Page 84 of SEAL Summer Escape

The ocean breeze blew through her hair, and Noah turned so that he was bearing the brunt of the wind.“If I put you down, you’ll fall right in, sunshine,” he said in a deep voice.“Don’t worry, I’d jump in after you though.”

“Hey, put her down!”Taylor called out.“Mason—do something!”

Mason chuckled beside her.“If she calls for help, I’ll make him put her down.They’re just goofing off, sweetheart.”

Bailey playfully swatted Noah on the arm, and he turned away from the water, carrying her back toward their friends.“Hell, that would’ve been fun tossing her in,” he said with a grin.

“You just wanted to jump off the dock yourself,” Mason said.

“Absolutely.The water looks awesome.I wasn’t sure that Bailey would really appreciate it though,” he said, setting her back down on the dock.She clung to his forearm, steadying herself.

“You enjoyed that,” she accused him.

“Holding you in my arms?Hell yeah, I enjoyed it.You’re a beautiful woman.”

She crossed her arms in mock-annoyance.“A beautiful woman who’s not going to sleep with you.”

“Who said anything about sleeping with me?”he asked with a grin.

“Oh, you’re impossible,” she said, walking down the dock back toward the beach.Embarrassment mixed in with irritation washed over her.Sure, he hadn’t exactly said he wanted to sleep with her, but she could put two and two together.She’d heard stories about the guys on the SEAL team.Maybe Mason and some of them had settled down, but as for the rest?

Not a chance.

“Wait up!”Taylor called out, hurrying to walk back with her.“He’s just messing with you.”

“I know,” she said, flipping her hair back as the wind blew through it again.“He flirts with everyone.I need to get going though.I’ve got work later tonight.Text me the details of the trip, and I’ll see if I can get off for the weekend.”

“It’s crazy how the rest of the world takes weekends for granted,” Taylor said.

“Yep.I love the crazy hours at the bar though.It shouldn’t be a problem; I haven’t had a weekend off in months.”

“Sunshine!”Noah called out, jogging to catch up with them.“I was just teasing you back there.”

“I know,” she said, irritated.“But I have to get going.I’ve got to work later on tonight.”

“Can I walk you to your car?”he asked as they stepped off the dock and back onto the beach.

“I’m a couple of blocks down.”

“Hell, I can walk a few blocks.Catch you guys later!”he said, waving goodbye to Mason and Taylor.

“Where’d you park?”she asked, picking her way through the sand.

“Close by, but I don’t mind walking you to your car.”

She blew out a sigh, wondering why he was so intent on going with her.They’d be spending the weekend together soon though, so she might as well clear the air between them.If she got annoyed every time he did something stupid, she might as well not go on the trip at all.

“Fine.Let’s go, cupcake,” she said dryly.

“Cupcake?”he asked with a chuckle.

“You keep calling me sunshine.”

“That I do, because of your long blonde hair.So, why’d you come up with cupcake?”

“I figured it would piss you off.”

His low laughter filled the air around them, and she turned and walked down the boardwalk toward the garage where she parked, leaving him hurrying after her.

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