he didn’t want to be neighborly, she fell back on military speak.
His eyes narrowed at the intentional formality. “Did it even occur to you that I would rather have been left alone?”
Penny considered whether that was true. “With all due respect, sir, you weren’t in any state to know what you wanted.”
Anger flashed in his khaki green eyes. “Whatever state I was in, in my own home, is none of your goddamn business, Lieutenant,” he growled back, addressing her by her inferior rank.
“Correct, sir,” she said, swallowing her intimidation, “but your physical well-being is my business, as is the well-being of any serviceman or woman,” she added, impersonalizing the incident.
His hot glare raked her from head to toe. “If you tell a soul about last night,” he warned, articulating each word, “then you can kiss your career good-bye. Is that clear enough?”
Puzzled, Penny sought the reason for his threat. What on earth was he afraid of? That she would accuse him of indecent behavior? Did he even remember kissing her? “Crystal, sir,” she said, searching his locked features for an answer. “Perhaps you’ll tone it down next time, so that I’m less privy to your business,” she suggested, indignant that he would think her capable of such low behavior.
A dull blush highlighted his cheekbones, and she felt a little better for it.
“I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing,” he added, revealing his confusion, “but whatever it is, you’re wasting your time.”
“I don’t play games,” she told him, dropping the ‘sir’ from her statement.
Her answer made him hesitate. She could see him struggling to understand her.
“You cleaned my rug,” he said, his tone still accusing.
“Yes, I did.”
“Why?”
Did he really want an honest answer? “Because I thought you’d already dealt with enough.”
His frown became ferocious. He took a step forward, and Penny took a cautionary step back. “Leave me alone,” he said through his teeth. “I don’t need a nosy neighbor prying into my business.”
Penny was too hurt by the word “prying” to make a quick reply. Uncertainty chased across his face in the wake of his anger, before he pivoted, stalking toward the door. It closed quietly behind him.
Five seconds elapsed before the silence was broken by the sound of running feet. “Oh, my God!” Ophelia cried, bursting into the kitchen, her face a reflection of outrage. “Was that your SEAL?” she asked, seizing Penny’s arms. “Who does he think he was, talking to you like that?”
Penny blinked away her numbness. Consternation rose in its place as she realized that Ophelia had just overheard every word Commander Montgomery had said. “Don’t worry about it,” she answered firmly. “He wasn’t threatening me; he was protecting his privacy.”
“What do you mean he wasn’t threatening you?” Lia cried. “I heard what he said. He implied that he was going to ruin your career. And for what? All you did was patch up his cuts and clean his carpet.” Penny’d had to explain why she slept until ten this morning.
“I said forget it,” Penny repeated. “He’s been through enough, okay? He didn’t mean to threaten me. If he really knew me, he wouldn’t have bothered.”
“Oh, come on!” Ophelia propped her hands on her jeans-clad hips. “There’s no excuse for him talking to you that way! He’s the one who got drunk last night.”
“You need to forget about that, too,” Penny cautioned.
“What?”
“Stories like that can damage a man’s career. He’s hurting inside. Try to be sensitive to that and forget the rest, okay?”
Her sister eyed her with the same incredulity as the commander had moments before. “I can’t believe you’re just going to let that pass,” she marveled.
“Well, I am,” said Penny calmly. “He’s grieving,” she added, wondering if perhaps he’d watched his man die and even tried to save him. He’d been hit by
His eyes narrowed at the intentional formality. “Did it even occur to you that I would rather have been left alone?”
Penny considered whether that was true. “With all due respect, sir, you weren’t in any state to know what you wanted.”
Anger flashed in his khaki green eyes. “Whatever state I was in, in my own home, is none of your goddamn business, Lieutenant,” he growled back, addressing her by her inferior rank.
“Correct, sir,” she said, swallowing her intimidation, “but your physical well-being is my business, as is the well-being of any serviceman or woman,” she added, impersonalizing the incident.
His hot glare raked her from head to toe. “If you tell a soul about last night,” he warned, articulating each word, “then you can kiss your career good-bye. Is that clear enough?”
Puzzled, Penny sought the reason for his threat. What on earth was he afraid of? That she would accuse him of indecent behavior? Did he even remember kissing her? “Crystal, sir,” she said, searching his locked features for an answer. “Perhaps you’ll tone it down next time, so that I’m less privy to your business,” she suggested, indignant that he would think her capable of such low behavior.
A dull blush highlighted his cheekbones, and she felt a little better for it.
“I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing,” he added, revealing his confusion, “but whatever it is, you’re wasting your time.”
“I don’t play games,” she told him, dropping the ‘sir’ from her statement.
Her answer made him hesitate. She could see him struggling to understand her.
“You cleaned my rug,” he said, his tone still accusing.
“Yes, I did.”
“Why?”
Did he really want an honest answer? “Because I thought you’d already dealt with enough.”
His frown became ferocious. He took a step forward, and Penny took a cautionary step back. “Leave me alone,” he said through his teeth. “I don’t need a nosy neighbor prying into my business.”
Penny was too hurt by the word “prying” to make a quick reply. Uncertainty chased across his face in the wake of his anger, before he pivoted, stalking toward the door. It closed quietly behind him.
Five seconds elapsed before the silence was broken by the sound of running feet. “Oh, my God!” Ophelia cried, bursting into the kitchen, her face a reflection of outrage. “Was that your SEAL?” she asked, seizing Penny’s arms. “Who does he think he was, talking to you like that?”
Penny blinked away her numbness. Consternation rose in its place as she realized that Ophelia had just overheard every word Commander Montgomery had said. “Don’t worry about it,” she answered firmly. “He wasn’t threatening me; he was protecting his privacy.”
“What do you mean he wasn’t threatening you?” Lia cried. “I heard what he said. He implied that he was going to ruin your career. And for what? All you did was patch up his cuts and clean his carpet.” Penny’d had to explain why she slept until ten this morning.
“I said forget it,” Penny repeated. “He’s been through enough, okay? He didn’t mean to threaten me. If he really knew me, he wouldn’t have bothered.”
“Oh, come on!” Ophelia propped her hands on her jeans-clad hips. “There’s no excuse for him talking to you that way! He’s the one who got drunk last night.”
“You need to forget about that, too,” Penny cautioned.
“What?”
“Stories like that can damage a man’s career. He’s hurting inside. Try to be sensitive to that and forget the rest, okay?”
Her sister eyed her with the same incredulity as the commander had moments before. “I can’t believe you’re just going to let that pass,” she marveled.
“Well, I am,” said Penny calmly. “He’s grieving,” she added, wondering if perhaps he’d watched his man die and even tried to save him. He’d been hit by
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