Read Online Hot SEALs: Protecting Julie (Kindle Worlds) (SEAL of Protection Book 0) by Susan Stoker - Free Book Online

the engine. Seeing he was still standing there watching her, she rolled her window down and told him, “I had a good time tonight. Thanks.”
    “You’re welcome. Drive safe.”
    “You too.” Feeling proud that she only looked back once, Julie smiled all the way to her small apartment.

Chapter Nine
     
     
     
    Julie sat in the circle of Patrick’s arms on his couch as they watched World War Z . They’d spent time together almost every day since their first “date” a month ago. As far as their physical relationship went, they were taking it slowly, which was fine with Julie.
    Yes, she’d had a horrible experience when she’d been kidnapped, but she’d mostly dealt with it. Her dad had immediately gotten her into therapy. She’d also seen a couple of doctors and found out she’d been incredibly lucky and hadn’t picked up any diseases from her experience, thank God for something going her way after the hell she’d been through. All in all, Julie knew it could’ve been a hell of a lot worse, and she chose to focus on the positives rather than losing herself in the negatives of the entire experience.
    Dealing with the physical aspects of having a boyfriend, Julie was realizing, was actually much easier than the mental ones. She thought it’d be easy to open up to Patrick and let him know how she was feeling about herself, and about the nightmares she continued to have, especially after their first walk on the beach when she’d tried to explain how important it was to her to be able to thank the SEALs who had rescued her.
    But after the cold reception she’d received from Fiona and her friends, and realizing that saying “sorry” wasn’t going to suddenly make her feel better about the person she used to be, the urge to open up to Patrick had waned. Hell, it hadn’t just waned, it had disappeared altogether.
    Julie knew Patrick was trying to ease her into a physical relationship, and she appreciated it. As much as she might have projected a party-girl image back home, she’d never been the type of girl to fall into bed with men on the first date…or even the second or third. She liked to be friends with someone before getting naked with them.
    She was certainly ready to get physical with Patrick though. She liked him. He was funny, good-looking, and seemed sincerely interested in her. She’d even told him last week she was ready, but he’d only kissed her on the forehead as if she was twelve, and said she might be, but he wasn’t. Julie would’ve thought it was a blow off if he hadn’t kissed the hell out of her, almost brought her to orgasm with his mouth on her nipples, and if she hadn’t seen him every day since then.
    Patrick leaned over and muted the television. Julie watched as the zombies silently began to swarm over the wall built around Israel on the screen. She had a feeling whatever Patrick had been wanting to talk to her about before moving them to the next level, now was the time.
    “I know you told me you didn’t care anymore, but I spoke with the SEALs who rescued you, and they’re willing to meet with you.”
    Julie froze. Oh God. She’d known this would be coming sooner or later. She tried to play it off. “It’s okay. I’ve changed my mind. I’ve made peace with it.” Which was a total lie, but she didn’t want to have to deal with their rejection of her apology and thanks as she had with Fiona.
    Patrick turned Julie in his arms and pulled her over his lap until she was straddling him and he could look her in the eye, her arms wrapped around his neck.
    “Julie. I think you need this. I heard what you told me that first day on the beach.”
    “Really, Patrick, I’m good. I just needed—”
    “You’re not good.”
    “I am,” Julie insisted, not very convincingly, even to her own ears.
    “You fell asleep on the couch over here last week.” Patrick’s words were low and earnest. “The second you were down, you started dreaming. I watched you do it. You whimpered