Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 45135 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 226(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45135 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 226(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Even the man didn’t appear to be that happy. The veins in his neck popped a bit but nothing showed the conversation wasn’t pleasant. Didn’t matter. Turning his cart toward them, he made his way as if he had all the time in the world.
“Lieutenant Kirk. Good to see you again. Master Chief.”
Her brown eyes widened even as she straightened. “Commander Bly.”
The Master Chief straightened up as well. McKaren by the name tag on his blouse. “Commander Bly. I didn’t know you knew the Lieutenant.”
He looked back to her. She waited. In that moment, he couldn’t even begin to quantify the amount of disgust that moved through him, that he’d even entertained the idea she could have been in on the drugs. This woman right here wasn’t about to announce anything they had and he knew it was because she was protecting him.
Quite possibly the very moment he accepted he was in love with her.
“I do, she helped me and my SWAT brother teach a self-defense shooting class for battered women.” He hated taking his eyes from her and putting it on the other man with his sexy good Latin looks but he did. He needed this man to know this woman was protected, not only by him but also Tavin. Plus it made it a bit more correct that she wasn’t off with him alone off base, not that it was any of this fuckers business. But he didn’t want to create scuttlebutt that could hurt her. “How are you doing, Lieutenant?”
Davin hadn’t seen her since she snuck off his chest and out of the house that early morning three days ago. He hated it, well aware her deployment was imminent, and he would be losing her for a minimum of six months.
“Fine sir. If you’ll both excuse me, I have some things to finish up.”
Davin didn’t argue with her, he wanted her away from this man and if took staying there while she bolted, he would do it.
They watched her leave and he looked back at the Master Chief. He had dolphins and knew in that second he was one she would be with on sub while underway. Irrational jealousy filled him.
He knew it was irrational because of her body language to the man yet he couldn’t get rid of it. Davin did his best to swallow it down, because all he really longed to do was back this fucker up into a shelf or wall and let him know in no uncertain terms he was to stay away from his woman.
With a sharp nod at the Master Chief, he walked away, unable to unclench his jaw just yet. The words that would be coming out would be less than polite. He stayed in the exchange for another thirty minutes. Not because he needed anything else, but because he had to give her some time to get away or he would have been on her, letting everyone know they had a relationship.
Somehow, I don’t think she’s ready for that.
After he paid, he headed for his jeep and stored his items in the back. He’d gotten about halfway home when his phone buzzed. At the stoplight, he pulled it out and looked at the screen.
Neha.
His heart thundered in his chest and he smiled. Opening her text, he saw two words.
Thank you.
That was it, nothing more.
The light changed and he dropped his phone on the seat, shifted, and continued home. Tavin was there when he got home, looking like shit.
“Meet up with that same woman again?” he teased.
His twin pulled a pack of peas from the freezer and smacked them to his face with a groan. “I’d tell you to fuck off but I don’t have the energy.” He ambled to the couch and fell back, leaving the compress in place.
Davin put his items away and brought a beer back for his brother and put it in his hand. “I saw Neha today,” he began, sitting across from his sibling on another couch.
“I hope you were nice to her.”
“I was, but I don’t think she feels safe with the guys she works with.”
That got his brother’s attention. Tavin shifted up and slid the pea bag off his left eye and stared at him with both.
“Why would you say that?”
“Her body reaction when they come up to her.”
“Be careful on this road, Davin. You don’t want to make anything worse than it is for her because you’re looking through a boyfriend, overprotective lens.”
“I know, I know, but I also know her body, Tav. I know how it is when she stiffens because she either doesn’t like them or isn’t comfortable.”
“You didn’t confront him did you?”
“No. I wanted to. Fuck, I wanted to push him into a wall and tell him not to fucking look at her again.”
The peas went back on the eye. “That’s the boyfriend talking.” Tavin leaned back once more with a groan.