“Damn, man, if you ever decide to leave the service, you can teach people how to play pool for a living,” Matthew said, sounding impressed.
“Yeah, I’ll add it to my list of post-military career options,” Brent said dryly.
“People would pay big bucks to have your mad skills. Ella’s been playing, what, an hour or two?”
“It’s natural talent,” she said, glancing over at them with a grin.
Well hell. She should smile like that more often. Her entire face lit up, those blue eyes sparking with fire and light, and for a moment, Brent’s concerns about her dissipated.
“You tell ‘em, honey,” Brianna encouraged. “Brent doesn’t need to be the only pool shark in this group.”
“Too bad Kenley left early. She was dying to have the ladies win!”
Brent raised his eyebrows in amusement before glancing back at Matthew. “Nah. I won’t be a SEAL forever, but I’ll still be Navy. I can’t stay in one place for too long. Teaching pool for a living sounds too much like settling down. I might as well get a wife, dog, and two point five kids. That might work for other guys, but not me.”
Matthew nodded. “Hoorah.”
All the guys on their team shared the same deep need to serve their country. Brent had enlisted in the Navy right out of high school, just like most of the other men. He’d completed BUD/S, Basic Underwater Demolitions/SEAL, and found his calling. He was married to the Navy, for better or worse, and so far Uncle Sam had served him well. After watching his mother struggle, after living through the loss of his sister, the need to protect others pulsed through him. He’d goddamn give his life to defend the defenseless, help the injured, beat the bad guys. And the world was full of them—terrorists, drug lords, sex traffickers, you name it. He’d seen shit no one should ever have to. And maybe he couldn’t save everyone, but hell. If he could protect one person, it was worth it.
If only he could’ve saved his sister.
Guilt churned through him once more. He’d started the night in a shit mood at Anchors but hadn’t thought about the anniversary of her death once since he’d been here shooting pool. So was that a good thing or bad thing? The memories ate him alive night after night no matter what. He almost felt twice as bad about it now for briefly forgetting.
Usually it took losing himself in a woman, but if some semblance of peace could be found shooting pool with his buddies, he’d take it. Right. As if they were the calming distraction he’d had all night. He wanted to laugh at the irony—of course it wasn’t them. It was her. A woman.
And just because he hadn’t slept with her didn’t mean he didn’t want to.
“Damn, I missed,” Ella said as her ball bounced off the side of the table.
“You can’t win ‘em all, darlin’,” Matthew said with a grin. “Even with this guy as your teacher.”
Ella shrugged, leaning her cue against the wall. That cute little tank top she had on tugged across her chest, and Brent willed himself to keep his gaze on her face. It was a losing battle, and his eyes slid lower and lower. That long pendant dangling from her slender neck hung right between the supple curve of her breasts. He was dying to inspect it up close. Run his fingers down the delicate chain. Steal a kiss.
“Maybe I’ll have to practice sometime down in Florida now that I know how to play,” Ella said.
“Right, show those college boys how it’s done,” Matthew laughed.
Uneasiness churned through his gut. Ella, alone in some other pool hall, with all sorts of men hitting on her? Hell, that was no better a scenario than the cocktail lounge she’d worked in. A place that seemed to draw predatory men in droves. One that he was damn glad she’d never see again.
Brianna laughed. “With all that free time you have, right?”
Ella blew out a sigh. “I know. Between work, classes, and homework, free time is nonexistent right now. Spring break notwithstanding. And who am I kidding? I should be back home right now making some money.”
“You won’t be in school forever,” Brianna insisted.
“I might be if I can’t pay my tuition.”
“Do you need me to loan you some money? I know I was complaining a few months back when I got laid off, but I have money saved up. And of course my new job here,” she said, referring to her marketing position at a law firm in Virginia Beach. Their SEAL team leader Patrick’s girlfriend had hooked Brianna up with a job, and she’d been thrilled to take it and move in with Matthew. “You can pay me back when you graduate.”
A flush spread across Ella’s cheeks at the mention of money. “Thanks, but I’ll figure something out. I’ve managed to make it this far on my own,” she added, somewhat uncertainly. Brent’s eyes narrowed. Alone? Certainly she had parents or someone helping her out. Didn’t all the college kids these days? Brianna and Matthew’s parents each had homes down in Florida. Ella probably had parents living there too.
Ella turned and walked over to grab her soda from the table nearby, her hips swaying in those tight jeans. Even if it was under the guise of teaching Ella, Brent had fucking loved standing so close to her tonight. Breathing in her scent. Feeling just the hint of her small body pressed against his. And damn. His bad mood had completely vanished since they’d arrived at the pool hall. He’d been too focused on her. But who was he kidding? Ella was just like all the other women he distracted himself with. Even though he hadn’t slept with her, he’d enjoyed having her close by. But tomorrow there’d be another woman to fill her shoes.
A brief pang of regret filled his chest.
“We’re gonna have to take off soon,” Matthew drawled. “Bri is exhausted.”
“Got it,” Brent muttered in affirmation.
Soon enough he’d be back to reality—back to another sleepless night. Another grueling day of training. An existence without the strange sense of calmness he felt around Ella. He ran a hand over the stubble on his jaw. Training was bright and early tomorrow, and he was already feeling the loss of her presence. Maybe he would have to swing by Anchors and take a woman home with him. Just to keep his sanity. Just to prevent his churning thoughts from keeping him up until dawn.
“Are you ladies ready to head out?” Matthew asked a few minutes later, glancing at the two women.
“Guess so,” Ella agreed, glancing at the clock on the wall. “And here I thought I’d be bailing out early.”
“If I’d known you’d smoke us at pool, I wouldn’t have insisted you come,” Matthew joked.
“Aw, don’t tease Ella,” Brianna said. “She won’t want to come out with you again. And I’d hate to have to ditch you for her.”
“Sorry, darlin’,” he drawled.
Brianna rolled her eyes and then grabbed Ella’s hand, tugging her toward the door. Brent followed behind with Matthew, watching the two women. Jesus. He felt lighter than he had in years hanging around with Ella all night. Maybe it was because although he’d teased her, standing a little too close behind her, just barely caressing her hand, he wasn’t planning to score. For once he’d been hanging around a woman who wasn’t a sure thing—and who knew he’d fucking love the chase so damn much.
The sights and sounds of the main strand along Virginia Beach surrounded them as they walked out the front door—seafood restaurants, bars with open patios, small souvenir shops catering to the tourists. It wasn’t that late, maybe only eleven p.m., and Brent was suddenly itching to cruise around on his motorcycle, taking in some of the salty air blowing in from the ocean. To feel the wind whipping at his side. To extend this night a little longer. Dawn would be here before he knew it, and nothing was as awful as another sleepless, restless night.
“I’ll give you a lift,” Brent said to Ella as they walked onto the sidewalk.
Matthew raised his eyebrows. “We can drop her off. It’s right on the way back to my place. Our place,” he corrected, grinning at Brianna.
“Yeah, I can stick with them,” she agreed.
The smell of brick oven pizza drifted across the street t
o where they were standing, causing them all to glance over. “Oh, that smells so good,” Brianna said. “Too bad pizza makes me sick right now. And tomato sauce. And pretty much everything else.”
Ella’s gaze flicked over to her friend, and she absentmindedly clutched her purse to her chest. Hell. Just like when she’d wanted to play pool earlier but didn’t want to spend the money. Maybe it was an unconscious reflex. Did she even have enough money for food? She’d insisted all she wanted was a soda at the pool hall. And Brent hadn’t been sitting with them at Anchors to know if she’d eaten anything then. He knew Brianna had paid for Ella’s flights to and from Florida since she was helping Brianna move in and get settled. Maybe Ella still hadn’t found a new job after quitting hers at the cocktail lounge.
He ground his jaw as he recalled that drunk guy attacking Brianna in the back. What if that had been Ella? What if his SEAL team buddies and him hadn’t been there that night? Hell, Matthew hadn’t even known Brianna worked there. It was dumb luck they’d been at the right place at the right time. And the thought of any man attacking a woman, ever, didn’t sit well with him.
The need to provide for her washed over him. So what if it was just a damn pizza? She obviously hadn’t eaten much all night. If she was hungry, he’d see to it that her basic needs were met. Spend a few more minutes looking into those blue eyes. Trying not to closely examine her willowy frame. Sending her home alone and hungry wasn’t an option.
“Come on,” Brent said, cocking his head in the direction of the pizzeria. “I’ll buy you some pizza and then drive you home.”
Ella eyed him skeptically. She looked fucking gorgeous in the moonlight, all smooth, ivory skin with that dark hair swirling around her bare shoulders. Like a dessert he desperately wanted to sample.
“I owe you a ride,” he insisted.
“How do you figure that?”
“You gave us a ride back to our hotel in Pensacola. I’m returning the favor.”
She shook her head. “That’s hardly the same thing. You guys walked me to my car that night. Anyway, I don’t really have the extra cash.”
“It’s on me,” he insisted, placing his hand at the small of her back as he guided her away from the others. “Catch you tomorrow, Gator,” he said, glancing back at Matthew. “Brianna,” he added with a nod. Ella said goodbye to her friend and shivered slightly in the cooler night air. Feeling chivalrous, Brent shucked off his black leather jacket, draping it over her slender shoulders. She glanced up at him in surprise, and he met her gaze. “You looked cold,” he said, his voice gruff.
Brent ignored Matthew and Brianna gawking behind them.
Hell.
Had he bought a woman dinner…ever? Probably not. Drinks? Check. Condoms? Double check. But an actual meal? Not fucking likely. Then again, did a late-night pizza actually count as dinner? He didn’t like the fact that he hadn’t seen Ella eat a damn thing all night. Brianna hadn’t seemed too worried, but hell. She and Matthew were so wrapped up in each other they wouldn’t notice a meteor crashing through the ceiling. And he wasn’t about to ask her about Ella’s eating habits or financial situation.
He pulled open the door, feeling his skin prickle with awareness as she slid by him. She stiffened slightly, evidently feeling the chemistry between them, too.
Shit.
Staying away from her by taking her out for pizza was already starting to seem like a bad idea. As was driving her home on his Harley, when she’d have no choice but to wrap her slender frame around his body. Her breasts would be pressed against his back. Her legs snug against his. The heat from her core would be right against him.
He muttered a curse.
Remaining a few steps behind her, he let Ella lead the way in. The curve of her ass in those jeans was damn near perfection, and he tried not to imagine what type of panties she was wearing. Bikini? Thong? She’d look gorgeous in anything. Everything. Nothing at all.
“Order whatever you want,” he said, coming to a stop beside her.
Her silky hair inadvertently brushed against his bicep as she glanced up at the menu, and his jaw tightened. Why did that innocent little touch arouse him more than all the women who’d been hitting on him earlier at Anchors? Ella fully clothed managed to be sexier than all those other women combined.
“I got it,” he insisted after she ordered a cheese pizza. “How much?” he asked the young cashier.
Ella huffed out a chagrined laugh. “Look, you really don’t have to buy me dinner. I’m perfectly capable of paying for it.”
“You’re in college; I get hazard duty pay for all the shit places the Navy sends me. It’s one pizza.”
“You don’t need—”
“I’m hungry, and I’m not letting a woman pay for my food.”
“Whatever,” she finally agreed, stuffing her wallet back into her bag.
Brent smirked but didn’t say anything. Although he didn’t exactly expect her to profess her undying gratitude, a simple ‘thank you’ would’ve sufficed. Hell, most of the women he spent time with would probably be dropping their panties for him by now. Ripping his clothes right off. And he was ushering Ella into a pizzeria like they were on a fucking date or something.
Unable to resist touching her, Brent rested his hand on the small of her back again, guiding her toward a booth in the back. He shot a glare at some young college guys staring at her, and they looked away quickly. A strange sort of masculine pride filled his chest at Ella wearing his leather jacket. Hell if he wouldn’t love to see her in that and nothing else.
Scratch that.
Maybe his jacket over some sexy little lingerie. Strutting around his living room.
Nothing wrong with a little leather and lace.
Not that Ella seemed to be the type to do what anyone asked. If a man gave her lingerie, she’d probably laugh and toss it aside. She was young and independent. She didn’t fawn over him like the types of women he usually spent time with. Didn’t beg him to take her home. And who was he kidding? He sure as hell wouldn’t ever be seeing what she had on under that little tank top and jeans.
Fucking shame, really.
His hands rose to the jacket collar, and he allowed his fingers to slide across her silky skin as he helped her out of it. His cock strained against his jeans as she shivered at his touch. He had a damn perfect view as he looked down at the swell of her cleavage as he stood behind her. That little pendant still dangled tantalizingly between her breasts. The barest hint of a lacy bra edged out. He lightly touched her back again, just because he could, and heard her intake of breath.
“Why’d you come here with me?” he asked, his voice low.
Hell, if they weren’t in the middle of the restaurant, he’d want to trace his fingers down the column of her neck. Lightly caress her bare shoulder. Graze his fingertips across her collarbone, and then down lower, between her breasts. Just to watch her shiver.
Ella let out a small laugh. “You didn’t really give me a choice, did you?”
“No, I sure the hell didn’t.”
He ducked lower, so that his lips practically grazed her ear. His arm snaked around her waist, pulling her closer. She’d been too damn tempting all night. Despite his assertions to stay away, he wasn’t sure how much longer he could resist. Didn’t think that he wanted to.
“I love holding you close,” he said, his voice gruff. “Seeing that hint of pink wash over your skin. It makes me wonder if that’s what you’d look like in bed. Crying out my name.”
“Brent,” she murmured, shifting against him.
“Just like that,” he agreed. “I wish we weren’t in this damn pizzeria. I’d slowly strip off your clothes. Kiss my way down your gorgeous body. Lick you for hours. Have you moaning and begging beneath me.”
She gasped, arching back just like he’d wanted, and he released her, reluctantly stepping away.
“Matthew said he’d bust my balls for touching you. Just might be worth it though.”
Chapter 5
&nbs
p; Ella shifted in her seat as she tried to figure out Brent’s game. He’d ignored all of them at Anchors earlier, not even glancing her way. Just drinking alone at the bar until some of the other guys had joined him. Then at the pool hall? He’d flirted with her. Relentlessly. Maybe no one else noticed how he stood too close, crowded her space, or lightly touched her whenever he had the chance. Maybe no one else saw the blistering gazes he’d shot her way.
But at the moment? She was about to go up in flames.
Holy hell.
The man certainly knew what he wanted. And wasn’t afraid to spell it out. In full detail. But she wasn’t about to become another woman who simply fell into his bed. No matter how freaking gorgeous he was. Or how he’d made her feel safe back in Florida when no one else could.
“You’re thinking too much,” he said, stretching his arm across the back of the booth. Those taut muscles bunched, creating interesting dips and curves along the line of his arm. Her eyes were drawn to his thick fingers drumming on the back of the seat.
“What makes you say that?”
“Because you’re there,” he said, pointing across the booth, “and I’m here.”
Ella laughed. “I suppose you usually have women crawling all over you? I didn’t see you talk to another woman all night.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Didn’t realize you were keeping score.”
She flushed, realizing what she’d admitted. That she’d been watching him. All. Night.
His icy blue gaze flickered with amusement. “Just for the record? I’ve never taken a woman out to dinner before. Ever.”
A feeling of satisfaction moved through her. So what if he was a relentless flirt? Maybe he liked the challenge, the thrill of the chase.
But maybe she’d love to be caught.
Her phone buzzed in her purse, and Ella regretted that she’d turned it back on. She frowned, expecting another nastygram from Frank. That man had been harassing her all evening, ruining what should have been an otherwise fun night. A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth when she read the text from Brianna.
Protected by a SEAL (Alpha SEALs, Book 6) Page 5