SEAL's Second Chance (A Navy SEAL Brotherhood Romance)

by Ivy Jordan

  When we got back to the bar, Paul apologized for being an ass. “I didn’t think I was going to enjoy this,” he said kindly.

  I gathered up the photos I’d used as props, shoved them into my bag, and found Theo. “I’m late for my photo club. I have to run,” I said quickly, and then rushed out to my car.

  I pulled into the small brick building’s parking lot. Lark was already there, standing out front, on her phone in deep conversation with whoever was on the other end. I finished organizing my equipment, which had become a messy tangle from rushing so quickly from the bar, when I noticed Theo’s car pull in beside me. I opened my door and started to get out of my car when Theo came running up to me. “Hey, so this is where your secret meetings are?” he asked with a wide smile.

  I’d been fighting off feelings for him all week, and the more I tended to ignore him, the friendlier he’d become. I stared into his eyes, mine narrowing with anger that he’d followed me here. “It’s not a secret meeting, but it is private,” I snapped.

  “I, uh, just….” Theo stuttered.

  “I know we live together, and you’ve invited me into your world, but that was for business. This is the one thing I do that is all mine, and you can’t just push your way into it without being invited,” I scolded him as he pulled a black bag from behind his back. It was my camera. Shit!

  “You left this at the bar. I just figured you’d need it,” he said softly, a hint of irritation displayed in his voice behind a large dose of hurt feelings. I was such an ass.

  “I’m sorry, Theo. Thank you for being so considerate,” I apologized.

  He smiled, but didn’t speak. There was an awkward silence that grew between us for the first time. “Hey, you coming in, or what?” Lark asked, stepping beside me.

  “Yeah. Theo brought my camera. I forgot it at the bar,” I explained.

  “Well, you may not need it anyway,” she growled.

  “Why?” I asked.

  “Our model canceled and we can’t get anyone to replace him this quickly,” she whined. “One of us could do it, I guess,” Lark stammered as her eyes moved to Theo.

  “No. Then one of you will miss out on the lighting techniques. I can’t pose and teach,” I sulked. “I’ve been working on this for two months. Did he say why he couldn’t make it?” I asked, as if it mattered.

  “Shingles. He’s highly contagious,” Lark replied, her eyes moving up and down on Theo, who was obviously growing uncomfortable. “Theo, what do you have going on right now?” Lark asked.

  “I’m headed home,” his tone was still sour from my earlier mistaken assumption.

  “”Oh, no. Theo can’t fill in. He’s not a model,” I said quickly, causing Theo to give me an offended glare.

  “Look at him: he’s hot. He should be a model. Theo, do you want to be a model?” Lark asked, speaking quickly, and growing so excited she began to bounce.

  “Not really,” Theo replied his smile weak and anxious, and his eyes pushing towards me with a look of desperation in them.

  “Please, Theo. You’re our only hope. And, you’d be perfect; right, Willow?” she said, quickly turning to me.

  “Yes. He actually would be perfect,” I admitted reluctantly.

  I really didn’t want Theo to be my main focus for the next two hours. I was having a hard enough time keeping my mind off of his dreamy eyes and kissable lips. This was not going to help.

  “What do I have to do?” Theo asked with a sigh.

  His shoulders fell limp, as if he’d been defeated. Lark bounced high off the pavement, and then leaped towards Theo, wrapping her arms around his neck and squeezing hard enough that he looked terrified as he pulled her hands apart, and slipped from her embrace.

  “You just have to sit on a motorcycle, several different poses,” I explained.

  “I’m not really the biker type,” he said with a smirk.

  “We need a still object for the shutter speed techniques,” I said sternly.

  “I have my guitar in the car. Would that work?” he asked.

  Lark’s eyes were wide and bright as she stared at me for a response. Theo didn’t look as if he gave two shits and would’ve preferred to just go home. “Sure. We can throw in a few lessons on photography in motion,” I agreed.

  “I’m really sorry. I’ve just been on edge lately,” I whispered to Theo as we followed Lark towards the building.

  “It’s okay. I get it,” he said coolly.

  His tone was sharp, cutting me like a knife. “Thank you for doing this,” I sighed, hating that he’d been put on the spot.

  I’d worked with models dozens of times during college, posing them how I wanted, and never once did it give me this strange flutter in my stomach. Every time I touched Theo, it felt so intimate, so sensual, that I was certain my anxiety was showing all over my face. Theo smiled as I moved his hand over the guitar strings so the light would allow focus on his hand, and not his body. I blushed as our touch created a surge of electricity through my veins. His eyes were so dark, so deep as they looked into mine that for that split second, I was certain he’d felt it, too.

  The girls all loved Theo and begged him to come back again. He slid his guitar into its soft case and smiled politely. “I’ve had fun. Maybe, if I’m not busy,” he offered as a weak promise.

  His movements were so smooth, so perfect, that it was hard not to watch him as he gathered his stuff and said his goodbyes to the giddy photography class. He slid his hand through his hair, letting his fingers glide through the thick strands of darkness. I watched as they swallowed them up, wishing for an instant my fingers could feel that sensation.

  “We okay?” Theo asked, pulling me from my trance.

  “Yes. I’m truly sorry. I know you weren’t stalking me. I’m not sure what my problem is, but it isn’t you,” I assured him.

  The truth was, Theo was my problem. I thought about him constantly, fantasized about him in my dreams, and even caught myself thinking of him while masturbating in the shower. He was a big problem.

  Chapter Five

  Theo gripped the mic, letting his guitar sling to his waist by its strap as he yelled goodnight to the crowd of cheering patrons. They were good, real good. When Theo sang one of his originals, his eyes locked onto mine. My heart fluttered like a teenage groupie for a moment, but then I noticed the crowd of women all dancing to get his attention near the stage. I knew that game. I’d played it a dozen times with Mac. He’d sing to me, make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, and then disappear to the back for a blowjob from one of the groupies. When I’d question him, accuse him, and even the time I caught him with his dick in some brunette’s mouth, he’d tell me he loved me, there was no one else but me. Didn’t you see me sing that song to you, baby? I didn’t do that for anyone else. It was all bullshit, and Theo was smoother than Mac ever dreamed of being, and actually had talent, to boot.

  “They are amazing, aren’t they?” Lark asked, leaning into my ear from her bar stool.

  “Yeah. They really are,” I said, feeling that stupid flutter again.

  Theo jumped from the small stage, making his way through the crowd of women to walk towards me and Lark. Yes, my heart sped up as I watched him smile politely, stopping only to sign an autograph and never taking his focus off of where he was headed.

  “What’d ya think?” Theo asked.

  “I loved you—it,” I stammered, my cheeks heating instantly from my stumble with words.

  “I’m so glad,” he said, his eyes turning a bright shade of sky blue.

  I wasn’t sure why it meant so much that I liked his music, but for some reason, it made me feel good that it did.

  “You girls enjoy your drinks. I have to go sell some music,” Theo said, sliding his hand onto my leg, letting it rest there for a moment before taking it away. The heat from his hand remained, even once he walked away. I watched him surround himself with fans, mostly women, and turn his charm on them as he pushed his demo CD’s on them to purchase. Remember, h
e’s a musician, Willow.

  “What’s going on between you two?” Lark asked. Her tone was high-pitched and giddy.

  “Nothing,” I snapped back a reply quickly.

  Her eyes narrowed, her lips curled into a tight smile, and she nodded in my direction with that ‘I know what you did’ look on her face.

  “Your bed hasn’t been delivered yet, has it? You sleeping in the master bedroom with Theo to stay warm at night?” she teased.

  “Wow! You know me better than that,” I laughed.

  “I know, I know. You’re Miss Goody Two Shoes,” she groaned. “But, it’s obvious you two have something brewing,” she added with a smirk.

  I sucked down what was left in my beer glass and lifted the pitcher for a refill.

  “Oh, I hit a nerve,” Lark said, moving her face to mine until our eyes met.

  “Nope. No nerve,” I said calmly.

  “Willow, he sang that entire song to you,” she purred.

  “I don’t think so,” I lied.

  “Yes. Yes, he did,” Lark smirked. “He likes you, and it’s obvious you like him, too,” she insisted.

  “He’s a musician, which you knew and didn’t tell me. And you knew he was hot,” I scolded, trying to keep a straight face.

  The beer was getting to me, making me light-headed, and for some reason, it also made everything seem a little bit funny. “It doesn’t matter that he’s a musician. He’s nothing like Mac,” Lark said, her tone and her face both serious.

  “They are all alike,” I giggled, pointing to Theo, who at that moment had a blonde on each arm, and Samson taking a picture.

  “He’s promoting his band. Benny said he never fooled around, that he had one girlfriend in the seven years he’s known him,” Lark spilled information I’d never heard before.

  “Guys stick together. He isn’t gonna tell you his buddy is a hound. Hell, Benny may be one, too,” I growled.

  “Willow, that isn’t fair. I’m just saying, don’t push him away because of someone else’s mistakes,” she warned, finishing her beer with a quick swig.

  Lark knew how badly Mac had ripped my heart out, so why would she want me to go through that again?

  Did she see something in Theo that I didn’t? No, I saw it. It was something different, something special, and it scared the living shit out of me.

  “I’m grabbing a ride home with Benny and Kayla. You okay?” she asked, waving to Benny, who was standing at the door motioning for her to c’mon.

  “I’m fine. I’m just a couple blocks away,” I smiled.

  “Yes. And, I know Theo wouldn’t let you walk this late alone,” she smirked, and then took off towards Benny before I could say something snarky.

  I paid my tab, left Sal a nice tip, and then headed towards the front doors. Theo was still surrounded by women, all batting their eyelashes, laughing for no reason, and pushing their breasts towards his face in a sad attempt to be selected for a one night stand with a not-so-famous rock star. Okay, so maybe Theo had a real good chance of being famous, and then that lucky girl could say, “I fucked him when”—but right now, it was just sad.

  “Willow,” Theo’s voice called out.

  I turned, surprised that he noticed me. “Wait up,” he said, picking up his guitar, and making his way from the circle of pussy smothering him.

  “I’m just headed home. You don’t have to walk me. Stay, enjoy your fans,” I said as sweetly as I could muster without throwing up in my mouth.

  “No thank you. I like to get outta here quick after a good set. Sell my CDs and then head home for a beer and game of pool,” he laughed.

  “You play solo?” I asked, my eyebrows rising to show my confusion.

  “Benny used to play. I forgot that’s part of the ground rules: my roommate has to play pool with me after a gig,” he grinned.

  “I’m not very good,” I admitted.

  “Good. I don’t like losing,” he laughed, wrapping his arm around me and pulling me close to his side.

  My body tensed as his arm fell over my shoulder. “You gotta be cold,” he said, pulling me in even closer to his side.

  “It actually feels good out here. It was sweltering in that bar,” I replied.

  Theo lifted his arm from me and smiled. “Okay. I don’t want to make you hot. Well, hotter,” he grinned.

  I knew he was flirting. He couldn’t have been more obvious.

  I was relieved to be home, not wanting to admit I actually was cold. His arm around me was nice and warm, but the closeness was too intimate. It was to the point where I wasn’t as worried about trusting Theo as I was myself.

  “Home, sweet home,” Theo announced, opening up the front door, and motioning for me to enter first.

  He disappeared into the kitchen where I heard bottles clanking together. “Beer, my fair lady,” he said in a horrible British accent.

  “You sound like Paul,” I teased.

  He rolled his eyes. “Okay. I’ll never try that accent again.”

  “Is Paul even British?” I asked, watching Theo’s eyes brighten with laughter.

  “No. He was born and raised in Jersey,” Theo chuckled.

  I tried to hold back my laughter, but the night had me giddy, and the thought of Paul being raised in Jersey just pushed me over the edge.

  Theo’s face contorted, his mouth pushed out, and his eyes watered until finally, he let loose of a loud, deep belly laugh. “You know, none of the guys ever questioned it,” he laughed.

  “Ever?” I asked, tears rolling down my cheeks from laughter.

  “No. He came back from the UK talking like that,” he said with a guffaw.

  Tears fell from his eyes as he gasped for air. “We all just ignored it, I guess,” Theo laughed so hard he had to lean against the pool table to hold himself from falling to the floor.

  “He toured all the places where his favorite punk bands got their starts,” Theo gushed, still trying to talk through the laughter. “Shewee,” he sighed, wiping his cheeks.

  “I’m so glad I asked,” I said softly, watching his eyes dance on mine.

  “I don’t think I’ve laughed that hard, ever,” he paused, and then reached for my hand.

  That familiar electric surge shot through me when his hand touched mine. My eyes dropped from his, staring at his hand as it worked its fingers in between mine.

  “So, Lark and all the girls are raving about your images. I can’t wait to show them to you,” I said, changing the subject, and pulling my hand from his to push my blonde hair from my face. It was an obvious pull away, even though I tried to be smooth. I could see the disappointment in his eyes.

  “Oh, yeah? What are they raving about?” he asked, the disappointment quickly disappearing.

  “About how fun you were, and how good you looked,” I said.

  “How good I looked?” he asked, that sexy, crooked smile creeping back onto his face.

  “Yes. They were amazed at how photogenic you are,” I replied.

  “They are?” he asked, his face pushing closer to mine.

  He was close. So close. I could smell the scent of his cologne beneath the layer of sweat from performing on stage all night. Hints of feminine perfumes wafting around the testosterone kept me from leaning in to kiss him. He’s a musician, Willow. They are all the same.

  “Yes. They are,” I said, pulling back just slightly to remove some of the temptation.

  “They, not you?” he asked.

  “No. Me too,” I said quickly.

  He inched towards me. His hot breath lingered on my lips. I could taste him, his whiskey drink, and even his spearmint chewing gum. I inhaled, sucking him in, savoring the flavor of his mouth without touching it with my lips.

  “You too, what?” he asked softly, inching a bit closer.

  “I thought you did amazing,” I whispered.

  “Did you think I looked good?” he asked, his voice dripping like honey from his lips onto mine, leaving sweetness sticky on my tongue as I inhaled again, t
his time deeper, longer.

  I expected him to pull back, to tease me, but he didn’t. His eyes locked onto mine. The warmth of his hand pressed against my hip, and then he leaned down, letting our lips meet for the first time.

  I melted against him, my mouth clinging to his, my lips parting, my tongue eagerly greeting his as it entered my mouth. I was lost in him.

  The weight of his body pushed into me. His hands gripped my hips, turning my back to the pool table. Heat surged through his loins, and then his excitement became evident with hardness against my side.

  The struggle between my mind and body for control of the situation was tearing me in two different directions. I’d start to pull away, and then his lips would pull me back in, or his scent, or his touch. I’d get a whiff of the sweet perfume, one that came from his groupies, and I’d pull away again, harder, but his grip on my hips was tight.

  He’s your roommate, a bartender, a musician….

  He’s so fuckin’ sexy, he tastes so good, and this feels too good to stop….

  “We can’t do this,” I said softly, pulling away, this time far enough that he couldn’t pull me back in so easily. His hands were still on my hips, but their grip loosened by our distance.

  “Why not?” he asked. His voice was so deep, so husky, that my nipples hardened as the vibrations of it hit my ears.

  “We’re roommates,” I hesitated.

  “That’s not it,” he said, tightening his grip, and pulling me back towards him.

  I wanted to let him, to get one more taste of his delicious lips, to feel his hard cock pressed against me, warming me, wanting me. “No. It’s only part of it,” I said, refusing to let my body take control.

  Theo loosened his grip from my hips and took a step back. His steely blue eyes widened as he spoke. “Then tell me what it is,” he said softly, gently, with sincerity.

  “You’re a bartender, a musician. You’re surrounded by women all the time, women who want you, who throw their bodies at you,” I replied as gently as possible.