“Beach burnout?”
“You could say that. I like beaches. I just like a little variety, too.”
“I can understand that, but then again, I moved to an island and never looked back. The fact is, I spent enough time in swamps and deserts and foreign cities when I was on combat missions. I like the easygoing pace here and the good weather. Does that make me sound as old as I think it does?” he asked ruefully.
“Honestly? Yes. You sound about seventy-three years old to me. But then, you traveled a lot. I want to explore so many places I haven’t seen and go on adventures. Since all that’s behind you—" I said.
“Behind me? You mean in the rearview mirror of the rolling walker I have to use to get to bingo night?” he chuckled. “I don’t think there’s anything worse you could’ve said that would make me want to challenge you to the breaking point on our hike. My adventures are not all behind me. I may just make you beg for mercy,” he said archly.
I felt a tingle and a gush between my thighs. Damn this guy was going to be the death of me.
“I didn’t mean it that way, or if I did, I meant to tease you and not to be that harsh,” I said, half apologetically, half fizzy with excitement.
“So, you’re backpedaling to try to escape the challenge? I’ll show you who’s old and out of shape,” he said mischievously.
“Well, I can see you’re in shape,” I blurted out. “Not that I’m looking at your body or anything like that.”
“Eyes up, Morgan,” he said. “I’m not a piece of meat.”
He was joking, but that stern soldier note in his voice tracked right up my spine with a shiver. And the way he said my name… I liked it. A smile played on my lips, not shy but seductive now. So that was a good sign it was time to quit flirting and call it a night. Maybe take a really cold swim when I got back to the hotel. I scraped the last bite from my tiramisu dish and signaled for the check.
“No, it’s on me,” he said.
“No, I’m working. I interviewed you. It goes on the expense account,” I said smoothly.
There was a flash of annoyance on his face but he buried it quickly, back to his affable, charming ways. I had thwarted his chivalry, and he probably was used to women falling at his feet with sighs. I gave myself credit for paying my own way, or at least for charging it to work. I was no easy mark, and I could enjoy his company and the thrill of spending time with him on our upcoming hike without giving him my heart to destroy or my panties to put in his trophy case.
I told him good night, and after I drove back to the resort, I called Maggie.
“So I found an Irish pub that’s run by five retired Navy SEALs who all live and work on the island. One of them does hikes, and I’ve booked one for Thursday. He’s so hot he should be the stock photo shirtless guy on romance novel covers.”
“Does that mean your cynical view of love has changed?”
“Not love, honey. Lust with a capital L. He has lovely green eyes and dark chocolate hair and he’s very tall and built like Captain America.”
“Eh, sounds too ordinary,” she joked.
“Right. Ordinary. We were talking about the island and traveling and I gave him shit about being an old retired guy who lives on the beach, and he just whipped around and came out with how he was going to make me beg for mercy on that hike.”
“I bet you told him off.”
“I didn’t tell him off. I didn’t back down, but I was just—soaking wet, Maggie. It was like an electrical surge right to the crotch.”
“So you like a Navy SEAL that talks rough. This isn’t news. I don’t think there’s a woman who’s ever seen an action movie who doesn’t want, like, The Rock to boss them around in the bedroom.”
“Or Vin Diesel.”
“So he can say I AM GROOT to you in bed?” she laughed.
“I meant in Fast and Furious,” I groaned, “Although Bradley Cooper can talk in his Rocket Raccoon voice and I still wouldn’t kick him outta bed.”
“Same. So this SEAL,” she said archly. “Is he going to be your reckoning? The guy who gets past your panties and gives you life-changing orgasms?”
“Life-changing? He’s a professional hiker, Mags.”
“So, that means his hamstrings are flexible and he isn’t afraid of a climb.”
“Is that supposed to mean something sexual?”
“Of course it is. What is wrong with you?”
“I’ve never been with a guy and wished he had more flexible hamstrings.”
“Anyway,” Maggie said. “Just send me a picture of Captain Hottie. I want to see what you’re dealing with.”
“That’s not why I’m here. I’m here to write an article to get a big fat check that will help me build my launch-the-blog fund.”
“And have life-altering orgasms that change your jaded view of romance,” Maggie said.
“Uh, sure, I’ll put that on my to-do list,” I rolled my eyes.
But I couldn’t help thinking maybe I should be a little more careful with Billy O’Shea than I was already. My reaction to him was probably worth paying attention to and keeping my guard up.
Chapter 6
Billy
I checked the air conditioning. It was still set at seventy-two and should be perfectly comfortable. I threw off my comforter. It wasn’t hot. So why was I sweating? Why was my blood practically boiling? It was hours since I’d talked to Morgan. But I kept replaying my conversation with her, unable to sleep. I tossed and turned and couldn’t get comfortable at all. I was typically a good sleeper. The SEALs will teach you that—sleep when and where you can. No reason to be precious about comfort or convenience. Sleep was just a necessity of life. And I usually had no trouble with it.
I was usually not obsessing over a woman, beautiful and sharp and witty. I was really looking forward to taking Morgan on a hike. The fact that it was a one-on-one meant I’d have hours with her, showing her my favorite part of the island and spending loads of time getting to know her and flirting with her. I had not been this excited about meeting up with a woman since I was a sophomore in high school and boosted Mickey’s truck three weeks before my sixteenth birthday to take a cheerleader out on a date. I had gel in my hair and adrenaline and testosterone running through my veins that night. Admittedly, Mickey and Brendan tracked me down and embarrassed the hell out of me in front of her for being too young to drive and took my sorry ass home, and she never even spoke to me again.
I still remembered the supernatural excitement of getting ready to sneak out on that date. The time I’d spent sitting across the table from Morgan was the only time I’d ever recaptured that high. Not even the thrill of a covert combat mission had run as sharp and sweet in my veins as this feeling. My whole body thrummed with anticipation and desire. I was rock hard, and there was no distracting myself or getting past it. All those years in the SEALs, I had to ignore any urges I had, keep my mind on the mission. Now I’d been out of the service long enough that, although I still considered myself disciplined, I’d had my share of women. It wasn’t unusual for me to be attracted to someone, but it was way out of the ordinary for me to have an untamable hard-on hours later. Something about her got under my skin and made me want to get her under me as fast as possible. It felt wild and primal like my skin itched with need and I could have howled at the moon with frustrated longing.