by Dawson, Zoe
“How about the I-can’t-sleep-until-I-negotiate-with-it boner?” Tank added.
“At night, yeah. Man, I can’t sleep on my back,” Wicked said.
“It’s a two-fisted fight before you can rest scenario?” Scarecrow asked.
“Not anymore. Unless, you know, I’m deployed without my wife to help me out of the jam,” Wicked said.
They all grinned like pirates.
“Inappropriately Timed Boner. It comes at the weirdest times, making you feel dirty like when you’re at your grandma’s birthday party. You know it’s for no reason,” Kid said.
“We’re going to pretend you didn’t bring that one up,” Hollywood said. “Then, there’s the Classic Boner. The tried and true, there when you need him broner.”
“Did you just say broner?” Hemingway asked.
“Wow, man. We’re not even drinking,” Kid said, shaking his head.
“I think it’s time to challenge you all to a slip-and-slide competition. Who can make it to the ocean in one go?”
They all got up and ran to the bright yellow plastic set up on the shore. Ruckus looked at him.
Hollywood shook his head. “We’re still a bunch of boys at heart.”
“Yeah,” Ruckus said with affection. “But you’re my boys.” He got up and slapped Hollywood on the back. “I’ll have to show them who is boss.” He grinned and took off across the sand.
They already know who’s the best boss there is, Hollywood thought.
Will sat down next to him. “What are you doing, boy, corrupting the youth?”
“Every chance I get. What about you, old man? You proud of our boy?”
“As a peacock. Already got me another candidate.”
“That’s good.”
“Sergeant Alice looks like she’s talking about the wedding again. You going to treat my girl right?”
“Of course. Every minute of every day.”
Will nodded. “It goes fast.”
Hollywood was aware that he was remembering his wife. “Why do you call her Alice?”
“Because I was always her white rabbit.”
“And I was always running after you for one more hug.”
Will turned to find his daughter standing there, her eyes moist and her voice wobbly. He stood and she went into his arms, a warm smile on her face. Hollywood was witnessing her remembering all the good times that mattered.
“I love you, Daddy,” she whispered.
“I love you too, Alice.” Will squeezed her hard and let her go as Hollywood rose. He gave Hollywood the kind of look all dads give the men who hold their daughters’ hearts. He didn’t have to say, Be good to her, or I’ll kill you. It was in his eyes.
He meant it.
Hollywood held out his hands and she walked into his arms. “What’s up, sweet tart?”
She looked up at him. “Your mom thinks roses, pink roses, are the way to go.”
“I’ll talk to her.”
“Oh, you don’t have to. I’ve already told her it’s going to be peonies all the way. I told her they could be pink, and that made her happy.”
“Oh, yeah, Princess Slugger. You into making all of us happy.”
“What if I am?”
He smiled. “Works for me.”
“Come on. Let’s get in on this slip-and-slide competition.”
“A couple’s competition?”
“We’ll blow them out of the water.”
Willow giggled as they ran over to where they guys were as Dragon came down the beach. He looked like a guy with something heavy on his mind. He’d have to keep an eye on him. He was, after all, one of their brothers.
Later on, at home, after some heavy-duty lovemaking, Willow got out of bed and headed toward the bathroom.
“Hey, Lefty,” she called.
“He’s getting interested again.”
“I bet he’s going to be interested in this.” She lifted her arms into a beautiful pose then, as light as air, pirouetted into the bathroom buck-assed naked. Her laughter was so damn cute as it went through him like a shot of warm sunshine.
“We got it made, Lefty,” he whispered, as he got off the bed and ran into the bathroom. There was nothing but giggles and shrieking when he caught her around her waist, kissing the back of her neck.
Her dad banged on the door. “What in the blue blazes is going on in there?”
Hollywood threw back his head and laughed.
“None of your business. I’m a grown-ass woman!” she shouted back. “Go to bed.”
Hollywood nuzzled her again, getting serious. He and Lefty definitely had it made.
* * *
The next book in the SEAL Team Alpha series, Dragon, introduces you to a whole new squad of hot heroes and the women they fall for. Dragon goes back to New York City, dealing with unfinished business and a team that is splintering. He goes back to his roots to discover what is important in life and Jo and her young daughter, Ceri, play a big role in making him understand how to begin to mend ties with his teammates. This will be another fun journey around the world with my tough, humorous, heart-breaking and heart-warming stories.
Glossary
BUD/S - Basic Underwater Demolitions/SEAL training
Comm - The equipment that SEALs use to communicate with each other in the field.
CO - Commanding Officer
DEVGRU - The United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group (NSWDG), formerly SEAL Team Six
DoD - Department of Defense
DZ - Drop zone, the targeted area for parachutists.
HALO - High altitude, low opening jump from an aircraft.
HVT - High value target
IED - Improvised Incendiary Device
Klicks - Shortened word for kilometers.
LRRP - Long-range reconnaissance patrol.
LT - Nickname for lieutenant.
LZ - Landing Zone where aircraft can land.
Merc - Mercenary - guns for hire.
MWD - Military Working Dog
MRE - Meals, Ready-to-Eat, portable in pouches and packed with calories, these packaged meals are used in the field.
NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organization
NCIS - Naval Criminal Investigative Service
NWU - Navy Working Uniform
RIB - Rigid Inflatable Boat
RPG - Rocket Propelled Grenade
R&R - Rest and Relaxation
Tango -Hostile combatants.
SERE -Stands for survival, evasion, resistance, escape. The principles of avoiding the enemy in the field.
Six - Military speak for watching a man’s back.
About the Author
Zoe Dawson lives in North Carolina, one of the friendliest states in the US. She discovered romance in her teens and has been spinning stories in her head ever since. Her heroes are sexy males with a disregard for danger and whether reluctant, gung-ho, or caught up in the action, show their hearts of gold.
Her imagination runs wild with romances from sensual to scorching including romantic comedy, new adult, romantic suspense, small town, and urban fantasy. Look below to explore the many avenues to her writing. She believes it’s all about the happily ever afters and always will.
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You can find out more about Zoe here:
www.zoedawson.com
[email protected]
OTHER TITLES BY ZOE DAWSON
For an up-to-date listing of all my upcoming and current novels with buy links, please go to www.zoedawson.com/books
Thanks for reading and joining me on this wonderful journey!
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