His hand accidently brushed against Rebecca’s bare thigh, and she flushed at his warm touch. He seemed momentarily startled as well but quickly recovered and stood to his full height, which was rather imposing now that he was standing only a few inches away.
“There was a bee!” Logan shouted, pointing to where they’d just come from.
“They won’t hurt you,” Rebecca said. “They’re just looking for flowers, not kids.”
“I hate bees,” Abby said, still crying.
Rebecca crouched down and brushed some of the hair back from Abby’s face, wiping away her tears. “How about we go for ice cream now?”
“Yeah.”
“I want ice cream, too, Dad,” said Logan.
“Let’s go now,” Abby pouted, pulling away from Rebecca and looking across the street at the ice cream parlor. There were plenty of ice cream shops along the boardwalk, but because that one was right next to the playground, Rebecca had made it a tradition of taking Abby there after playing on the weekends.
Patrick looked between Rebecca and her daughter. “Mind if we join you?”
“Oh, of course not,” Rebecca said, slightly taken aback. That was about the last thing she’d expected to come from his mouth. In fact, if he’d asked her to spend the afternoon bungee jumping with him she’d probably be less shocked.
She took Abby’s hand as they started to walk across the street, and a feeling of warmth surged through her at the idea of spending a little more time with Patrick. It wasn’t like they were going on a date or something—they were taking their kids for ice cream for heaven’s sake. But with his big, muscular body walking right behind hers, alerting her to his presence more than anyone she barely knew had a right to, a variety of feelings washed over her—attraction, interest, comfort.
Thank goodness she actually looked presentable, having fixed herself up for brunch earlier. She’d switched into shorts for the trip to the playground, but she had on a pretty top that highlighted her curves and had taken the time to apply some light makeup.
Patrick grabbed the door handle as she reached for it, pulling it open and gesturing for them to go ahead. She tried not to flinch as she walked past him, every nerve in her body suddenly tingling in awareness. Damn. He even smelled good, too.
Was he trying to kill her with his manners, good looks, and body worth drooling over? Oh, and not to mention a career sought after by many men. How many guys dreamed of becoming Navy SEALs one day? Most never would.
Plus, he was spending the afternoon with his kid at the playground. If she actually dated anymore, this guy would practically be the total package.
She ordered a kid’s sundae for Abby and a cappuccino for herself, thinking the caffeine would do little to calm her frayed nerves. Oddly enough, she hadn’t felt flustered at all until Patrick had shown up. Imagine that.
Patrick ordered for his son but didn’t get anything for himself. They selected a table by the window and while the kids dug into their ice cream, Patrick and Rebecca sat in comfortable silence as she sipped on her coffee.
“You don’t like ice cream?” Patrick finally asked.
“I like caffeine more,” Rebecca said with a laugh. “I certainly will need it tonight.”
Her warm brown eyes glinted in the sunlight, flecked with specks of gold. Her soft brown waves framed her face, and for a moment, Patrick wished they were alone so that he could bend down and kiss her. Her full, pink lips had been taunting him all afternoon every time she opened her mouth. Now, he watched with interest as she sipped her cappuccino, leaving just a hint of pink lip gloss behind on the cup.
She was small, only around five-feet-four or so, with a petite frame and soft, womanly curves in all the right places. And how he’d noticed those curves as he’d watched her—the swell of her full breasts, pushing against her thin top, the shapely legs he’d accidently caressed as he set her daughter down. Hell if he hadn’t wanted to run his hands up and down them, feeling their softness beneath his fingers, making Rebecca tremble at his touch.
And then, when they’d walked across the street? Her firm backside had taunted him as her hips swayed back and forth. What would it feel like to palm her round ass, pulling her tightly against him so that all those soft curves were pressed up against his hard body?
He’d teased her on the playground, not knowing what had gotten into him but unable to stop himself. That wasn’t how he usually operated—if he was interested in a woman, they knew without a doubt what was on his mind in ten seconds, flat.
Granted, the types of women he’d been with in the past he’d met while out at a bar, and they were every bit as interested in a good time as he was. He’d clearly tell them when they’d left it was just for one night, and none of the women he’d gone home with had ever had a problem with that.
But today, with Rebecca? He’d wanted to see how she’d react to him, and once that hint of a blush had crossed her cheeks, he’d wanted to do anything to see it there again. He imagined she’d look like that right after she’d come—cheeks flushed, eyes wide, lips parted. He’d gotten a rise out of her with only a few words, and he knew he could do much, much more with a night in bed together.
Patrick hadn’t even been with a woman in months. He did still slake his need from time-to-time, enjoying the pleasure of a woman only when his son was gone for the weekend at his grandparents. But while the rest of the guys on his team seemed content to bed a different woman every weekend, he had no interest in that. He had no desire for a relationship either, but something about Rebecca drew him in.
She didn’t throw herself at him like all the other women that he came across did. Certainly not like the two ladies hitting on Brent and Matthew the other night.
Rebecca was sexy and beautiful, but also a lawyer and mother. She had an entire life that didn’t revolve around his being a SEAL. While many women wanted him for that reason alone, she didn’t seem the least bit turned on or turned off by what he did. And wasn’t that a change.
Still, he had to find out why she needed to be up late at night. She hadn’t mentioned having a man in her life, but he had an unreasonable need to find out for sure right then and there. The thought of another man’s hands moving over her lush body, his lips caressing her soft skin, had him seeing red. Not that she was his, but that sure as hell didn’t mean he felt comfortable with her belonging to another.
“And what keeps you up at night?” he asked huskily, watching her blush again at the sexual undertones of his question.
“Work,” she finally replied, recovering, as she met his blue gaze.
He grinned at her, trying to put her more at ease. “You’re too easy to tease,” he finally admitted. It wasn’t like him to want to put anyone at ease, but something about this woman had him feeling possessive and protective at the same time. Not to mention incredibly, uncomfortably, aroused.
“It’s not nice to tease people,” Abby said innocently, and Rebecca and Patrick both burst into laughter.
“You’re not having any ice cream either,” Rebecca pointed out.
He shrugged, not really caring to explain that he was on a strict training regimen. “So Rebecca,” he said, enjoying the way the sound of her name felt on his lips, “do you and Abby frequent the playground often?”
“Yes!” Abby shouted.
Rebecca smiled at her daughter and looked back to him. “It’s pretty much our Sunday afternoon tradition when the weather is good.”
He considered that, wanting to see her again without knowing entirely why. “Maybe Logan and I will see you here next weekend?”
“I’d like that.”
He stared at her a moment longer then he should have and then stood. “Come on, buddy, let’s get going.”
Logan jumped to his feet, and Patrick rested his hand on his son’s shoulder before meeting Rebecca’s eyes. “Stay safe,” he said, before turning to leave.
He could feel her eyes watching him as they walked out the front door, and it took absolutely a
Chapter 5
“Stay safe,” he’d said in that deep voice of his that rumbled right through her until she felt it all the way to her core. Her insides had turned all soft at his low, masculine voice and slightly authoritative tone. His words wrapped around her, and it had felt like warm honey was oozing over her skin when he’d issued his command.
What a strange goodbye—not “see you soon” or even “take care.” Stay safe. With those cool blue eyes boring into hers and that intense, penetrating way he had of looking at her, she imagined a whole lot of ways she wished to stay with him—in his arms, tucked against his hard chest…in his bed.
Not that he necessarily wanted her that way. She’d seen all the women drooling over Patrick and his friends as they’d walked down the street the other night. He had his pick of anyone, and a strong, alpha male like Patrick wouldn’t be interested in an independent woman like herself. She had a career and a child—her own life to attend to. She couldn’t spend her time fawning all over him even if the sound of his voice did turn her insides to mush.
It was just nice to have someone to talk to while their kids played. A man she could carry on a conversation with. And the fact that he was easy on the eyes certainly hadn’t hurt.
She walked briskly through the lobby of the courthouse, putting further thoughts of Patrick and last weekend aside. The hearing that morning had gone well. She’d been well-prepared and could’ve anticipated the outcome even before the judge opened his mouth. The late nights she’d been putting in had been brutal, but once again, she’d succeeded in negotiating a tricky custody battle and gotten what was fair and deserved.
Her client had been granted full custody of her daughter and would be receiving a sizeable alimony and child support payment each month. Since the husband had been cheating on his wife for years, Rebecca didn’t feel bad that things had turned out to his disadvantage. Guys like him deserved all the trouble they reaped.
“Rebecca, thanks again!” her client called out, catching her before she walked out the door.
Rebecca turned and flashed her a smile, hopefully portraying only authority and professionalism. Although she wanted to do a victory dance, to hug the woman she’d come to know and offer her enthusiastic congratulations, she was still in the courthouse. She had her image to maintain.
“Of course,” she said warmly. “You deserve it after the wringer you’ve been put through.”
“I’m just so relieved it’s over.”
“Aren’t we all. Go enjoy the afternoon with your daughter.”
“Thanks, I will. A victory like this deserves a celebration. Care to join us?”
“I appreciate the invitation, but I have to get back to the office.”
“Of course. Thank you again.”
“Be sure to let me know if you need anything.”
The two women said their goodbyes and parted ways, Rebecca heading toward the parking lot. She’d be back at the courthouse tomorrow for a hearing on a different case, and then the weekend would finally be here. She found herself looking forward to it even more than usual, and she knew that had everything to do with the handsome Navy SEAL she’d met.
They hadn’t really made plans per se, but the thought of him at the playground with his son wondering where she and Abby were left a pit in her stomach. Rebecca wanted to spend more time with Patrick, and she felt like he wouldn’t have suggested the idea that they’d see each other again if he had no intention of following through on that.
Still, when Sunday came, and she and Abby made their usual trip to the park for some play time and ice cream, she found herself disappointed that Patrick never made an appearance. Not that he was obligated to—of course not. He’d merely suggested that he’d see her here today. They hadn’t set a time to meet or even exchanged phone numbers.
Despite that, she’d fully expected to see him and his cute little boy Logan. Anything could have come up—maybe they made other plans or Logan was sick. Maybe he’d changed his mind. Her daughter certainly didn’t care and was content to play with the other children there.
It stung just a little bit though, and Rebecca realized that she’d gotten her hopes up at the idea of seeing him again. She’d been looking forward to it all week, even envisioning them grabbing ice cream and coffee again afterward, and Patrick hadn’t even shown up.
She hadn’t imagined the way that he’d teased her last weekend—she knew that. It wasn’t like her to blush so much around a man, but he’d seemed to enjoy it. Something about him got under her skin, making her far too aware of his presence. Making him far too interesting for her to get out of her mind.
But maybe he flirted with any woman. It’s not like he’d pursued her; they’d simply run into one another at the park. Memories of his penetrating blue gaze had her insides warming. And the way his hand had accidentally, innocently brushed against her thigh? She’d spent more than a few nights over the past week imagining his hands all over her skin. Imagining those lips brushing against her flesh.
Maybe Patrick’s not showing was for the best, anyway. She was far more attracted to Patrick than she should be if they were just friends watching their kids play together. She certainly didn’t need to feel like a teenager with a crush on a guy she could never have.
No, if she ever ran into him again, she’d just be polite but cool. She and Abby had done fine for the past year on their own, and one nice afternoon with a handsome—okay, make that ridiculously hot—Navy SEAL wasn’t going to change that.
Patrick wiped the sweat from his brow as his team moved in from their hidden location. They’d been called in to capture a high-value asset and had been quietly sitting in wait for the past thirty minutes, crouched down in the shadows. Their target was finally preparing to exit the building, unaware of the SEAL team ready to swarm in.
Intel gleaned over the course of the last week had pinpointed the target’s location, and within twelve hours, his team had deployed from Little Creek to the Middle East. His men were ready to go at all times, trained to leave at a moment’s notice, but it was difficult leaving his son again so soon. He also knew that Rebecca was probably wondering what had happened to him, and he felt a pang of regret at not being able to meet her today as he’d promised. Or to somehow tell her that he wouldn’t be there.
Okay, so maybe promised was too strong of a word, but he’d planted the suggestion of seeing her again in her mind. A suggestion to which she’d readily agreed. And instead of gazing into those caramel brown eyes right now, watching a flush creep over her skin as he discovered something else to gently tease her about, he was hunkered down in the dirt in his desert camo and combat boots, running on only a few hours of sleep.
The man they were searching for stepped from the doorway, flanked on both sides by bodyguards, but it was too late. Brent and Matthew swooped in from one side, armed with HK416 assault rifles, and Mike fired rounds from the building across the street, taking out both guards. As the man looked up in confusion, reaching for his own semi-automatic weapon, Patrick and Christopher charged forward.
The target was on the ground in an instant. He uttered a string of curses in his native tongue as Patrick forcefully planted his knee in the man’s back, preventing any further movement.
“We have the package,” Christopher quietly said into his mouthpiece.
“Roger that,” came Evan’s voice into Patrick’s earpiece. “I’m on the move.”
Evan raced up in their armored vehicle, and within seconds they’d climbed in and were speeding out of the small town, leaving nothing but dust in their wake as a few women and children looked on.
They’d blindfolded and subdued their asset, one man guarding him on each side. Upon returning to base, they’d hand him off to other members of the U.S. military for questioning and detainment. Patrick’s SEAL team, however, was done. They were trained to work seamlessly as one unit, and once again, the mission had proceeded flawlessly. If all went according to plan, that evening they’d be back on a flight to The States.
“At least I didn’t have to stitch you up this time,” Mike joked with Patrick after they’d returned to base.
“Can’t keep your hands off me, can you?” Patrick muttered.
As if he needed a reminder of the insurgent who’d stabbed him during their last mission. He’d made it his personal goal not to let any enemy combatants get within arm’s length of him this time—save for the prisoner they’d captured, who he’d gladly manhandled as they’d snatched him off the street.
“Easy, boys,” Matthew said as he stripped off his helmet and Kevlar vest. “You know it’s me you can’t keep your hands off of. I have that problem with the ladies, too.”
Patrick bit out a curse.
“Whatever happened to that pretty blonde you took home?” Evan asked, suddenly looking interested. He tugged off his helmet and wiped sweat from his brow, looking at Matthew expectantly. “I bet she couldn’t keep her hands to herself.”
“We had a good time,” Matthew said with a grin. “But now it’s on to bigger and better things.”
“Would DD work for you?” Brent asked.
“Fuck yeah,” Matthew agreed. “I could work with those.”
Hell. Those guys were damn near impossible to keep in line when it came to women. Not that he hadn’t enjoyed his fair share of the opposite sex in his younger days, but Patrick was the only one of his men who’d been married—and divorced, not that he preferred to dwell on that part. Although he certainly admired the female form, he wasn’t one to brag about his conquests either.
The guys bantered back and forth as Patrick strode off to the side, sucking water from his canteen like it was his lifeline. Damn this dry desert air. No matter how many times they deployed over here, no matter how long they stayed on each mission, he’d never get used to it. To the sand that never seemed to go away no matter how hard you tried to scrub it off. To the heat that seemed to suck your very soul dry.
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