Wet N Wild Navy SEALs

by Tawny Weber

Would he be gentle with her?

  Maybe it was the Schnapps, or maybe it was simply being sick of herself and her week-long pity party, but Bryanna giggled.

  Knowing Sam, he’d also think it was a last chance for great sex date.

  As if. She rolled her eyes.

  Then, halfway back into the living room, she paused and considered.

  She loved him. That wasn’t going to change.

  She wanted him, and maybe that’d fade a few years after they split up. But what if it didn’t? What if he was the hottest sex she ever had? What if she never wanted another guy with the same intensity, never felt the same passion again?

  Now that was worth a pity party, Bryanna decided.

  And if tonight was goodbye, then dammit, she was going to have him.

  They’d have goodbye sex so incredible that the memory would keep her warm for years. And, she vowed with a wicked smile, it’d be so mind-blowing that it’d make Sam miserable every time he remembered what he’d given up. He might leave her, but she’d be damned if he’d ever forget her.

  As if hearing her thought, the doorbell rang.

  She glanced in the mirror on her way to the door. Her blonde curls swept over her shoulders and her blue eyes were shiny with tears, but a couple of stubborn blinks got rid of those.

  One more deep breath and an extra notch of brightness to her smile to match the white lights twinkling on the tree, and she pulled open the front door.

  “Sam,” she said quietly, her heart stuttering as it always did whenever she saw him.

  He was so gorgeous.

  Why did he have to be so damned gorgeous?

  “Bryanna.” Even his voice was sexy. Husky and low, always sounding like he was just on the verge of laughing. “You look great.”

  Bryanna glanced down at her fuzzy socks, then frowned.

  Great?

  Really?

  He must really want one last bounce.

  Then he handed her a rose. A single pale peach rose just starting to unfurl. Her favorite.

  What was he up to?

  She lifted it to her nose, using the excuse of breathing in its heady scent to give him a suspicious once over. But Sam was too good at hiding his emotions, too well trained at hiding his expressions. So she had no idea what was going on.

  “Can I come in?”

  Instead of answering, Bryanna turned on her fuzzy socks and strode into the living room. She wanted to sit, but couldn’t relax enough to bend her body. So she stood, waiting.

  She didn’t wait long. He walked right in, not looking at all guilty over her pending heartbreak.

  “You decorated the tree,” he noticed with a frown.

  “Christmas is in three days,” she reminded him.

  “Yeah. I should have helped you decorate it.”

  Since it would have been the first time he’d decorated one with her, she was glad he hadn’t. It would make Christmas the next year a little easier.

  When she didn’t respond, Sam’s frown deepened.

  “That’s a cool Navy Santa tree topper.” He tapped the sailor Santa. “I didn’t know they made things like that.”

  She didn’t know if they did either. She’d had it custom made, thinking she’d make it part of his Christmas gift.

  “Not a lot of presents under there, though,” Sam said, as if reading her mind.

  She glanced at the pale blue tree skirt with it’s silver bells at each corner and shrugged. She hadn’t been in the mood to wrap.

  “Why are you here?” she asked quietly.

  “Why wouldn’t I be here?”

  “Because we had a fight. And even if it didn’t bother you, it did upset me.”

  A lot.

  “I apologized already, but I don’t mind saying it again. I’m sorry I screwed up your evening. And that you decorated the tree without me, even though it was my fault.”

  Bryanna had to clench her teeth to keep from responding to that smile of his, so filled with boyish charm.

  “Maybe this will help?” Sam reached into his pocket, his eyes intent on her face. “I have something I’d like you to put under there.”

  He handed her a small box wrapped in festive reds and greens, the bow glittering in the overhead light.

  Her heart took a nosedive into the toes of her fuzzy socks, making Bryanna work to keep her chin from dropping to her chest. Why wasn’t he acting the way she’d thought he would?

  She knew Sam. She’d known him for most of her life. When he had to do something ugly—like show his mom the dent he’d put in her car—he got right to it. No dilly dallying, no hesitation, no prevarication.

  She looked at the gift, barely large enough to fill her palm. Then she peered at his face, trying to figure out why he was dilly-dallying his prevaricating heart out now.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked, crossing over to stand next to her. Close enough to touch if she reached out, but not so close that she felt justified in telling him to sit somewhere else.

  “I don’t have your Christmas gift yet,” she lied quietly. She deliberately kept her gaze away from the tree where the hand knit fisherman’s sweater, fancy ratchet set and customized display case for his medals were wrapped and waiting.

  “That’s okay.” He shrugged, poking at the package in her hand with one finger, a small frown creasing his brow. “It’s not really a Christmas gift.”

  He’d got her a going away gift? Bryanna didn’t know if she was touched or pissed. Her stomach was tight as she tried to decide. What did two years of whispered secrets, mind-blowing lovemaking and joyful friendship merit?

  Because it hurt to think about it, she set the package on the small side table next to a bowl of holiday hued M&Ms.

  Then, aiming for distraction and more than ready to initiate that one last time sex she knew he wanted, Bryanna slid her hands up Sam’s chest, skimming the delicious breadth of those strong muscles before curling her fingers behind his neck.

  “How about I open it later,” she suggested, rising to tiptoes to brush a teasing kiss over his lips. “Much, much later.”

  She added a seductive flick of her tongue, letting him know just how tasty dessert would be. Her heart melted with gratitude when he took the invitation.

  Sam’s hands gripped her hips, pulling her tight against his body. His tongue delved deep, taking the kiss from teasing to tempting with one swift thrust. Bryanna melted into his body, her pulse racing, desire coursing through her system. Even knowing he was about to break her heart, she couldn’t resist the lure of passion that flared hot and needy between them.

  Apparently he could, though.

  Because he pulled away, reached over to pick up the box again and thrust it into her hands.

  “Open it now.” His tone allowed no argument.

  Reluctantly, she took the package again and made a major production out of carefully peeling away the bow and untying the ribbon. Her red polish glinted against the paper as she unfolded the wrapping.

  The paper draped over her hand, Bryanna flicked open the velvet box.

  A sparkling diamond winked back at her.

  If he’d punched her in the gut, told her she had lousy taste in footwear or that she sucked in bed, she couldn’t have been more shocked.

  “It’s a ring,” she said, forcing the words past the knot in her throat. Her wide-eyed stare kept shifting from the box to him and back again.

  “It’s an engagement ring,” he clarified.

  Bryanna tried to piece together what was happening. He was supposed to be dumping her. She knew Eli was still in town, and Russell had told her about the strong-arm and beer get-together their brother had had with Sam.

  “Why?” she breathed.

  “I want you to marry me. I want us to be together. I want to know that you’re here when I come back from missions, that you’re a part of my life forever.”

  “But...”

  “But SEALs shouldn’t be married?” he said, correctly guessing what she’d been unable to say. �
��That’s Eli’s theory. It’s Noah’s superstition.”

  “I thought you believed it. I thought...”

  His brows rose when her words trailed off.

  “Is that why you were so pissed the other day? Not because I went out drinking and blew off our date like an ass. It was because you thought I was listening to your brother preach the speech of freedom.”

  “I thought you agreed with him. You took that vow. I didn’t know if you’d wait until you had your trident or if you’d do it sooner, before you leave for SQT. But I was sure you were going to end things between us.”

  “You didn’t act like it.”

  Oh, hell. Did she have to confess her crazy actions? How did a guy take hearing that his girl tried to manipulate him with food and sex? He was saying he wanted to marry her. Would he change his mind when he heard the truth? Bryanna glanced at the ring in her hand and wet her lips. She had to risk it.

  “I freaked out about it a lot, actually. So much that I came up with a crazy plan. I figured that if I made you see what you had here, with me, that maybe you’d rethink getting your trident.” She had to stop and take a breath before she could continue. “I sexed myself up, spent a fortune on food and stuff, hoping you’d like it so much that you’d drop out of training.”

  “Drop out?” Sam looked like she’d just told him that she thought he wore dresses the third Saturday of each month to offer table dances to pygmies. “I’d never drop out.”

  She bit her lip, but this time couldn’t look at the ring that suddenly weighed so heavily in her hand.

  “But if you graduated, if you got your trident, you’d leave me.” She blinked hard to clear the burning tears from her eyes. She’d be damned if she’d have this conversation while crying. “You took a vow, Sam.”

  “I agreed to a concept before I knew what it really meant. Before I knew better.” He paused, grimaced, then shrugged. “I wasn’t going to tell you this. But Eli did have me pretty convinced. He quoted divorce rates, told stories about guys who were distracted on missions, and threatened to kick my ass for hurting his little sister.”

  “I didn’t think you’d need convincing.”

  “I did. I never forgot my dream of being a SEAL. But until Eli reminded me, I totally forgot about that vow to be a single SEAL. So yeah, I listened to his reasons. And I bought into them. For, like, a day.”

  “What changed your mind?” She had to know, because as much as she was reveling in his words, she was desperately afraid he’d change his mind right back at any time.

  “The day you booted me out of here, I talked to a guy I admire a lot. He showed me pictures of his kids. He’s been married awhile, he has a cute family and he’s the best SEAL I know.” He reached out to take her hand that wasn’t holding the box, lifting it to his lips and watching her over it. “But I’d already decided to quit the Cadet Club.”

  “What?” Her heart was pounding like a bongo drum, that’s why she must have misheard him.

  “I told the guys in the Cadet Club that I was leaving. So that vow I took before I was legally of age? I quit it.”

  Her heart was dancing and her mind racing. But Bryanna could only stare as a smile grew wider and wider on her face. This was it, she realized as she stared into Sam’s dark eyes.

  This was what it felt like to have a dream come true.

  “I love you,” she said softly. “I adore you and admire you and want to be with you forever.”

  “So that means you’ll marry me?” He sounded like he was holding his breath, his words tight and his expression hopeful.

  “Are you sure? Do you want to wait until you finish training, until you have your trident? Until it’s easier?” She wanted to bite the words back, but she’d feel miserable if she did. So she let it all be said. “Getting married while you’re starting out as a SEAL will be tough. I can wait. A year or two, whatever you want. Just until you’re sure.”

  “I’m sure now and I don’t want to wait,” Sam insisted. “I don’t care if it’s tough, or if I have to work harder to focus when I’m on a mission than a single guy would. I’m willing to do that. More than willing. Because I’m not about to go through life without you. Not if I have any say in it.”

  She couldn’t stop the tears this time. They coursed a trail, hot and happy down her cheeks.

  “Well?”

  “Well, what?” she asked, blinking at his impatient tone.

  “Well, are you going to marry me?”

  For the first time, Bryanna saw the nerves in Sam’s eyes, the worry creasing his brow. He wasn’t sure?

  “I love you,” she said, quiet joy bubbling through her words with the same headiness as champagne. “I’d love to marry you. If you’re sure.”

  “Sure? Bryanna, you are my everything,” he said as he slid the ring onto her finger. Before she could do more than sigh at the vision of it there, he pulled her into his arms.

  “And now,” he promised just before his mouth took hers, “You’ll be my wife.”

  SEAL IT WITH A KISS by Rogenna Brewer

  To become the first female SEAL, she’ll have to match wits with the best…

  Lieutenant Tabitha Chapel is determined to join the Teams. She’s not about to let a little thing like gender get in her way. She’ll use every wile–feminine or otherwise–and her considerable strength of will to win this battle of the sexes. But the limits of her determination are tested by the only Navy SEAL capable of commanding her heart.

  Commander Marc Miller is equally determined to keep her out of his program. As the newly appointed CO of BUD/S, he’s been tasked with cleaning up SEAL Training. He doesn’t need a red-hot redhead compounding the problem. For him Hell Week begins when one well-connected junior officer walks into his office.

  The last thing he wants is to be her commanding officer when the only thing he wants is her. The only way to have her––and the surest way to lose her––is to see that she fails.

  Will love conquer all or tear them apart?

  Dedication

  For my mother who believed,

  for my husband from the ‘Show Me’ state,

  for my three sons just because,

  for my critique partners over the years...

  I love you all.

  And for the very first female SEAL

  whoever she might be…

  Chapter 1

  0927 Thursday: The Commander’s Office

  NAVAL SPECIAL WARFARE CENTER

  Coronado, CA

  The Commander continued the relentless pacing behind his desk as he read her file. “At ease,” he said without looking up.

  He seemed reluctant to give even that much. It wasn’t his tone, resonant and deeply masculine, or his words that gave Lieutenant Tabitha Chapel the insight. It was what Commander Marc Miller left unsaid.

  “Yes, sir.” Cover tucked to her forearm, Tabby shifted her weight.

  Her feet throbbed in new shoes. There wasn’t a single pesky thread flagging her dress white uniform. She’d clipped them all down to the seam, wanting to make a good first impression. From the look on his face she was making anything but.

  But then she’d known this wasn’t going to be easy.

  Staring straight ahead, she studied Miller as he moved in and out of her peripheral vision. The man was younger than expected for a Commanding Officer of BUD/S Training, early thirties possibly. A frown furrowed otherwise handsome features, drawing dark brows above a strong nose while his mouth held a firm line. She suspected a smile was rare.

  In any case, there were no laugh lines around his eyes.

  For Tabby laugh lines on a man were a must.

  Except, she wasn’t here looking for a man. She was reporting in for temporary duty–TDY.

  He stopped pacing and cleared his throat. “I said, at ease.” Looking up from the file, he snapped it shut and leveled his baby blues at her. “That means relax.”

  She knew what it meant. She just didn’t know how to relax while the man held her fut
ure in his hands.

  “Yes, sir,” she repeated, forcing herself to slacken her stance. Now that she had his undivided attention she was acutely aware of the sharp intelligence shining in his eyes.

  Eyes that missed nothing.

  He tossed the folder to the desktop and moved around from behind it. Hitching up a pant leg of his khaki uniform, he perched on the corner and gave her the once-over. “Tell me why you’re here, Lieutenant.”

  “I believe the orders are self-explanatory, sir.” It was all there in black and white. He must have read them at least a dozen times.

  She was here to conduct a feasibility study on incorporating women into SEAL training. Navy SEALs were part of the Naval Special Warfare Command. Miller was a prime example of their physical conditioning.

  His biceps strained the stitching of short sleeves as he folded tanned arms across a broad chest. “I didn’t ask what your orders were. I asked why you, Tabitha Lilith Chapel-Prince, were reporting in to my command.”

  Tabby tilted her chin. She understood perfectly. He was asking why she, a female, was reporting in to his all-male command. Because she had a lot more brass behind her than he did. At least she hoped she did.

  “Then, sir, I’m afraid I don’t understand your question.”

  “I don’t buy it. According to your service record, you graduated first in your class at Annapolis. Is the Naval Academy lowering its standards to accommodate female Midshipmen?”

  “No!” she snapped, immediately regretting her outburst. If he was trying to get a rise out of her, he’d gotten one. “No, sir,” she corrected.

  “Not impressed, Lieutenant. There are only three things that impress me. Deception isn’t one of them.”

  Did the top brass in Washington know about this guy? He belonged on a recruiting poster, finger pointing, the words I WANT YOU in bold black letters with Old Glory flying in the background.

  “I’m here because I was ordered here TDY,” she said with a touch too much insolence for addressing a senior officer. Commander or not, she wasn’t going to back down. And this man would likely turn out to be her enemy, if he wasn’t already.