Her Secret Pirate Page 3
“Yes. And Dad has been telling me all kinds of stories too. I think he’s afraid I’d get serious with you, and now that he knows you’re not just a self-defense instructor….” She trailed off, shrugging. She didn’t have to explain political life.
“He approves now, huh?” Zone sounded amused. “Elite soldier much better sounding than part-time immigrant, right?”
She made a face. “You’re not going to argue with him about politics again, are you?”
“I’d rather do other stuff, actually.” He leaned closer. “Like play pirate. You gonna invite me in?”
She flushed at the heat in his eyes. She wanted him too. It had been too long. But things needed to be said and that was why she had chosen to meet him down here and not up at her place, where it would be too easy to succumb to temptation. Even right now, in the relative safety of traffic and boring asphalt, she was thinking of him pulling off his clothes in her room and Zone naked was a sight to behold. Nope, conversation wouldn’t be first priority.
She cocked her head and looked up at him. “Why do I get the feeling we aren’t going to talk when we go up? You agreed to dinner, remember?”
He growled mockingly. “Me hungry,” he said, emphasizing his accent. “Very. Sweets, you look good enough to eat.” He held up a hand and added, “But if you want to talk, we will. I already emailed how I feel.”
She laughed as she pulled out the card to unlock the building front doors. “Oh. You mean, ‘everything is cool. I want to be with you’ is how you feel?”
“I’m not great with words, I know.” He shrugged. “The last time we discussed my job, when you found out what I do, we ended up arguing.”
And she still felt ashamed of her thoughtlessness. “I know and I’m…”
“Quit apologizing, Rebecca. I’d rather we argue than not talk at all. Just don’t give me the cold shoulder again. That’s the part I didn’t like.”
They went inside and were silent as they waited for the elevator. She studied him and he looked back solemnly, as if that was all that was on his mind. She wasn’t fooled at all.
When they were inside the elevator, she said, “It’s the political brat in me. I promise to curb her tongue from now on. Like I said, I’ve been reading up about the SEALs. I wanted to know what you are, what you do, and not be ignorant any more.”
He sighed. “But you know me. I’m Zone. I’m crazy about you. I enjoy apple pie and ice cream. I love watching soccer. And right now, all I want to do is spend the night with you, showing you what an absolutely normal male I am.”
His words warmed her insides. Sure, the man didn’t say much but he’d always been good at showing her what he meant.
“I’m just a bit afraid, that’s all.”
“Of what?”
“Well, the first time we really talked about what you really do, we went off on a tangent and started arguing about politics. No, don’t interrupt, I’m not apologizing any more, I swear. I just wanted to say I spouted off on things I know very little about and should have tried to see it from your point of view. I’m just afraid it’ll happen again and—”
“Difference in opinion is okay, babe. It’s healthy. As long as you don’t hold a grudge and make it all about the relationship, you know?”
She frowned. “I did that, didn’t I?”
“Yeah. I felt bad because I didn’t know how to get to you, make you understand. It’s not a glamorous way of life, like being an ambassador or his aide, so I kind of feel there’s no comparison with anything you do or see everyday. That’s why I didn’t want to talk about it. Or argue.”
They reached her floor and the door opened. Rebecca ignored it. This was the longest Zone had ever talked about his feelings and she wasn’t going to let this pass.
“Until now,” she said, “I not only have an idea now. I’ve seen you in action up close.”
He cocked his head. Reached out and pressed the button to keep the door from closing “Yeah.”
“You put yourself in danger for others.”
“It’s my job. Not much different from being a fireman.”
She smiled. “A fireman?”
He shrugged. “I wanted to be a fireman when I was a kid.”
“So you just like to save people, is that it?”
He laughed. “I wish I have a simple answer, Rebecca. It’s what I’m good at. Risky, yes, but somebody has to do the job and why not me, one of the best?
He said it without arrogance. And why should he when he was exactly that? A SEAL was the best of those who went through the rigorous BUD/S training. Rebecca shook her head and exited. He followed.
“Rebecca?”
She turned and saw he didn’t understand her reaction. She touched his arm. “I was just amused at your matter-of-factness. But it’s so a part of you too—always to the point. That’s why we started arguing, I think. I was being idealistic and you were being realistic.”
He captured her hand in his “I’m being both about us, you know.”
“How so?”
He kissed her fingertips. “Idealistically speaking, I would like our relationship to be realistic.”
She laughed again. “And here I thought you were going to be a romantic and make me all soft and gooey with love words.”
He leaned closer. “Babe.”
It was all he said. The man could make one word sound like the sexiest paragraph ever. She tugged at his hand and he followed willingly. Okay, one last try at being realistic because once they were inside her apartment….
“Zone, we’re talking about a long-distance relationship. With my dad’s new appointment, I’ll be traveling a lot the next year or so. It’s going to be tough for us.”
They paused outside her door. He turned. Tipped her chin up with his forefinger. “It’s tough to be in any relationship. Ours will be challenging. All along, I’ve been willing to give it all I got, even with your dad’s disapproval. The most important thing I want to know now is, are you tough enough to be with me?”
She met his eyes squarely. “Hey, you saw me knock down a bad guy twice my size. You think I’m not tough enough?”
His smile was slow. “Remembering you moving like that made all those hours on the floor mat worth it. Let’s try it in bed. You can hold me down and have your way with me. And then I’ll—are we through talking yet? ’Cause I’m very hungry.”
She opened the door. “Welcome home, sailor.”
“Arrrrr.” In one smooth move, he threw her over one shoulder and strode in, one foot kicking the door shut behind him.
Rebecca smiled as she reached down to smack the very sexy butt below. Her very own secret pirate. Not many women could boast that.
The End
Dear Reader,
Thank you for buying my short story. If you’re interested in the rest of the SEAL series, here are the titles:
The Crossfire SEAL series
PROTECTOR
HUNTER
SLEEPER
(My Secret) PIRATE (short story, originally part of the anthology SEAL of my Dreams)
About the Author
Gennita Low writes sexy military and techno spy-fi romance. She also co-owns a roof construction business and knows 600 ways to kill with roofing tools as well as yell at her workers in five languages. A three-time Golden Heart finalist, her first book, Into Danger, about a SEAL out-of-water, won the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award for Best Romantic Intrigue. Besides her love for SEALs, she works with an Airborne Ranger who taught her all about mental toughness and physical endurance. Gennita lives in Florida with her mutant poms and one chubby squirrel.
To learn more about Gennita, visit www.Gennita-Low.com, www.rooferauthor.blogspot.com and www.facebook.com/gennita
Other Books by Gennita Low
BIG BAD WOLF
~ ~ Crossfire Series ~ ~
PROTECTOR
HUNTER
SLEEPER
HER SECRET PIRATE (short story in SEAL of my Dreams)
&nbs
p; ~ ~ Secret Assassins (S.A.S.S.) ~ ~
INTO DANGER
FACING FEAR
TEMPTING TROUBLE
~.~.Super Soldier Spy ~ ~
VIRTUALLY HIS
VIRTUALLY HERS
~ ~ Children’s books as “Gennita” ~ ~
A SQUIRREL CAME TO STAY
Table of Contents
Copyright
(Her Secret) Pirate (Crossfire)
EPILOGUE
Dear Reader,
About the Author
Other Books by Gennita Low