Loved by a SEAL Read online

  He put the phone on the table and eyed the action on the pole.

  With his squeeze from the backroom now on stage performing, Brody felt the need to watch her gyrate. He was so engrossed it took him a few minutes to realize nobody had gotten back to him.

  Frowning, Brody picked up the cell and looked at the readout to make sure. “What the hell?”

  Rocky turned from watching the dancer. “What’s up?”

  “Nobody texted me back.” Brody held up the blank screen of the phone as proof.

  “Is there something going on we don’t know about?”

  “Hell if I know. Maybe.” Brody lifted one shoulder.

  The guys he’d texted were all civilians now but that didn’t mean they couldn’t be away on an operation of their own.

  Since leaving the Navy, each in his own time and for his own reasons, they’d become private military contractors. All four men were now involved in some way with Jon’s brainchild, Guardian Angel Protection Services.

  Maybe there was something happening at GAPS that Chris hadn’t told Brody about. Chris hadn’t known Brody would be home today, only that his unit was en route.

  Chris would know as well as anyone that transit could take anywhere from days, to weeks, depending on weather and other shit.

  Brody decided he’d try his old CO Grant Milton. Maybe he knew something. Hell, maybe he’d even come out and meet them for a beer.

  Grant was married, but Brody had been away for half a damn year. The man’s wife had been married to a SEAL for long enough she should understand that sometimes guys needed to get together, just the guys.

  Since texting hadn’t worked out too well for him so far tonight, Brody decided to try to call. Over the din of the music pumping out of the sound system in time to the female strutting on the stage, he listened to the ringing on the line, before he heard Grant’s voice.

  “Brody.”

  “Hey, Grant.”

  “Haven’t heard your voice in a while . . . and what is that God awful noise in the background?”

  Brody laughed. “I think it’s a Miley Cyrus song actually. I’m at the strip club.”

  “So you’re home. Chris didn’t mention it last time I talked to him.”

  “I am home and he didn’t mention it because he didn’t know. We just hit the tarmac a few hours ago.”

  “Well, welcome back. Sounds like you went right to celebrating your homecoming, so that’s good. Don’t waste any time, do you?”

  “Nope. That’s one of the reasons I’m calling you. I thought some of the guys might want to meet us. I texted pretty much all of them and got no reply. You have any idea where they’re at?”

  “Oh, you wouldn’t know if you were in transit. GAPS got called out on a mission.”

  “A mission? All four of them?”

  “Actually, just three of them. I think Rick’s away with that actress girlfriend of his. He’s running her security now that she’s working on a new movie up in New York.”

  New York? Brody frowned, not sure he’d heard Grant right over the pumping bass. “Wait, what about Rick’s job here in Virginia at the nuclear plant?”

  “He gave notice and quit that job.”

  “When?”

  “Hell, I don’t know. Let me think. Almost a month ago now, I guess it was. I know he was talking about putting in his two weeks’ notice when I saw him at the party at the new GAPS office.”

  What the hell? Brody couldn’t keep up with the shit Grant had dumped on him in just the past minute and he could only put a small part of the blame for that on the booze. It seemed as if everything had changed.

  “What new GAPS office?”

  “Jon finally gave in to Zane’s bitching, bit the bullet and spent some of the company’s money. They’re renting a space for GAPS to work out of now. Man, you have been out of touch.”

  “I’ve been a little busy, but yeah, it sounds like I missed out on quite a bit.” Brody shook his head at all that Grant had revealed. “So why don’t you meet me and Rocky here and catch us up on things?”

  Grant hesitated for long enough that Brody braced himself for the eventual excuse. His wife wouldn’t like it or some version of a lie to cover that truth.

  “All right. The club out the back gate?”

  “Yup. That’s the one.” Shocked Grant was actually going to come, Brody managed to answer.

  “I’ll see you in a few.”

  “A’ight. See you.” Brody cut the call and glanced up at Rocky. “Grant’s coming.”

  “You’re old CO?” Rocky asked. He’d joined the team after Grant had already moved into a training position.

  “Yeah. I’m kinda shocked. He’d come out with us all the time when he was single but he hasn’t made a habit of coming here since he got married a couple of years ago.”

  Rocky wobbled his head. “Maybe there’s trouble in paradise.”

  Brody drew in a breath and let it out. Everything else had changed since he’d been gone, so why wouldn’t Grant’s marriage have as well?

  Apparently GAPS had gone from holding meetings around Jon or Rick’s dining room table, to renting legit office space.

  Rick had quit his job and was dating and traveling with an Academy Award winning actress who also happened to be the sexiest woman alive, at least according to one magazine last year.

  Chris was going to have some explaining to do when he got back from wherever the hell he’d gone off to on this three-man GAPS mission.

  He could have at least let Brody know what was happening. Then again, Brody hadn’t been all that diligent about phoning home.

  He’d try to call home at least once a month to keep his momma and grandmother happy, and Chris when he had a chance, but more often than not calls home fell by the wayside.

  In Brody’s defense, he had been a little busy . . . and that was exactly the problem. It was too easy to let this job consume all else in life.

  His schedule had been grueling over the past six months. Sometimes it was just easier to not have to put on a happy face for the folks back home. They wouldn’t understand. Not like the guys who he was there with.

  Brody realized that if he didn’t watch himself the time could come when he’d have nothing but the job left. Then when his end came, whenever that might be, his entire legacy from a lifetime of fighting bad guys all over the globe would fit inside a cardboard box, just like Speedy’s had.

  What a depressing thought that was.

  He blew out a breath and glanced up to see Rocky’s gaze pinned to the stage, a stupid grin on his face as he watched one of the girls strip off another piece of her costume.

  It seemed Brody was alone in this metaphysical crisis.

  “I’m thinking about going home.”

  Rocky’s head whipped around at that statement. “Now? Your CO is on his way here.”

  Rocky had misunderstood Brody’s out of the blue statement. Why would he rush home tonight? Chris wouldn’t be there. There was no one to miss him if he strolled in at sunrise or not at all.

  “No, not now. I mean take leave and go home to Alabama for a visit. It’s been a while since I’ve seen the family.”

  “Sure. Why not? You got the time saved up. As long as there’s no big shit on the horizon we don’t know about, I don’t see why the head shed wouldn’t let you go.”

  “Yeah, that’s what I figure.” It was the perfect time to ask for leave. What hard ass commander would deny a man a trip to visit his momma after he’d been deployed for six months?

  It would be good to be home for a little while. It might help him remember what he was fighting for.

  Of course that was a double-edged sword because he’d also be reminded of what he’d sacrificed so he could be in that fight.

  What he’d left behind and who—

  Grant came through the door before Brody had time to finish his beer or his thought.

  Standing, Brody extended his hand to shake Grant’s. “Hey, that was fast.”

&n
bsp; Grant lived in officer housing on base so he was close by, but Brody had figured it would take him some time to convince his wife he had somewhere he needed to be this late on a Friday night.

  Grant tipped his head to the side. “Eh, it makes things easier when the wife just stops talking to you completely.”

  Things made more sense to him after that comment. Maybe Rocky’s guess about Grant’s possible marriage troubles was correct.

  No surprise there. There was some insane statistic floating around that close to ninety-percent of all SEAL marriages failed.

  Whoever kept track of that shit sure had a shit job.

  “Do you know Rocky?”

  “I know of him, but don’t think we’ve ever had the pleasure.” Grant extended his hand to Rocky, who stood and shook it.

  “Know of me, huh?” Rocky shot Brody a sideways glance. “Should I be worried?”

  Brody lifted one shoulder. “Now that Grant’s an instructor, unless you’re planning on going back and starting your DEVGRU training all over again, I guess it doesn’t matter.”

  Grant smiled. “All good things, I assure you. And actually, I put in a request to move back over to the teams.”

  Brody widened his eyes at that. “No shit? You’re quitting the instructor gig? I figured you’d ride out that cake walk until retirement.”

  “Yeah, so did my wife. That’s the problem. We don’t exactly see eye to eye about my decision.” Sitting in the empty chair that Mack had occupied, Grant glanced around them. “Where’s a waitress?”

  Rocky stood again. “I gotta take a piss. I’ll find her and send her over.”

  “Thanks. Appreciate it.” Grant looked weary and like he could use a drink as he leaned back in his chair. His eyes barely flicked to the girl on stage before he turned his attention to Brody. “Good to see you back. And in one piece.”

  “Yeah, no shit. You hear about Speedy?”

  Grant drew in a breath. “Yeah. News like that travels fast. Even to us instructors who are back here safe in the rear.”

  Brody shook his head. “It’s bullshit. Dying over the same city we fought for only a decade ago.”

  “I know. We shouldn’t have pulled out of Iraq. It was too soon. They weren’t ready.”

  “Same damn thing is gonna happen in Afghanistan.”

  “Most like.” Grant let out a breath. “That’s one reason I want to come back. I’ve been there. I know this enemy. ISIS might be the new favorite story in the press, but there is nothing new about them. The media talks about all the young men they’re recruiting, but they’ve got a sophisticated hierarchy. The leadership of that organization is populated by experienced fighters. Men who’ve already faced us. Hell, some we trained ourselves. And make no mistake, they are organized and damn well too.”

  “Which is why there’s all those drone strikes to hit the key leaders.” Brody nodded.

  “The leadership decapitation strategy doesn’t work. These bastards plan for the losses. They have members ready to step into any leadership vacancies. It’s set up like the U.S. government. Anything happens to the President the Vice President is trained and ready to take over. If he goes, there’s the Speaker of the House. But unlike the U.S., whoever takes over for a fallen—and don’t forget martyred—leader will only be more vicious. More vengeful. It’s better not to give them a death to rally around.”

  “And the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t know.”

  “That can be true as well.” Grant sighed and glanced around them again. “Is this the waitress?”

  Brody swiveled his head and spotted the blonde he’d spent some quality time alone with tonight. “Nope, but for what I tipped her in the back room, I reckon she’ll carry over a couple of drinks for us if I ask real nice. Hey, darlin’!”

  As the girl made her way through the thickening crowd toward their table, Grant snorted out a laugh. “I think I didn’t appreciate my single days quite as much as you do.”

  “No doubt.” Brody shot him a grin.

  It was one of the sad truths of life that a person didn’t usually appreciate what they had until it was gone. That was exactly why Brody was putting in for leave and, if he got permission, would be driving to Alabama to see his family.

  It was also the reason he might let this pretty young thing sit in his lap one more time tonight.

  He could always make more money. What he couldn’t make any more of was time and none of them knew how much of that they had left.

  CHAPTER 5

  “Brody’s here.” The older woman’s voice brought Ashley out of her own thoughts as she concentrated on putting away the clean clothes she’d just folded from the dryer.

  Miss Eleanor wasn’t healthy but the old woman had retained her wits. At least, until now.

  “No, Miss Eleanor. Remember, Brody is in Virginia.”

  “He might have been, but he’s here now.”

  Ashley turned to the old lady, concerned this dementia was a new symptom, when she noticed the woman smiling and staring out the window.

  With her heart pounding and a feeling of dread mingled with crazy anticipation, Ashley swiveled to face the window.

  Damned if there wasn’t a truck parked in the driveway. She hadn’t seen him in a very long time, and even though he was now a man of almost thirty and not a kid anymore, she had no problem recognizing him immediately.

  She might be old and ailing, but Miss Eleanor was right. Brody was back . . . and what the hell was Ashley going to do now?

  Hiding in the closet came to mind. It certainly seemed simpler than facing the man after their last confrontation. Him angry. Her crying. Both of them too young to be dealing with the feelings and the decisions they had wrestled with.

  It was as if it had all happened yesterday instead of many years ago.

  One thing she knew for sure, she couldn’t have their first time seeing each other again be under the overly observant eye of his grandmother.

  Ashley was no good at hiding her feelings, which is why she’d hid completely from the woman’s sight all those months she and Brody had been together. It had seemed like the only way to avoid Miss Eleanor seeing right through her.

  That was probably still true now.

  She jumped up from her seat. “I’ll go let him in.”

  “Girl, that front door has never been locked in all the years I’ve lived here. Besides, nobody has to let Brody in. This is still his home, even if he is traipsing around the world half the time.”

  “I know, but it won’t be a very nice homecoming for him to walk into what looks like an empty house. He won’t know to come back to find us here in the bedroom in the middle of the day.”

  “You’re right. It’s a thoughtful idea. You go greet him. The boy deserves that much. Besides, I don’t want him scared that you’ve locked me up here in my bedroom like an invalid even though I’m perfectly fine. You’ll want to give him some warning about that.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Ashley didn’t have time for the debate of whether Miss Eleanor was really bedridden or not.

  Brody was here and Ashley would be lucky if she could get her legs to walk her to the door, forget about argue with a crafty eighty-year-old.

  She strode through the bedroom door, fast before Miss Eleanor could think of anything more to delay her.

  In the hallway, Ashley picked up the pace to a jog as she headed for the front door just as a shadow loomed behind the frosted glass.

  It would be so much better to have this reunion outside instead of in the foyer where Miss Eleanor might hear everything.

  Diving for the knob, Ashley pulled the door open just as Brody had reached a hand out to do it himself.

  He stood there, wide-eyed and with a duffle bag in one hand indicating he was planning on staying for at least a little while.

  Her chest tight, she managed to squeak out, “Hello, Brody.”

  ~ * ~

  Brody’s mind spun. With observations, memories, questions . . . the bigge
st question being what the hell was Ashley doing opening the front door of his parents’ house?

  She flushed with what he could only guess was surprise at seeing him for the first time in a decade.

  Damn, how could she look even better than he remembered?

  More, how could he ever have compared her to that stripper the other night? Now, in the light of day, face to face with the reality of Ashley rather than just the memory, there was no comparison.

  Her light hazel, flecked with green and gold eyes were the same as they’d always been, he was sure, but after having not seen her for so long, he was struck again with their brilliance.

  She had her dark hair pulled back tight but the tendrils that had escaped to curl around her face reminded him how she’d so often left it loose and wild when they were younger. He’d loved the carefree look on her then.

  And her body—ten years had only added to the curves he’d found so completely irresistible back then.

  As his groin tightened as much as his chest at the sight of her, he realized nothing had changed in that department. The memories of being with her were still strong and that fact alone pissed him off.

  “Ashley.” He had nothing else to say yet at the same time unasked questions swirled in his brain.

  “Um, I didn’t know you were coming.” She sounded as uncomfortable with their meeting as he felt.

  Again he had to wonder what she was doing there and why were they standing outside in the Alabama heat with the door open rather than going inside? He could feel the cool air-conditioned air escaping past her.

  As she continued to stand in the doorway, essentially blocking his way, he figured the only thing to do was answer her. “I didn’t know I was coming myself until my command approved it. I figured I’d surprise everyone.”

  Only he hadn’t known everyone would include the girl he’d lost his virginity to. The same one who’d broken his heart.

  Damn. It turned out that he was the one surprised.

  She nodded, her gaze dropping to the military issue three-day pack with his last name embroidered on the tape.