pancakes.”
Suri wrinkled her nose. “You are in so much trouble.”
Wolf felt a real smile tug at his lips. He was happy for Jax. Really, he was. The twinge of envy in his chest was something he’d have to deal with.
Deke cleared his throat, which brought everyone’s gaze back to his. “Point is, Wolf, you know what’s on the table. This place is yours for the week. The kitchen and the bar are stocked. But don’t feel like we’re piling on the pressure. Sure, we need a man with your skills, but you have to do what’s right for you.”
“I’ll think about it,” Wolf said, his gaze going out the window to the beach. Already, his thoughts were drifting from the life decision he had to make to the woman he’d observed.
He wondered what he’d say if ever his path crossed hers. Hell, he’d figure it out. He worked best when he went with his gut anyway. “I appreciate the offer,” he said, his glance going from Deke to Jax. “I really do. But I’m not a hundred percent sure what’s next.” He took a deep breath, and then shrugged. “I’ve spent the last twelve years staring down a sniper’s scope, making life-or-death decisions—and no matter what the brass said, I didn’t always feel right about my choices. This time, I want to be sure.”
“Understood,” Deke said. “Just know, whatever your decision, we’ll always have your six.” He turned in his seat to glance out at the ocean. “Jet skis are tethered to the dock…”
At last, a smile stretched across his face, and he pointed at Jax’s plate. “Quick! Finish before Suri gives you more to eat.”
“I heard that,” she said from across the room. “That’s okay. My feelings won’t be hurt. I might ask Piper next door to join me for a swim.”
“Piper?” So maybe he’d said that with a little too much excitement in his voice.
His buddies both raised their eyebrows.
Guess there’s no way to pretend I’m not interested. He cleared his throat. “You mean the redhead next door?”
Suri grinned. “Maybe. You want me to introduce you?”
“Fuck no!” he blurted. “Sorry about my French.”
Jax and Deke began to chuckle and exchanged looks.
“You don’t have to apologize. You all swear like sailors .” She grinned as she placed plastic wrap over the top of the mixing bowl with the remaining pancake batter. “But why not? She seems nice. And, remember, we leave in the morning. A week’s a long time.”
Her heavy hints weren’t lost on anyone. From what he’d heard, only a couple of days were needed for her and Jax to hook up, and then only a couple more before they were firmly a couple. But he wasn’t looking for a love connection, and he suspected the beautiful woman next door wouldn’t consider an out-of-work SEAL a viable partner. “All right. Introduce us. But, I have to warn you now, I’m not good with women.”
Suri gave him a long onceover that sent his nerves tingling. “I think you underestimate your appeal, frogman.”
Jax shifted in his chair. “You really are asking for a spanking now.”
“We don’t need special occasions,” she said, her voice dipping low.
Jax jumped up from his chair and dashed toward Suri, who threw a dishtowel at his head and ran squealing for the stairs.
“Guess she won’t be introducing us any time soon…” So, maybe a little twinge of disappointment stabbed his chest at that thought. It was for the best, though. The last thing Piper needed was him.
Suri wrinkled her nose. “You are in so much trouble.”
Wolf felt a real smile tug at his lips. He was happy for Jax. Really, he was. The twinge of envy in his chest was something he’d have to deal with.
Deke cleared his throat, which brought everyone’s gaze back to his. “Point is, Wolf, you know what’s on the table. This place is yours for the week. The kitchen and the bar are stocked. But don’t feel like we’re piling on the pressure. Sure, we need a man with your skills, but you have to do what’s right for you.”
“I’ll think about it,” Wolf said, his gaze going out the window to the beach. Already, his thoughts were drifting from the life decision he had to make to the woman he’d observed.
He wondered what he’d say if ever his path crossed hers. Hell, he’d figure it out. He worked best when he went with his gut anyway. “I appreciate the offer,” he said, his glance going from Deke to Jax. “I really do. But I’m not a hundred percent sure what’s next.” He took a deep breath, and then shrugged. “I’ve spent the last twelve years staring down a sniper’s scope, making life-or-death decisions—and no matter what the brass said, I didn’t always feel right about my choices. This time, I want to be sure.”
“Understood,” Deke said. “Just know, whatever your decision, we’ll always have your six.” He turned in his seat to glance out at the ocean. “Jet skis are tethered to the dock…”
At last, a smile stretched across his face, and he pointed at Jax’s plate. “Quick! Finish before Suri gives you more to eat.”
“I heard that,” she said from across the room. “That’s okay. My feelings won’t be hurt. I might ask Piper next door to join me for a swim.”
“Piper?” So maybe he’d said that with a little too much excitement in his voice.
His buddies both raised their eyebrows.
Guess there’s no way to pretend I’m not interested. He cleared his throat. “You mean the redhead next door?”
Suri grinned. “Maybe. You want me to introduce you?”
“Fuck no!” he blurted. “Sorry about my French.”
Jax and Deke began to chuckle and exchanged looks.
“You don’t have to apologize. You all swear like sailors .” She grinned as she placed plastic wrap over the top of the mixing bowl with the remaining pancake batter. “But why not? She seems nice. And, remember, we leave in the morning. A week’s a long time.”
Her heavy hints weren’t lost on anyone. From what he’d heard, only a couple of days were needed for her and Jax to hook up, and then only a couple more before they were firmly a couple. But he wasn’t looking for a love connection, and he suspected the beautiful woman next door wouldn’t consider an out-of-work SEAL a viable partner. “All right. Introduce us. But, I have to warn you now, I’m not good with women.”
Suri gave him a long onceover that sent his nerves tingling. “I think you underestimate your appeal, frogman.”
Jax shifted in his chair. “You really are asking for a spanking now.”
“We don’t need special occasions,” she said, her voice dipping low.
Jax jumped up from his chair and dashed toward Suri, who threw a dishtowel at his head and ran squealing for the stairs.
“Guess she won’t be introducing us any time soon…” So, maybe a little twinge of disappointment stabbed his chest at that thought. It was for the best, though. The last thing Piper needed was him.
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