Zak had a trickle of blood falling down below his ear. His lips were cut and chapped, and he squinted. A large purple welt was forming on the right side of his forehead.
“The shooter?” she asked.
“Oh, they’ll find bits and pieces of him all over this floor, probably scrape some of him off the side of the building too when the window washers come.” Zak coughed. “We should get out of here. Can you walk?”
She tried a step, her arms around his waist. “I’m good.”
“Let’s get out of Dodge,” he whispered, leading her toward the stairwell entrance. He pushed her behind him as they walked past the nonexistent doors to the gym and found the windows had completely blown out, the force of the blast overturning equipment. The mirror-covered walls covered in blood spray looked like a contemporary painting. Several rags of clothing remnants soaked in deep red puddles against the walls. There was a large crater blasted in the center of the room with splinters of flooring scattered everywhere like toothpicks.
Opening the stairwell door, they could hear heavy boots running up the steps, carrying equipment. “Anybody up there injured?”
“We’re fine. Not sure about anyone else, but I think your shooter has become one with the source,” Zak barked.
Chapter 15
The oyster bar at the Ferry Plaza he had on good authority was a good place to have a special occasion. His new LPO for SEAL Team 3, Kyle Lansdowne, had told Zak all about it, told him to say his goodbyes and then get his butt back to San Diego for the workup.
“You don’t want to start out on this team as a slacker. We don’t really get time off, so while it’s nice to get all cozy with the girlfriend and get her head on straight, we’ve got a mission to work up for.”
“Roger that, sir.”
“We can’t always come home. Most of us miss holidays, anniversaries, kid’s birthdays, and even our kid’s births on a regular basis. That’s just the way it is. Don’t cry over it.”
“I get you, sir.”
“But damn, I gotta say for a little tadpole, a newbie frog, you sure handled yourself well, sailor. Way to get that little punk to give it up and not take any more people with him.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Mighty proud. And your lady, I hear tell she held up quite well. You got a keeper there, son.”
“I think so too, sir.”
“So what the fuck you waiting around for? Ask the girl to marry you, and get her little ass down to San Diego where you can keep an eye on her.”
“I intend to, sir.”
“I’m gonna ask you first thing when I see you next. Don’t complain and cry on my shoulder telling me you screwed all night long and forgot to ask her, okay? Make an honest frog princess outta her, son.”
“I get your message loud and clear, Chief Petty Officer Lansdowne.”
Amy was returning from the ladies room, so he signed off and took a sip of his beer. She sat next to him. Except for the fact that the two of them looked like they’d gotten into a fight, Zak thought they made a pretty good looking couple as he stared across the bar to the large wavy mirror. The waiter brought them six barbequed oysters from Marin County. The hot spicy tomato flavor wafted up in the steam that blew in their faces as they hovered over them.
“Those look wonderful.” Amy’s eyes were bright, her face illuminated by soft candlelight.
Zak squeezed a lemon wedge over the hot mixture. He held one shell up to Amy’s mouth. “Yours. These are supposed to be the best in the bay.”
Amy swallowed the mixture, shutting her eyes as a little part of the sauce dribbled out the right side of her lips. Zak kissed it away.
“Your turn,” she said and held up another shell, tipping it so the hot oyster mixture slid onto his tongue.
“Hog Island is famous to SEAL Team 3, or at least to our LPO.”
“LPO? What does that mean?”
“Leading Petty Officer. He’s like in charge of our platoon. You’ll get to meet him soon, I hope. Maybe there will be time before we deploy, but for sure when I get back.”
“So what are your dates?” She asked, taking another oyster.
“Well, that kinda depends on you, Amy.”
“On me?”
“When I come home next time, I’d like to ask your father permission to marry you, if you’ll have me.”
Her smile started slow, and for a second Zak panicked. But when her lips turned up and she winked at him, he relaxed. He’d been nervous all day, knowing he wanted to ask her, and not knowing exactly how to do it, until Kyle told him about this place. And it seemed fitting to do it here, near where all the violence had happened, where their lives had changed forever.
“If you can’t answer, I’d totally understand. You don’t even know about the community, and it’s not an easy life. Hell, I’m just getting used to it myself, getting to know all the guys. But these are special guys, unlike anyone else I’ve ever met. I think you’d fit right in, if you’re willing.”
“Of course I’m willing. You sure, though?”
“Completely. You wanted to be the girl I came back to. I want that too.”
She looped her arm through his and leaned into him, rubbing her chest against his elbow. “So did you ever think of a Plan B? I mean, what if I said no?”
“Well, I was going to go look for a golf course.”
Zak
True Blue SEALs
Book 1
Sharon Hamilton
Chapter 1
Zak stopped by the Rusty Scupper, the SEAL watering hole in San Diego before leaving for San Diego International Airport to pick up Amy. He’d gotten up early since he’d been tossing all night long. Nerves. Not battle nerves, but those of the female kind. Bugged him that the training hadn’t worked all that out of him.
This was going to be an important first meeting between Amy and his SEAL Team 3 buds. Sure, Amy had agreed to marry him, after a wonderful half-day of sex together. It was easy to make a commitment then. But would she still say yes after she really knew what she was getting into?
He wanted everything to go off without a hitch. Needed her first impression of his Team and their community to be perfect so she’d still agree to his plan. They had intended to wait until he got back from deployment before scheduling this meet and greet. Zak’s anxiety whispered that leaving Amy behind in San Francisco, where they’d foiled a terrorist attack, was unsafe. He hoped to convince her to move down to his apartment now, rather than wait. Then they could plan the wedding and get married when he came back.
He asked advice from several other SEALs while they waited for their food. He knew right away it was a mistake to do so.
“Get her drunk. That always eases things along a bit,” said Alex.
“Don’t fuckin’ pay any attention to him. He’s divorced and never gonna find anyone who will put up with him,” said Calvin “Coop” Cooper. The tall surfer-looking dude, one of the Team medics and gadget guru, had an unflappable demeanor.
“You charm her,” said Fredo, wiggling his unibrow up and down. “Ladies like to do romantic things. Walk on the beach at midnight, go for a swim. Right, Coop?”
Cooper grunted in the middle of a blush.
“Take her to a Padres game, man.” Carter demonstrated a slow swing. “Ladies love baseball.”
Fredo objected. “You livin’ in some kinda alternate reality, Carter? That’s just what you tell yourself. Nothing romantic about watching your lady ogling guys in tight, butt-fitting pants who make millions of dollars while you sittin’ there in the sun with mustard all over your chin. You like that shit?”
“Works for me,” returned Carter.
“Which is why you’re still single.”
Coop was still laughing at Fredo’s comment.
“I’m just trying out the merchandise, making sure I gets it right,” shrugged Carter. “And for the record, if she doesn’t like baseball, well, that’s a game-stopper for sure.”
Zak knew there wouldn’t be
any baseball games due to his lack of funds. Walks on the beach were sounding better and better.
Carter stood, fist-bumped his friend, and left. Fredo, Coop, and several others said their goodbyes and wished him luck.
Lucas, Rory, and T.J. got up to leave, as well. Lucas added his two cents. “Some never like it here, especially if they’re the jealous type, so be prepared. Or they like it at first, and then they turn on you so fast—”
“Hell, Lucas, you know better than to tell this young froglet that,” said T.J.
Rory Kennedy leaned into Zak and winked, whispering, “Don’t listen to any of them. Let the ladies convince her. She’ll not believe anything any of us will tell her, anyhow. But the girls, they are great at answering questions and helping her out. They’ve been there and had to wrap their minds around the way we are. They have to like all their business known by everyone else, not having much of a life outside the community. Some resent it. You’re bringing her to the Barbeque at Coop’s?”
“Planning on it.”
“You’re good to go, then.” The scruffy-haired explosives expert scratched his Brillo pad reddish brown pelt and cracked his neck as he walked away, a slight limp in his gait, following behind T.J. and Lucas.
Zak steadied his breathing and then took off for the airport.
While driving, he wondered what Amy’s reaction would be to the rest of the team and their wives. Deployment was in less than a month, since they were tasked with a short special TDI in North Africa. Normally, they’d be working up for several months, so this was very short, especially for Zak and Carter, who had to learn everything. Everyone else had been on their “off” rotation for nearly three months and had deployed more than once with the team on prior missions.
They were a well-oiled machine as a group, and now that he’d spent some time with them, he could spot other Special Forces or Team guys on the street. Everyone had a nickname that the ladies would probably think was belittling. Smack talk was the usual form of conversation. Hot buttons were discovered and pressed often for the good of the man, as well as the team.
He followed the turnoff to the airport.
As a sniper, he’d trained with Armando Guzman, the legendary shooter on SEAL Team 3. The man had more kills than the rest of the squad combined. Zak had been nervous at first, working so closely beside Armando, but that was nothing compared to the case of nerves he was sporting right now.
After parking the car, he dodged traffic at the arrival terminal and made it up the stairs from the baggage claim area where he could watch arrivals. He was still a half-hour early.
At first, he sat and watched people. Couples kissed, kids hugged their grandparents, and old friends shook hands and slapped each other’s backs. A group of older women with leathery tans laughed so loud they drowned out all the other noises of the busy airport. The matching carryon bags identified them as Mexican Cruise ship returnees.
Zak got up to get a cup of coffee but wanted a beer instead. He went for a mineral water and couldn’t decide if he was hungry or thirsty. His palms sweated.
He caught a reflection of himself in the mirror behind the counter, and it gave him a start. He’d gotten a bruise under his right eye from one of the fifty cals they’d been training with when it swung loose and caught him before he could duck. It was not unlike the way he’d last seen Amy. They’d survived that bombing at the MegaOne complex in San Francisco, and when he’d left her to join his team back in San Diego, they both had bruises and scrapes, as if they’d gotten into an altercation between themselves.
This bruise hurt so badly he was sure he’d gotten a hairline fracture to his cheekbone. He refused all x-rays, not wanting to risk a chance he’d be rolled back to stay home and heal. He was not a complainer and kept his mouth shut.
Zak’s heart pounded, and his fingers began to tingle at the sight of Amy smiling down at the floor and weaving in and around the crowd, nearly skipping. Her stretchy dress had just the right amount of cleavage showing. The fabric hugged her awesome derriere and swung around her smooth tanned legs, peeking above her knees for some dangerous views of her thighs. The airport noise was muted, since he was on the other side of the Plexiglas barrier, so he watched in near silence until he realized he was holding his breath. He waved and then tapped on the divider. She looked up.
Her warm brown eyes sparkled as her face bloomed for him. He watched her breath hitch, stopping just long enough for him to see her distracted happiness. Then she hoisted up her shoulder bag and began to jog towards the exit. In seconds, she was in his arms, charming him with her lovely scent and filling his heart with joy.
He brushed aside her hair and kissed her neck first, whispering in her ear, “Missed you, sweetheart. I might never let you go.”
She dropped her bag, stepped in to her tip-toes, rested her forearms on his shoulders, and framed his face between her soft lavender-scented palms, being careful of his cheekbone bruise. “Don’t. Tie me up and use me day and night. Capture me. Don’t let me go home. Nothing would make me happier!”
Being careful not to cave into the urge to slip his palms up under her skirt and feel her butt cheeks, he grabbed her rear and pulled her into him. At last, their lips mated. All his apprehension melted, and the entire airport vanished as his body awakened fully to her presence.
Her cheeks glowed when they came up for air as her eyes took in all of him, a mixture of wickedness blended with the good girl he knew she was at heart.
“Boy, have I had some dreams along that line, Amy. I’ll admit. It feels like I’ve been on a fast.”
She returned his chuckle. “I hope so.”
“No worries here. You’re the only one I dream about, sweetheart. I’ll sign that in blood.”
“I haven’t slept for a week thinking about coming up here. I don’t remember my dreams, but they woke me up lots of times.” She purred into his chest, “And I was kind of sweaty, too.”
Amy’s suitcase arrived at the baggage carousel. Zak was quick to pick it up, and they exited to the short-term parking.
“We’ve got a barbeque tomorrow over at Cooper’s house. He’s a helluva guy. I like him a lot. From Nebraska. He’s one of our medics.”
“I’m game.”
“I kind of thought it would be a good chance for you to not only meet the other Team Guys, but their wives and some girlfriends. We don’t bring casual dates to these gatherings. You’ll meet some kids, too, if I know Coop and Libby.”
“Sounds nice.” She adjusted her seatbelt as they made their way to the frontage leading to the freeway. “So if the guys scare me, maybe the ladies will soften the blow?” Her smart comment was followed by a smile and that tilt of the head that drove him nuts.
“You catch on quick.”
“I have a good teacher.” She snuggled closer, the truck’s bench seat being very accommodating.
“Sweetheart,” he bent and said to the top of her head, “I’ve only just begun. And maybe you can teach me a few things, too.”
She reached for his package and gave him a squeeze. “I like that we’ll rediscover our bodies all over again. Hasn’t been that long, but when you said starved, well, that’s exactly how I feel, too.”
Zak was seriously going to have a zipper malfunction. He squirmed and cleared his throat. Amy was right to read that as a sign he was turned on as hell, and though he had to drive, she began unbuttoning his flannel shirt. Her breathing was soft like butterfly wings on his neck—and then on his chest as she bent down, raised his tee shirt, and kissed his nipples, giving the left one a tug with her teeth. He focused on keeping his hands on the steering wheel, but it was damned hard.
“I’m right back at high school, honey, asking you to slow down. Except this time I know I’ll have you all night—”
She cut him off with a kiss, her lips sucking his and inviting his tongue. “God, I missed you, Zak.”
“Now I’m worried we won’t make it home before—”
Her fingers had unbuttoned
his jeans and slipped inside his shorts, finding him in the flesh and again giving him a nice squeeze.
“Holy shit, Amy, I don’t need another accident. You know that, honey.”
“Oh but, Zak, this is no accident.” She fondled his balls. “So if you’re that worried, why don’t you take me some place private, okay?”
“I’m just getting used to the area, honey. Not sure where—”
“Behind a building. A parking lot not in front of a ten-story building. A rest stop.” She struggled to inhale and then moaned. “I’d fuck you”—she climbed on his thigh and rubbed herself against his tightened muscles, her knees squeezing the sides of his right leg—“anywhere. Even in a restroom or a storage closet. You get my meaning?”
Oh yes, he got her meaning. He just couldn’t think at the moment because all the blood in his brain had traveled like the Pony Express down to his lap.
San Diego County was peppered with golf courses, but could he find one now? No! Their habit, started during their hot and steamy high school off-and-on-again trysts, was to do it on a course. It was so bad that every time he drove past a club and eyed the green manicured lawns, he got hard just thinking of Amy and all the times they’d urgently screwed. His boners interfered with practice rounds he attempted with some of the other SEALs.
At last he found something and hoped they had a quiet corner or convenient coat closet at the Read and Feed Bookstore, which was the first establishment he came across. He turned across another lane of traffic, causing cars to honk in protest as he entered the parking lot. Amy slid off his lap and was adjusting her clothes, her palms smoothing down her chest as she perused him wickedly. It was so unfair.
Holy shit. We won’t make it into the coffee house.
He buttoned his fly and his shirt, turning to her. “Best I can do, sweetheart. We’ll be creative. You up for this?”
SEALed At The Altar_Bone Frog Brotherhood Novel Page 23