SEALs of Summer: Military Romance Superbundle - Navy SEAL Style

by Sharon Hamilton

  “May through September, the park sponsors different bands to play in the park. I thought you’d like this one.” Jack brushed a strand of hair off her cheek.

  “Oh, I do,” she said, wondering why she’d never heard of this event. She would have loved to play here. But before Jack she’d never heard of Coronado Island. He’d done this for her and it touched her deeply. There was no other like Jack and she wanted to keep him. Forever.

  “Thanks.” She leaned closer. “For everything.”

  “You haven’t had the best part yet,” he said with a grin.

  “Braciole and cannoli?”

  “Yep.” His hand cupped her cheek. “I like you without all the bruises”

  “Ditto, but I do think this is sexy.” She ran her finger over his bisected eyebrow, remembering when he’d gotten it. She’d done her best not to think about the horrors she’d witnessed on that island, but it was difficult when every time she closed her eyes she relived it.

  “Yeah?” He chuckled.

  She smiled. “Yeah.”

  They shared a moment, remembering the events that had brought them together and tore them apart. But neither wanted to dredge up the past or worry about the future. They had this moment. As far as she was concerned, the past was the past and she was ready to face her future. Hopefully with Jack.

  They stayed for about an hour. Jack and Donovan said they had something to do and with a chaste kiss on her cheek, Jack left her in the hands of his mom and friends. Nina and Donovan’s sisters dragged her back to Angela’s apartment and primped until Darci thought she’d explode.

  Her new dress fit like a glove. A little black dress, perfect for the occasion, her hosts had insisted. The back dipped low, the fabric sensual against her skin. She matched it with a pair of strappy heels and felt like she walked on air.

  She just hoped that whatever Jack had in store for her didn’t take long. She had plans for them tonight and it wasn’t something they could do in public or with an audience.

  *

  Darci sat alone at a table in the corner of Demarco’s, sipping a glass of wine and waiting for Jack. It was ten after eight and she began to worry. The Demarco clan was here, working hard through the dinner rush. Was it always full? Probably with the delicious food, atmosphere and wine list.

  Marcello, the wine expert, had served her a glass of smooth, velvety, ruby red wine that could easily go to her head. She settled for sipping slowly and savoring it while she waited. It helped to settle her nerves, though she couldn’t figure out why she was so nervous. She was having dinner with Jack, that’s all. No reason for her stomach to be in knots.

  Taking another sip of wine, she glanced around the dimly lit room with its romantic atmosphere and soft music playing in the background. It made Darci glance at the clock again and wish Jack would hurry up. She wanted to get dinner over with and get back to his house so she could show him she had no intentions of sleeping in the guest room.

  Donovan, dressed to kill in a pair of dark trousers and crisp white shirt, approached her table. She looked up into those stunning blue eyes, and smiled. If she weren’t in love with Jack she would be swooning right now because Donovan Demarco was drop-dead gorgeous.

  “May I?” He motioned to the chair next to her.

  A true gentleman. Darci nodded. “Please.”

  He pulled out the chair and sat. The way he moved with ease and grace reminded her of a dancer, though she doubted very much Donovan ever took dance lessons. He may be dashing and graceful, but he was pure, potent male and she bet he had no trouble keeping his bed warm at night.

  “Can I get you another glass of wine?”

  “Yes, please.”

  Donovan rose to his feet in one fluid motion. “You know, you’re the first woman Taggart has ever brought home, so to speak.” His voice held a hint of admiration. “We’ve been friends and swim buddies for a long time and you’re the first woman of his I’ve met.”

  He was the only one who called Jack Taggart.

  Darci looked up at him and immediately understood what he meant. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that Jack had two families. His mom and Wally, and the Demarcos. She took it as a compliment and smiled. She didn’t know what a swim buddy was and assumed it was a swim team thing, but the compliment pleased her right down to her toes.

  “I’m glad he did,” she said.

  Donovan sent her a mysterious smile and told her he’d be back with her wine in a moment, before disappearing in the kitchen.

  The front door opened and she absently glanced up, hoping to see Jack, but a man in military dress whites stood there instead.

  Something caught her eye near the door again. She looked up, curious as to who the lucky girl was meeting a sailor for dinner.

  She searched the room for a woman sitting alone, but didn’t find one. No one except…

  Her gaze shot to the door as her heart did a slow roll in her chest. In the dim light she watched the tall sailor rake a hand through his dark hair and her heart stopped completely.

  Oh, sweet Mary, mother of God.

  His eyes scanned the room and landed on her. Darci’s thoughts fled as he began weaving his way toward her, striking in his uniform, commanding attention and receiving it. He had her full attention, no doubt about that. She couldn’t tear her eyes off him.

  He reached her table and stopped on the other side, legs braced slightly apart, back straight and shoulders squared, stretching the fabric of his uniform tight across his chest. His jaw was clean-shaven, his hair neatly trimmed. Darci had never seen a more handsome man in her life.

  His tender gaze met hers, almost undoing her. She’d been thrown for a loop so many times today she wondered if she’d ever stop spinning. But this was the icing on the cake. She’d made the right decision when she agreed to come here.

  The restaurant had gone silent. She wanted to cry because he was truly a man of honor and because she loved him more with each layer she peeled away. He said he was a simple man, but to her he was so much more.

  “This is who I am. A Navy SEAL who is gone more than he’s home. Who can’t talk about where he’s been or what he did there. I can’t promise you much, but I can promise you one thing.” He stopped and dropped down on one knee in front of her.

  Her heart galloped in her chest. This couldn’t be happening. No way was Jack down on a knee in front of her with a small black box in his hand. She hadn’t even seen him pull it out. He held the box out to her. “I can promise you that I will never stop loving you. I’m a simple man. I don’t need much but I do need you. It took me two months to work up the nerve to go to Boston and I couldn’t have done it if I wasn’t ready to share my life with you. It won’t be easy and I know I’m asking you to leave your home and come live here with me, but together I know we can make it. I love you, Darci O’Shea, and I want to spend my life with you.”

  With tears streaming down her cheeks, Darci opened the box and gasped, clamping a hand over her mouth. Nestled in a bed of velvet was a diamond in the shape of a shamrock. With shaking hands, she lifted it out.

  Jack took it from her trembling fingers and grasped her hand. “Will you marry me?”

  Marry a Navy SEAL? She hadn’t seen this one coming. But it was exactly what she hadn’t allowed herself to wish for. She had her songwriting career to keep her busy and she loved Jack’s house. She adored his family and friends and would have no trouble living in this charming little town.

  Her band had broken up, leaving her no commitments in Boston. It would be easy to pack up and move out here to start an adventure of a whole other color. Could she say yes to a man like Jack Taggart? Was she ready to embark on a new adventure?

  Looking deep into his eyes, she saw a reflection of herself and had her answer right then and there.

  “On one condition,” she said and saw the corners of his mouth tilt.

  “Anything.”

  She paused to wipe her tears away, suddenly realizing everyone in the re
staurant waited for her answer. She saw the Demarcos in the back and Jack’s mom and Wally standing with them. She hadn’t been aware they’d come in. It seemed Jack had put plenty of care into his arrangements, including getting his mom to take her shopping so he could surprise her. Only a man who truly loved her would do that. When she spoke, everyone heard her, but the message was for Jack alone.

  “We go somewhere cold for our honeymoon.”

  Their audience frowned and whispered amongst themselves but Jack grinned.

  “Deal.”

  Darci smiled. “Then my answer is yes, I will marry you, Jack Taggart.”

  The crowd cheered as Jack slipped the ring on her finger. Then he pulled her out of her chair and into his arms for a kiss that sealed the deal. When he pulled away, tears streamed down her cheeks.

  “I love you,” she whispered.

  “I’m so glad you aren’t the weepy, emotional type.” Jack grinned as he brushed her tears away, remembering a time when she swore she never cried.

  Darci laughed and together they turned toward their audience for congratulations. While the Demarco brothers drew Jack away to slap him on the back, she felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see the handsome face of Win Bekett.

  “Win,” she said, smiling. The last time she’d seen him was in an abandoned warehouse in the Caribbean with a gun in each hand taking out the bad guys. He’d taken a bullet for Jack. A hero in her book. He’d called a couple times after the incident to see how she was doing, but she’d never gotten to thank him in person.

  He wore his signature white shirt, tie and slacks and his hair spiked as if he’d run his fingers through it a million times. She was beginning to think it always looked like that.

  Throwing her arms around him she hugged him close, hearing him chuckle in her ear. “Don’t let Jack see you doing that,” he teased when she pulled away. “He’ll string me up by my toes and use me for target practice. How are you?”

  “I’m good, better now.” She stared at the ring on her finger. “What about you? How’s the shoulder?”

  Win rolled his left shoulder. “No complaints.”

  “What are you doing here? How did you find us?”

  “Jack’s been keeping tabs on the Gruesome Twins case,” he said with a grin. She knew exactly who the ‘twins’ were. He’d kept her posted on the case too in his phone calls. She was happy to know Heath and Eva would be spending the rest of their lives in prison. “He invited me down if I could spare the time. My boss told me I could.”

  Win wasn’t the type to take a vacation and Darci knew he’d worked nonstop, bullet wound and all, to put his case together against the twins. He’d been working when he should have been recovering.

  “Well, I’m glad you’re here. Will you be staying long?”

  “There’s this case I’ve been working on for a couple years now that has broken open that I really should…” He trailed off when Darci sent him an amused look. “I’m doing it again, aren’t I?”

  She nodded.

  “I know, I give workaholic a new meaning. My boss keeps telling me that.”

  “Your boss is a wise man.”

  “Yeah, he tells me that too.”

  Darci smiled and looped her arm through his. “I never got to properly thank you for saving Jack’s life.”

  Pink tinged Win’s high cheekbones as he tried to brush off the compliment. “Nah, I was just…”

  “Doing your job, I know. Thank you for being so good at it,” she said and kissed his cheek, causing his skin to darken even more.

  “Hey, hands off, Bekett.”

  Win stepped away from her and shook Jack’s hand, both men grinning.

  “Glad you could make it, man,” Jack said.

  “Wouldn’t miss a chance to see you all dressed up. Jesus, Navy, you glow.”

  Darci laughed and slipped her arms around Jack. He looked strong and regal in his white uniform but he did glow, the white so bright. Her life had changed dramatically and she was so happy about it that she couldn’t imagine it any other way. Being married to a SEAL was going to be an adventure of another kind. She definitely looked forward to the challenge.

  As friends and family moved in to meet the man who’d saved Jack’s life, she knew everything was just as it should be. The bad guys were in prison, her life in Boston had ended, but she had a new beginning here with Jack and she couldn’t be happier. This is where she wanted to be, at his side with the future ahead of them. Life was good.

  Feeling the need to be close to him, Darci leaned over and whispered in Jack’s ear, unwilling to share him any longer.

  “Take me home, sailor.”

  Smart man that he was, Jack grinned, took her hand and got their Braciole and cannolis to go…

  The End

  About Jennifer Lowery

  Jennifer Lowery grew up reading romance novels in the back of her math book and on the bus to school, and never wanted to be anything but a writer. Her summers were spent sitting at the kitchen table with her sisters spinning tales of romance and intrigue and always with a tall glass of ice tea at their side.

  Today, Jennifer is living that dream and she couldn’t be happier to share her passion with her readers. She loves everything there is about romance. Her stories feature alpha heroes who meet their match with strong, independent heroines. She believes that happily ever after is only the beginning of her stories. And the road to that happy ending is paved with action, adventure, and romance. As her characters find out when they face danger, overcome fears, and are forced to look deep within themselves to discover love.

  Jennifer lives in Michigan with her husband and two children. When she isn’t writing she enjoys reading and spending time with her family.

  Jennifer’s Website

  www.jenniferloweryauthor.com

  Jennifer’s Reader Email

  jennifer@jenniferloweryauthor.com

  Other Books by Jennifer Lowery

  Excerpt from Hard Core:

  Copyright © 2014, Jennifer Lowery

  Look, mister, you aren’t going anywhere until I clear you. What you do after that is your business. Until then, you belong to me.”

  Slade’s heart pounded. You belong to me. Why did those words affect him? He belonged to no one. Alana’s hand burned like fire against his skin. He looked down to where it rested over his heart, small and delicate against the muscles of his chest. Her skin was soft, her fingers long, slender, feminine.

  An image of her bathing, naked except for bra and panties, threw him where he didn’t want to go. Watching her bathe by lantern light hadn’t been a hallucination. It was too vivid, too clear. He remembered every inch of her silken skin, the way her narrow waist curved into lean hips and long, shapely legs. His palms actually tingled as if they’d touched her soft skin. Ridiculous. If he’d touched her, he’d sure as hell remember it.

  Slade swallowed hard. Gave himself a mental shake. He’d been here before. It never ended well. He didn’t need any more scars.

  Buy Hard Core:

  Amazon

  Excerpt from Murphy’s Law:

  Copyright © 2014, Jennifer Lowery

  Murphy sat at the kitchen table, half in the shadows created by the soft light glowing above the stove, hair tousled from sleep. Naked to the waist. A bottle of amber liquid sat in front of him, an empty glass in his hand. Her gaze landed on his muscled shoulders and trailed across his tanned chest. So much for getting him out of her mind. Now she had the real thing to dream about. Looking at the dark hairs that veed down his chest and disappeared behind the table, she decided he’d been right. He was a dangerous man.

  She tore her gaze away from temptation and looked at the granite lines of his face. Beneath the hardness of his expression, something haunting lingered. Drawn, she circled the table to the opposite end.

  Murphy met her eyes with coldness that should have sent her running for the safety of her room, but she remained standing in place. He wanted to chase her away. This time she
wasn’t running.

  “Mind if I join you?” She grabbed a glass and from the cupboard and reached over his shoulder for the bottle.

  His hand snaked out and wrapped around hers, preventing her from pouring a drink.

  “I mind,” he growled.

  “Well, get over it. I need a drink.”

  Scowling, he let go of her hand and allowed her to pour a glass for herself. She refilled his glass next, set the bottle on the table, moved to the chair beside him and sat, lifting her glass.

  “Cheers.” She brought the glass to her lips. His gaze as she drained the glass made her fight the urge to cough as the fiery liquid burned its way down her throat. Seconds later she felt the familiar warming sensation as it numbed her insides. Her eyes filled with tears. She blinked them away and reached for the bottle.

  Murphy held it away from her. “What are you doing?”

  “Having a drink. I’m not in the mood for warm milk tonight.”

  His eyes darkened and narrowed. “You don’t strike me as the drinking type.”

  She wasn’t, but tonight it sounded good. Maybe it would soothe away her problems and make her forget how screwed-up her life was. Talking about Kent earlier had brought back painful memories. She didn’t want to feel that misery anymore.

  “Maybe you don’t know my type,” she said.

  He studied her closely for a moment before rubbing a hand over his face. “Go back to bed, Sara. Sleep it off.”

  “I don’t want to sleep it off. I’m tired of thinking about it.”

  Maybe it was the whisky, or his naked chest, or the part of her that had been dormant for six years coming back to life. More than anything she wanted to discover it with Murphy, her strong, scarred hero.

  She rose to her feet. He watched warily as she stepped in front of him and positioned herself between him and the table. He leaned back in his chair and sent her a thunderous look.

  “You and I are alike in many ways, Murphy,” she said softly. “We’ve both lost pieces of ourselves we can’t ever get back and it has forced us into a life of loneliness and solitude. I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of being alone.”