Page 19 of SEAL's Harmony
The aroma of French fries and burgers wafted over Harmony, and her stomach growled in response. Not that she had to worry about anyone hearing it over the loud music.
Ry waved at an older woman as they passed the massive bar and headed toward the back of the large table-filled room. They stopped a few times for Ry to chat with people he knew, and each time he introduced her as his girlfriend.
Girlfriend?
Seriously?
This was their first official date, and they were going to be with a bunch of friends. Did that really count? Just being with Ry was happiness in a can, but she wasn’t sure about the rest. Attraction sizzled between them from the first moment they’d met, but maybe it was just lust. Once they’d done the deed, he’d probably be done with her.
“Got room for two more?” Ry asked.
Harmony looked up from focusing on her feet. She’d been doing all she could to keep from tripping in the crowded bar. Ry squeezed her hand in encouragement. He probably thought she was nervous, and she was, but not like she had been.
She looked up to see two tables pushed together crowded with Ry’s teammates and some of the Black Eagle team and her friends. He’d been telling the truth when he’d said it was more like a huge welcome home party instead of the team blowing off steam.
“About time you got here, asshole,” a dark-haired guy with broad shoulders and a smirk on his face shouted over the music.
“Fuck you, Josh,” Ry responded, then turned to Harmony and smiled. “He’s just an ass. Don’t mind him.”
Harmony smiled and nodded, then giggled. How many times had she heard, ‘just smile and nod?’ and now she’d done it for real.Oh man, I’m such a dork.
A huge red-headed SEAL stood and grabbed a couple of chairs from the neighboring table.
“We always have room.” She heard the SEAL’s deep voice easily over all the background noise.
“Thanks, Quinn. You remember Harmony, right?” Ry asked as they shook hands.
“Of course. How are you? We’re a little wild after our last mission, but we don’t bite,” he said and grinned.
Dang, he was sexy, but not like Ry. As much as she’d liked them in their dress whites at the wedding, seeing them in casual clothes was the sexiest thing ever. If the mean girls back home could see her now, they’d just die.
Harmony followed Ry around the table, stopping to hug Meghan, Chrissy, and Sky as she made her way to the chairs Quinn grabbed for them.
“It’s great to see you,” Meghan said as she pulled her into a tight hug. “It’s been too long.”
“You just got back from your honeymoon. I think you’ve been more than a little tied up.” When she realized what she’d implied, Harmony felt her cheeks heat.
It didn’t seem to bother Meghan at all. She laughed and said, “Fuck yeah.”
“Exactly.” Harmony said, relieved she hadn’t insulted her friend. The friendship was still new with these women, and she didn’t want to do anything to make them mad at her.
But they’d all been busy. Meghan on her honeymoon, Chrissy on a mission—or two, it was hard to keep track—and Dawn was always busy with her kids.
Sky hugged her next after she put two pitchers of beer on the table. “How are you, Harmony? I’m so glad you came tonight. Josh said Ry going to ask you to come with him.”
Harmony looked over at Josh, who was deep in conversation with Rafe, Meghan’s husband. Rafe took over the Black Eagles when they’d promoted Dawn’s husband, Jake.
“I’m glad I did. Honestly, after seeing the outside, I’m totally in love with the inside.” Harmony hoped she didn’t sound rude and worried her bottom lip between her teeth.
“I know, right? Mom wanted to do it for years. It just took the right motivation. Remind me at next girls’ night and I’ll tell you the whole sordid story. Everyone else already knows. Or you could ask Ry,” Sky said and tipped her head toward her date.
“He mentioned you had a complete renovation but said it wasn’t his story to tell.”
“That’s what I love about these guys. They all have so much integrity and loyalty. You could trust them with your life even if they didn’t know you. But if they fall for you, expect total alpha overload.” Sky winked.
“Hey, Sky, stop scaring my date,” Ry said with mock horror.
Harmony smiled, but Sky’s words made the little hairs on the back of her neck stand up. After her father’s cruel treatment and strict rules, alpha overload was definitely not what she wanted in a relationship.
