“I said, would you like to dance?” Seth said.
“Oh, sure.”
She took his hand and allowed him to lead her onto the dance floor. His other hand rested at her waist and she placed hers on his shoulder. They joined other dancers as they moved slowly to the music.
Seth seemed to be a nice enough guy. Completely normal, and in her family’s opinion, a safe choice. While he was a cop, he was a detective and not out patrolling the mean streets and putting his life on the line. Plus, she was sure her family would love a man with two children.
Mentally, she shook her head at that thought. Were they kidding? She hadn’t been sure about one child when she’d gotten pregnant with Katie. She loved her daughter, but going through all that again but this time with two? Not interested.
“So, how do you like being back in California?” she asked him as they danced.
“It’s good to be home. My mother has been a godsend with my kids when I have to work.”
She nodded. “I bet. Are you meeting some nice women then?”
“Some. Patrick said he tried to fix us up.”
With a gritted smile, she said, “That’s true, but I’m dating someone, so…” She shrugged.
“Where is he tonight?”
“He would be standing right behind you.”
Ben’s deep voice sent her butterflies soaring.
“Ben,” Holly exclaimed. Her heart leapt into her throat. His voice sent her stomach into quivers as goose bumps marched down her back. She dropped Seth’s hand and smiled at Ben. “Seth, this is Benjamin Blackwell. Ben, Seth Garrett.”
“Mr. Garrett. If I might steal my woman away? I haven’t seen her in three long weeks.”
Seth didn’t study the muscular man long before surrendering Holly. “Of course. Holly, nice to meet you. Another time, maybe.”
Ben put his arms around Holly and moved to the music. “Gone only three weeks and you find another man to dance with,” he grumbled.
She laughed and wrapped her arms around his waist. “I tried dancing alone, but everyone kept looking at me.”
His deep chuckled vibrated her chest. “You look incredible. When I walked in and saw the back of your dress, my first thought was to throw you over my shoulder and hurry home. Then I realized that was probably an inappropriate response.”
“You like, huh?”
“Very much.”
“When did you get home?”
“About an hour ago.”
“Oh, Ben. And you came here.”
“Well, you know, the tux was hanging at my house. What else could I do?”
“What else, indeed.” She tightened her arms and squeezed his waist. “I’m glad to see you in one piece.”
He hugged back, but didn’t respond to her statement. “What’d I miss while I was gone?”
“I quit Coronado Beach lifeguard program.”
“You did? Why?”
“The last night we were together, Katie said some things that woke me up. We don’t have to have that money. I need to be there for her.” She groaned. “The teenage years.”
“Don’t remind me.”
“Yours were rough?”
They swayed to the music for a few minutes before he said, “Mine were hell.”
* * *
He’d said more to Holly about his background than even his closest SEAL buddies knew. He wasn’t even sure Rooster and Cowboy knew he wasn’t from California. They’d assumed he was, and he’d never corrected them. It didn’t matter what they believed.
Thinking back to the dump where he’d grown up, it was hard to believe he was in the finest country club in the city, dressed in a fancy, black tuxedo while dancing with the most beautiful and fascinating woman he’d ever met. None of this seemed real.
When their plane had landed back in California, the team had been ready to split. Together twenty-four-seven for twenty-one days made them a little testy, especially since they hadn’t come up with a successful plan. The U.S government wanted Popov stopped. They preferred he be snatched out of North Korea alive for the intel he could provide. Eliminating him remained the option of last resort.
Once off the plane, he’d sped home to shower and dress for tonight, fully aware he would arrive unfashionably late, and he had. When his invitation had arrived, he’d been surprised at the location for the event. He hadn’t known that Bethany came from money. She’d always seemed down to earth.
When his GSP directed him to the drive of la Spiaggia Country Club, and he turned through the rock posts with the gas lanterns, he’d had to chuckle. If his old man could see his worthless son now.
He’d pulled into the circle drive as directed. The valets were busy delivering cars to departing guests rather than parking cars when he’d arrived. He’d handed his keys to the first valet he saw and headed to find Holly.
Stepping through the glass doors into the lobby had been like entering a foreign world of wealth and prestige. The carpet beneath his shoes was thick and cushioned. A pleasant floral scent filled the lobby, possibly coming from the enormous fresh floral arrangement on a large, round foyer table. Oil paintings of the club’s founders were shown under subtle spotlights. The lobby’s lighting was subdued, projecting a calming effect.
Following the music, he’d made his way toward an event room at the rear of the building that sat on a cliff overlooking crashing ocean waves. Along the walls of this room stood long tables of food which appeared to be refreshed often. As he’d looked for Holly, he’d seen the food platters disappear and reappear with new and different finger foods. Waitstaff circulated with trays of champagne. If expensive champagne—he assumed it was expensive given everything else—wasn’t to your liking, there were four open bars occupying the four corners of the room. A live band played from a stage at one end. Couples in formal attire swayed to the music on the wooden dance floor.
“You made it.”
Benjamin turned toward the voice and smiled. Bethany swooped up and kissed his cheek.
“I’m so glad you’re here,” she said. “Holly told me you were out of country.”
“Got back a little while ago. I couldn’t miss your party.” He winked. “I was at the dinner where you passed out threats.” He did a fake shiver. “You’re scary.”
She and Lawrence laughed.
“You’re telling me,” Lawrence said. “You ought to be engaged to her.”
Benjamin smiled. “She’s a catch, Lawrence. You’re a lucky man.”
He looked at Bethany and back at Benjamin. “I know. Hey, have you seen Holly yet? Does she know you’re here?”
“I haven’t. I mean, I literally just walked in.”
Bethany turned around and studied the crowd. She pointed toward the dancers. “There she is. Black dress. Open back with a long strand of pearls.”
Benjamin followed her finger and found Holly in the arms of another man. Granted they were simply dancing, but an unfamiliar emotion hit him right in his gut. He didn’t like it…not the vision of her in another man’s arms and not the jolt of jealousy that sucker punched him.
“Who’s she dancing with?” He hoped the answer would be something like Bethany’s uncle or her gay first cousin.
“Oh, that’s Seth Garrett,” Lawrence answered. “He works with us at the SDPD.”
Benjamin teeth ground together. “I think I’ll go surprise her.”
“Great,” Bethany said brightly. “I know she’ll be thrilled.”
“I hope so,” he muttered under his breath.
Holly was talking to her dance partner as Benjamin walked through the crowd toward them. He hesitated as he neared. She’d wanted him as a blocker from arranged dates. Nothing was ever said about using him to deflect men she might be interested in. Sure, she’d said she wasn’t looking for love or anything long term, but what if what they were doing with the fake relationship ruse interfered with her meeting a perfect guy, someone she would be interested in spending more time with. That wouldn’t be right.
>
But the thought of her in someone else’s arms, loving and sleeping with another man, made him queasy. Maybe this was something they needed to address because right now, she looked happy and at ease with this guy.
“Where is he tonight?” the man was asking Holly as Benjamin stopped beside them.
“He would be standing right behind you,” Benjamin said, not liking the jealous tone he heard in his own voice.
Holly turned toward him and beamed a bright smile. “Ben.”
Hearing her say his name hit him like a powerful aphrodisiac. His first thought was to hustle her out the door and to his house, and then fuck her until the sun rose.
He glared at her hand being held by her dance partner.
She released the man’s hand. “Seth, this is Benjamin Blackwell. Ben, Seth Garrett.”
“Mr. Garrett,” Benjamin said, struggling to keep his voice light and nonthreatening when what he wanted to do was knock the man flat for holding Holly too closely. “If I might steal my woman away? I haven’t seen her in three long weeks.”
Seth looked at Benjamin and shrugged. “Of course. Holly, nice to meet you. Another time, maybe.”
Another time? Over his dead body.
Ben wrapped Holly in an embrace and moved to the music. “Gone only three weeks and you find another man to dance with.”
She’d laughed and put her arms around his waist. “I tried dancing alone, but everyone kept looking at me.”
He doubted that very much.
They danced and talked. Never had a woman felt so good in his arms. He didn’t have to lean over to dance with her, a different experience for him. At his height, it was rare—as in never—to find a woman that didn’t require some type of height adjustment. Usually, Holly was only three or four inches shorter. Tonight, in her heels, they were close to eye-to-eye.
After his slip about how awful his teen years had been, he changed the subject, not wanting such ugliness to foul such a beautiful evening.
“Have you danced a lot tonight?” he asked.
“More than I expected, to tell you the truth.”
“Who all did you dance with?”
“Why? Are you jealous?” She laughed and nudged him with her shoulder. “I’m kidding.” Pressing close so only he could hear, she whispered in his ear, “You’re doing a fabulous job at this fake thing. My family is totally buying it.”
Her breath in his ear warmed more than his head. A flash of heat zapped through him. Reflexively, he pulled her tighter against his him.
“I can’t wait to strip that dress off you and bury my face between your thighs,” he whispered back. “And I’m not faking how insanely I want you right now.”
He felt the shiver that ran through her. She swallowed and looked into his gaze.
“Let’s make the circuit and give our thanks and goodbyes.”
“And Katie?” he asked, his heartrate kicking up.
“At Steve’s parents’ house for the weekend.”
“God bless Steve’s parents.”
He grabbed her hand and twirled her around until they were side-by-side. Linking her arm through his, they began the long walk around the room, spoke to the necessary people, and then hot-footed it for the door.
She followed him in her car to his house and parked behind him. They hurried from the drive, into the house, and down the hallway to his bedroom, bouncing off the walls as they kissed, unzipped, and stripped.
He brought her to her first orgasm with his mouth, her second with his fingers, and finally the third with his cock.
Wrapped in his own sheets with Holly at his side, he fell into a restful sleep for the first time in three weeks.
* * *
June rolled into July. His team had a Fourth of July party at Jacob and Casey’s new house. While the guys stood around the grill drinking beer and shooting the shit, the team ladies took Holly into their fold. At one point, he heard them planning a ladies’ night out. More than once, he found himself watching her smile, listening to her laugh, or joking with one of his team.
“You better be careful, C-Note,” Jacob warned.
Benjamin, who happened to be manning the grill at the moment, looked down at the meat patties. No flame. Nothing was burning.
“What?” He gestured toward the grill. “Everything looks fine.”
“Not the grill, man, the girl.”
Benjamin pretended to not understand. He shrugged. “Don’t know what you’re talking about. Holly and I are just hanging and having fun.”
Jacob snorted. “You keep telling yourself that. Hell, I should hold a mirror up in front of you so you can see the dopey look you get when you glance over at her.”
“So, what I hear you saying is that you want more two-a.m. wake-up calls and three-mile swims?”
Jacob laughed. “You’re pathetic.” He slapped Benjamin’s back and walked off.
Fuck. He and Holly were just hanging out and having fun, right?
Right?
Chapter Eleven
Close to Camp Pendleton, the Navy established a mockup of the North Korean island where Popov was thought to be working and another for his planned vacation location. Benjamin and his team spent daytime hours plotting and designing possible angles of attack, and the evenings in the water running exercises.
The second SEAL team had returned from their stint in South Korea, bringing new island pictures and ideas. Like Bravo team, running the new team’s operational plans got people killed, including Popov and a complete component of SEAL team members.
After two solid weeks of day and night exercises, the CO abruptly announced the guys had forty-eight hours to “Get your heads in the game or your ass in a grave,” and then dismissed them until Friday. The guys laid rubber peeling out of the parking lot.
Benjamin was mentally and physically exhausted. Plus—and he was struggling with this realization—he missed Holly. They’d barely shared ten words since the night of the engagement gala. While the sane thing to do would be head home, he instead headed to her house on the off-chance she might be there.
The knot in his chest eased a little when he saw her car parked in the drive. He rang her doorbell and waited.
She was holding the phone to her ear when she opened the door. Her face lit up with her smile. “Ben. Oh my gosh. I have to go,” she said into the phone and clicked off. She pulled him through the door. “What a nice surprise. Are you off for the day?”
He jerked her against him and hugged her. “Man, you feel good.” He kissed her hair.
“You do, too. Have you lost weight?” She wrapped her arms around him and hugged. “Your face looks too thin. Want something to eat?”
“I’m not hungry. I just wanted to see you.”
She stepped back and spread her arms. “Here I am.”
“Is Katie here?”
“Nope. She and some friends have gone to the movies and for a sleepover.”
“Thank goodness.” He swept her up into his arms and started walking, only to stop abruptly. “I don’t know where I’m going.”
She nuzzled her nose into his neck. “Straight ahead. End of the hall. I’m assuming, of course, that you’re looking for my bedroom.”
“You assume correctly.”
* * *
Holly studied the man in her bed. He looked exhausted, even in his sleep. Deep grooves bracketed his beautiful mouth. Lines that hadn’t been on his face now etched his forehead. His hair had fresh lightened streaks, suggesting he’d spent time under the sun.
When he’d arrived at her house unannounced, his naked desire and need had shaken her. This strong warrior had wanted her, and not for the first time, she let herself believe it was Holly Maxwell he craved, not just any woman.
Their lovemaking had been fierce and full of fire, as though he was branding her or trying to burn memories. She had no idea what was going on. He never hinted at his work. She just knew their conversations since the gala had been rushed hellos and goodbyes.
A
nd she knew she missed him.
Missing him and craving his touch wasn’t supposed to happen. He’d told her in no uncertain terms that he wasn’t looking for, or interested in, anything longer than these summer months. She forced her conscious mind to not dwell on her growing attraction. However, her traitorous unconscious mind like to fill her dreams with hopes and images not meant to be.
The person on the phone when Ben arrived had been Seth Garrett. Since the gala, she’d talked to him on the phone a number of times. Raising two little girls alone was hard on a man, and since she’d been in his shoes raising a daughter without a spouse, albeit only one daughter in her case, she didn’t mind giving advice and suggestions.
She felt for the guy. His wife had been killed by a drunk driver. One minute there and the next gone, so much like what she’d experienced. The shock and grief could be stifling, not to mention one of the most stressful events a person could go through. Moving to a new state was another highly stressful event. Then add starting a new job and he had the trifecta of stress. However, moving closer to his late wife’s parents as well as his own was, in her opinion, the right move, especially when the girls were only two and four years of age. In her case, she’d have never made it without her parents, and from what he’d told her, both his parents and his in-laws provided him and his girls with tremendous support.
They’d met for coffee a couple of times and lunch once. He’d needed her help picking out a birthday present when his oldest turned four. One evening, he’d called in a panic because his daughter wanted her hair braided and couldn’t figure out how to do it. She’d explained the emergency to Katie, who’d volunteered to come along and entertain the youngest while Holly taught Seth to braid.
She’d been surprised at Katie’s mature response to the situation, but her daughter had explained that nights when Holly would brush and braid her hair were some of her best memories. It’d been all Holly could do not to burst into mom-relief tears that she’d done something right.
Tonight, Seth had called simply to talk and tell her about his hair-braiding success that morning. He’d wanted to take her and Katie out to dinner as a thank you. Holly had been abrupt on the phone when Ben had shown up. She’d have to call Seth back at some point and apologize. She would also need to think about his dinner offer and decide if she would take him up on it or not.
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