Page 281 of Cowboys & Navy SEALs

A sly smile stole across his lips. It held just enough condescension to get her ire up. “Must you always look for the bad?”

She let out a harsh laugh. “It’s kind of hard to not see it when it’s glaring like a sunburn!”

He rocked back, a wounded look on his handsome face. She couldn’t tell whether or not he was sincerely hurt or merely faking it. “I was going out with Brooke to make you jealous.”

The words took her off guard, and she was unsure how to answer.

“You look incredible.” His eyes softened as he drank in her appearance. His gaze rested on her curls. “I like the hat.”

“Thank you.” She swallowed. It was so dang hard to be around Sheldon without turning to mush! She could tell from the confident look in his eyes that he knew the effect he had on her. Heck! Turning women to mush was his specialty. “Your flattery won’t work on me!”

He shook his head admiringly. “I know. That’s why I love you so much.”

Love!There was that word again. She hated the hope that sprouted in her breast.

“Getting back to Nash. You don’t need to worry about that girl that he was locking lips with.”

“What?”

“I saw your face when you saw him kissing that girl. Her name’s Shauna, and I think Brooke can take her in a head-to-head match.”

“And how do you know all of this?”

His eyes caressed hers. “I’ve made it my business to know everything about you … and that includes knowing about the people you’ve been sent to help.”

Her mouth went as dry as sandpaper. “Why do you care so much?” she croaked.

A tortured look came over his face, but then he masked it with a smile. “I care. Let’s just leave it at that, shall we?” The words were spoken lightly enough, but she was puzzled by the mysterious meaning that rested beneath them. “Look,” he continued, “I don’t know all of the ins and outs of your plan to get Brooke back together with Nash, but I do know that you’re on the right track.”

She gave him an appreciative smile. Then she realized with a jolt how much his approval meant to her. The instant the thought surfaced, she squelched it. Sheldon was on the path tobecoming a dark angel. She didn’t need his approval! Nor did she want it! No matter how attracted she was to him, she had to keep reminding herself that he was dangerous.

He put an arm around her. “Come with me. There’s something I want to show you.”

“What?” she asked suspiciously.

“You’ll see.”

As tempting as it was to go with him, she knew she shouldn’t. No good would come of it. She had to force the words from her mouth. “I’m sorry. I really can’t. I have to be getting back.”

“It won’t take long.”

She cocked her head. “What do you want to show me?”

“I want you to know who I am.”

The sincerity in his eyes was like an arrow that shot straight into the center of her heart, peeling away the protective layers she’d worked so hard to build.

He traced the curve of her cheek. “Please.”

“Okay,” she heard herself say.

A look of pure joy came over his face. “Okay, close your eyes.”

Her eyes shot open as she gave him a wary look. “What’re you going to do?”

He laughed. “Just trust me.”

She let out a breath, butterflies flapping in her stomach. Being with Sheldon was like being on a continual Ferris wheel ride—one minute she was high; one minute she was low, and no matter how hard she tried to make sense of her feelings for him, she just kept going in circles.

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