Wet N Wild Navy SEALs

by Tawny Weber

  “Pineapple martinis,” Lydia explained.

  “Don’t think you’re getting off the hook. How in the hell did you get a black eye?” Clint demanded.

  “Trust me, between Beth and I, the guy is still on the floor,” Lydia explained. She tried to straighten up in his lap but he held her tight in his arms.

  “Drake, what the hell were you even doing out with the girls tonight?” Clint asked. “I thought this was the bachelorette party.”

  “It was. And aren’t you thankful I was there? Otherwise, your fiancés, Rocky, Beyoncé, and Miss Tipsy would all be in jail.”

  “I’m taking Rocky home.”

  “I’m taking my fiancé home and getting her a steak to put on this eye.”

  “A steak?” Lydia shuddered. “Why would I want to put meat on my eye?”

  “It’s an American custom.”

  “It’s barbaric.” Clint easily stood up with her still in his arms. Sophia smiled at the strength it took to do that. She loved knowing Mason could do it as well. Then she frowned, remembering his shoulder wound.

  “Why the frown?” he whispered into her ear. “Are you hurt?”

  “Nos, I’m fine.”

  “I’m taking Ashley home,” Finn said. “I think you two need a time-out.” Sophia watched as everyone left their home and soon it was quiet.

  “Where’s Billy?”

  “He’s over at Todd’s house again. If he hadn’t been, we would have done this at Clint’s house.” Sophia nodded. Mason stood up with her in his arms.

  “Mason,” she protested. “Yous shoulder.”

  “I’m putting you to bed. Then I’m bringing you two bottles of water and some aspirin, which I expect you to take and drink before going to sleep. Do you hear me?”

  “Yes, lieutenant.”

  “Good girl.”

  Sophia nuzzled his neck. What was it about being called a good girl that got her motor running?

  “Sleep for you.”

  “Yes, lieutenant.”

  Chapter 5

  “No.”

  “I need you.”

  Mason woke up, he heard the last few words spoken by Sophia. He didn’t wake her up immediately. She hadn’t had nightmares like this since her attack two years ago, and now this was the fourth or fifth time he had caught her thrashing around. He knew the reason for the dreams now. It was since he had come home wounded.

  This time, she was talking in her sleep and he wanted to hear what she had to say.

  “Please. Please let me tell you. Please. No. Don’t go. I love you.” She started to cry. Oh God, she was imagining him dying. It was breaking his heart.

  “Sophia, wake up. Honey. You’re having a bad dream.”

  “Mason?”

  “You had a bad dream. Can you tell me about it?”

  Sophia shuddered. “Mason, can you just hold me,” her voice broke.

  “I am, baby.”

  “Tighter.” He gathered her closer, pressing his cheek against her damp hair. For long moments, they stayed like that until finally she calmed.

  “Can you tell me about the dream?”

  “I really don’t remember it. I just remember the feelings. I woke up feeling so sad like I was reaching for something I had lost. I’ve woken up a few times like that lately.”

  “You haven’t lost anything, I’m here.” She looked at him. In the moonlight, he could see her beautiful green eyes.

  “I thank God for you every day. Do you know that, Mason? Do you really know that? I worry I don’t tell you enough how much I love you and what a good man you are.” Mason felt a lump forming in his throat.

  “Sophia, even when you aren’t saying the words you’re telling me. Your love shines through.”

  “But it’s not enough. I need to tell you.”

  “And you are.” She snuggled closer and he felt her breathing begin to change. She fell asleep in his arms. He wished sleep would come as easily for him. He scooched them down so they were resting on the pillows and she sighed in pleasure.

  He mulled over everything that had gone on since he had been home. Sophia hadn’t said anything about his injury, seeming to take it in stride, but it was obviously weighing heavy on her mind. His captain, Larry Osterman, had been talking to him about taking a position in command. He could help straighten out all of the fuck-ups with the intel. Mason immediately rejected the idea. He knew his real strength was in leading a team in the field. What’s more, Osterman was kicking ass and taking names. Mason knew he would get things straightened out. Still… Was this something that would ease Sophia’s mind?

  Sophia cuddled closer, it was clear she wasn’t going to have any more nightmares, but Mason wasn’t going to get any sleep that night.

  Sophia watched Billy plan for the ‘bachelor party.' It was perfect. Every single day Mason made her fall in love with him a little bit more. Billy worried to death how to come up with something since he was the best man. He took his duties seriously and he had been working on the toast for over a month. But the bachelor party had him tied in knots.

  She’d mentioned it to Mason and the next thing she knew Billy had come back from Lacrosse practice with a plan. Finn Crandall was Billy’s coach, and she knew he helped her brother come up with the plan. Billy, Mason, and all the groomsmen were going to go surfing and spend most of the night at the beach. It was perfect.

  “Sophia, Finn told me all of the team were older now and they were done with all of the partying. They aren’t like Ashley.”

  Sophia winced.

  “How’d you hear about Ashley?”

  “For God’s sake, as soon as I saw Lydia with a black eye she spilled the beans. Did Ashley really dance on top of the bar? Drake really let her do that?” Billy’s eyes were wide as saucers. He might be taller than she was but he was only fourteen.

  Sophia sighed. “Yes, she did.”

  “I would have given anything to be there. I wanted to make sure it was true before I told Todd.”

  “I’m begging you, please don’t tell your friends. They’ll see her around the house and I really don’t want them thinking bad about her.”

  “Are you kidding?! They’ll think she is the coolest woman in the world,” Billy enthused. He went to the fridge and pulled out the fixings for a sandwich. Sophia watched in amazement as he piled on enough meat to feed a small army. Or at least, a SEAL team.

  “Why don’t you make two sandwiches instead?”

  “I’m watching my carb intake.” Sophia shook her head.

  “Seriously?”

  “I don’t want to get slow on the field. I’m saving all the carbs for the cookies you baked.”

  “There is something wrong about a teenage boy talking about his carb intake.”

  “Todd’s a wrestler. At least, I’m not spitting in a towel to make weight.” Sophia shuddered at the thought.

  “Hey, can you drive me over to Mrs. Crandall’s. She got Rebecca a PlayStation and I want to teach her how to play Call of Duty.”

  “Sure.”

  “Hey, Billy there’s something I wanted to talk to you about. I’m going to go over to Frannie and Tony’s next week. They kept the two boxes of stuff from the trailer. There wasn’t much left, but I think I’m finally ready to go through it. It’s mostly Mom’s stuff. Do you want to go with me?”

  Billy looked up from his sandwich and came around the island and put his hands on her shoulders. She had to look up at him.

  “If you need me to, sure, I’ll go.”

  “Thanks. I think it’s finally time.”

  Mason loved surfing during the magic hours. According to artists, they were the first hour of light after sunrise and the last hour of light after sunset. He agreed, there was something magical about them. The water sparkled and he could swear the waves rose to meet him.

  He got lost as he sailed over the water on his board. He felt like he was flying and he laughed out loud, the salt water spray getting into his mouth adding to the experience and his pleasure. D
own he would go, tumbling into the surf, and that too was exhilarating as he pushed his way to the surface, finding his board and climbing on top. He would paddle to the next wave and start again.

  As he thought to himself that this was his greatest joy, he stopped short and fell into the water. Sophia. Hands down, Sophia was his greatest joy. More than anything he wanted to make her happy.

  She’d had another dream the night before, this one even worse than the one three nights after the bachelorette party. Again she’d said the same things. “Please don’t go. I need to tell you I love you.” The more he thought about it, the more it didn’t make sense. She always told him she loved him. But still, what else could it mean, except she was scared he would die on a mission?

  This time, the wave caught him off guard and he went down. Served him right. He needed to pay attention. How often did he tell Billy that? It was time to go ashore.

  “You okay?” Darius asked over the sound of the water as he maneuvered his board close to his and they paddled towards the beach together.

  “Sure,” Mason answered, and Darius raised his eyebrow.

  “Okay, not good.”

  “You do realize this is your bachelor party. This is what you wanted to do. You’re kind of supposed to be having fun.”

  Mason continued to paddle in silence while Darius waited him out.

  “It’s Sophia.” Darius stopped paddling and grabbed Mason’s board.

  “Hold up and hop up.” Mason watched in resignation as his friend sat up on his board.

  “Is this private, or can anyone join?” Drake asked. Mason shook his head.

  “It’s not private.” He looked over his shoulder towards the shore and saw Clint, Jack, and Finn were with Billy.

  “Okay, so what’s got our groom’s panties in a twist? Have you found out, Dare? You drew the short straw.”

  “God dammit.” Mason rubbed the back of his neck and then stopped. He hated when he was obvious. And he knew when he did that it was obvious he was upset about something. The guys laughed.

  “Spill it,” Drake demanded.

  “Ever since I came home wounded Sophia’s been having bad dreams. She hasn’t done that since those two assholes attacked her a couple of years ago.” Mason looked out towards the moonlit ocean hoping to find answers.

  “Shit, that’s to be expected.”

  “No, it’s not. She’s even lost some weight she couldn’t afford to lose. This is really getting to her.”

  “So when you asked her about it, what did she say?” Darius asked.

  Mason swirled his hand in the water.

  “You haven’t fucking asked her?” Drake shouted.

  “Keep your voice down. I don’t want Billy to hear.”

  “You haven’t asked her? Are you dumb?”

  “There’s no point. I know what it is. She’s scared I’m on the teams and she doesn’t want to tell me. She’d never tell me. She always puts her own needs last and I’m not fucking having it.”

  His outburst was met with dead silence. Darius and Drake looked at one another.

  “Aren’t you going to ask me?”

  “Don’t have to,” Darius said. “Have you made up your mind?”

  “Pretty much. I’m going to talk to the captain after the wedding.”

  “You’d be working the intel?” Darius asked.

  “Yeah, Osterman asked me to do it right after our last goat fuck of a mission. We talked and I turned him down after suggesting Marty.”

  “Marty would be great. You’d be better,” Drake said. “This is fucked up. This is royally fucked up. You are the stupidest man on the planet. You need to talk to your woman.”

  “Nope. And you guys better plant some smiles on your God damn faces. Billy has been planning this party for weeks.”

  “And just when do you think we got stupid?” Drake asked.

  “Sorry. This shit has me all twisted up.”

  Darius stopped Mason’s board again. “Mase, you know whatever your decision is we have your back, right?”

  Mason felt his chest tighten.

  “Yeah. Even if you do abandon us,” Drake said with a grin.

  “You’re an asshole, Avery,” Darius said to Drake, shaking his head.

  “It sounded like a Hallmark commercial. I couldn’t help it.”

  Mason laughed at their antics.

  He sat propped up against a piece of driftwood and drank a Pacifico beer. He loved seeing Billy get so much attention from his team. Right now he was practically rolling in the sand with laughter. Dare was telling him about Drake’s first time on a surfboard. It had been a sight to behold.

  Drake being Drake had been sure it would be a piece of cake. The best part had been when he had come up after a tumble and proceeded to sit up on his board and face the shore. He hadn’t seen the large wave that crashed down on top of him. Everyone on the shore had been clapping and cheering for him when he had finally come ashore. He finally started to listen to the experienced surfers after that.

  “Billy, how are Jack’s lessons going? Is he listening?”

  “He’s a great student.”

  “You’re a great teacher. You’ve saved me from drowning the few times you’ve taken me out,” Jack drawled.

  “You’ve caught on really fast,” Billy said enthusiastically.

  “How’s Lacrosse going? You doing okay, despite the fact your trainer sucks?” Drake teased.

  “What are you–” Billy began belligerently before he realized Drake was teasing about Finn. Then Billy shot Finn a sideways glance. “I suppose I’m doing somewhat okay. I’m hoping I might get someone who can really teach me something next year.”

  Finn lunged for Billy, and Mason watched as Billy got up and sprinted down the beach with Finn in pursuit. Billy was pretty damn fast.

  “You’re raising a good kid,” Jack said.

  “You really are,” Darius agreed.

  “He really is raising himself. Either that or Sophia is doing it.” Drake broke out laughing.

  “What?” Mason asked.

  “You’re the kid’s idol. Hell, he’s even taken on your mannerisms. Learn to take a compliment.” Mason threw a piece of driftwood Drake easily dodged.

  “I still think you need to talk to Sophia,” Drake said.

  “Our women are a lot tougher than you think.” Mason wasn’t surprised Darius and Drake had managed to fill in Clint and Finn. He turned to Clint.

  “Sophia isn’t Lydia. Lydia is the type to want to fight beside you, Sophia isn’t.”

  “Beth is more like Sophia,” Jack said, “wouldn’t you agree?”

  “Yes,” Mason said carefully.

  “She has a spine of steel same as Sophia. I think you’re reading her wrong. You need to talk to her.”

  “Look, guys, I appreciate your counsel, I really do. But my mind’s made up. I absolutely refuse to put Sophia in the position of the bad guy. It’s clear what her nightmares and weight loss mean. My job is to protect her, to cherish her.”

  “This is going to kill you, Mase. You know you were meant to serve in the field. That’s where your skillset is it’s where your heart is.” Clint gave him the same steady gaze as everyone around the bond fire.

  “And you all know our time in the field is finite. Eventually, we’ll all end up behind desks, I’m just taking the job sooner. I’ll still have your backs.”

  “You’re acting like a fucking dumbass,” Drake’s accent was thicker than normal meaning he was truly upset. Mason couldn’t do anything about it.

  Chapter 6

  Sophia wiped her sweaty palms against the on her jean-covered thighs.

  Billy grabbed her hand. “It’s going to be all right.”

  “It’d be nice if something were,” Sophia mumbled. She couldn’t sleep and most nights Mason would come home and walk around the house like he’d lost his best friend. But the few times she tried to broach it with him, he’d tease her about their upcoming wedding and ask her about her red dress.
Normally she’d have put her foot down and demanded answers but she was too stressed about today.

  “Sophia, why now? Why days before your wedding? I don’t understand?”

  “I don’t quite get it either, Billy.”

  Sophia fished the key to Frannie and Tony’s house out of her jean’s pocket. They were over at the food bank and Frannie had told her the boxes were in a back bedroom she used for storage. She had warned the Andersons they were probably going to have to hunt for them since they would be buried under other ‘crap’ as she put it.

  “I asked her if she wanted to be here when we went to her house but she really didn’t seem to care.”

  “Of course, she didn’t, Soph. It isn’t like we’re going to jump on her beds.” Sophia giggled.

  “Jump on her beds? Where do you come up with this stuff?”

  “It’s why you love me.” Billy bumped her shoulder as they entered the house.

  The back bedroom was easy to find.

  “She wasn’t kidding about it being full of crap. How much stuff does one woman need?” Billy asked.

  “Oh hush up and start looking. I marked all sides of the boxes, ‘Anderson’.”

  “Thank God.”

  Billy made quick work of moving boxes. When Sophia went in to help, he immediately told her to stop.

  “I’ve got this. Just keep your eyes peeled.”

  “Billy, I’m more than capable of lifting boxes.”

  “I didn’t say you weren’t. But I would feel better if you’d let me do this.”

  “You have been spending far too much time with Mason.”

  After ten minutes she saw the boxes.

  “There they are. Behind the fake Christmas tree.”

  He was able to stack the two and maneuver his way to the door.

  “Are you sure I can’t carry one to the van?” Sophia asked.

  Billy lifted an eyebrow in response. Yep, he had definitely spent too much time with those damn SEALs, she thought with a laugh.

  They headed over to the food bank to drop off the key.

  “Did you find everything all right?” Frannie asked.

  When Sophia didn’t immediately answer, Billy stepped in. “We found the boxes just fine.”