It had been a dick move to go around Audrey to get approval for the training, but he’d had no choice. She, however, did have a choice, and if she’d come here today to stop the trial run for the op, she’d find herself more than out of a job. He’d see to it she landed in jail. “What are you doing here?” he asked. “This place is restricted during the trainings. You know that.”

She startled. “Training? What?”

“If you’re here to stop the op—” He caught himself and added, “Exercise, then I can—and will—have you arrested.”

“I didn’t know one of your trainings was happening now.” She glanced around as if she expected to see a platoon of SEALs watching. Perhaps hoping for rescue. No such luck. The team wouldn’t arrive until after dark. They were on Whidbey Island right now, being briefed on their mission.

He’d been planning this op since October, and he’d be damned if he’d let Audrey ruin it because her ego was in a twist. He stood and pulled her to her feet. “Bull. Why else would you be here? Everyone who was involved in the permitting process was notified the lodge complex and surrounding parklands are off-limits this week.”

She glared at him. “You had me cut out of the permitting process. I wasn’t notified. I’m here because my cameras went out all at once and I’m afraid looters have hit the site again.”

He frowned. “You have cameras? Here?”

“They’re looking over the village site about a mile from here. Not far from Kaxo Falls.”

“Then what the hell were you doing trying to break into the basement?”

Her pretty hazel eyes narrowed, and her bottom lip overlapped the top in a classic glare that had him suppressing a smile. He had a flash of memory of a very different view of those eyes and that mouth. Damn, it had been a night to remember. She’d had a libido to match his and a joyful energy that had made their one night together nothing short of amazing.

In the weeks following that first, memorable meeting, he’d planned to ask her out again. But he had to wait until after she signed off on the Finding of No Significant Impact for the Environmental Assessment that had been a required part of the proposal. He’d known that to prevent any perceived bias, there could be no visible relationship between them while the proposal was under review. He’d hoped she’d never learn he’d been part of the proposed training at all. But then she’d refused to sign off on the FONSI, leaving him no choice but to find another way to get approval. Unfortunately, another way had meant throwing her under the bus.