Night with a Seal (Hot SEALs #1) (17 page)

“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 16

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.

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.

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SAVED BY A SEAL

Hot SEALs, Book 2

CAT JOHNSON

Zane Alexander was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but the rebellious bad boy traded it in for a Navy SEAL trident.
 

Now, Zane’s teammates are depending on him to get the startup capital they need to open their security company and he’s gambling on his skills at covert operations. For a million dollars, he’ll fake interest in Missy Greenwood, the Senator’s daughter his father wants him to date in exchange for the investment.
 

But when Missy is kidnapped and Zane and his team are sent to Nigeria to rescue her and the schoolgirls being held, bullets as well as sparks of attraction start to fly. There’s no more faking when both the danger and the emotions are all very real.

CHAPTER ONE EXCERPT

Zane watched as Jon strode across the bar toward him.

“Good. You’re here.” Jon dumped a binder on the table.