Hot Alpha SEALs: Military Romance Megaset

by Sharon Hamilton

  “Sure thing.” Her wide smile said Jon could probably have whatever he wanted, but Zane had already tapped that particular keg, more than once over the years. That had been enough to keep Jon at arm’s length, even before he’d met Ali.

  “Thanks.” He accepted her pen and started to take notes. “Okay, we’ve got your six. It’s not a name but it could be part of the pitch for clients.”

  “It’d look kick ass printed on a T-shirt too.” Rick grinned.

  Chris tipped his head. “Hell, yeah, it would.”

  Jon had a feeling T-shirts would soon be on his To Do list. “Okay, so we agree that will be a great tagline, but we still need something to call the company. Come on, guys. What else you got?”

  “Battle Ready.”

  “Mission Ready.”

  “Brothers in Arms.”

  “Shield Security.”

  “Precision Protection.”

  “Silent Warrior.”

  “All right. Slow down.” Jon struggled to keep up with the ideas flying at him from every man at the table, both those joining the company and those not.

  “Hey, how about something Latin?” Brody asked.

  “That would be cool.” Rick nodded. “Who here knows Latin?”

  “We don’t need to know Latin. We have the internet.” Chris held up his phone.

  “Can’t argue with that, dude.” Rick reached into his pocket.

  As Chris and Rick concentrated on their cell phones, Jon noticed Brody walk to the bar. When he returned with a cocktail napkin and a pen, he started scribbling something.

  Jon tried to get a look at it, but Brody’s forearm blocked his view. “What are you up to?”

  Brody lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “Just an idea I had.”

  “Let’s see.” Jon reached for the napkin only to have it snatched back.

  “Nope. Not ’til I’m done.”

  Jon was reminded of middle school as Brody wrapped his arm around his work, forming a barrier so no one could see. That, of course, only made Jon want to see it more.

  “Okay, here’s a good Latin name.” Rick read from his phone’s screen. “Carpe diem. Seize the day.”

  “Wait.” Chris held up one hand. “This one’s better. Cave canem. Beware of the dog.”

  “So you’re calling us dogs?” Zane frowned. “Dude, no.”

  “Hey, here’s one. How about Deus ex machine?” Rick glanced up.

  “What’s that mean?” Zane asked.

  “An improbable solution, artificially introduced to resolve a difficulty or untangle a dramatic plot.” Rick glanced up after he’d finished reading. “That’s kind of what we’ll be. An improbable solution for the client’s difficult problems.”

  “Yeah, but I’m not explaining all that every time I say our name.” Zane shook his head. “We need something simple. Self explanatory.”

  When the name suggestions had turned toward the Latin, Jon listened and wrote down the one that wasn’t ridiculous, but all while keeping half an eye on Brody and what secret project he was working on.

  Finally, Brody spun the cocktail napkin to face the rest of them and slid it across the table closer to Jon. Faster than the rest, Jon reached out and snatched it up.

  On it was a surprisingly well-drawn sketch of an anchor with a machine gun crossing it, flanked by big bold angel wings. He read what Brody had written below and smiled.

  “Listen up, guys. What do you think of this? Guardian Angel Protection Services—we cover your six when God’s too busy.” Jon finished reading and looked up. “That’s really good, Brody.”

  “I got the idea from your tattoo. Angel wings… guardian angel.”

  Rick leaned closer and got a look at the sketch on the napkin. “Damn, Brody. Who knew you could draw like that?”

  “I knew.” Chris tipped his chin toward the sketch. “But to come up with a kick ass name and a slogan too? That there is a surprise.”

  Jon glanced at the men gathered around the table. “Should we take a vote?”

  “Yeah. I don’t think we’re going to come up with anything better than that. I say yea.” Zane raised his hand. “All in favor of Guardian Angel?”

  Chris and Rick raised their hands. When Grant and Thom didn’t, Jon asked, “Guys?”

  “We can’t vote.” Grant shook his head. “We’re not part of the company.”

  “Yet…” Jon reminded.

  “Yet.” Grant smiled. “Still, we shouldn’t get a vote.”

  “Nevertheless, I’d like your opinion.” Of course, Brody had come up with it so Jon didn’t need to ask his thoughts, but he was interested in Grant and Thom’s thoughts.

  Grant reached for the napkin and took a closer look. “It’s good. It says it all.”

  Thom grinned. “I think it’s fucking awesome.”

  “Okay. I’m a yea also, so that means the vote’s unanimous.” He glanced around the group. “That’s it then. We’ve got our name. I propose a toast. To Guardian Angel Protection Services.”

  Beers raised, the group echoed Jon.

  Rick grinned, adding, “To G.A.P.S. We cover the gaps in your security.”

  Jon smiled and wrote that on the napkin.

  One hurdle down. Countless more to go. Jon turned toward Zane. “You think we can really convince your father to invest?”

  “Sure. You’ve got a logo and a slogan. You’ve got the personnel and a plan. And you’ve got me.” Zane flashed his pearly whites in a wide smile.

  “That we do.” Jon’s heart sped as he realized he was going to do this. They were going to do it together.

  The blood pumped through his veins as strong as it ever had before a mission, just at the thought of this endeavor, the huge step he was about to take that would change his future.

  There was someone else he wanted to make sure was a part of his future, besides his buddies and new business partners. Jon pushed the chair back from the table and stood as he suddenly couldn’t wait to get back to her. “Well, guys, if you’ll excuse me I have someplace I need to be.”

  “What the hell, dude? We both decide to leave the unit we’ve worked our asses off most of our careers to be part of and you’re leaving?” Frowning, Zane asked, “To go where?”

  “I think to go to who is a more accurate question.” Rick grinned and glanced at Jon. “She should be home. When I left my place less than an hour ago, she and Darci were on the phone. Ali said she was going to take a bath. I guess that’s how girl’s celebrate not getting blown up. I myself would rather celebrate with a nice stiff one.”

  “Oh, I think Jon’s fixin’ to help Ali celebrate with a nice stiff one too.” Chris waggled his eyebrows.

  Smiling, Jon shook his head, but that was the only response he was willing to give these guys, in spite of the interested looks he was getting from every man besides Rick.

  He’d let them all in on his and Ali’s growing relationship eventually, but this afternoon he was feeling selfish. He wanted to keep her all to himself. And she deserved to know his plans and how they’d affect her before these guys got to know more about her and about how her presence in Jon’s life had played a role in his decision.

  He wasn’t exactly leaving his career for a woman, but he was leaving it so he could have a life, hopefully with her as a part of it.

  Chapter Sixteen

  ‡

  Ali got out of the tub and dried off.

  A hot bath. Her big fluffy bathrobe. Nothing to do for the rest of the day but relax. Maybe she’d crack open a bottle of wine.

  Hell, she deserved it after yesterday, as much as she deserved the time off with pay her boss had given her . . . and all it took was getting taken hostage and nearly blown up.

  The doorbell ringing yanked her mind away from that morbid thought while at the same time the sound startled her enough she jumped.

  Her nerves were still a little jittery. The bath obviously hadn’t helped that. Maybe the wine would.

  Pulling the robe more closely around her,
she tied the belt tighter and headed for the front door. She moved the curtains to try to see who was on the front stoop. If it was anyone other than a good friend, she wasn’t going to open the door. It was bad enough that a reporter had somehow gotten her number and called. Them showing up at her door was totally unacceptable.

  She needn’t have worried. One look at the pick-up truck in her driveway told her who the visitor was.

  Smiling, she flipped the locks and pulled the door wide. “Jon.”

  “Hi.” His gaze raked up and down her body as he stepped inside and pushed the door closed behind him. He turned to lock it and then he was moving toward her.

  “I guess I missed the bath. Too bad.” He fingered one wet tendril that had escaped from the messy bun she’d captured her hair in before getting into the tub. He looked like he was feeling frisky. She liked it.

  Ali smiled. “Maybe I’ll take another one.”

  “Later.” The need showing clearly in his eyes told her he had other plans for the immediate future. “Oh, I almost forgot.”

  He pulled a small crushed brown bag from his back pocket and handed it to her. She frowned at it. “What’s this?”

  Before she could open the bag, he said, “Condoms.”

  “Oh.” Ali didn’t have time to come up with a better response to that information because Jon’s mouth was just a breath away from hers.

  He nipped at her lips with quick kisses as he backed her across the apartment.

  “Where are we going?” She had a feeling she knew.

  “To bed.” He moved his hands to cup her face as they continued the slow but sure journey toward the bedroom door. “That okay?”

  Brown bag still clutched in one hand while the other held onto his waist, Ali smiled. “Yup.”

  “Good.” They reached his goal—the bedroom doorway. Jon backed her all the way to the bed, tumbled her onto the comforter and crawled onto the mattress after her. “Nice robe.”

  He ran his hands down her sides, pausing at the belt, but he didn’t untie it. She reached for the knot herself and did him the favor of opening the belt and the sides of the robe while his eyes tracked her movements.

  “Damn.” He breathed the word under his breath and moved his hands beneath the robe.

  She felt the heat of his big, rough palms against the bare skin of her waist.

  His eyes made a sweep from where his hands rested, up to her face. “Unless I get recalled, I’m staying all night.”

  “All right.” She nodded.

  “Probably tomorrow night too.”

  Ali smiled. “Not a problem.”

  Of course, they might need to go out for more supplies, depending on the number of condoms in the brown paper bag nearby.

  “After that, then maybe I’ll be able to keep my hands off you long enough to take you out on that date I talked about.” He leaned low, nuzzling her neck with his mouth as he moved his hands up to her breast.

  “Unless you get recalled.” She regretted the statement the moment it left her mouth.

  At her words he pulled back, his hands stopping dead in their path. One day, Ali would learn to keep her mouth shut. The only thing she wanted right now was for Jon to make love to her and then hold her all night long afterward. And when it looked as if she was about to get exactly that, she opened her stupid mouth and ruined it all.

  “About that—”

  “No, it’s fine.” She shook her head and tried to pull him down to her again to prove she was fine with what he did, as long as she could have moments like this in between the long absences and secret missions. “I understand.”

  “No, you don’t understand.” He was stronger than she was and all her efforts to tug him back to where he’d been were fruitless. “I’m getting out.”

  His words stopped her struggle. As much as she wanted to kiss Jon, she wanted to hear this more. “What?”

  “I’m putting in my paperwork. So is Zane, and he, Rick, Chris and I are opening our own security company.” Jon paused, watching her, waiting for a reaction.

  Ali had no problem giving him one as her eyes widened. “Wow. Can you do that? Just quit?”

  “My current contract is up soon. Zane’s too. I’ve been procrastinating reenlisting.” He shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe deep down I knew I was ready for a change.”

  No more deploying. No more missions. No more secrets. Just a normal job in a security company. He’d be able to have a normal relationship. Ali’s heart raced at the possibilities. “So you’ll be what? Like security guards?”

  “No.” Jon cringed. “Not quite like security guards.”

  From his expression, she guessed she might as well have compared him—one of the most elite special operatives in the US military—to a mall cop.

  “Well, of course not. I didn’t mean it like that. You guys are much better trained.” She backpedaled to undo any damage she’d done to his pride. “But this means no more getting shot at and no more flying all over the world, right?”

  “I can’t quite promise you that.” He made a face again and bobbed his head from side to side. “We’re hoping to get work worldwide and bad guys tend to carry guns, but I can say for certain there’ll be no more deploying. And I’ll be my own boss instead of the Navy, so I’ll choose what jobs I take.”

  She liked the idea of that. “That sounds wonderful, Jon. I’m really happy for you.”

  “So you’re going to be okay with all of this? My getting out of the military and opening the company. All of it?” he asked.

  Ali shrugged. “Yeah, sure. The decision’s yours, of course. It’s your life.”

  “Yes, but I’m hoping you’re going to be a part of that life.” Jon honestly looked uncertain as he added, “If you want . . .”

  Could he really be unsure that she’d want to be with him? To be part of his life?

  She could relieve his worry with one word, but it would be so much more fun to show him too. Ali moved and he moved with her, until he was lying on his back and she straddled him.

  “Yes, I definitely want.” Ali leaned low, closing in on his lips as she said, “You’re overdressed. I want you naked.”

  A smirk quirked up the corner of Jon’s lips. “Yes, ma’am.”

  It was nice to be with a man good at following orders. Ali had a feeling she was going to enjoy it immensely.

  The End

  If you enjoyed Night with a SEAL please consider leaving a review. And look for Zane’s story, Saved by a SEAL, Book 2 in the HOT SEALs series.

  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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  Also by Cat Johnson

  Hot SEALs Series

  Night with a SEAL

  Saved by a SEAL

  Kissed by a SEAL

  Red, Hot & Blue Series

  Trey

  Jack

  Jimmy

  Red Blooded (compilation)

  BB Dalton (bonus read)

  Jared

  Cole

  Bobby

  Smalltown Heat (compilation)

  A Few Good Men (an RHB novel)

  Model Soldier (an RHB novel)

  A Prince Among Men (an RHB novel)

  Bull

  Matt

  The Commander

  USMC 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)

  Studs in Spurs Series

  Unridden

  Bucked

  Ride

  Hooked

  Flanked

  Thrown

  Champion

  Hot Bayou SEAL

  Cindy Dees

  Copyright 2014 © by Cindy Dees

  Ford Alambeaux is a busted up Navy SEAL on his way out of the teams. Trina Zarkos is being tossed out of SEAL training just like every other female candidate so far…until they’re thrown together on a WAY off-book mission to see if she can take the heat and play with the big boys after all.

  Chapter One

  ‡

  Staggering a little as she ran, Trina Zarkos spied the finish line maybe a half-mile ahead through waves of heat and dust. Whatever bastard had decided to call a twenty-mile run carrying a forty-pound rucksack a “sprint” should be shot. Right now. She volunteered to pull the trigger.

  Her body hurt in every way it was possible to hurt. Three months of grueling, around-the-clock physical training had taken its toll on her. She’d reached the end of her rope, and her fingers were slipping off the last bit of said rope with every agonizing step.

  She’d known going in that just because it had become legal for women to begin Navy SEAL training, it didn’t mean any were going to be allowed to finish the program and play with the big boys. The male instructors would keep doing stuff like this run until they broke her. They were never going to back off. Only she could make the pain stop. By quitting. By giving in. By accepting that she was never going to be a SEAL.

  She was sorely tempted to keep going when she reached this one, last finish line, to stumble over to the brightly polished brass bell that trainees rang to signify their exit from SEAL training, and to ring that sucker with all her might.

  But no sooner had the impulse come to her than a wave of sheer, cussed stubbornness slammed through her. Yeah. She could quit. But what would that have proved? Nothing.