Page 9 of SEAL's Patience
She didn’t understand why he was worried about her car, anyway. She wouldn’t start. Carlene, her car’s name, wasn’t going anywhere without a mechanic’s help. The baby blue car had been her first purchase without her parents’ help. Patience had been babying her for the last few months, hoping the car would continue to run until she graduated in the spring. But it seemed like every week something new was wrong with her. At this rate, it would take duct tape and a prayer to hold her together for the next few months.
CHAPTER 5
QUINN
Quinn shook his head and reined in his frustration. What the fuck was he doing offering her a ride home? The last thing he needed to do was listen to her chatter on the way home, or worse, inhale her floral scent. The more time he spent around her, the more his resolve to keep her at arm’s length evaporated.
Patience was right. She’d have been perfectly safe in an Uber. It made no sense for his insistence that he drive her home. None. Except, it felt wrong to let her get into a car with a stranger. Not that he was much more than a stranger himself.
As he disconnected the jumper cables from his battery and slammed the hood of the truck, he chastised himself for his lack of willpower to stay away from her. When he turned to put the cables away, she was watching him, like she was trying to figure him out.
“Ready?” he growled. Angry at himself, not at her, but it still made him sound like a bastard. Quinn figured she’d tell him to fuck off at any second and call an Uber. He wouldn’t blame her, either.
“Yeah, as long as you’re sure. You don’t look too thrilled about this.” For the first time since he’d known her, she sounded hesitant. He hated he made her feel that way.
Quinn took a breath and gentled his voice before answering her. “Yes, let’s get you home and out of this cold.”
She followed him toward the passenger door. Without thinking, he lifted her into the truck. Her slight gasp had him dropping his hands and stepping away from her.
“Sorry for touching you without your permission. I didn’t think. I just knew it would be hard to climb up without a step. I need to get one installed.” Fuck. He was rambling.
Patience’s cheeks blazed with color in the light from the truck. She looked so innocent. So young. He’d expected her to chastise him for touching her, but she hadn’t said a word, just watched as he closed the door.
He needed to get away from her and stay away. The mission had turned him inside out. His usual stoic demeanor was nowhere to be found. Instead, he was acting like a love-struck fool. Quinn needed to get her home and away from him as soon as possible. Then he’d head home and figure out this shit.
As he settled into the driver’s seat, she reached over and put her small hand on his forearm. The feel of her hand sent heat not only to his chilled skin, but through his chest. Something he’s never felt before.
“Thank you, Quinn. You’re right. I wouldn’t have been able to climb inside. I’m height challenged,” she said with a small smile. Was she trying to make him feel better?
“I’m used to action and not asking first. I apologize. Thanks for understanding.”
“No problem,” she said. “These heated seats are amazing. I’ll have to make sure they’re in my next car.”
Small talk? He sucked at it, except with the guys. But they knew how he was and didn’t get bent out of shape. He did morelistening than chatting. Quinn was the strong, silent type. He liked it that way. His actions in Marikistan had surprised him as much as his team. He’d spent years locking down his emotions. The last thing he’d expected was for them to resurface and for him to lose total control.
Patience was oblivious to his inner turmoil as he watched her adjust the vents to direct the heat where she wanted. She sat back and settled into the seat with a happy sigh.
“What’s the address?” Quinn asked.
As she rattled it off, it sounded familiar. When he typed the number and beginning of her address, it popped up on the truck’s GPS. Puzzled, a moment later it hit him and he remembered. After he’d picked up Livie and Theo, after their Thanksgiving trip, he’d dropped her off at her apartment before taking Theo home.
“You know where I live?” she asked, surprise laced her voice.
“Yeah. I dropped Livie off there when she and Theo came home from their trip. I’d forgotten you are roommates.”
“Oh yeah, that’s right. She told me that. So, you and Theo are friends? I didn’t think you hung out with anyone but your team.”
“Theo and I have been friends for a long time…since we were kids.”
“Really? Wow! I didn’t know that.” He heard the surprise in her voice and glanced over to see her staring at him.
Quinn grunted. Most didn’t know of their friendship. He preferred it that way. The fewer people who knew about his private life, the better. Theo wouldn’t tell anyone about their past. Theo’s family had given him the chance at a life. Now that his mom was gone, they were the closest thing he had to family besides his team.
“We don’t get to see each other much. Our jobs keep us busy, and less now that he’s dating Livie.” He squeezed the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white, and the metal groaned.
“It must be great to have a friend for that long. We moved around every couple of years when I was young, while my parents worked overseas. I was home schooled until high school. We knew I’d have a better chance of getting into college and med school by attending a regular high school. But even after moving here, we still traveled for all the vacations, and I never really made any close friends. It wasn’t until Livie and I moved in together that we got really close.”
“Was it hard?”
