Read Online SEALs of Summer 2: A Military Romance Superbundle by Lynn Raye Harris, Elle Kennedy, Anne Marsh, Delilah Devlin, Sharon Hamilton, Jennifer Lowery, Cora Seton, Elle James, S.M. Butler, Zoe York, Kimberley Troutte - Free Book Online
Authors: Lynn Raye Harris, Elle Kennedy, Anne Marsh, Delilah Devlin, Sharon Hamilton, Jennifer Lowery, Cora Seton, Elle James, S.M. Butler, Zoe York, Kimberley Troutte
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hurt you so I can kill him.”
She took a deep breath. “He outranks you. Is there something I can do to help?”
“What do you mean, he outranks me?”
“Let it go. You know what it’s like for a woman in uniform.” She scowled at him. “Or maybe you don’t. No chicks in the SEAL teams, right?”
“That’s not my call.”
“Whatever. It’s in the past.”
“No, not whatever. We’ve got eighteen hours to hash out this shit between us.”
“Oh, come on. We’re alone on a secluded island and I packed four bikinis, each one skimpier than the last. Do you really want to talk?”
“First of all, what you do isn’t talk. You bark. And secondly, I like the bikinis—a lot. But I don’t like it when you throw that at me like I’m not supposed to notice you’re a beautiful woman.”
“What? I didn’t say it like that.”
“You said it like something.” He swore under his breath in Spanish. She’d noticed he only used it when they were alone, when she pushed him. And this time she hadn’t caught what he said. She felt cheated, like she’d missed a secret glimpse into his mind.
“Well…” she sighed. Man, this was awkward. “You are a great guy. But you are also a little bit like…well, like all guys. You gave me a cheesy pick-up line while I had a Glock pointed at your head. All because you saw some boobs in a bikini top.”
“Pretty sure the Glock and your legs and the fucking smirk on your face had just as much to do with my instant hard-on as your breasts did, because that’s your whole package, and I like it, but sure. Think the worst of me. Let’s see how far that gets you.”
“Hey, hey.” Now it was her turn to placate him. “I’m sorry. I don’t think the worst of you. I’m just saying that… even you, even the good guys, you sometimes objectify women.”
“First of all, I don’t think any of that shit, cariño. I hard-core believe that beauty comes from within. We’ve both worked with guys who can be vain. They’re fit as fuck and they let that go to their heads. Then they get a leg blown off—or worse—and all of a sudden, they want to die.” Vince squeezed her arm with his hand, then smoothed over that spot with a gentle rub. “Self-worth can’t start and end with what our bodies look like because that’s damn fragile.”
She made a face because he was right. Damn him and his secret sensitive side. “Wow.”
“What?”
“You…you’re right. And now I feel like an ass.”
“Nah, don’t. Some men are assholes who objectify women. But I’m not one of them. And second of all…to me, you’re the most beautiful woman in the world. Inside and out. Temper and all. Your breasts and your legs and tan lines and your gorgeous blue eyes. I’m not objectifying you when I notice that. I’m appreciating it, because it blows me away. It always will.”
She snaked her arms around him and squeezed. “I’m sorry. You’re right. And I feel the same way.”
“You think I’m the most beautiful woman in the world?” He laughed.
“Yep. With the longest eyelashes and nicest legs.” She sobered up. “I really am sorry. I’ve been too hard on you.”
“I think you’ve hinted enough that there’s some good reasons. Who was he?”
She wiggled closer in his lap. The only way she could tell him about David was if she was holding on for dear life—and if she didn’t have to see Vince’s face while she talked. “You need to know that I was stupid. Incredibly stupid. So you don’t need to tell me that again, okay? I’ve beaten myself up about it many, many times.”
“Just tell me,” he said quietly, his hands splaying wide across her back. She closed her eyes and let the heat of his skin warm her. She was chilled despite the late afternoon warmth of the Caribbean sun.
“His name is David. We met in Afghanistan. He was a liaison officer, and my section had been assigned to escort him and his team to a few friendly villages. The first three were day
She took a deep breath. “He outranks you. Is there something I can do to help?”
“What do you mean, he outranks me?”
“Let it go. You know what it’s like for a woman in uniform.” She scowled at him. “Or maybe you don’t. No chicks in the SEAL teams, right?”
“That’s not my call.”
“Whatever. It’s in the past.”
“No, not whatever. We’ve got eighteen hours to hash out this shit between us.”
“Oh, come on. We’re alone on a secluded island and I packed four bikinis, each one skimpier than the last. Do you really want to talk?”
“First of all, what you do isn’t talk. You bark. And secondly, I like the bikinis—a lot. But I don’t like it when you throw that at me like I’m not supposed to notice you’re a beautiful woman.”
“What? I didn’t say it like that.”
“You said it like something.” He swore under his breath in Spanish. She’d noticed he only used it when they were alone, when she pushed him. And this time she hadn’t caught what he said. She felt cheated, like she’d missed a secret glimpse into his mind.
“Well…” she sighed. Man, this was awkward. “You are a great guy. But you are also a little bit like…well, like all guys. You gave me a cheesy pick-up line while I had a Glock pointed at your head. All because you saw some boobs in a bikini top.”
“Pretty sure the Glock and your legs and the fucking smirk on your face had just as much to do with my instant hard-on as your breasts did, because that’s your whole package, and I like it, but sure. Think the worst of me. Let’s see how far that gets you.”
“Hey, hey.” Now it was her turn to placate him. “I’m sorry. I don’t think the worst of you. I’m just saying that… even you, even the good guys, you sometimes objectify women.”
“First of all, I don’t think any of that shit, cariño. I hard-core believe that beauty comes from within. We’ve both worked with guys who can be vain. They’re fit as fuck and they let that go to their heads. Then they get a leg blown off—or worse—and all of a sudden, they want to die.” Vince squeezed her arm with his hand, then smoothed over that spot with a gentle rub. “Self-worth can’t start and end with what our bodies look like because that’s damn fragile.”
She made a face because he was right. Damn him and his secret sensitive side. “Wow.”
“What?”
“You…you’re right. And now I feel like an ass.”
“Nah, don’t. Some men are assholes who objectify women. But I’m not one of them. And second of all…to me, you’re the most beautiful woman in the world. Inside and out. Temper and all. Your breasts and your legs and tan lines and your gorgeous blue eyes. I’m not objectifying you when I notice that. I’m appreciating it, because it blows me away. It always will.”
She snaked her arms around him and squeezed. “I’m sorry. You’re right. And I feel the same way.”
“You think I’m the most beautiful woman in the world?” He laughed.
“Yep. With the longest eyelashes and nicest legs.” She sobered up. “I really am sorry. I’ve been too hard on you.”
“I think you’ve hinted enough that there’s some good reasons. Who was he?”
She wiggled closer in his lap. The only way she could tell him about David was if she was holding on for dear life—and if she didn’t have to see Vince’s face while she talked. “You need to know that I was stupid. Incredibly stupid. So you don’t need to tell me that again, okay? I’ve beaten myself up about it many, many times.”
“Just tell me,” he said quietly, his hands splaying wide across her back. She closed her eyes and let the heat of his skin warm her. She was chilled despite the late afternoon warmth of the Caribbean sun.
“His name is David. We met in Afghanistan. He was a liaison officer, and my section had been assigned to escort him and his team to a few friendly villages. The first three were day
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