Page 36 of Cowboys & Navy SEALs

“Not hardly.” A low chuckle rumbled in his throat. “I have ulterior motives.”

Her voice lilted. “Oh?”

“Yep, I have you back in my life.”

Her heart practically melted. “Tell me about us,” she implored. “We must’ve been so in love.”

“Not at first.”

“Really?”

“You couldn’t stand me, at first.” He laughed wistfully. “I’m afraid I was a bit of a terror in junior high, tormenting you relentlessly.”

She grinned. “Really? I wish I could remember.”

“No, you don’t,” he said quickly.

“Tell me something you did.”

His voice shot up an octave. “Why would I want to incriminate myself?”

She grinned at how his voice got higher pitched anytime he was excited or nervous. “Just one incident. Please.”

“Let’s see. Okay, you got these new designer jeans. You were flaunting them around.”

“I hardly think I was flaunting them,” she retorted.

“Hey, I’m the one telling this story.”

“Okay. Continue.”

“As I said, you wereflauntingthem around. A peacock couldn’t have been any prouder.”

She guffawed, nudging him slightly.

“Watch it,” he warned.

“Oops. Sorry,” she said contritely.

His voice grew recollective. She didn’t have to look at him to know that he was smiling. “You were about the cutest thing I’d ever seen in those tight jeans, showing off those long legs.”

She warmed at the compliment, nestling closer into his shoulder.

“Back then, you wouldn’t give me the time of day. I was gangly, awkward. You were gaga over Trevor Phillips. He was a senior and the starting quarterback at the time.”

“Ah, so it was all about the quarterbacks,” she mused playfully.

“I guess so,” he chuckled. “Anyhow, I got tired of watching you try to get Trevor’s attention in biology, so I grabbed a lighter from one of my buddies. I sat behind you and held the flame up to your back pocket.”

“What? That’s terrible! I’m sure I was livid.”

“Yes, ma’am. You didn’t realize what was happening at first. Then, you felt the heat. You jumped up out of that seat and nearly turned yourself inside out to see the back of your jeans. Afterwards, you called me every name in the book. Slapped mehard in the jaw. This got you a round of applause from the class, as well as a commendation from Mrs. Blevins, our teacher.”

She giggled. “You make me sound awful.”

“Nah, it was beautiful. I was hooked from that day on.”

“How long did we date?” She was eager to know everything about them.

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