Reminding The SEAL (Navy SEAL Military Romance) (18 page)

There were a lot of things she realized she liked about Josh, like the way his eyes changed color when he looked at her, how his eyes creased when he smiled, and how his face lit up when he was happy. His face also lit up every time he saw her. She was just too damn pissed to notice it before. Right now, she was loving the feel of his body against hers. She’d always liked his body. The way his muscles flexed when he worked on his motorcycle, or how his thighs bulged sexily in his jeans.

Her flower opened again, spilling warm fluid onto his cock. She was amazed that the second orgasm was as powerful, but sweeter than the first. There was something about the second orgasm that made her feel like she was finally taken. She felt Josh stiffen as well, before she heard him grunt and his seed was spilling into her. Fleetingly, the thought crossed her that she might get pregnant, but she pushed it aside.

He was holding her close, almost squeezing her. “Josh, I can’t breathe,” she said, happily.

“I don’t want to let you go,” he whispered.

“Me neither,” but her heart was sinking. Was he leaving again? “What’s wrong?”

“I only have until Boxing Day, then I’m off to Afghanistan,” his voice was tight.

“What? Can’t you refuse? I don’t want you to go!”

He released her just enough to look at her face and cupping it with both hands. “I have to go, for our country.”

“I hate our country,” she pouted.

“No you don’t,” he laughed and kissed her lightly on the lips.

“I hate you,” she said and sank her face into his neck.

“
I
love
you
.”

Did Joshua just say he loved her? “What?”

He lifted her face and repeated, looking into her eyes. “You heard me, I…love…you. And I know you love me too.”

She fell silent and remembered what her mother had said. Her cheeks grew hot at the memory and she realized she was blushing. “I do?” she asked uncertainly.

“Yep,” Joshua replied.

“I love you?”

“Huhuh,” he nodded.

THE END

Bonded to the SEAL

Chapter 1 :

The SEAL is Coming Home

Teresa was helping to wash the dishes in her mother's kitchen when her stepfather hurried into the room, yelling her mother's name as though she was not standing five feet away from him.

              “Helen!” he shouted. “Helen! Guess what!”

              Teresa's mother frowned and turned around to look at her husband. Teresa cocked an eyebrow and eavesdropped.

              “What?” she asked.

              “Vince is coming home!” he exclaimed, waving a piece of paper in the air. “He sent me this letter, and he's going to be home in a week! I didn't think he was going to be able to come home until Christmas!”

              While she dried a wine glass, Helen peered over her husband's shoulder to read the letter and said, “Well, isn't that exciting. Don't you think that's exciting, Teresa? You'll finally be able to see your stepbrother again?”

              Teresa rolled her eyes as she scrubbed a pot and replied, “Yeah, sure. I can't wait to take a ride on that guilt train.”

              “Teresa!” Helen scolded, nudging her daughter, angrily. “Lyle's son is coming home. You can at least show some excitement for him. Now, say you're sorry!”

              “It's fine,” Lyle muttered, giving Teresa a dark look and folding up the letter in thirds. “I can't blame her for feeling inadequate compared to a Navy SEAL.”

              “Lyle!” Helen yelled, appalled that he would say such a thing about her daughter.

              “No, it's fine, Mom,” Teresa murmured, turning off the faucet. She gave Lyle a dirty look as she brushed by him and spat, “I'm obviously just an overweight, unemployed loser.”

              After Teresa left the room, Helen put her hand on her hip and gave her husband a dirty look. He averted his gaze and tried to walk out of the room.

              “Oh no, you don’t,” she said, cuffing his shoulder. “Did you say anything like that to my daughter?”

              “I mean, not out loud,” he murmured.

              Helen scowled and stormed out of the room.

*****

Teresa was sitting in her room, quietly crying. She did not want to move in with her mother and her stepfather. Unfortunately, after she lost her job, she did not have much of a choice. Teresa had once worked as a dental hygienist for a practice in the neighboring city, but when one of the dentists was sued for malpractice and the office was forced to close its doors, she was left jobless and unable to pay her rent. She went into a severe amount of credit card debt while she was searching for a new job, and eventually, she ended up being evicted. Without anywhere else to go, she went to her mother for help.

              Sniffling, Teresa grabbed a tissue from her nightstand and looked at her mascara-stained face in the mirror. She pushed her dark mahogany hair behind her ear and wiped her eyes. With a gulp, she started to scrub the mascara off and sighed.

              Suddenly, there was a knock at the door and Teresa furrowed her brow.

              “Who is it?” she asked, sitting back down on her bed and trying to hide that she was crying.

              “It's Mom,” the voice said. She opened the door a crack and asked, “Can I come in?”

              “Well, I guess so,” Teresa muttered, hiding her face so her mother could not tell that she had been crying. “Lyle seems pretty excited about Vince coming home.”

              Helen sighed and closed the door behind her. She sat on the edge of the bed beside Teresa and rubbed her shoulder consolingly.

              “Yeah, I wanted to talk to you about that,” she said. “You know, he didn't mean anything by that. He was being an ass. We know you're looking for a job and a new place. You're not a loser because you want to be. It isn't like you're just siphoning off of us because you've never worked or—”

              “God, Mom, just forget it,” Teresa said, standing up from her bed and giving her mother a glare. “You're not making it better at all. I'm just going to call Mallory and get the hell out of here for the night. Obviously, I'm not welcome.”

              “Oh, don't be like that,” Helen said, standing up and touching Teresa's shoulder. “He's just mad because we're missing out on the golden years, you know? You were done with college. Vince was off in the military. It's supposed to be our time. Lyle just takes it personally, sometimes.”

              “Mom, you really aren't helping,” Teresa replied as she opened one of her dresser drawers and pulled out a pink peplum top. “Don't worry. I won't interrupt your golden years tonight.”

Chapter 2

Skinny

Teresa sipped on her mango daiquiri from the small pink straw that Mallory had put in the drink. The two women sat beside one another on Mallory's blue-and-indigo striped couch. Mallory and Teresa had been good friends since childhood, but their friendship had grown even stronger throughout the years. Most of their other friends got married and had children. Mallory and Teresa, however, had remained single and liked to spend time together, complaining about their life problems in Mallory's living room. More than a few times, Teresa considered moving in with her lifelong friend, but Mallory had a habit of adopting stray cats and dogs. Considering Teresa was allergic to cats, she decided to continue living with her mother and stepfather instead, even if she was unwelcome.

              “These mango daiquiris are amazing, Mal. How the hell did you make them so good?” Teresa asked, sipping from her drink. “Did you use real mangoes or something?”

              “I got the expensive rum. I got my settlement check, so I'm rolling in Benjamins now!” she said, excitedly.

              Mallory had an accident at work that resulted in permanent damage to her leg. Originally, her settlement was supposed to be small, but then, the only surgeon that would take her insurance did not do the surgery properly. After suing her workplace for the damage and the surgeon for malpractice, Mallory was set to be financially sound for the rest of her life.

              Teresa sighed and murmured, “Wish I could say I know what that feels like. Wanna go down to the supermarket and be my witness when I slip and fall in one of the aisles?”

              Mallory laughed and replied, “You know, if you ever need
any
money—”

              Teresa gave Mallory a dark look and said, “Mallory, I'll be fine. I'm going to get a job soon.”

              “Yeah, right. Let's not talk about that,” Mallory said, realizing she hit a nerve. She grabbed the half-empty pizza box from the coffee table and held it out to offer Teresa a slice asking, “So, uh, you said that Vince is coming home for a visit, eh? Not looking forward to that?”

              Teresa chuckled and accepted a piece. She took a big bite and rolled her eyes back into her head in euphoria as it warmed her stomach. She wiped some sauce from her chin and nodded.

              “Yup. Lyle went on a spiel about how useless I am and how it's understandable I feel inadequate compared to him. My mom came in and tried to make me feel better, but honestly, she just made it worse. I hate being back in that house,” Teresa said. She took another bite of pizza and continued, “I just want to get out.”

              “You can always move in with me,” Mallory murmured, grabbing her own slice of pizza.

              Suddenly, one of Mallory's cats mewed and jumped on the coffee table. The orange feline stuck its nose in the pizza and sniffed it. Mallory made a quick grab for the cat, but it ran in the other direction. Teresa began to sneeze and scowled.

              “
That's
why I can't live here,” Teresa said. She sighed and added, “I might crash here while Vince is in town, though. Sneezing might be a little less bothersome than listening to Lyle and my mother grovel at his feet like he's some sort of god. I mean, I'm thankful for his service and all of that. I don't think he's a bad guy. I just don't want to hear about his military successes for—hell, I don't even know how long he's going to be here.”

              Teresa took a long swig of her daiquiri and Mallory chuckled.

              “He's really a navy SEAL, then?” Mallory asked. She took a sip of her drink and added, “I mean, he was just a wiry, little guy when I met him.”

              Teresa laughed and said, “Yeah, I said the same thing. I have no idea how he even survived the training. He must have been buddies with someone up top or something. There's no way that skinny stepbrother of mine is doing all these things he claims to be doing. God, I need another drink.”

              “There's still a bunch in the blender! Make me one too!”

              Mallory handed Teresa her empty glass and wiggled it. Teresa took it from her and walked into the adjoining kitchen to fill their glasses. She walked back into the room and handed Mallory her cocktail. The two of them sipped their drinks in unison as one of Mallory's dogs began to bark. Several of the others joined in rather quickly. Teresa rolled her eyes and sat on the couch.

              “It's just Teresa, Muffin!” Mallory yelled, rolling her eyes. “You
know
Teresa! No! Stop barking!”

              “Look, I should probably get to bed here after this drink,” Teresa said with a sigh. “I have to go job hunting again tomorrow.”

              Mallory frowned and asked, “Haven't you been job hunting every day for the last two months?”

              “Something like that. Hopefully, I find something before Mr. Perfect comes home.”

              “You mean Skinny?” Mallory asked, amused.

              Teresa chuckled and replied, “Yes. Skinny.”

Chapter 3

Dinner with Vince

The week passed by much faster than Teresa would have liked. Before she knew it, her mother was demanding that she help make lasagna, because apparently, that was Vince's favorite meal. Teresa sighed and scooped several spoonfuls of ricotta onto a layer of pasta.

              “Don't you think we should just take him out to dinner?” Teresa asked. “I mean, didn't he just get back from war or something?”

              “Not war, dear,” Helen replied. She tasted some sauce off a spoon and added, “He was on some sort of secret mission or something. Isn't that exciting? Your brother is like a war hero!”

              “How is he a war hero if you literally just said he didn't go to war?” Teresa retorted.

              “Oh, don't be bitter, Teresa. I don't love you any less just because you aren't a war hero,” Helen said, handing Teresa the pot of sauce she had just finished. “Make sure you put this on the same layer as the—oh Teresa! You messed the damn thing up!”

              Helen lightly pushed Teresa out of her way and started tearing layers of pasta apart. Teresa rolled her eyes and put her hand on her hip. She then took a deep breath and leaned against the counter.

              “How did I mess it up, Mom? I got the ricotta and the pasta with the—”

              “Nope! You needed to put the sauce on by layer three or else the texture is wrong, Teresa! How many times have I taught you that? Are you just trying to sabotage the dinner because you're mad about your stepbrother coming?”

              “Fine, Mom. You do it, then,” Teresa said in a defeated tone. “Call me when dinner is ready.”

              She began to walk away and Helen frowned.

              “Teresa! Vince is going to be here in five minutes and you're not just going to be rude and hide out in your room! Do you hear me? Teresa!” she yelled.

              All she heard in response was the sound of Teresa's bedroom door slamming.

*****

The doorbell rang and only a few minutes later, Teresa heard a knock at her door. She rolled her eyes and opened the door a crack. Her mother stared back at her, looking rather angry. Teresa sighed.

              “Dinner is ready and your brother is here. Stop being such a child and come out,” Helen demanded.

              Teresa exhaled in an annoyed manner and said, “Stepbrother, Mom. He's not my brother. Is Lyle going to insult me for the next hour or am I going to be able to eat in peace?”

              “Oh, stop it,” Helen said. “You're just being dramatic. Now, come eat dinner or don't eat at all. Your brother came a long way and you're just being rude!”

              Helen stormed away and Teresa murmured under her breath, “
Step
brother.”

              Teresa fixed her hair in her mirror and dragged her feet towards the kitchen. As soon as she peeked inside, she saw something that she was not expecting in the slightest. Vince was sitting at the table, and he looked nothing like she remembered.

              The stepbrother that she had once known to be a wiry, average-looking, weasel-like boy had turned into something entirely different. Years of physical training had caught up with him. He had a strong jaw, large, rippling muscles, new tattoos, and even a full beard. Teresa had to give him a second glance to make sure that it was, indeed, Vince. Her jaw fell agape.

              “Hey, sis!” Vince said, smiling. He stood up from his spot at the table and walked towards her, holding out his arms and asking, “How about a hug?”

              “O-oh, y-yeah, of course! Great to see you,” Teresa said, surprised. She melted into his strong arms as he pulled her into a hug and she asked, “How have you been?”

              Vince chuckled and sat back down, replying, “I mean, Qatar is hot as hell, but other than that, it hasn't been so bad. How have things been for you around here?”

              “Oh, nobody cares about that,” Lyle said, waving off Vince's question as he sat down at the end of the table. He laced his hands together and whispered, “Any secret military missions you've been on, son? Did you get to kill any bad guys?”

              Vince stiffened his jaw and cleared his throat.

              “I'm home to get away from that kind of thing, Dad. Maybe we can talk about it later, but I just want to enjoy being home for right now. Is that okay?” he asked.

              Teresa choked down a snigger as Lyle's face fell.

              “O-oh, alright, son. Yeah, I understand,” he murmured. He then shouted, “Helen, hurry up with the lasagna!”

              Vince frowned, seeming a little uneasy regarding the way his father treated his stepmother. Nevertheless, he kept his mouth shut and smiled at Teresa.

              “So, you're stuck living here again, then, huh?” Vince asked. “That has to suck.”

              “Why's it gotta suck?” Lyle asked. “We're pretty fun, eh, Teresa?”

              Teresa gave him a dark look and muttered, “Yeah. Loads and loads of fun. Maybe I'll just stay here forever.”

              Lyle's eyes widened and Teresa smirked to herself. Vince chuckled and she blushed. For some reason, she wanted to impress him. She knew there was no reason for that, considering he was her stepbrother and she had known him for years. Nervously, she took a long drink from the ice water in front of her.

              Finally, Helen walked in the room with a steaming tray of hot lasagna. Smiling, she placed it in the center of the table and grinned.

              “Eh? Look good?” she asked, searching for everyone's approval.

              “Looks great, Helen,” Vince said. “Can't wait to get some good home-cooking!”

              Lyle cocked an eyebrow and said, “Are you sure this is how you made it last time?”

              Helen frowned and said, “What do you mean? It's the same way I always make it.”

              Lyle looked unsure and he muttered, “Doesn't look as cheesy as last time. My son didn't come here to get shorted on cheese.”

              Helen scowled and Teresa took a deep breath. With Lyle's consistently rude comments, it was going to be a long night.

*****

Teresa was finishing her plate of food when Lyle gave her a dark look. She knew that he was going to make an embarrassing comment, so she prepared herself.

              “You okay, Dad?” Vince asked, giving his father a questioning look. “You look like you're about to vomit.”

              Teresa looked up at her stepfather and pursed her lips, adding, “Yeah, Lyle, what's wrong? Something you want to say?”

              “Just watching you shovel food in your face like some kind of animal,” he murmured. He took a drink from his bottle of beer and added, “Who the hell taught you to eat? Wolves?”

              “Lyle!” Helen scolded. She then touched Teresa's hand and said, “You're fine, dear. Eat however you want.”

              Teresa fought the urge to cry and pushed her plate away from her. She then retreated to her room and closed the door, uncontrollable tears running down her face.

              Helen hit Lyle's arm and shook her head, disapprovingly. Lyle did not seem to understand what he did wrong, but even Vince had realized how rude he was being. He stood up from his place at the table and pushed in his chair. Lyle frowned as he chewed on a bite of lasagna.

              “Where ya goin', son?” Lyle asked.

              “I'm going to see if Teresa’s okay,” he said. “Your comment was a little uncalled for, Dad. Maybe you need some military discipline for your mouth.”

              Lyle stared at his back, dumbfounded, as Vince turned the corner and walked down the hallway to Teresa's room. He looked at Helen and furrowed his brow.

              “What the hell did I say?” he asked.

              “Well, you did say my daughter eats like an animal,” she spat, crossing her arms. “You make fun of her manners, but
how about
your
manners?”

              Lyle still did not seem to understand what he did wrong.