by Cora Seton
The Navy SEAL’s Christmas Bride
A Chance Creek Novella
Cora Seton
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The Navy SEAL’s Christmas Bride
Copyright © 2014 Cora Seton
Kindle Edition
Published by One Acre Press
ISBN: 978-1-927036-70-9
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
Other Books by Cora Seton
Heroes of Chance Creek
The Navy SEAL’s E-mail Order Bride (Volume 1)
The Soldier’s E-Mail Order Bride (Volume 2)
The Marine’s E-Mail Order Bride (Volume 3)
The Airman’s E-Mail Order Bride (Volume 5)
Cowboys of Chance Creek
The Cowboy’s E-mail Order Bride (Volume 1)
The Cowboy Wins a Bride (Volume 2)
The Cowboy Imports a Bride (Volume 3)
The Cowgirl Ropes a Billionaire (Volume 4)
The Sheriff Catches a Bride (Volume 5)
The Cowboy Lassos a Bride (Volume 6)
The Cowboy Rescues a Bride (Volume 7)
The Cowboy Earns a Bride (Volume 8)
The Cowboy Inherits a Bride (Volume 9)
Blurb
Navy SEAL Dan Hemmins goes head to head with soldier Sarah Metlin to prove once and for all that women can’t possibly qualify for an elite branch of the military, but when Sarah proves she’s not just one of the most qualified warriors he’s ever met, she’s also one of the smartest and sexiest, too, he’ll do whatever it takes to get closer to her, even if he has to challenge her to another contest…or three…or five!
Chapter One
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“Want to race?”
“In snowshoes?” Mason Hall held up one of his feet. “Sounds like a good way to break a leg.”
“I guess so.” Dan Hemmins sent his host an apologetic look and continued to pace beside him along the snowy track that looped through the woods. Fresh out of the Navy after twelve years of service in the SEALs, he’d arrived in Chance Creek that morning for a week-long stay at Crescent Hall, and he hoped his time on the quiet Montana cattle ranch would soon help soothe his need for constant excitement. “Guess I’m feeling antsy. I’m not used to taking it easy.” He appreciated Mason taking time out for this tramp around the property. Even though Christmas was looming near, a rancher’s chores never ended, and the place was chock full of company.
“I understand. Why don’t you tell me more about your business plan?”
Dan hadn’t served directly with Mason Hall, who had also been in the SEALs, but they’d met each other a number of times over their years in the military, and they’d kept in touch. Dan had planned to go home for the holidays when he left the Navy to stay with his parents temporarily, just until he sorted out where to settle down and start his extreme training camp, but that had all fallen apart when his parents’ house sold suddenly after sitting on the market for months. They were too busy moving to host him for Christmas, so when Mason told him he had a spare room and was welcome to join his family for the holiday, he’d decided to check Chance Creek out. He figured Montana might make a great location for an adventure training facility, and secretly he hoped Mason would see the merits in his plan and decide to either invest in it, or possibly even join him as a partner.
“There are lots of guys who don’t want to join the military, but do want to try out the experience to see how they measure up. Those are the customers I’ll target. I’ll create all kinds of programs to cater to their interests. One camp will simulate the physical conditioning program we all did when we became SEALs. Others will concentrate on survival skills. As I get a feel for what people want, I’ll tailor my programs accordingly.” He glanced at Mason, wondering if his sales pitch was doing the trick. He couldn’t run this kind of business alone. If he couldn’t find a few more SEALs, he was sunk.
Their snowshoes thwapped as they stepped through the snow, but otherwise the cold, crisp December morning was as quiet as the Afghan desert he’d left only weeks ago. Dan caught himself scanning the forest for signs of threats, then shook his head to make himself stop. There wasn’t any danger here.
“It’s hard to turn it off, isn’t it? That instinct to keep tabs on your surroundings?” Mason said. “I still do it and I’ve been home for half a year.”
“I guess it never goes away, huh?”
“Not entirely, but it does get better. A nice, calm Christmas here on the ranch will help sort you out.”
“I sure hope so.”
“A SEAL-style training camp is interesting.” Mason changed direction, heading eastward. “Are you looking for partners?”
“I am. You interested?” Dan brightened. Maybe he’d sold his idea better than he’d thought.
“Probably not, but I might know someone. A soldier.”
Dan grimaced. “I was hoping for SEALs.”
“Wait and see before you judge,” Mason said. “You might be surprised.”
“Wait and see? Is he coming here?”
“That’s right—coming for Christmas, but it’s not a he; it’s a she. Sarah Metlin. She’ll arrive this afternoon.”
Sergeant Sarah Metlin gazed out the window of Regan Hall’s F-150 at the ranches slipping past her window. Her friend had collected her at the airport and was bringing her home to the ranch she now called home. Sarah had been surprised that Regan had given up her city lifestyle to marry a cowboy, but she was beginning to see the draw. The Absaroka Mountains shimmered in the distance to the south like guards on sentry duty. There were few vehicles on the road, but she could see cattle in the closest pasture grouped together at some sort of feed station. After her latest tour overseas, it was hard to realize that no danger lurked in her surroundings. There were no soldiers concealed in the barns and outbuildings, and the broken-down Chevrolet they had passed a mile or so ago wasn’t wired with explosives.
Still, she couldn’t relax. There was more than one kind of enemy and some of them were concealed in plain sight. She hoped Hall family Christmases weren’t anything like the pitched battles she would find at her own home. She sighed, knowing more than likely they would be. The Halls were military men, just like her brothers and father, and like them they served in the elite branches. She’d been competing with men like that all her life. Her father and brothers were all in the Special Forces, while she was nothing but regular Army; a distinction she’d heard about every year since she’d joined the military.
It wasn’t that her family didn’t love her—they did. But men were men and women were women in the Metlin household. Men served their country, and women served their men. Sarah had broken all the rules.
If women were allowed in the Special Forces, she was sure she could have changed that bias. She was strong, fast, smart, fearless—except when it came to celebrating holidays with strangers—and she had always been at the top of her class, or unit, as the case may be. But women weren’t allowed in the Special Forces, which left her brothers plenty of latitude to lord their superior status over her, even though she’d served in plenty of dangerous situations. Hell, she’d driven convoy trucks along some of Iraq and Afghanistan’s deadliest corridors. She was sick of the distinction between her and the rest of her family, and she dreaded having it flung in her face this Christmas by the Hall brothers, too. How many times did she have to fight the same battle?
Still, she hadn’t turned down Regan’s invitation to come for Christmas. She and Regan, a petite brunette whose slim body was nearly lost inside a thick down park
a as she sat in the driver’s side seat, had been classmates back in Middleton, Wisconsin, years ago. They’d lost touch for a long time, but had recently found each other online and reconnected. When Regan found out Sarah had joined the military, she’d begun to use her as a sounding board as she became accustomed to all the military men who were now in her family. Regan’s husband, Mason, was a Navy SEAL, and Mason had three brothers. Austin had been in the Special Forces like Sarah’s father and brothers, but had now left the military. Zane had recently left the Marines, and Colt was a Combat Control officer in the Air Force. Sarah had been able to explain many strange military customs that baffled Regan, and Regan had been a real support when Sarah began to think about ending her military career, something she definitely couldn’t discuss with her own family. Lately, she wasn’t satisfied with her limited options. She longed for more latitude with her job and a chance to shine without any restrictions placed on her. She had no idea what she wanted to do next, though, so when Regan offered her a stay at Crescent Hall, Sarah had jumped at the invitation.
“Penny for your thoughts,” Regan said, keeping her eyes on the icy road, but smiling.
“It’s beautiful here.”
“It is, isn’t it? I’ve grown to love it. At first when I left New York I thought I’d miss the city. I couldn’t wait to leave Wisconsin when I was young, remember?”
Sarah nodded. They’d both been brimming with plans to leave their hometown when they last saw each other.
“After ten years in the city, though, I got tired of it. It’s been so easy to become part of the community here in Chance Creek. I know more people now than I ever did when I lived in New York. And I wouldn’t want to raise a child in the city. On the ranch there will be so much room to run and play.” She dropped a hand to her belly.
“Boy or girl? Do you know yet?”
Regan’s smile widened. “It’s a boy. I’m so excited. So are Mason and his brothers. You should have seen them when we found out.”
Sarah clamped down on a twist of jealousy deep inside her heart. “It suits you here.” She wished she felt a similar sense of belonging somewhere.
“How about you?” Regan asked. “Have you given more thought to leaving the military?”
“I’m still trying to figure that out. My brothers will have a field day when I do. According to them, I never should have been allowed to join.”
“That’s stupid. You’re a Sergeant. You must be doing something right.”
“I could be a General and it wouldn’t change a thing. I suppose Mason and his brothers will feel the same way.”
Regan turned to her in surprise. “I don’t think so.” She returned her focus to the road. “I told Mason all about you. He was really interested in your career. He has a friend coming to stay for the holiday, too. Dan Hemmins. An ex-SEAL. Dan’s starting a business. I’m sure he’ll tell you all about it.”
Sarah rolled her eyes. “Right. As if a SEAL would even talk business with a lowly soldier.”
Regan laughed. “Come on, I won’t let him or anyone else give you a hard time. It’s different at Crescent Hall than what you’re used to, you’ll see. You’ll love it here.” She pulled into a long driveway that led to an old-fashioned house perched up on a rise of land. “There’s the Hall. Don’t you love it?”
Sarah could see why Regan had fallen for the place. The imposing, three-story, gray gothic building had a wraparound porch and a tower in one corner, and as they drove up and parked in front of it, she saw that the proud old house commanded a view for miles. There were the Absaroka Mountains in the distance again. Snowy pastures spread out from the house in every direction.
“It’s breathtaking.” She was surprised at the impact of the winter scenery on her. She’d never fancied herself a country girl, but something about the stark beauty of the landscape surrounding her touched her heart.
“Are you ready to meet the most handsome man in the whole world?” Regan broke into her thoughts. She got out of the truck awkwardly and Sarah followed suit. Several men and women spilled out of the house to meet them and she scanned them, looking for the handsome man who would be Regan’s husband. They were all good looking in their own way, but the one who caught her eye wasn’t moving to greet Regan.
He was staring straight at her.
His upright bearing betrayed his military background. His wide shoulders, powerful legs and chiseled good looks would have made him at home on a male pinup calendar, but his watchful gaze told her everything she needed to know. This was the SEAL Regan had told her about. Dan Hemmins.
And he was by far the handsomest man she’d ever met.
Sarah told herself her sudden tension came from the knowledge he’d be just as stuck-up and full of himself as her brothers were, but it had little to do with his attitude and everything to do with a vision that flickered through her mind—his hands on her bare skin, his mouth taking possession of hers—
Hell, where had that come from? Sarah shook off the thought and stepped forward to meet Regan’s family, shaken by the direction her libido had taken her. Even if it had been some time since she’d gone out with a man, she wasn’t attracted to SEALs. She wasn’t attracted to men in the military, period. And this longing to find a man to share her life with that had been haunting her lately? That was just a ridiculous holdover from the fairy tales she’d read when she was a child. She didn’t need a man and she didn’t want one, either. She was fine on her own.
She moved to shake hands with Mason when Regan introduced him. Mason was as upright as Dan was, with a friendly smile, blue eyes and hair barely longer than Navy regulations would have dictated.
“Glad to meet you,” he said.
He introduced her to each brother in turn, then to two couples who had come for the holidays, and lastly he turned to the man who’d been staring at her ever since she got out of the truck. “This is another guest of ours this Christmas—Dan Hemmins. Dan just left the SEALs, like me. He’s thinking of starting an extreme training camp to put civilians through their paces, right Dan?”
Dan shook her hand, and held it a second longer than necessary. A glint in his eyes told her he liked what he saw when he looked her over. “That’s right. Nice to meet you, Sarah.”
She nodded, disconcerted by his frank appreciation. She was used to being surrounded by men in prime fighting condition, but Dan was something special. Suddenly she was conscious of the fact she’d just spent most of a day on planes and in airports. Her hair was mussed, her clothes were wrinkled and she was sure what little makeup she wore was smudged. She wished she’d spent more time on her appearance, but there wasn’t anything she could do about that now.
Dan went on. “The idea is to give people a taste of Navy SEAL training.” He grinned. “Watered down to their level, of course.”
His final sentence hit her like a splash of cold water. Military men had directed that same kind of condescension at her all too many times. “Of course,” she said, then hoped Mason and Regan missed her sarcasm. This was a holiday party. She didn’t want to make waves, but from that one comment alone she could tell Dan was just like her brothers—so sure he was better than everyone else.
“Regan told me you’ll be looking for a new job soon, too?” he said.
Sarah nodded, following Regan inside. “I’m thinking about leaving the Army. I’ll put my paperwork in after Christmas, unless I change my mind.”
“Army, huh?” He gave her a sidelong look. “No wonder you want to quit.”
She bristled at the comment, even though she knew his teasing was reflexive. Rivalry was always alive and well between the branches of the military. He probably thought he was flirting with her, but she wasn’t going there. “I notice you high-tailed it out of the Navy, SEALman. Probably got sick of being embarrassed all the time.” She hoped he realized now she could give as well as she could take. She wasn’t going to fall for him just because he had credentials. She slid a glance in his direction. Although he was awfully good
-looking.
“Truce, truce!” Mason held up his hands. “You two need to get along. Sarah, Dan’s looking for investors and partners in his new business. I thought maybe you’d be interested.”
His statement caught her off guard. She’d love to work at a job that kept her active and physically fit. It sounded like a real challenge too—exactly what she wanted from a career. She couldn’t let Dan know that, though; one look at him told her he was as thunderstruck as she was at Mason’s suggestion. She figured he didn’t think she fit the bill, so she kept her answer conversational. “What are you looking for in a partner?”
Only after the words were out of her mouth did she realize they could be taken in two ways. A slow grin spread over Dan’s face as if he’d realized the same thing, but when he replied he was all business. “Not just anyone, obviously. If I’m going to offer a real Navy SEAL experience to my clients, then my partners have to be as well trained as I am.” He shook his head at her in mock sorrow. “Sorry, I doubt a soldier could keep up.”
Mason scowled, and Sarah bit back the first expletive-laden answer that came to mind. She allowed her gaze to trail over Dan from head to toe and, raising an eyebrow, spoke before Regan’s husband could step in to mediate.
“I doubt a soldier would want to keep up. Regan, where should I stow this stuff?”
“I’ll take you to your room.” Regan took her arm and led her quickly upstairs. “Sorry about that,” she said when they’d gained the second floor and accessed the much narrower stairway that led up to the third. “I didn’t realize he’d act that way. Mason and I both thought you two might work well together.”
“That’s a SEAL for you.” Sarah tossed her bag onto the bed in the room that Regan led her to. Many years ago, it had probably once belonged to a servant, so it was small, but neat as a pin. She caught sight of herself in the mirror over the dresser and blinked. There was a spark in her eyes and color in her cheeks she hadn’t seen in months. Anyone who saw her would think she’d enjoyed sparring with Dan. She allowed a grin to turn up one corner of her mouth. It had been fun to put him back in his place. She’d do it again if she got the chance.