“We’ve been sitting here for several hours.”
She was right. He was supposed to meet his mom and sister for dinner in less than an hour, but he didn’t want this time with Brooke to end. As though years hadn’t separated them, they fell into an easy banter, talking and laughing and drinking to the live soundtrack of waves lapping against the shore. For the first time in forever, Asher felt … relaxed.
“You sure you don’t have time for one more?”
“It’s been really great to hang out with you again, Asher, but I do need to get some work done tonight. If I have another drink, all I’ll want to do is fall into bed and sleep until morning.”
Such a shame. He could think of at least ten things he’d rather do with her in bed than sleep. But, that would require an invitation.
“Where are you headed? Did the resort give you an office to work out of?” He didn’t know how those things worked.
“Oh, no. I’ll work out of my suite.”
She didn’t sound pretentious. The entire hotel was made up of suites. His was damn nice. It was bigger than his studio apartment in Coronado and was right next door to the suite his mom and sister occupied.
Brooke reached down and pulled sunglasses from a beach bag. She slid them over her eyes. The next item out of the bag was a floppy straw hat with a giant matching bow on one side. Asher couldn’t keep the smile from his face when she shoved the thing on her head. She was so damn cute it killed him.
Asher checked his phone and saw a text from his mom, letting him know she and Gracie had gone back to their room to rest before dinner.
He stood and stretched his long legs. Then he walked around to her chair. He took the beach bag, tossed the strap over one shoulder, and offered her a hand.
She seemed pleased but surprised by the gesture. She slid her hand into his, and Asher steadied her as she got to her feet. Enjoying the feel of her skin against his, he laced their fingers together. With his free hand, he reached under the hat to tuck a stray hair behind her ear.
“Mind if I walk with you?” He hadn’t seen Brett or any of his buddies around, but that didn’t mean they weren’t lurking somewhere. He’d feel better knowing she made it safely back to her room.
She looked down at their joined hands, brows pinched. “Ah, sure. I guess.”
He nodded, happy to delay their parting for a few more minutes. He had roughly two more weeks at the resort. He knew she had a job to do, but he was hoping they could make plans to see each other again.
Asher pointed them in the direction of the hotel and set the pace for a slow stroll across the beach. He had carefully avoided any mention of the past, but the weight of his choices pressed down on him. He could see it in her eyes. She wanted an explanation. Hell, she deserved one. But what was he supposed to say? That he left for her own good because he had started to fall in love with her? Yeah, that would go over like a lead balloon.
Asher had wondered about her a lot over the years, but he honestly thought he’d gotten over her. The last couple of hours had proved how wrong he was. He hadn’t gotten over shit, and now that she was there with him, he wanted her as much as he ever had. He wasn’t sure a little fun in the sun would be enough this time, and that thought gave him pause.
How much would she be willing to give? How much would he? That was the real question. He had a commitment to the Navy for the next six months, at least. He wasn’t sure he was ready to retire and had only just now started thinking about what might come after.
All too soon they were closing in on the elegant, open thruway that lead to the main part of the hotel. Before they could get there, Brooke tugged on his hand.
“I’m over this way,” she explained. “My suite has beachfront access.”
Asher frowned, not liking the sound of that. Rooms on the ground level tended to be targets for thieves due to their easy access and multiple entry points.
She led him around a set of hedges—a perfect place for someone like frat boy Brett to lie in wait—to a wide cobblestone walkway that was lined with more hedges and brightly colored plants and flowers.
Brooke drew in a deep breath. “Doesn’t it smell amazing here?”
“Yeah, sure.” Like the inside of a box of Fruity Pebbles or some shit. “You don’t walk this way at night.” He didn’t know if he was asking or telling.
“Why wouldn’t I?” She pointed to the strategically placed torches. “The path is well lit.”
“By firelight? That’s debatable. It’s too secluded.”
She bumped his arm with her shoulder. “I think it’s meant to be romantic.”
Asher snorted in disgust. He didn’t have anything against romance, but he had a big fucking problem with Brooke being alone on this path at night. Especially after the crap that happened at the bar earlier.
“Just do me a favor and use the inside access to your suite after dark, okay?”
They turned up a short walkway that led to a small, private patio. They bypassed the oversized lounge chair and stopped in front of a huge sliding glass door. She turned to face him. “You’re being silly. I’m perfectly safe here.”
Maybe, but no place was completely secure. It didn’t make sense to him that she wouldn’t take every precaution to keep herself out of harm’s way.
“I’ve seen enough to know it pays to be cautious.” He squeezed her fingers. “You can never be too careful. Promise me, Brooke.”
“I don’t know why you even—” She blew out a breath and released his hand, almost flinging him away. “Fine. Whatever. I promise.”
He was used to his protective ways irritating the women in his life, so Brooke’s annoyance barely registered.
“Thank you.” He visually inspected the door. From what he could see it had a disengaged Charley bar off to one side and a card key reader for the lock.
“Sliders are the easiest to jimmy,” he informed her. “Even with today’s technology. You’d think a swanky place like this would make better security choices. Be sure to engage the security bar on the door once you’re inside.”
Brooke dropped her fists to her hips. “Listen up, Mr. Military SEAL Man. You are not the boss around here. I’m a grown woman. I can take care of myself.”
Asher fought back a grin. “Is that right?”
She nodded once. “Been doing it forever.”
And she’d done a damn fine job, from what he could see. She might not need him, but he wanted to take care of her anyway. That was the second big fucking problem he had. One that he’d figure out later. Right now he had another, more pressing issue to deal with.
“You never answered my question.”
“What question?”
Asher stepped into her space, backing her against the door. He eased the hat from her head and blindly tossed it toward one of the chairs. The sunglasses went next. As she reached up to smooth her hair, he took her hand. Holding her fist against his chest he braced his other forearm against the glass, close enough to run his dangling fingers over silky strands of hair on the top of her head. The pulse in her neck beat hard enough he could see it.
“Am I going to break some poor sucker’s heart when I kiss you?” He licked his lips, already tasting her.
“Would it stop you if I said yes?”
“I didn’t say if, sweetheart.”
Asher held her gaze as he lowered his head, giving her every opportunity to stop him, praying she wouldn’t. His prayers were answered in a wave of lust and succulent lips. He went slow, letting the anticipation build as he caressed and nipped at her mouth. When he couldn’t wait another second to taste her, he brushed his tongue against the seam of her lips, coaxing her to open. Brooke melted against him as she let him into her mouth.
More.
Asher caressed her ponytail, then wrapped the spun silk around his fist and pulled—not hard, but enough to give him the access he sought. He let go of the hand clutching at his T-shirt and wrapped his arm around her. The bare flesh of her back warmed his hand as
he trailed his palm along her spine.
She arched into him, pressing her breasts against his chest, and Asher lost his fucking mind.
He hadn’t intended for the kiss get out of control. He’d only meant to have a taste. Something to remind them both how good it would be. He should’ve known better. No woman had ever gotten to him the way Brooke had. Time and distance hadn’t dulled their connection. The years left unattended had grown the heat between them to wildfire proportions. Now unleashed, it threatened to engulf everything in its path.
Brooke broke the kiss on a gasp and shoved him back. “No,” she said, her voice trembling. “You are not going to do this to me again.”
“Do what?”
“Kiss me as though I’m what you need, when we both know I’m not.”
He begged to differ. He needed her with a desperation he hadn’t felt in years. “After a kiss like that, how could you doubt it?”
Her eyes filled with moisture and Asher knew the past he’d been trying to avoid had just caught up with him.
“Because you left.”
And there it was. Maybe that was a good thing. Better to clear the air now so they could enjoy the next two weeks.
“Brooke…” He sighed, completely unprepared for her right hook to the gut. “Hey!” She hadn’t hurt him, but still.
“You’re such a jerk.” Brooke shook out her fist. “How could you leave like that?”
“Brooke, I—”
“I looked for you, you know.”
“What?”
“Not like a stalker or anything. But like someone who cared about you and wanted reassurance that you were okay. Whenever I went out, I’d people watch, looking for you. You were about to start a job that would put you in dangerous situations. I didn’t expect you to fall all over yourself to keep me informed as to your well-being, but a phone call to let me know you were alive wouldn’t have been remiss.”
He should probably have felt chastised in the face of her fiery anger, but he only got more turned-on.
“Just answer me this—did I do something? Was it me?”
What the hell?
“No. It wasn’t you at all.” Is that really what she thought? It struck him dead center to think she’d gone all those years believing she was less than perfect, when in fact she’d been everything. His pride would not allow her to go on thinking she’d done something wrong.
Without a clue how to explain, Asher let the truth tumble from his mouth. “You knew my situation.” They’d talked about it more than once. “I got called up. I don’t remember the exact time, but it was early. Before sunrise. You were still asleep.”
Over the years he’d convinced himself he remembered that morning so well because it was the day he got assigned to his team and not because it was the day he lost her.
“I was instructed to report immediately. It was time for me to focus on my job. Believe it or not, it was hard as hell to leave you, but I had to go. My commitment was to the Navy. I was always up front about that. I didn’t call or keep in contact because I thought it would be easier that way. I didn’t want to hurt you.”
“You can’t be serious.”
“I’m deadly serious.” Asher gripped her shoulders. He’d never tried to verbalize how he felt before, so he wasn’t sure where to start. He just knew he had to make her understand. “Being a SEAL is the best job in the world, but it’s also demanding, and not just on me. My job would affect anyone I was with, too. My dad was a SEAL, so I know what it’s like to be on the other side of things. I was, I am, proud of my dad’s service, but it still sucked not having him be a part of our daily lives.
“My mom had a tough time of it, before and after my dad died in combat. They fought a lot when he was home, which wasn’t often. And after, when they couldn’t fight anymore…” Yeah. He couldn’t go there. “It’s a hard life, Brooke, and I decided a long time ago that I wouldn’t put any woman through that.”
“So, that’s it? You put your life on hold while you’re in the military?”
“The military is my life.”
“By default, because apparently you’ve shut out any other possibilities.”
“There are no other possibilities.” Not for him. Not while he was still active. A lot of guys with the teams felt the same way.
She shrugged him off. “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”
His rising anger had nothing to do with the growing probability that she was right and everything to do with the aching erection he had less and less hope of using with her.
“Do you know how high the divorce rate is for guys like me?” he snapped. “If that’s not a reason to shy away from a relationship, I don’t know what is.”
“If that’s true, those guys are either assholes or they aren’t marrying the right women.”
Asher thought about his SEAL brothers—Chase, Carson, and Clay—who’d recently paired up with the loves of their lives. His brothers weren’t assholes, not to their ladies anyway. The love and devotion they had for their women was the real deal.
And they have all retired. Not the same situation.
“Maybe you’re right, but that doesn’t change anything. My life belongs to the Navy for the foreseeable future and that’s just the way it is. That’s how it’s always been.”
She nodded. “So, that kiss just now was your way of telling me you want back into my bed, but not into my life?”
The sadness in those gorgeous blues sucker punched him in the chest. Asher frowned hard. He hadn’t been able to think past the consuming hunger to get inside her. He needed a second to process, which was impossible to do while she was so close.
He was in over his head here. Seeing her again had thrown him off his game. Too many things were up in the air right now. Most of his teammates were getting out. His contract was about up. His future was a huge fucking question mark. He was in no position to make any promises, but damn, he couldn’t stand the thought of never seeing her again.
The beep and whir of the door lock disengaging got his attention.
“Wait. Where are you going? We’re not done here.”
Brooke jerked the slider open. “Yes, we are. It was great to see you, but I’m not here to hook up, Ash. I have work to do.”
No one called him Ash except his mom and sister. He liked the intimacy of the name coming from her lips.
“Who says we have to hook up? We’re on an island. There are other things we could do. Eat, drink, scuba dive.” Scuba dive? Clearly the blood thickening his dick had left his brain deprived.
“I’m not certified to scuba dive.”
“Snorkeling, then.”
Brooke rolled her eyes. “Good night, Ash.”
Not goodbye.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” he told her as she slid the door closed. They weren’t done. Not by a long shot.
Asher waited, holding her stare through the glass. When it became apparent she wasn’t going to secure the door, he jabbed a finger toward the security bar.
“What did I tell you about that?”
With a smile he didn’t trust, she stretched out her arm and deliberately dropped the bar into place.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he growled, following the path of the curtains as they flew across, effectively shutting him out.
“Go away, Asher.”
He could hear the smile in her voice, and it gave him hope. It took every bit of his willpower to turn and leave, but he knew when the time came to retreat and regroup.
Asher followed the path to the hotel lobby. He got on the first available elevator and punched the button for the eighth floor.
Brooke said she didn’t want to hook up, but damn. He hadn’t imagined the strength in that kiss. Her tight little body arching and rubbing over him, practically begging him to fuck…
Asher groaned and banged his forehead against the wall of the empty elevator.
He needed to get his shit straight or these were going to be the longest two weeks
of his life.
4
Bang, bang, bang, bang!
Asher surged up from the mattress, disoriented and tangled in the sheets. His head protested from the bottle of bourbon he’d tried to drown in the night before, and he grabbed his skull before it could split down the middle.
Bang, bang, bang, bang!
Groaning, he rolled from the bed. Once he was sure he wouldn’t topple over, he bent to grab the cargo shorts he had on the day before and then pulled them over his hips. He didn’t bother trying to find a shirt.
Rubbing the sleep from his eyes he stumbled out of the bedroom into the spacious living area of the suite.
Bang, bang, bang, bang!
“What the everlasting fuck?” he growled, then louder, “I’m coming. Jesus. Pipe down!”
“Ash!” Gracie yelled, pounding one more time. “Open up!”
Asher grabbed the handle and flung the door open so hard his sister took a step back.
“Whoa. Hey. You look like shit.”
“Gee, thanks. What d’ya want, squirt?” Asher didn’t wait for her to answer. He spun on his heel, leaving her to either catch the self-propelled door or have it slammed in her face. At this point, he didn’t care which option she chose. He needed coffee, pronto. And an aspirin. Maybe two.
“Damn. What the hell is your problem?”
Asher rummaged around the wet bar, filling the pitifully small coffee maker with a ready made pod and water, then set it to brew.
“I was trying to sleep.”
He turned to find Gracie eyeballing him like he was a science experiment. He tapped a finger against the Navy SEAL Trident tattoo on his left pec. “And I’m the only sailor in this family. Watch your mouth.”
“Aye, aye, Captain.” She gave him a hearty salute that made him laugh, the little imp. He ruffled her hair. It was the same as his, thick and dark brown. His was standard issue military cut—longer on the top than the back and sides, but Gracie’s was like the girl herself, unruly, carefree, and wild.
Their mom had her work cut out for her.
Asher took the finished brew to the couch. He sat down and propped his feet on the coffee table, crossing them at the ankles. “What are you doing here, squirt? Shouldn’t you be down on the beach?”
Hot SEAL, Bourbon Neat (SEALs in Paradise) Page 3
