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

thing.  Mostly for the young and foolish.  We’d hike up these massive cliffs out there—the view was pretty spectacular.  Then we’d line up, jump off the edge, and land in the ocean.”
    She looked at him in horror, and he grinned.  “Not an adrenaline junkie, huh?”
    “Definitely not.”
    “Yeah, it might not be good with your asthma anyway.”
    “Evan—”
    “Yeah, yeah.  Back to my story.  Cliff diving is dangerous, but that’s part of the fun.  The rush.  I’m not dumb enough to try it anymore, but hell, I was young then.  And don’t get me wrong—the thrill of it was exhilarating.  Some of the other guys jumped off, shouting and howling as they landed in the water below.  I decided that I had to show them up. Why jump off a cliff when I could dive or do some trick?”
    “You did a flip.”
    “I somersaulted through the air.  One of the craziest things I’ve ever done, because I could’ve hit my head on the rocks.”
    “You could’ve hit your entire body on the rocks—splat.”
    “Yeah, guess so.”
    At least he had the decency to look a little sheepish.   “We see injuries in the hospital all the time from people being reckless.  That’s dangerous, Evan.”
    He chuffed out a laugh.  “I’m a Navy SEAL, Ali.  My entire career is dangerous.”
    She frowned as his words washed over her.  He was right.  Cliff diving was probably one of the least dangerous things he’d done in his lifetime.  Those guys deployed to God-knows-where, fighting dangerous enemies, getting right in the line of fire.  She didn’t even know what he did—couldn’t—because it was so highly classified.  Fighting with drug lords, terrorists, and insurgents was probably par for the course in the line of duty.
    The idea of Evan in harm’s way didn’t sit well with her.
    “Are you worried about me?” he asked, cocking his head.
    “Well, yeah.”  Her stomach flipped as she met his gaze.  Butterflies that hadn’t been there earlier let loose when he looked at her that way.  He reached across the table and clasped her hand, his thumb running over her knuckles.  Shockwaves rocked through her at his gentle touch.  His hand looked so large holding her own, but somehow it was gentle.  Reassuring.
    She swallowed nervously, sparks sizzling through her entire body.  For a moment, she imagined those hands running all over her heated skin.  Touching her.  Caressing her.  Kneading her breasts.  Trailing across her stomach as they went lower….
    “Don’t be,” Evan said, flashing an easy grin.  She snapped out of her daze, pulling her hand back before she did anything she’d really regret.  “It’s dangerous, yes, but we’re well trained.  That’s why I’m so exhausted that I can barely move tonight.  We train hard and fight harder.”
    “And then you came over and fixed me dinner,” she said, her voice soft.
    He met her gaze.  “I like you.”
    She swallowed nervously.  His words were so right, but that didn’t negate the fact that he was all wrong.  “Evan, thanks for making us dinner, but I think you should go.”  She felt pinpricks of tears and abruptly stood, dropping her napkin onto the table.  “It just wouldn’t work between us.”  She wouldn’t let herself date another man who she had no future with.  The fact that she was already developing feelings for Evan just showed that she needed to end whatever this was.  Now.
    “Ali,” Evan said, his voice gruff.
    She was already exiting the kitchen, crossing through the living room.   Her mind whirled from the wine, the late hour, and the heat that had been coursing through her ever since Evan had taken her hand at dinner.   The pad of his thumb skimming ever-so-slightly over her knuckles had practically made her shiver in delight.  Why did his touch always feel so damn good?
    Evan was hot on her heels, easily catching up to her with his long strides.  She felt a tightness constricting her chest.  They