Page 17 of Pirates in Calusa Cove

It had caused more than one fight, but that wasn’t why they’d broken up.

Fenton had a fatal flaw. One that he’d accused her of, only she’d been faithful. Sure, she’d looked at Keaton, but she hadn’t been interested. Keaton’s personality—especially toward her—left something to be desired.

Fenton, on the other hand, had stuck his dick where it didn’t belong.

Trinity had a few rules. They were simple. She didn’t date liars. Cheaters. Or people who wanted her father’s money.

It turned out that Fenton had ended up checking all those boxes.

“It’s getting late.” Trinity stood. “I better get going.”

“Will you do me a favor?” Dawson arched a brow. “Make sure you check in with Baily at the marina tomorrow?” He raised his hand. “If you’re going to be out after she closes up, will you kindly check in with one of us? It’s not because we don’t think you’re not a seasoned pro, but because we know from experience what can happen down there.”

“I can do that.” She nodded. And she would because, while she hated Keaton’s delivery of his message, she didn’t disagree. Safety was always her number one priority.

CHAPTER 3

Keaton had spentthe last year trying to shut down the demands of his body and mind. But no matter what he’d tried, Trinity’s pull on him couldn’t be stomped out—and he’d tried just about everything.

Women didn’t affect him on this level. Contrary to popular belief, he did date.

He just didn’t do long-term relationships.

The military and his career as a SEAL had made that really easy. He’d meet a woman, and if she didn’t have crazy eyes and didn’t seem to be the type of person looking for some guy to put a ring on it right away, he’d bite. Since he was constantly deployed and emotionally unavailable, those ladies walked away from him before he had to be the one putting the brakes on.

He knew that made him an asshole.

But he’d never lied about where he was in life. Or the fact that marriage and kids were not on his agenda and never would be, so there was that.

Moving to Calusa Cove had made dating a littleharder. For the first time in his adult life, he was grounded in one place. That certainly gave him the jitters. While he liked Calusa Cove, and leaving the Navy with his brothers-in-arms was a no-brainer, he no longer knew how to make a long-term home for himself.

Of all the guys, he’d thought Hayes would have understood, considering Hayes was a bit of a player. He was the only man on the team who had never been in love and planned to keep it that way. But he’d taken to this tiny little town like a duck to water.

Keaton glanced at the time flashing on the screen of his cell. It was the fifth time he’d checked it in the last ten minutes. It made him crazy. He didn’t want to care. He wanted to drive off to a town a few hours away and pick up some girl in a bar.

But he couldn’t even do that, and he had tried it a few times, but just couldn’t bring himself to pull the trigger.

Ever since he’d laid eyes on the blond-haired beauty, she’d been all he could think about.

Headlights cut through the darkness, and her fancy little SUV rolled into the driveway. The hum of her garage door filled the air.

He stood and leaned against the railing. What the hell was he doing here? Did he really intend to explain to her why her actions mattered to him? Jesus, now that was nuts. They had such a competitive friendship—if one could even call it that—she’d probably toss him out on his ass.

But being called a misogynist, again, had a profound effect on him—one he couldn’t ignore.

She climbed up the side steps, tucking her hair behind her ears as she tugged her hair out of her ponytail, fingering the long strands. She smiled.

She was so goddamned gorgeous. Athletic build. Toned muscles. Killer blue eyes that could suck a person in with a twinkle—or cut them with a glare.

She had a quick wit—completely sarcastic, though often rooted in her desire to be seen and heard for who she was, not what the town perceived her to be. She was smart and tough as nails. Those last two qualities were the ones he admired most.

“Hey,” she said. “I’m going to get a glass of wine. I love sitting out here on nights like this.” She pointed to a storm lighting up the sky about five miles offshore. “Would you like a glass? Or a beer? Or a shot of whiskey? I might have some that burns going down. You know, the cheap stuff.”

He laughed. They had once picked on her for always bringing the most expensive alcohol to their little gatherings. “A glass of whatever you’re having is fine.”

“Keaton Cole is going to drink wine?” She fanned her face. “I might fall over.”

“How expensive is that wine going to be, because I will never understand anyone who drops a hundred dollars on a bottle. That just seems wasteful to me when you can get a decent one for twenty.” He cringed. “Sorry. That was rude.”

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