by Lea Hart
“I’ll go,” Caid answered as he finished a rep.
Jax racked his weight and glanced over. “You look like shit; does that mean the convo didn’t go well?”
“It wasn’t great, but she didn’t completely shut me down.”
“You’re lucky, man,” Caid said as he put his weights away. “Your sitch is complicated and asking a woman to walk through it with you is a hell of an ask.”
“Tell me about it.”
“I have a theory,” Jax said as he wiped his face with a towel. “Want to hear it?”
“Do we have a choice?” Ace asked.
Smirking, Jax leaned against the wall. “People are attracted to jerks or, in the case of men, bitchy women because of the brain’s reward system.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” Caid said before draining a bottle of water.
“Our neural network is sensitive to rewards like affection and sex, but when those rewards come to us unexpectedly, they become much more alluring. That’s why some people can’t stay away from an unpredictable partner.”
“Have you been watching the Science Channel again?” Ace asked.
“Yeah, but that’s not where I picked up that piece of gold. I had dinner with Frisco and Brooke the other night, and she’d read it somewhere.”
“So, you’re saying that I kept circling back to Victoria because her erratic behavior made the sex and shit more exciting?”
“Yeah.” Grabbing his T-shirt, Jax slid it over his head. “Be honest, man, we’re all a bunch of adrenaline junkies; otherwise, we wouldn’t do what we do. It makes sense that we’d have women in our lives that would give us a similar thrill.”
“I’ll take the thrill Lisa gives me over Victoria’s crazy any day.”
“Maybe that means you’ve found the one.”
“If shit like that even exists,” Caid said.
“I know it does,” Jax replied. “Look at all the guys who’ve gotten married over the last couple of years. They’re all walking around with satisfied grins like they found the secret to life. Even Frisco is settled and about to be married in another two months.”
“Never thought I’d see that day come,” Ace said as he stood. “I’m heading over to the cage room; come get me when you’re done.”
“Roger that,” Caid called out as he added weights to a bar.
Ace walked down the hall and played the conversation he’d had with Lisa over in his brain and wondered if there was anything he could’ve done differently. Not coming up with anything immediately, he let out a long breath and walked into the cage room.
It was a shit situation, no matter which way you looked at it, and he was so pissed that he and Lisa had to start their relationship with it hanging over their head. Opening his cage, he walked in and looked at the shelves that held his gear and collapsed into a chair.
He checked his phone and saw that Victoria had texted him the deets on the other possible baby daddies. Surprised that she actually followed through, he group-texted the men and suggested they get together as soon as possible. God willing, the guys were chill, and they could get through the next couple of months without any drama. Victoria could stir up a ton without much effort, and now that she was about to have a baby, he bet it was going to be ten times worse.
The exterior door swung open, and he glanced up seeing Logan stroll in. “What’s up, man?”
“Came down to get my gear in order. I may be wheels up tonight because Lt. Cmdr. Warner is down a man.”
“Who’s injured?”
“Trevor Price.”
“You sure you’re ready to go back out?” Folding his arms, he studied the new SEAL. “You don’t have to save the world your first couple of years on the Teams.”
“I’m hungry for it, man. I’ve been on four deployments, and I’m just starting to feel like I know what I’m doing. The more experience I have under my belt, the more I’ll have to contribute.”
“I get that, man, but this is a marathon, not a sprint. Pace yourself, because we’re never going to be short on missions. The old days of having only a half-dozen direct action missions a year are never coming back, so rest easy; you’ll see more than your fair share of combat.”
Logan leaned against the cage and nodded. “I know, but I want to get better, and the only way to do that is to be out there.”
“Understood.” He let out a short laugh. “I’m a decade into this, but I still remember what I felt like in the beginning.”
Logan grinned and then leaned forward, bumping fists. “Appreciate the perspective.”
“Any time.” The door swung open again, and he saw Caid and Jax walk in. Heaving himself out of the chair, he walked out of his cage and closed it. “Ready to hit it?”
“Absolutely,” Jax replied. “Ran into Blake and Mark and they’re going to join us. Told us to meet in the grinder in fifteen.”
“Hope they can keep up,” Caid called out.
“They may be instructors now, but those two can still kick serious ass,” Ace said as he walked toward the door.
“Let’s challenge them, and winner buys beer,” Jax said as he dumped his bag in his cage.
“Sounds good to me,” Ace replied as he headed out of the building, wondering how long he should wait before stopping by Lisa’s again.
Deep in his gut, he felt like she was everything he ever wanted and, while he knew he didn’t deserve her, he sure as hell wasn’t going to give up.
They’d had a couple of incredible moments together in Yemen, and he wanted to have a thousand more. If he could convince her he was worth the chaos surrounding him, they may have a chance at making something incredible.
Something that would be better than any adrenaline-fueled mission or reporting assignment either of them could find.
Something that could make home the most exciting place on the planet.
CHAPTER NINE
Lisa opened her door and frowned. “You’re not my Chinese food delivery.”
“No, but I’m pretty sure I’m the man of your dreams,” Ace replied as he handed her a bouquet of flowers.
“These are lovely, but none of my dreams currently include you.” Stepping out on the porch, she hip-checked him and waved to Joe, her favorite delivery man. “Cutting it a little close, aren’t you?”
“Girl, you have another thirty minutes. We both know you’re not going to start watching until 8:30, so you can skip the commercials.”
“Am I that predictable?”
“Afraid so,” he replied as he held up the bag.” Looking up at Ace, he frowned. “You said you were ordering for one.”
“I was.” She glanced at Ace and tried to elbow him away. When he didn’t budge, she tried to step around him. “He’s not staying, so ignore his frown.”
“Kind of hard to.”
“Sorry about that, man,” Ace said as he pulled his wallet out and took the bag out of Joe’s hand. He checked the receipt and then handed over some money. “Here you go; keep the change.”
“Don’t accept his money,” Lisa said as she tried to step in front of Ace again.
Joe stepped back and shook his head. “Sorry, he’s big and looks mean, so you have to work it out with him.”
Lisa watched him wave and scurry down the sidewalk. Turning to Ace, she shifted the flowers and then tried to hand him the money she had in her hand. “Please, take it.”
“No way.” He kissed her head and then put his hand on her lower back and moved her into the house. “What are we watching tonight?”
“We are not watching anything; I, however, am going to watch the Bachelorette.”
“What the hell is that?” he asked as he closed the door behind him.
“Have you been living under a rock?”
“No.”
She watched him walk into the kitchen like he belonged and let out a huff as she followed him. “Thank you for the flowers, by the way; they’re beautiful.”
“I told Birdie to make a bouquet that would
knock your panties off, and this is what she came up with.”
Moving around him, she grabbed a vase and filled it. “Really?”
“Yeah, I’ve known Birdie for ages, and her husband was my former commander.” He set the bag on the counter and took the boxes out. “In fact, I was there the day they met and have never forgotten the look on Mark’s face when they had their first dance.” He looked over his shoulder and grinned. “That shit is the stuff romance movies are based on.”
She arranged the flowers and then set them on the table. “How so?”
“Lt. Cmdr. Mark Frazier was one of the toughest men I ever served under, and he didn’t have a soft feeling in his body until he met Birdie. He fell so hard that he asked her to marry him within a couple of weeks of their first date and somehow married her three months later.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, and they’re happy to this day. They have two kids and are as passionate for one other as they were in the beginning.
“I thought that only happened in books, not real life.”
“I did too until a bunch of buddies have done the exact same thing over the last couple of years.”
Pulling out a plate, she hugged it against her chest. “You almost sound like a romantic, Ace.”
He leaned against the counter and shrugged. “Didn’t think I was until I met a certain journalist in Yemen. The woman has me thinking things that I never considered.”
Tilting her head, she tried to fight the smile and warm feelings his words were invoking. “What am I going to do with you?”
He leaned forward and took the plate out of her hands. “Honey, I’m hoping you’re going to give me a chance because I want to see if all those crazy feelings we had in Yemen are possible again.” He dropped his head and gently pressed his lips to hers. “I breathe so much easier when you’re in my arms.”
Feeling like she was at the top of a roller coaster, she felt herself free fall as Ace kissed her with a gentle ferocity that had her mind spinning.
He pulled his mouth away and nodded. “It’s stronger than ever, Lisa. No way can you deny what we have.”
“I thought you were going to give me some time before you made a full-frontal assault.”
He leaned down and kissed her head. “I already did since I left you alone yesterday. I figured that was more than enough.”
“You are something else,” she replied with a frown as she looked up. “I like your sweet words and pretty flowers, but I don’t feel comfortable getting involved with you.”
“Is there anything I can do to help you feel comfortable?”
“I don’t know.” She ran her hand over her face and shook her head. “How do I know if you’re being honest with me? How do I know that you and Victoria won’t get back together? How do I know if you’re trustworthy?”
“I’m honest to a fault, Lisa, and the fact that you doubt me makes me angrier than a bull.” He took her hands and lowered his head. “All I can do is show you, and for that to happen, we need to spend time together. I’m asking for a chance to prove to you that I’m a man worth investing in.”
“I feel like an idiot, Ace.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m actually considering getting to know you.”
“That’s not idiotic.” He lifted her hands and kissed them. “I promise on my Trident that I’m a good man and will never do anything to hurt you or make you doubt me again.”
“I guess we can have dinner together.”
Letting out a loud breath, he pulled her into his chest. “Thank you, Lisa.”
“Don’t make me regret it.”
“I won’t. I promise you that.”
“Courtney wanted to poison you, and I’ll let her if I find out you’re lying.”
“Fair enough.” He kissed her head and grinned. “I’ve never wanted someone the way I want you, and I won’t give up until you understand I’m serious and want you for my own.”
“Ace, that’s so…”
“Amazing and wonderful?”
“Crazy.”
“Maybe so, but it’s the way it is.”
Stepping out of his embrace, she pulled another plate out. “You should keep those little tidbits to yourself.”
He slung his arm over her shoulder and shrugged. “All right, whatever makes you happy.”
Groaning, she shook her head. “Please, dear Lord, save me from willful men and their crazy proclamations.”
“It’s not crazy if it’s true.”
She opened a drawer and pulled out a spoon. “Now would be a good time to keep your thoughts to yourself.”
“Got it,” he replied with a wink.
“You can grab a beer from the fridge.”
“Thanks, do you have your drink already?”
“I do,” she replied as she made two plates. Grabbing the chopsticks, she nodded toward the living room. “Follow me.”
“Anywhere you want to go,” he said as he grabbed a stack of napkins.
Laughing, she walked out of the kitchen and settled herself on the couch and poured herself a glass of wine. “The bachelorette is down to the final six, so we’re finally getting to the good part. The weirdos and drama kings have left, and it’s starting to get interesting.”
Ace sat back and took a slug of his beer. “Fill me in on what happens on the show.”
“A woman gets to date twenty-five men and then pick the one she wants to propose.”
“No shit?”
“It takes two months and, by the end of it, she hopefully has found the one she’s willing to spend the rest of her life with.”
“Does it work?”
“Not really, but it’s fun to watch.”
Leaning forward, she picked up a plate and handed it to him. “Are you sure you want to stay?”
“Of course, if you told me we were going to watch paint dry, I’d be in.”
She picked up her own plate and laughed. “You are so full of it.”
“No, honey. I’m not.”
Looking up, she saw his determined patience and wished the road ahead of them wasn’t so treacherous. She picked up the remote and flicked on the TV and decided to enjoy the show and leave reality until later.
“Are we rooting for anyone in this?” Ace asked before biting into a spring roll.
“This season is a little different because the guy she gave the first impression rose to is clearly the one she’s smitten with. I feel like Becca and Garrett should just walk off into the sunset and they can bring someone else in because there isn’t even a competition anymore. As far as I’m concerned, she’s just going through the motions until she can finally tell everyone it was Garrett all along.”
“Kind of like us.”
Snorting, she lifted her wine glass and took a sip. “We certainly have all the elements necessary for a reality TV drama.”
“But not forever. This situation with Victoria is going to be resolved soon and then we’ll have no drama whatsoever.”
Rolling her eyes, she leaned back and tried to pretend like his words were possible. “Eat your dinner, Ace, and behave.”
“Whatever you want, honey.”
And that’s exactly what she was afraid of because the thing she wanted most was Ace, whether it made sense or not.
***
Ace took the dishes into the kitchen and made quick work of getting them rinsed and put in the dishwasher. Just as he was finishing up, he watched Lisa walk in with the glasses. “Thanks for letting me crash your night.”
“You’re welcome.” She set the glasses down and then leaned against the counter. “How are things going with Victoria?”
Groaning, he shook his head. “The same as they were the other day. I laid out what I was willing to do until paternity can be established and I’ve contacted the other men. We’re having beers later in the week, and I hope we can come up with a plan we all agree on.”
“Seems like a good idea.”
He stepped over and took o
ne of her hands. “I wish this wasn’t happening and we could start our relationship clean. But that’s not going to be possible, so tell me what I can do to make this as small of an obstacle as possible.”
“I don’t really know what to tell you since this is all new territory.”
“What scares or pisses you off the most?”
“I think Victoria still has feelings and this thing between you two is going to be complicated for a long time to come. I don’t want to get in the middle of what is sure to be a very grueling situation.”
“I understand, and I’d never willingly ask you to get tangled up in this disaster. But, I can’t give up on the idea of us, so I’m being a selfish bastard and praying you’ll take a gamble on me.”
“I really want to resist you and your compelling arguments.”
“But…”
“I can’t seem to make myself.” She punched him lightly in the arm. “Why are you so irresistible?”
Relief washed over him as her words gave him the glimpse of hope he’d been praying for. “Because you and I have something rare and you’re smart enough not to want to toss it away.”
Resting her head against his chest, she sighed. “I don’t know if smart is the right description, but it’s certainly better than the alternative.”
“And what might that be?”
“I’m not telling you since I’m trying my best to resist you and failing miserably.”
Dipping his head, he nuzzled her ear. “You own me, and we’ve not even had a date yet. I’d tear down the world if I thought it would make you happy.” Dragging his mouth along her neck, he felt her shiver. “So, know that the power rests in your beautiful hands.”
“Ace…”
Lifting her into his arms, he grabbed her ass and turned. “Let me show you how true my words are.” When he felt her nod, he let out a whoop and strode out of the kitchen and thanked his lucky stars. “Where am I going?”
“The room at the end of the hall.” Lifting her head, she held his gaze. “Please, don’t make me regret this, Ace.”
“Not in a million years,” he replied as he walked into the bedroom. Setting her on her feet, he cupped her face. “Something incredible happens when we’re together, and the intimacy we create is nothing I’ve ever experienced. I think it’s rare and a sign that we’re meant for one another.”