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Morning After
Navy Seal Romance Collection
By: Silver Ocean Publishing
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
COPYRIGHT
TITLE PAGE
BOOK # 1
BOOK # 2
BOOK # 3
BOOK # 4
SPECIAL BONUSES
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Exposed Alpha Seal
Anne liked to think she was a youthful spirit, and never too far behind on the times. After all, no one gets to raise a business from a humble little electronics establishment to one of the biggest companies in the country by not staying relevant, if her years in the business have taught her anything. And, really, thirty-five wasn't old, she knew that. Yet, as she stepped into the local video game retail shop in search of a birthday present for her daughter, surrounded by people in their early twenties and younger all clamoring for the latest games, it was hard not to feel like an old, out of place frump. Even as her heels clicked against the shop floor and she smoothed out her dark blazer, the only thought she could maintain beyond wondering where she should even start in her search was, “My God, I am old compared to these kids.”
Never one to be deterred from a goal just because the demographic around her wasn't her target audience, she marched deeper into the realm of unknown territory. Nearing the back wall of the store, she scanned the racks of game display cases. The systems were familiar to her, as many of them had parts from her company in them, but the games were an entirely different story. 'Start with the systems you know she has, and go from there,' she thought with a sigh. She began to thumb through the display cases on the wall labeled Xbox, wracking her brain for what titles stood out to her as familiar.
“Shopping for the kid?” She startled at the rumble of a deep voice beside her.
“I beg your pardon, but-” she turned to confront the person who spoke, but the words died on her tongue when she took in his appearance. Sun kissed muscle spilled from the rolled up sleeves of a dark blue pullover blouse. Splashes of color peeked out from the sleeves at the lowest point of his right bicep, clearly tattoos of some kind that were hidden from view. Ebony hair immaculately buzzed into a high-and-tight fade, and his stubble clearly shaved this morning gave away his military occupation, though she struggled to place his rank.
“Please,” he waved a hand. “forgive me. I didn't mean to be rude. More direct speaking is all my men seem to understand outside of me barking orders at them lately,” he shifted his weight to one hip, and her traitorous gaze drifted to the well-fitted jeans that draped alluringly over thick thighs. “You just looked like a lot of my men that go around shopping for their little ones; lost, and just hoping they pick something they don't already have.”
“Ahem, yes,” she realized she was gawking uncharacteristically, so she straightened with a clearing of her throat. “My daughter just turned eight. She can't get enough of these things, I tell you,” she chuckled. “I know the hardware, but there's just so many games to keep up with.”
“Oh, I can agree, and I'm the one playing them,” he tossed his head back with a laugh. “Listen, I don't know if this will help you, but the game I've been seeing a lot of my men buying their kids lately is this one,” he plucked a case from the shelf and handed it to her. A picture of a lush landscape with two kids running through it, and the logo reading Project Spark stared back at her. “I guess they make levels and share them with each other to play on. If your kid's into that kind of creative stuff, it can't hurt to try.” Seeing the title brought up vague recollections of her daughter gushing over a trailer at some press conference or other.
“I'll have to,” she tucked the empty case in her arm. “Take it under consideration. Thank you for your help,” she smiled, if a little thinly. “I'm afraid I didn't quite catch your name?”
“Ah, where are my manners,” he laughed again. “I'm Brett,” he held out his hand for her in greeting. “Brett Maverick,” she shook his hand. “I'm afraid this leaves me at a disadvantage, Miss...?”
“Oh!” She was staring again. Why was she staring? “Anne McGregor,” did he know that his heather gray eyes were dappled with flecks of blue? He had to know that.
“Well, Ms. McGregor,” he flashed her a wide grin. “Perhaps I'll see you around sometime. Wouldn't want to keep your husband waiting for such a lovely woman, now would we?”
“I'm not married,” came her automatic response far quicker than she thought could be considered appropriate. What was wrong with her?
“Oh?” He arched a brow. “Then perhaps I'll see you sooner than I thought? Tonight, over drinks, even?”
“You,” she cleared her throat when she realized she stammered. “You're terribly bold, aren't you, Mr. Ignacius?” He laughed again, and she struggled not to flush.
“Carpe diem, and all that. Is that a no?”
“No! Or rather,” she sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. “I wouldn't be opposed to talking over a glass of wine later.”
“Glad to hear it,” he flashed his white teeth in another wide grin. She fumbled to pull out her phone and key in his contact information. “I'll call you a little later, yeah? Give you time to rush home and hide that away from your kid,” he nodded to the case.
“Oh, I, ah,” she had nearly forgotten she had it. “I wasn't...decided on whether I was buying it yet.”
“Of course you weren't!” He said as he turned to leave. “Hope your kid likes it!” he said over his shoulder with a wave as he walked out of the store, bag of purchases in tow. When did he buy those? Before he spoke to her? As she went to the counter to pay, and even as she drove her car home, her thoughts were abuzz with questions. She wasn't exactly the youngest or most attractive person in the store, so what possessed him to approach her? Why on earth did she agree to a date with a man she literally just met?! In spite of this, the most prevalent thought she had as she left the store, was about what tattoos he was hiding.
Her thoughts were clearly conspiring against her today.
She did her best not to let it distract her as she pulled into her garage and turned her engine off. There was still work to be done, she noted as she scooped her purse, and the gift contained within, from the passenger seat and walked into her house. After hanging her set of keys on the set of hooks by the front door and slipping off her heels, she padded through the entrance hallway, hoping to smuggle the gift into her bedroom and hide it deep within her walk-in closet. The, “black hole of shoes and seasonal trends,” her daughter had lovingly dubbed it. She greeted her nanny, Priscilla on her way up the stairs to her bedroom when she saw her make her way to the staircase.
“Welcome hom
e, ma'am,” the young twenty-one year old said with a kind smile.
“Thank you, Priscilla,” she nodded. “Can you keep Morgan distracted a little longer? I have to hide her birthday present,” she patted her purse conspiratorially. That earned her a giggle from the young blonde. “After that, come meet me in the kitchen- I have a favor to ask of you.”
“Of course, ma'am!” Priscilla scampered off to track down her daughter, and Anne tip toed up the stairs and slipped into her room. Clicking the door shut as quietly as she could, she turned and trekked into her luxurious closet. A long, wide space with built-in mahogany shelves for her shoes, drawers for her less formal attire, and long, leveled polls perched to hang her business suits and formal dresses on. Making her way further into the closet, she slid the retail bag out of her purse and tugged her undergarment drawer open and folded the game within its contents.
She hesitated in closing the drawer when her fingers brushed along the sheer fabric of a lacy little slip of fabric she had all but forgot she bought. It was, for all intents and purposes, a relic from a time before the father of her child left her, and something she had given up on ever wearing again. She pulled it out for inspection, and sighed at the sight of its sheer midnight blue fabric, trimmed with a soft gray lace. She felt her phone go off in her purse, and she fumbled with one hand to pull it out.
“Hello?” She answered without looking at the caller ID.
“Ms. McGregor? It's Brett,” even with the static of bad reception, his voice felt criminally smooth in its caress of her ear. Her eyes were glued to her sexy little teddy as they conversed, mind conjuring the way his clothes looked like they were tailored to flatter his every angle. “Is this a bad time? I can always call later-”
“Oh, no,” she said with a shaky laugh. “I was just looking through my clothes,” an honest enough answer. Her fingers smoothed themselves over the soft lace. The color of Brett's eyes danced in the fabric, and a part of her wasn't sure whether to be mortified or relish in the heat that scorched a trail down to her core at the connection.
“Deciding what to wear to our date?” He chuckled.
“Something like that,” she wasn't sure if she answered that too quickly. “Where would you like to meet?”
“Want to get dinner?”
“Dinner would be great. Are you a fan of Vietnamese cuisine?”
“It's one of my favorites!” He almost sounded relieved. Was he worried she would want Italian? Too typical, and too much garlic for her stomach. “I know a great little restaurant in town- I'll text you the address,” his voice seemed to move away from the phone, no doubt to get the address to send to her. She delicately pooled the little piece of lingerie over her arm and closed her undergarment drawer, her mind made up. “What time works for you?” She stole a glance at the time.
“How about seven?” Already, she was thumbing through her dresses, debating on which one would best compliment the date.
“Perfect. I look forward to it!” They said their goodbyes, and she plucked a dress from its place and draped it over her bed, laying the seductive undergarment beside it. She slipped back out of her bedroom to head downstairs, toward the sound of her daughter's lovely laughter. Anne couldn't help the smile that pulled at her lips even before she rounded the stairs and saw Morgan playing some racing game with Priscilla.
“I'm home, honey,” she made a show of walking through as though she had only just come in.
“Mom!” Morgan's head perked at the sound of her mother's voice, though was clearly committed to besting her sitter at this race. When their little characters darted across the checkered finish line, she finally turned to face her fully, beaming merrily at her. “How was work today?”
“Oh, you know, same old, same old,” she laughed when Morgan stood up to give her a hug. “Though, I need to talk to Priscilla a moment, okay?”
“Okay,” Morgan said dejectedly as she trudged back to her game. Priscilla hopped up from her seat on the couch and walked into the kitchen with Anne.
“Everything alright, miss?”
“Yes, dear, I just have a favor to ask,” Anne fidgeted a little. “I know this is last minute, but would you be willing to watch Morgan until around ten or eleven? I'll pay you double for today for your trouble.” Priscilla's eyes widened.
“Sure thing, Ms. McGregor, but did an emergency come up?” Now she seemed worried for a different reason, but Anne smiled in spite of it. Priscilla was always a kind soul.
“No, no, I just...met someone when I stopped to get Morgan a present today-”
“It's for a date?” The younger woman gasped in delight. “That's the best kind of emergency! You go get ready, I can take care of dinner for Morgan!”
“Here,” she pulled out some money and handed it to her. “You can order in Morgan's favorite tonight. It's the least I can do for leaving her so suddenly after just getting in,” she laughed. “And thank you so much for staying. Let me just tell Morgan what's going on, and I'll be on my way.” She shook her head in amusement at Priscilla's cheerful chirping about her impending date and walked back to where her daughter had started a different game she didn't recognize.
“Mom, will you play a game with me?” She asked without pulling her gaze from the screen. Anne sighed and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.
“I'm actually going out with...” she wasn't sure how to word it. “...a friend. I'll be back later tonight. Priscilla is ordering from your favorite pizza place.”
“Oh, really?” She paused the game and turned to her. “So you're going out on a date?”
“Well,” she winced. How did she pick up on that?
“Is he cute?”
“Honey-”
“When can I meet hi-”
“Whoa, whoa, slow down, sweetie,” she said finally. “One step at a time, alright?” Morgan slumped into the couch and started playing again.
“Okay,” she huffed. “I just want you to be happy.”
“Hey, that's my line,” she said with another kiss to the head to hide how touched she was at her daughter's concern. “Now I need to get ready, and then I'll come back down and say goodbye, okay?” Morgan nodded, and Anne went back upstairs to her room.
As the door clicked shut, she slid out of her blazer and let her fingers begin unbuttoning her blouse as she stepped back into her closet to decide on a pair of shoes to match her dress. Letting her now open blouse flutter around her as she grabbed a pair of simple gray pumps and set them by the bed. She shimmied out of her dress pants and removed her blouse to deposit into her hamper; laundry day was tomorrow, anyway. She turned to her full-length mirror for a moment with a cock of her hip and a tilt of her head to contemplate her current bra and panties set. They were simple things, a cream color to match her skin, and wholly unfit to be touching the lovely slip she had waiting for her on the bed, she decided.
Once Anne had reemerged from the closet again with a matching lingerie set of gray lace panties and a bra made of nothing but matching lace. It didn't offer nearly as much support, but that's not what she was in need of tonight. She replaced her blasé set for this one, and pulled her teddy over it. She sighed blissfully at the way the sheer blue fabric slid over the smooth expanse of her skin before it settled on her svelte figure. Turning back to the mirror to address her new set. She hummed, pleased with what she saw in the reflection, and turned to pull on her dress of choice.
It was one of her trusty little black sleeveless dresses, a shimmery thing that clung to her waist, flared out at the hip, and stopped at her knees. A keyhole neckline highlighted her breasts alluringly once she had straightened it on herself. The fabric was just stretchy enough to allow her to breathe while still cutting an attractive figure in the mirror, and she all but purred with pleasure for how good she felt wearing it. Stepping into her heels and touching up her smoky eyeshadow completed her look, and she happily glided down the stairs to wish her daughter a goodnight before hopping into her car to leave.
Checking
her phone and punching in the address Brett gave her into her navigation system, she pulled out of the garage and followed the directions to their agreed upon meet up spot. She tried to quell the butterflies that danced in her stomach the closer she came to the restaurant with little success. Was this going to go over well? What if he was rude to the wait staff? That would be an instant deal breaker. Was he a bad boy with a heart of gold, or just an asshole? By the time she pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant, she was squirming with anxiety.
Turning the car off once she was parked, she heaved a heavy sigh and pulled her phone out. 'I'm here, are you already inside?' she typed out and sent to him. Unbuckling her seat belt, she worked on controlling her breathing until he replied with, 'Yeah I'm in the far corner. Table's in my name.' She left her car and walked in, giving the head waiter the name, 'Maverick,' and followed him through the establishment.
It was clearly one of the more posh places to eat, with dim lighting plush carpets, and delicately detailed tabletops and chairs. It smelled wonderfully of spices and the atmosphere felt comfortably warm, she noted with a smile. Perhaps this date wouldn't be so bad, after all. She spotted him before he saw her, as he was checking his phone, probably wondering where she was. He had changed clothes, too, she thought with a small mental sigh of relief. The button up blouse he now donned was a deep burgundy, and though he had rolled the sleeves partially up his forearm, his tattoo was now hidden from sight. It was all she could see as she neared, though, seated as he was.
“Brett?” He jerked up at her calling his name.
“Anne, so glad you could make it! I was just about to text you to see where you were!” He shut off his phone and tucked it in his pocket- soft gray suit pants, now that she got a good eye full of him arching his back to get to his pocket. She wondered how much of that was for show as she perched upon her own chair the waiter was kind enough to pull out for her. She thanked the waiter before he slipped away. “I have to admit, I'm a bit surprised you agreed to a date so easily,” he said conversationally as he poured her a glass of wine from the bottle on the table.
ROMANCE: NAVY SEAL ROMANCE: Morning After (Military Bad Boy Pregnancy Romance Collection) (New Adult Alpha Male Paranormal Short Stories Collection) Page 1