by Cat Johnson
“I guess I like living dangerously. Obviously. You had to come all the way to Africa to save me from my last adventure.” She was joking, but he didn’t laugh.
Instead, Zane leaned forward and brought his hand to her cheek. “I will always come and save you. No matter where you are.”
“I know.” She believed that. Seeing him and his teammates in action, it was impossible not to.
“And I will never willingly hurt you again.” He leaned closer, hovering just shy of her mouth.
“See that you don’t.” She closed the final distance and brought her mouth to his.
He kissed her with an enthusiasm that matched her own, before he broke away. “Melissa.”
His use of her full name brought her complete attention to him, even with as dazed as she felt from his kiss. “Yes.”
“You need to know, I might be no good at this.”
“Sex?” Missy knew that wasn’t true. She had first hand experience as proof to the contrary.
He smiled. “No, everything else that comes along with it. Relationships. Love.”
The L-word had her pulse quickening. “It’s easy. It’s just like being best friends, except you have sex too.”
Zane laughed. “Actually, that sounds really good.”
He’d just leaned in for another kiss, the first of what Missy hoped would be many, when she heard footsteps in the hallway. He leaned back again with a sigh as the unmistakable sound of high heels on a marble floor grew closer. They were both looking toward the doorway when her mother, followed by her father, came through.
“Zane.” Missy’s mother came forward, both hands extended and a smile on her face. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
Zane stood and took her mother’s hands in his, accepting the kiss she delivered to both of his cheeks.
“Pleasure to see you too, Mrs. Greenwood.” When her mother finally released him, Zane extended his hand to her father. “Senator.”
Her father pumped Zane’s hand. “Zane, we both want to extend our undying gratitude for what you did.”
“It wasn’t just me, sir. It was a joint effort. Every man on the operation deserves the credit.”
“Zane, please don’t be modest. When the negotiations that reporter was working on fell apart I thought—” Her mother’s eyes filled with tears.
In an uncharacteristic show of affection, her father wrapped his arm around her mother. “It’s okay, Martha. It’s over.”
Her mother nodded. “I know.”
“Zane, if there’s anything I can do for you—” When Zane opened his mouth, Missy’s father held up his hand. “I mean it. You said you were thinking of leaving the Navy. I’m sure I can get you a position anywhere you want.”
Zane shook his head. “I’m afraid that talk of getting out was a bit premature. It looks as if I have to stay in for a couple more years. The financing for the company I was looking to start fell through.”
Missy knew exactly why the financing had fallen through. She stepped closer and laid her hand on Zane’s arm. He covered her hand with his and squeezed.
“Really?” Her father asked. “Tell me about this company.”
“Zane and his teammates were going to open a private security company.” Missy took it upon herself to answer.
“How much start up capital do you need?”
Zane shook his head at her father’s question. “It’s a major investment.”
“How much?” he repeated the question.
“I believe it was a million dollars.” Again, Missy answered for Zane. If he wasn’t going to do it for himself, someone had to.
Her father nodded. “Done.”
“Excuse me?” Zane’s eyes widened.
“Consider it done. I’ll have my broker wire the money to your account in the morning.”
Zane’s mouth fell open. Missy stepped forward and took the opportunity to accept the generous offer since Zane seemed a little speechless. She stood on tiptoe and pressed a kiss to her father’s cheek. “Thank you, Daddy.”
“It’s the least I can do.”
“It will be an investment. We’ll give you shares in the company. Or it can be a loan if you prefer, though I’m not sure when we’d be in a position to pay you back.” Finally knocked out of his stupor, Zane stepped forward and extended his hand. Her father shook it with vigor.
“I’m really not worried about it, Zane. Whatever you think is best. I trust you, son.”
“Thank you, sir. That means a lot.”
“So I hope this means we’ll be seeing more of you around here.” Missy’s mother smiled.
“You definitely will.” Zane shot Missy a glance, before reaching out and reeling her in by the hand. “I’ll be around a lot more. So much, you might get sick of me.”
The last, he spoke directly to her. Missy shook her head. “I’ll never get sick of having you around.”
Her father cleared his throat. “I think there’s something I need to do in the office. Martha, will you join me?”
“Yes, I will. Zane, you’ll stay for dinner?”
Zane looked to Missy. “Am I staying for dinner?”
She remembered their prior conversation regarding plans for dinner and her original noncommittal answer to him. A lot had changed in the few minutes since then. Missy leaned closer to Zane. “Yes. I’d like that.”
“Good,” her mother nodded. “Come, Peter. Let’s give the kids some privacy.”
Missy heard but didn’t see her parents leave the room. She only had eyes for Zane.
The sound of footsteps were still fading in the hall when he reached up to cradle her face in his hands. “Not being able to spend the night with you, all night, even if it’s just watching you sleep, is going to kill me.”
“We’ll figure something out. There’s a really sturdy trellis right outside my window.”
He laughed and leaned closer. “Don’t tempt me. And FYI, I really don’t need a trellis to get into your bedroom window.”
“I believe you. Just don’t fall and break anything I might need later.”
Zane moved in and hovered just a breath from her lips. “Don’t worry. I’m pretty hard to break.”
She believed that too, but she didn’t get to say it as his lips covered hers. He kissed her until she realized just kissing was not going to be enough. She’d nearly died, and now she wanted to feel alive.
“Let’s go upstairs to my room.”
His eyes widened. “I’m thirty years old. I can’t sneak upstairs and have sex with you in your bedroom while your parents are downstairs. Especially on the same day your father invested a million dollars in my company.”
“Dinner’s not until seven. We have hours and hours before they’ll come looking for us.”
He groaned. “Stop tempting me.”
“Missy?” At the sound of her mother’s voice, Zane took a step back and adjusted the front of his pants before her mother appeared in the doorway.
Missy smiled. “Yes, Mother?”
“We totally forgot that the Smiths invited us for a game of afternoon doubles. Do you want us to cancel?” Her mother paused in the doorway. “We’ll happily stay home. We don’t want to leave you. You only got home two days ago.”
“No, don’t cancel. Go. Zane’s here with me. I won’t be alone.”
Her mother smiled “All right. We’ll be back in plenty of time for dinner.”
“Okay. See you later.”
She felt the energy vibrating between them, though neither she or Zane moved a muscle until the front door closed. The sound sent him into action. He reached down and scooped her up into his arms.
“What are you doing?”
“Taking you to bed.” He answered the question as he strode to the staircase.
“I’m too heavy for you to carry.”
“Please, Missy, you insult me.” His brow creased in a frown as he proved her wrong by sprinting up the stairs.
In the upstairs hallway, he finally let her stand on her own two feet so
she could open the door to her room. “See?”
“I see. My mistake. I apologize.”
“No problem. I’ll let you make it up to me.” He backed her into the room. “One word of warning.”
“What’s that?”
“I almost lost you and I’m still not over that. And I’m riding a wave of adrenaline like you wouldn’t believe over that investment. I’m just saying things could get a little intense.” The heat in his eyes told her he spoke the truth.
“I certainly hope they do. I expect nothing less.” Missy grabbed his hand and turned toward the bed. “Oh and FYI? There’s a tub with jets in my bathroom.”
She glanced back in time to see Zane smile. “God, I love you.”
Her heart swelled as she turned back to fully face him and said, “I love you too.”
His eyes narrowed as his gaze met hers, before he moved in for a kiss.
Missy knew this kiss was definitely going to be the first of many.
If you enjoyed Saved by a SEAL, please consider leaving a review on Amazon and Goodreads. And look for Jon’s story, Night with a SEAL.
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Next up in the Hot SEALs series . . .
Kissed by a SEAL
Retired Navy SEAL Chris Cassidy knows the bro code—no messing around with teammates’ sisters. However, Chris never was one for following rules. Besides, his teammate Rick’s gorgeous sister Darci is worth breaking the rules for.
Darci Mann is tired of being alone. Since Zane, the bad boy SEAL she formerly had a crush on, fell in love with someone else and her best friend Ali found her own happy ending Darci’s feeling her single status extra keenly. Though she suspects her brother’s buddy Chris would be willing to change her status . . . if she decides to let him.
When a routine assignment turns deadly and Chris switches from charming joker to capable trained warrior willing to kill or die to save Darci’s life, she might have to reevaluate her feelings about the perpetual bachelor and her own future.
ALSO BY CAT JOHNSON
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catjohnson.net/books-2/amazon/
Hot SEALs Series
Night with a SEAL (also in audiobook)
Saved by a SEAL
Kissed by a SEAL
Red, Hot & Blue Series
Trey
Jack
Jimmy
Red Blooded (print compilation)
BB Dalton (bonus read)
Jared
Cole
Bobby
Smalltown Heat (print compilation)
A Few Good Men
Model Soldier
A Prince Among Men
Bull
Matt
The Commander
USMC Military Romance Series
Crossing the Line
Cinderella Liberty
Oklahoma Nights Series
One Night with a Cowboy
Two Times as Hot
Three Weeks with a Bull Rider
Fish Out of Water (He's the One anthology)
Two for the Road (In a Cowboy's Bed anthology)
Midnight Cowboys
Midnight Ride
Midnight Wrangler
Midnight Darlin’
Studs in Spurs Series
Unridden
Bucked
Ride
Hooked
Flanked
Thrown
Champion
Maverick Ranch Series
A Cowboy for Christmas
Valentine Cowboys
Texas Two-Step Series
Texas Two-Step
Cowboy Shuffle
The Trilogy Collection
Opposites Attract
Nice & Naughty
Just Desserts
Standalone Titles
Rough Stock
Educating Ansley
The Ex Files
New Orleans
Private Lies
Gillian's Island
Beneath the Surface
The Naughty Billionaire's Virgin Fiancée
Kindle Worlds
Game for Love: Game On
Bundles
Good Girls Gone Bad Collection
Cat Johnson Love Bundle
Olympus -Love’s Immortal Passion Bundle
Cat Snips Anthology
ABOUT CAT JOHNSON
A New York Times & USA Today bestselling author, Cat Johnson writes contemporary romance featuring sexy alpha heroes, men in uniform, and cowboys. Known for her unique marketing and research practices, she has sponsored pro bull riders, owns a collection of camouflage and western wear for book signings, and a fair number of her friends/book consultants wear combat or cowboy boots for a living. She writes both full length and shorter works and is contracted with Kensington and Samhain.
For more visit CatJohnson.net
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I could not have created the characters in this series without having read No Easy Day written by Mark Owen with Kevin Maurer. This autobiography of a SEAL provided me with a glance into the minds, attitudes and characters of the men who sign up for this challenging life. It also would not be the story it is without the eagle eyes of my personal military consultants who check for the civilian mistakes I make. That said, any mistakes made or liberties taken with the facts are purely my own.
SAVED BY A SEAL
Cat Johnson
Copyright © 2014 by CAT JOHNSON
All Rights Reserved
License Statement
This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to www.catjohnson.net to find locations to purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
