SEALed with a Kiss (Alpha SEALs Book 2) by Makenna Jameison

with monsters who’d hurt innocent women and children.”
    Alison glanced up at Evan, seeing the anger cross his expression.  He’d probably seen more than most guys his age.  Heck, he’d probably seen a lot more than her.
    She brushed some of her hair back from her face, taking a bite of the food.  It tasted delicious, the Italian meatballs pairing perfectly with the spicy sauce.  So what if it wasn’t completely from scratch.  It was much better than the quick salad she’d intended to have.
    She wondered how well Evan really knew Rebecca or her daughter.  The whole team seemed to hold an affectionate spot in their hearts for the two of them—either because they’d all come together to protect Rebecca during the stalker incident or because she’d won over their hardened SEAL team member. Patrick’s nickname was “Ice,” after all.  Which reminded her….
    “Rebecca said Patrick’s nickname is Ice.  Do you have some kind of crazy name, too?”
    “Crazy?” His eyes sparked as he watched her.
    “You know.  Some macho, made-up SEAL name no one else knows about.”
    Evan laughed, a deep hearty sound.  It sounded loud in her normally quiet townhome, and Alison realized that she liked it.  She liked his presence here, too, she had to admit to herself.  Maybe even a little bit too much.  He filled up physical space with his large frame, but his personality warmed her home as well.  He was friendly and teasing.  Caring.  Tough.  There were so many different sides to him, and a part of Alison longed to see all of them. To know all of Evan.
    “All the guys end up with a nickname—either in BUD/S or sometime soon after when they become part of a SEAL team.  It’s not exactly top secret stuff, though.”
    Alison watched him, enjoying the grin on his handsome face.  He had a bit of a five-o’clock-shadow tonight—not very prominent, since he had blond hair.  The bit of scruff did manage to make him look older though.  She decided she liked it.  He stretched, gripping his muscular hands together as he flexed those massive arms.  Evan was so, sooo the exact opposite of the last guy she’d dated.  How had she ever thought she’d be interested in a buttoned-up accountant type?
    Evan was daring and adventurous.  His very job was one most men could never hope to achieve.  She wasn’t sure how many Navy SEALs there were, but it couldn’t have been a heck of a lot.  Those tests were grueling—she knew that much.  She expected guys like him to be cocky, arrogant.  Maybe some of them were, she thought, recalling Brent.  Evan was confident, yes, but not in an obnoxious way.  He was comfortable in his own skin.  Friendly.  Although she had no doubt he would fight to the death to protect those he cared about, he didn’t go around flaunting his power or strength.  It just was.
    Starting anything with Evan would be a bad, bad idea.  But how many men would cook dinner for a woman they barely knew when she’d already said they were just friends?  Either he was just an extremely nice guy or else extremely confident that he’d somehow convince her to change her mind.  Licks of heat coursed through her at the idea, and she thought of the many, many ways Evan could touch and caress her with those large hands.  She bit her lip as she watched him.
    “I’d give my left arm to know what you’re thinking right now,” Evan admitted, his voice rough.
    “Nothing.”  She couldn’t hide her smile.
    “You’re trouble.” Evan smirked.  His blue eyes danced as she met his gaze.
    “Tell me about this nickname,” she said, taking a sip of her wine.
    “Oh, it’s nothing too cool.  The guys call me ‘Flip.’”
    “Flip?”
    “Yeah.  I was a swimmer when I was younger—lifeguard, too.  You couldn’t keep me out of the water.  Anyway, one weekend before BUD/S we all went cliff diving.”
    “Cliff diving?”
    “Yeah, out in California.  It’s kind of a daredevil, thrill-seeker type of