“I’m guessing that doesn’t usually go over very well.”
“Have you dated a guy in the military before?” he asked.
“Only briefly,” she admitted.
“And he’s the one who made you think you were having bad luck with men.”
She shrugged. “Yeah. Sort of.”
“He sounds like a jackass.”
She burst into laughter, looking back at him again. Even though Troy was annoyed at whatever the guy had done, he liked seeing the smile on her face. “I haven’t told you anything about him,” she said.
“Well, yeah, but you’re sweet. If he treated you badly, that’s on him. I was serious about dinner though—I’d love to take you out one night. What do you say?”
“Why don’t you give me your number.”
Troy raised his eyebrows.
“What? I don’t really like giving my number out to guys I’ve just met.”
“Fair enough,” he said. Troy watched in fascination as she pulled a cell phone out from the pocket of her sundress. He didn’t even think women’s dresses usually had pockets. She swiped the screen, suddenly all business, and his lips quirked. If she was an event planner, she probably liked being the one to be in charge of making plans. She’d call him when she was ready. Hopefully.
He recited his cell number to her, watching as she keyed it in. Usually, he’d text a woman right away so that she had his number as well, but she just stuck her phone back in her pocket without doing so. Wincing slightly, she adjusted her leg.
“Your leg still hurts,” he said with a frown, not liking to see her in pain.
“Yeah, I better get going. The beach is beautiful, but after walking around all afternoon, I think a sofa is calling my name.”
“I’ll help you to your car,” he said, grabbing the crutches from where he’d stashed them and standing. He held out a hand, pleased when she took his. Once again, he swore electricity coursed through him at her touch. It was crazy as hell. He’d known her all of twenty minutes. She wobbled on one foot, and without thinking, he released her hand, wrapping his hands around her waist and lifting her up the final step and placing her down on the boardwalk, facing away from the beach so she could walk in the right direction.
She gasped as his chest brushed against her back, but he released her as he quickly grabbed the crutches again and handed them to her. “Are you okay to walk to the parking lot?” He looked down at her, loving how she only came up to his shoulder. He’d always been attracted to petite women, and in a span of mere minutes, he’d literally been carrying her around and had his hands wrapped around her slender waist.
Her hair blew in the breeze, tickling his bare forearm. Hell. He’d love to have her in bed astride him, riding his cock while that red hair cascaded around her. He caught a whiff of her vanilla cupcake scent again, and he swore his cock twitched.
Clenching his jaw, his gaze scanned the area out of habit. It was unlikely there were any threats here at the beach. That didn’t stop his instinctive need to be on alert. Plus, it distracted him from the way he couldn’t seem to stop thinking with his dick when it came to her. His body reacted to her on a primal level. He wasn’t about to sleep with her though. Besides, she was injured. She needed to go home and rest. He wouldn’t exactly mind being the one to pamper her and tend to her needs, but hell. She wasn’t about to invite a strange man home.
“Yes, I can make it as long as we go slowly. You can’t carry me everywhere.”
“Well, I could,” he chuckled.
Smiling, she shook her head and slowly began moving back down the boardwalk toward the parking lot. Troy wondered if his buddies thought he was leaving with her. That might’ve worked for some of the women he’d met in bars over the years, but this girl was different. Cautious. And he wasn’t really into one-night-stands anymore. He loved taking a woman to dinner, bringing her flowers, and getting to know her before stripping her down and exploring every square inch of her body.
He’d fizzled out with the last few women he’d dated, but damn. That hadn’t stopped him from chasing after this pretty girl tonight.
The ocean breeze blew the redhead’s sundress, and he tried to ignore the swirling of fabric around her legs. She didn’t even seem to realize how damn beautiful she was. Shaking his head, he hurried to catch up to her.
“When do you get your cast off?” he asked, slowing his long stride to match hers.
“Next week. I broke my ankle tripping over a dog’s leash, as silly as that sounds. I got tangled in it, tripped, and stepped off the curb wrong. I’ve been stuck in this cast for seven weeks.”
He frowned. “That’s probably not ideal for event planning.”
“Not at all. Luckily this isn’t my busy season. I do have a few things coming up, but at least I won’t be hobbling around on crutches anymore. I’ll have to take it easy at first, but I should be okay. I’m not one to do crazy adventurous stuff anyway. I’ll leave all the jumping out of airplanes and stuff to you.”
Troy’s phone buzzed in his pocket, and he grabbed it, assuming it was one of his buddies asking where he was going. His jaw clenched as his CO’s name flashed across the screen. “Damn. That’s my CO. Hang on a second.”
She looked over at him in surprise, but he was already lifting his phone to his ear.
“Sir,” he said, listening intently as his commander indicated there was an emergency unfolding and the team was needed on base. They’d recently gotten back from Afghanistan, where they rescued his teammate’s girlfriend from the hands of terrorists. Although his CO couldn’t give him details over an open phone line about what this situation involved, if they were being called in right now, he knew it was urgent. It felt like he’d barely gotten back, and they were likely already being sent out again.
Pocketing his phone, he glanced down at the woman. “I’m sorry to rush off, but I have to get to base for an emergency meeting.”
They continued walking toward the parking lot, Troy resisting the urge to scoop her up into his arms and carry her again. It was a silly thought. She’d been dealing with a broken ankle on her own just fine before he came along. He wasn’t about to leave her here alone and helpless though. Sure, it was a safe area, but he wanted to get her into her vehicle before he left.
“Is everything all right?” she asked, glancing up at him.
Worry creased her brow, and Troy loved that she seemed concerned. She was probably used to putting out all sorts of metaphorical fires as an event planner. He knew he’d never be good at anything like that. He’d plan a date or to meet up with his buddies, but weddings? Conferences?
Best to leave that to the experts.
“Yep,” he said, clearing his throat. “Duty calls. We never know when we’ll be called up or sent on a mission. I need to go in for a briefing, but it’s possible we’ll be sent out. If you do call or text me to make plans for our dinner and I don’t respond immediately, don’t be alarmed. I swear I’m not blowing you off,” he said. She looked a little confused but nodded, her green eyes growing a bit wary. He was being rather intense considering he’d just met the woman. “And you’re sure I can’t get your number?” he asked.
She bit her lip but shook her head no as they stopped near a small white SUV. “This is me,” she said.
Troy nodded. “Climb in, and I’ll stick your crutches in the back for you.”
She did as he instructed, and he frowned as he shut the back door. She’d already started the engine, but he couldn’t stand around and talk even if he’d wanted to. “How’s your ankle?” he asked as she lowered her window.
“It’ll be okay. I’ll take some Tylenol and rest when I get home. And I’ve got your number, so….”
“Don’t forget to call me,” he said. “I seriously would love to buy you dinner and get to know you better. Drive safe, okay?”
Her cheeks pinkened slightly, and his heart thudded in his chest. Damn, she was gorgeous. A little shy, perhaps, but he’d love to bring her out of her s
hell. “I will. Bye Troy.”
“Bye, sweetheart. Butterfly,” he added with a wink, and she smiled.
She raised her window and backed out, and Troy stood there, unwilling to get into his own car until she was gone. As her SUV was driving away, the setting sun reflecting off the windows, he realized he still didn’t even know her name.
Chapter 2
Caitlyn Thomas sighed as she sank down onto her sofa, propping her leg up on the cushions. Her mind whirled as she mentally replayed back everything that had just happened at the beach. One moment, she’d been watching Stacy, her somewhat self-centered client, who’d dragged her across all of San Diego today looking at prospective wedding locations, and the next? A movie-star handsome blond guy had been jogging straight toward her.
She’d assumed he was headed toward the parking lot, jogging to the stairs she was waiting by on the boardwalk. But when the six-foot-plus guy made of nothing but solid muscle approached her?
Her heart had nearly pounded out of her chest.
Troy.
He seemed nice enough, assuming everything he’d told her was true. He had sisters. He was in the Navy. Maybe he’d been a touch cocky, sweeping her up into his arms and carrying her down the steps to the beach without giving her a chance to protest, but it would’ve been awkward as hell attempting to maneuver the stairs on her own. She could’ve slid down on her butt, one step at a time, she supposed with a laugh. Because that wouldn’t have been embarrassing. Not at all.
And then he’d given her that nickname, Butterfly. She’d known he’d chosen it because of her red hair—plus, she hadn’t told him her name. He was flirty and sweet. Cute, too, if she admitted it to herself. Short-cropped blond hair, blue eyes, and tanned skin from lots of time outside. Not to mention in peak physical condition.
But a date?
She’d been burned too many times to assume he’d be much different from every other guy she’d met recently. He looked to be a few years older than her, but all men were the same, weren’t they?
She reached over and grabbed her iced decaf coffee, taking a sip from the straw. She practically inhaled the stuff—caffeinated earlier in the day, decaf only at night. It was exactly the way she liked it, with a hint of sweetener and milk.
Her cell phone buzzed, and she saw her best friend Harper’s name on the screen. She pressed speaker and set the phone on the end table, leaning back so she could relax.
“Hey Harper,” she said.
“How’d it go? Don’t tell me bridezilla still hasn’t made up her mind about a wedding location.”
Caitlyn’s lips quirked. “She picked the beach. We drove all over San Diego, walked farther than anyone on crutches should ever have to, and of course the last spot we looked at was ‘the one.’ She wanted me to come down onto the sand and then proceeded to leave me there while she and her sisters went for a walk.”
“Of course. Geez. Didn’t she realize you had a broken ankle?”
Caitlyn blew out a sigh, her gaze landing on her purple cast. “Oh, she did. She just didn’t care. It’s all about her, remember?” she asked with a laugh. “That’s why she’s paying me the big bucks.”
“More like her daddy’s paying,” Harper snorted. “You should charge more. Your business is growing. You can be more selective and pick the events you want.”
“I know. Honestly, I might drop wedding planning entirely from my repertoire,” she said. “It’s never been my favorite, and there are so many other events that don’t involve high-strung brides—parties, conferences.”
“Don’t I know it,” Harper agreed. “I love baking wedding cakes, but damn. Some of those couples are nearly impossible to please. And believe me, it’s usually the woman. The guys don’t care.”
Caitlyn smiled, thinking of her best friend’s small bakery. She and Harper were total opposites. While Caitlyn aimed to please, Harper always spoke her mind—consequences be damned. With her jet-black hair and small nose piercing, she looked more like she should work as a bartender than in a bakery. She even had an intricate tattoo trailing up her ribcage, which she liked to show off in a bikini.
Caitlyn was slender but with curves. She didn’t mind wearing bikinis at the beach, but she wasn’t one to prance around in front of all the single guys like Harper. Her friend was tanned and toned. Caitlyn was pale and freckled. Not to mention petite, as Troy had noticed. With her flaming red hair, she stood out everywhere. It wasn’t that she was shy exactly, she just didn’t love all the extra attention she sometimes got.
“Well, it might’ve been worth trekking all over the place and ending up at the beach tonight….”
“No. You met someone?”
“What makes you think that?” Caitlyn asked with a laugh.
“What else could make it worth it? Unless you got a zillion more clients who are willing to pay you more.”
“Nope. It was a guy.”
“Cute?” Harper asked. “Tell me he had some single friends.”
Caitlyn laughed. “He was hot. And I think most of his friends were already dating someone. Well, except this one guy who the bride’s sister was flirting with. Anyway. I was waiting on the boardwalk while they scouted out the beach. The bride wanted me to come down, and Troy literally swooped me up into his arms and carried me down the steps.”
“My my,” Harper teased. “That sounds promising.”
“I swear, the chemistry between us was crazy. When we shook hands, sparks shot straight through me. It’s like I couldn’t even think clearly when he was near me.”
“So when are you going out?”
“He asked me to dinner, but we didn’t set anything up. I got his number, so the ball is in my court I guess.”
“He didn’t want your number?”
“He did. I didn’t want to give a guy I just met my phone number. I was there to pick a wedding location with my client, not meet a guy. He kind of sprung up out of nowhere. I was flustered and trying to work. I keyed his number into my phone and that was that.”
“You should call him. Make plans for one night this week.”
“No, I just got home,” Caitlyn said, feeling rattled all over again. “I can’t call him an hour after we met. Maybe in a few days after I think it over.”
“Think what over? Was he a total dick or something?”
Caitlyn nearly choked on her iced coffee. “No, he wasn’t a dick. He was nice. When bridezilla and her friends went for a walk, he was worried they’d left me stranded on the beach.”
“Well, they did. You’re in a cast and on crutches.”
“But we drove separately. I just needed to get back to my car—”
“And you had Mr. Hottie to help you.”
Caitlyn’s skin heated thinking about it. When she’d stumbled slightly on the steps, Troy’s large hands had moved to her waist, lifting her back up to the boardwalk. She shivered just recalling his heat and strength behind her. Troy was nothing but solid muscle. She felt almost inadequate next to him. There she was, hobbling around on crutches with a purple cast on one leg, and he was in perfect shape. He hadn’t seemed to mind helping her though. He’d even said she was exactly his type.
“I’ll text him later this week. Maybe.”
“You will,” Harper said. “Let the man take you out to dinner. So what else do you know about him?”
“He’s in the Navy. Actually, he and his friends are all SEALs. He had to leave to go to base for something after he got a phone call from his commander. He might not even be around. I got the impression that he gets sent out a lot on missions.”
“Hmmm. Well, it’s probably legit. Why would he ask for your number and then just disappear? And he’s bound to be better than some of the other men we’ve met lately. Remember that guy who said he was a bartender but really had gotten fired and was collecting unemployment and lived in his grandparents’ basement?”
“Yeah, he was a winner,” Caitlyn said dryly. “I’ve got enough on my plate anyway even if this doesn’t work
out.”
“You like him,” Harper teased.
She flushed, thankful her best friend couldn’t see her. She had no business liking a man she didn’t even know. He could be a total jackass. “What makes you think that?”
“I can just tell. Plus, you wouldn’t have bothered getting his number otherwise. You’d have blown him off and gone on your merry way.”
“Well, you got me there,” Caitlyn admitted. “He was sweet considering we didn’t even know each other. He really was worried they’d left me stranded. He seemed to think there was a chance they’d get sent out soon though. Even if I called him, it might be for naught. He won’t be around.”
“Hey, not all guys are assholes,” Harper said gently. “I know we’ve had some real zingers lately, but he could be a good guy. What’s one dinner?”
“He could be a good guy,” Caitlyn said, honing in on those words. “And I could be getting my hopes up for nothing.”
“You didn’t get his last name, did you?”
“No, why?”
“I wanted to look him up on social media and check him out myself. I’m sure he doesn’t blast his Navy SEAL status all over Facebook or something, but he might have a profile.”
Caitlyn giggled. “I don’t think those guys are big on social media. He does have sisters though. If I knew his last name, I could’ve looked them up. What am I saying?” she said. “I’m not some sort of stalker.”
“You’re curious,” Harper said dryly. “So am I. You’re not usually into guys you just met. They have to do a hell of a lot to impress you.”
“He seemed different. That still doesn’t mean anything though. We talked for like twenty minutes. I barely know the guy.”
“Well, you know what I’d do,” Harper teased.
“Show up naked on his doorstep?”
“That too,” she laughed. “But you better believe I’d be calling and setting up dinner. At least meet for drinks. So far you’ve told me that he’s nice. He’s got a good job. He’s hot.”
SEAL's Promise (Alpha SEALs Coronado Book 5) Page 2