Page 35 of Rescued by a SEAL

“Not if I have anything to say about it,” Hunter grumbled. He’d met Emma in London after she’d gotten back from a trip to the Middle East. She’d accidentally stumbled on some information a terrorist cell was after, and they’d chased her from London all the way to the States to obtain the documents.

“I hear you, man.” Mason grabbed the basketball and began dribbling, moving around on the court. “Wait until Emma hears that you think her lectures are boring,” he added with a chuckle. “I can’t see that going over well.”

“She doesn’t have to wait to hear it—she already knows it. Luckily we’re compatible in other areas.”

Mason snorted, jumping and shooting the ball through the air. The chemistry between Hunter and Emma had always been red hot, and he had no doubt they set things afire between the sheets.

Hell.

If his morning with Taylor was any indication, their bedroom would combust when they finally made love for the first time.

The basketball he’d shot sailed through the net with a swoosh, and Mason grinned.

“So what was the deal with Taylor?” Hunter asked. “You up and ran out on her this morning?”

Something in Mason’s chest tightened. He had sort of done that, hadn’t he? But he was seeing her later on. And he’d rushed out the door to keep things from going too far. To keep her from regretting anything.

When he had her for the first time, he wanted her to be one hundred percent sure. Not because she’d woken up wrapped around his body after he’d rushed over in the middle of the night.

It’s not like he’d taken what he wanted and left.

He’d given her some space. Kept their plans for their date later on.

“I went over there because her ex showed up again last night,” Mason said. “Taylor got home from work, and he was passed out at her door.”

“Hell,” Hunter muttered. “The guy can’t take no for an answer, huh?”

“Negative. I had to drag his sorry ass out of there just so she could get in her apartment. I crashed on the couch in case he came back, and sure enough, he was pounding on her door in the middle of the night. Thank God I was there, because she probably would’ve felt guilty and let him in.”

“I’m surprised the neighbors didn’t call the cops.”

Mason shrugged, rebounding Hunter’s shot.

They’d abandoned their one-on-one game just for shooting the breeze. He dribbled the ball, frowning. “I told Taylor to go to the police last night. She didn’t want to but said she would this morning. I think her ex showing up in the middle of the night spooked her. Hopefully it was what she needed to make the call.”

Hunter nodded, glancing over at Mason. “She’s not the first woman to be stalked by an ex. She needs to stop this before it escalates. Showing up again and again is bad enough.”

“Exactly my concern,” Mason agreed. “Remember when Taylor was late to work Friday night? It’s because her ex was over there then, too. He showed up drunk, and she let him in.”

“Sounds like he’s taking advantage of the situation.”

“You know it, I know it, her neighbors probably all know it. The problem is, until Taylor sees it that way, she’s going to keep feeling sorry for him and letting him into her apartment. I’m hoping last night convinced her otherwise, but hell. If I hadn’t been there crashing on her sofa, I have a feeling she would’ve just let him in again. And one of these days he’s going to want more than just coming into her apartment.”

“So you spent the night at a woman’s place but didn’t sleep with her?” Hunter asked with a smirk. “Doesn’t sound like you, Riptide,” he said, calling him by his nickname.

“Not in the manner you’re thinking, asshole. Get your mind out of the gutter.”

“So you were in her bed,” Hunter said with a chuckle.

Mason threw the basketball him, and Hunter easily palmed it in one large hand, shooting it at the net. “You’ve got a one-track mind,” Mason muttered.

“Emma doesn’t have a problem with it,” Hunter said with a grin. “She rather enjoys all the attention.”

“Hell, you guys started off with a bang. Taylor and I have been dancing around each other forever. If I had it my way, we would’ve gone out months ago.”

“She was dating that asshole,” Hunter said.

“Yep. But they broke up a month ago. And we’re finally going out this afternoon.”

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