thought caused. After all, she’d been the one to say no.

Rainy held her breath for a moment and watched as he scanned the area and moved toward the bar. He didn’t appear to greet anyone. The room grew too warm. Either the patio heaters were being overly efficient at holding back the winter evening chill or she was more nervous than she thought she was. She let out the breath. It was now or never and if he didn’t remember her she could leave. No harm, just a pinch of regret. She finished what was left of her beer and stood.

Her heart bounced as she approached—had he been this anxious when approaching her to ask if she’d like a drink? Probably not. The guys she served with wouldn’t get wound up about hitting on a woman, although they’d moan about the knockback later.

Kurt was still alone as she leaned on the bar next to him. She swallowed, shoved her nerves into a back corner and smiled. ‘Have you ordered or can I get you a drink?’

‘I’m good …’ he glanced her, almost looked away, then his eyes widened and his lips curved in recognition. Her heart stopped bouncing long enough to flop over in a giddy summersault. ‘I didn’t expect to see you here.’

His voice was exactly as she’d remembered, sexy. Bet it sounded really good first thing in the morning. Then she realised what he’d said. He’d turned up not expecting to see her.

‘Were you meeting someone else?’

He shook his head. ‘I was hoping you’d be here.’

‘I live local.’ As in ten minutes on a good day, driving.

The bartender put a beer down in front of him and Kurt pulled out his wallet. ‘I owe you one from last week. What would you like?’

She glanced briefly at the wines behind the bar. She’d much rather a nice glass of shiraz, but she had to drive so low-strength beer it was. Like a gentleman, Kurt paid for both. She’d have to buy the next round if things went well. Keep it simple, this wasn’t a date … she didn’t know what it was, but he’d turned up. His smile was contagious and made her body warm like chocolate left on the dash.

They picked up their drinks and found an empty table with a couple of chairs. The table needed clearing of the previous occupants’ empties but she ignored the mess.

‘So is this your local pub?’ Kurt asked, resting his elbows on the table as he leaned forward so they could talk over the music.

‘It’s the one I go to if I feel like drinking out.’ Which wasn’t that often. Although she was sure that once she was on the boat that would change. There’d be after-work drinks and social occasions she’d be expected to go to. It had been nice not to do the social, fitting in, crew-bonding thing for a while. However once she was in, she’d be fine. She always was. She just had to get through those awful first few weeks.

Nerves about tomorrow fluttered in her chest. Instead of thinking about all the things that might happen tomorrow, she focused on what might happen with Kurt tonight. She’d had a week to think about what she’d like to happen if he turned out to be nice and normal. But she was also a realist and she wasn’t going to have the time or energy to put into a new boyfriend who wouldn’t get it. It wouldn’t be fair on either of them. Whatever happed with Kurt would be short-term. And she was fine with that, even if agreeing to meet him and then putting imaginary finish lines in the sand didn’t feel quite right.

She gave a metal shrug. It might not get past one drink. Chill. However, it was easier thought than done when he was within touching distance and she really wanted to run her fingers along his jaw and steal a kiss. She’d be able to tell after a kiss if he was worth pursuing or not. Some guys did not kiss well. ‘Is this your local?’

He shook his head. ‘Only when I’m in Freo.’

Yet he obviously lived close enough that dropping in wasn’t out of his way. ‘What do you do when you aren’t visiting my local?’ She flicked him a grin, determined to find out more about him now that she had the chance. Hopefully she hadn’t built up her expectations over the last week. Had he been thinking about her all week?

‘I’m a cook.’

Cook … interesting, and there’s been a slight pause before he’d said it. Was he lying? She decided to press a little deeper. ‘Not a chef?’

His lips curved. ‘I’d like to run my own kitchen eventually, but at the moment I’m only a cook.’ But his eyes lit up and she could tell from his voice that he enjoyed it. Perhaps he’d been embarrassed about admitting to being a cook and not a chef. ‘You?’

She learned not to say she was a Navy Marine Technician years ago. Guys took it as a challenge to their manhood. Telling Kurt she was a submariner, or would be once she’d done her time on the boat and earned her dolphins, would only rub salt in the wound. It burned that male submariners would say it in their first breath and women would practically jump down their pants, while guys practically ran from her. It would be easier if he got to know her first. ‘Mechanic.’

Which was pretty damn close to the truth, even if the diesel engines she worked on were far bigger than what most people first thought of. She took a drink of her beer while she watched his response. This could be over faster than it had begun if he had a fragile ego. So far, though, he didn’t seem that type. If he was, he’d have lied and said he was a chef.

He glanced her hands, her now regulation unpainted short nails, then back at her face as if looking for grease marks. ‘You aren’t having me on.’

‘Nope.’ So far so good.

‘Holden or Ford?’

She’d been asked that so many times, as if they expected to catch her out and prove she knew nothing. ‘For driving or racing?’

Kurt raised one dark eyebrow. ‘I wouldn’t have a clue, there’s a difference?’

A man who didn’t get excited about a brand of car? Who’d let her be the engine enthusiast? Who could cook? He was too perfect, which meant there must be a hideous flaw she had yet to uncover. All the more reason to keep this … whatever it was … short and sweet. ‘Of course there is. What do you want the car for? How do you expect the engine to perform?’

‘I want it to get me from A to B, with the occasional camping trip.’

‘Ah, so you have a four-wheel drive.’ She frowned, wanting to get her guess right. Her gaze skimmed his clothing, jeans, shirt and jacket and the way there were no obvious brand names. Yet he dressed well and he looked good, really good. ‘Probably five years old and you didn’t buy it new.’ That was a long shot, for all she knew he had a brand new 4WD and the big loan to match—but he didn’t seem like that guy and his 4WD actually went off road.

He laughed and shook his head. For a moment she thought she was way off the mark, but there was no mockery there. ‘Almost. It’s seven years old. It was two when I bought it and had never been out of the city.’ He held her gaze, his eyes still bright with laughter. ‘I’m not even going to guess what you drive, but I’m willing to guess you don’t drink that beer at home.’

‘Maybe I do.’ She took a deliberate drink without breaking eye contact.

‘You looked at the wine before ordering.’

‘I’m driving, so low-strength beer makes more sense if I’m drinking socially.’ So far this wasn’t weird at all and he was making an effort to keep the conversation going and get to know her. Lust burned in her body and her big idea about taking him home for some fun seemed a little more likely. Would he be interested?

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled. Her heart was going at one thousand revs per minute. Too fast to be safe. ‘I was hoping you’d come back here tonight.’

He gave a small nod, his attention on her, not the other patrons. ‘You said next weekend and it didn’t seem like you promise random guys another chance.’

If he hadn’t been so polite, even wishing her sister happy birthday, she wouldn’t have. She had standards, unlike some sailors. But now she was here, she wanted more than talk and she didn’t want to play by the rules and wait three dates before suggesting it. Would he think she was too forward, or worse, cheap? She took a breath; he might be a terrible kisser. She’d have to check before she suggested anything more intimate. There was a splinter of doubt that he might not want sex. What if he was too nice? ‘And if I hadn’t shown up?’

‘I’d have had a beer, grabbed a wood-fired pizza and chalked it up to experience. But you were here first, waiting.’

‘Not for long.’ Liar. She’d been there for twenty minutes because she’d wanted to be there early in case she missed him. ‘If you hadn’t have showed up I’d have gone to the Italian ice-creamery down the road and then gone home for some TV watching.’ Now that was the truth.

***

‘We sure know how to spend a Sunday evening,’ Kurt said.

She smiled and gave a little laugh, as if agreeing. Last week when he’d seen her with the other women, she’d been magnetic. Her light brown hair had been out, the ends skimmed her shoulders, and her hands had flitted about as she talked. He’d had to make himself look away. Tonight was no different.

He wanted to move his hand over the table to touch hers. Lean in and kiss her, but he didn’t move. Just because they were enjoying a drink didn’t mean it was going to go any further. Even if he had imagined it going further during the week.

He hadn’t told his mates he was coming back, as far as they knew she’d knocked him back and that was that. Even as he’d driven up here today he’d been trying to convince himself that she’d just been being nice and that she wouldn’t actually be here, so he wouldn’t be disappointed when she wasn’t. When she’d appeared at his side he’d almost thought he was dreaming.

‘Well,’ her voice lowered to a soft purr. ‘We’re both here now, so perhaps we can make more interesting plans.’ She gave him a look that invited him to make a suggestion.

While he might have had thoughts of extending this evening—he might have even made sure he was prepared to extend the evening beyond a few drinks—he wasn’t ready to put that on the table. He didn’t want to rush and stumble when he was enjoying her company so much. There was a lot to be said for going slow.

But he was unable to resist touching her for any longer. He ran his fingers over the back of her hand, her skin like silk beneath his fingertips. She was holding her glass as though she expected it to run away. How far did she want to take this?