“Did she sleep a lot? Stop eating or lose weight? Seem to be in a fog all the time?”

  Baffled, he nodded. If he didn’t know any better he’d assume Reganne had met his mother. “She blamed my dad. Told him if he’d been home more she wouldn’t have been so lonely. So miserable.”

  “Transference. She avoided her own problems by making them someone else’s.”

  Mind blown and guilt riding him hard, Grey took a long swig from his bottle. How could he have missed this? His mother had been sick and he never once considered that. He just assumed she hated her life and dealt with it by taking pills. Hell, she said it every other day. He suspected his dad stayed away because he didn’t know how to help or fix it.

  God, had they both been wrong? Failed her?

  The thought weighed heavily on him.

  “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

  “No, it’s okay. I just never considered that.”

  Reganne’s hand covered his where it rested on the table. “Is your mom still alive?”

  “No. She OD’d a few years ago.”

  “I’m so sorry.”

  “Me, too. Now that I know I may have been able to help her and I never did.”

  “We can’t be sure of that. Just because her symptoms fit the disease doesn’t mean she had it.”

  Deep down, he knew that she had. And he hadn’t done anything about it. The dinner he’d eaten churned in his stomach. Couldn’t change the past, he knew that, but it didn’t make it any easier to swallow.

  “It’s been quite a night, hasn’t it?”

  He drained his beer and met her eyes. “It has.” Between hearing of her ex, wanting to pound the guy’s face in for what he’d done to Reganne, and learning he might have failed his mother it had been one hell of a night. And it was only eight o’clock.

  “How about we clean this up and play a game of Yahtzee?”

  He quirked a brow. “Yahtzee?”

  She sent him a devilish smile. “I’m pretty good at dice games.”

  He met her grin with one of his own. “So am I.”

  “Ooh, a challenge. Shall we?”

  He grabbed his plate. “You’re on.”

  They cleaned the dishes, loaded the dishwasher, put the leftovers in containers in the fridge and met at the coffee table. Reganne sat on the floor across from him, a red box between them.

  She lifted off the lid. “Ready to lose, sailor?”

  “I never lose.”

  Their eyes met and something passed between them. The air charged, and not from the storm raging outside. Reganne licked her bottom lip, drawing his eyes there. Sinful. No woman should have lips so kissable.

  Her gaze dropped first, breaking the spell. Damn, this woman was getting to him. In more ways than one.

  She handed him a score pad and pencil then set the dice on the table. They both picked one up and rolled. He got a five. She got a six.

  “Won that one.” She sent him a wicked smile as she gathered all five dice.

  He chuckled as she shook the dice and dropped them on the table. She set aside three ‘fours’ and rolled again. Slowly, as the game progressed, the weight on his shoulders lessened, replaced by the teasing banter of the game.

  Reganne proved to be a worthy opponent. She beat him two out of three games. He didn’t mind. If it put a smile on her face he would let her win all night.

  All the candles filled the room with utterly female scents. Roses, something a bit spicy he really liked. Reminded him of one of the jungles he’d been in.

  “I should probably wrap this up.” She put the dice in the box. “I have to work in the morning.”

  Grey put their score pads in the box. “I’m not comfortable leaving you alone. Not until your ex has been dealt with.”

  She slid the lid on the game. “There’s really nothing you can do. But, thank you.”

  The hell there wasn’t. “Do you have someone who can stay with you?”

  Her gaze dropped. “No.”

  “Then you’re stuck with me. I’ll take the couch until we figure this out.”

  “What? No, I can’t do that to you. You have a life. Babysitting me isn’t part of it.”

  “I’m not leaving you alone knowing that psycho is out there.”

  She laughed. A short burst of nervous energy. “I’ll get you some bedding.”

  Game in hand, she picked up one of the candles and went upstairs. When she returned she carried sheets and blankets in her arms. He took them from her and set them on the end of the sofa.

  “I can make up the bed for you,” Reganne offered.

  “I got it. Get some rest. I’ll be right here if you need me.”

  She nodded before going back upstairs. He watched her go, wishing he could go with her. Sleep in her bed. Feel all that silky skin wrapped around him.

  Grey cursed softly. He’d usually worked off this restless energy by now. Since meeting Reganne he had no desire to visit a bar and take a ready, willing woman home to satiate his needs. He’d rather be here, with her, learning everything he could about her. Getting close to her.

  Wasn’t that a complication he didn’t need?

  Despite his revelation tonight about his mother, he still had no intention of bringing a woman into his world. Clinical depression or not, his mother hadn’t been able to handle military life and he couldn’t bear losing another woman because of his career.

  With jerky movements he made up his bed and lay down to listen to Reganne moving around upstairs.

  Better not to imagine her undressing for bed.

  Muttering, he rolled onto his side. He wished her ex would make a move so he could blow off some steam in the second best way: physically.

  The first was sex.

  Grey groaned and closed his eyes. Looked like a long night ahead of him.

  Chapter Nine

  Reganne lay awake in bed. Knowing Grey was downstairs should be a comfort. Instead it had her in knots. Knots only a woman could understand. Especially if she hadn’t been with a man in almost a year.

  A tall, muscular, handsome Navy SEAL who made her stomach flutter every time she looked at him. Someone who made her smile and laugh again.

  A man who hadn’t run hard and fast in the opposite direction after hearing her story. The fact he stayed made her uncharacteristically melancholy. Having him watch over her made her feel safe and protected. Something she hadn’t felt in a long time.

  Something she wanted to feel forever.

  Reganne threw the covers off and swung her feet to the floor. She had fallen for Senior Chief Petty Officer Greyson Stone. Head over heels, never-felt-this-way, let’s-spend-our-life-together fallen. Not even with Carsen had she felt such a strong attraction to someone. This felt different. More real. Stronger.

  And if she’d learned one thing from her experience with her ex it was that life was too short. She’d once been the kind of woman who decided what she wanted and went after it. No holds barred. It had gotten her through medical school and residency. Carsen couldn’t steal that away from her. He might have caused her to bury it and forget the real her for a while, but Grey brought her back. With him, she felt normal.

  Feeling free, happy, she walked softly down the stairs. The instant her bare feet hit the landing Grey’s voice drifted through the darkness.

  “Reganne? What’s wrong?”

  Drawn to his deep timbre she crossed the room to where he half-lay, half-sat on the couch. She put her hands on his shoulders and climbed on top of him, gently pushing him back against his pillow.

  “Reganne?”

  Leaning down, she pressed her lips to his. His arms came around her, strong and safe, pulling her closer. With a soft sigh she parted her lips beneath the gentle nudging of his. He took over the kiss, tasting and exploring. Butterflies set flight in her belly when his calloused hands slipped under her tank top and rasped against her lower back.

  She rubbed against the erection pressing into her. Gasped when he pushed back. His lips left hers to trail down her neck. Her head fell back, allowing him more access.

  Against the pulse pounding in her throat he murmured, “Are you sure about this?”

  A shudder worked its way through her. Never had she been more sure of anything in her life. “Yes.”

  With a low growl he sat up, then rose to his feet, bringing her with him. She wrapped her legs around his waist, kissing his neck. He tasted like the ocean, salty and pure male. A heady combination.

  God, he smelled good. Felt good. Carried her like she weighed nothing more than a feather. That turned her on almost as much as feeling him hot and hard against her. Anticipation zinged through her veins as Grey carried her up to her loft bedroom, kissing her deeper with each step.

  By time they reached her bed she was so hot for him she could barely breathe. He lowered her to the bed, following her down. The weight of him pressing her into the mattress made her breath catch. She’d definitely made the right decision and would never regret it. No matter what happened between her and Grey.

  ****

  Grey watched Reganne pull off her spaghetti strapped tank top, then shimmy her shorts down her legs and toss them aside. They’d lit a couple candles, the flames causing a soft glow on her beautiful skin. He stood at the foot of the bed, drinking her in. She was the most gorgeous woman he’d ever seen. Perfect in every way.

  “Are you going to stand there all night or are you going to remove those clothes?” She bit her lip.

  He grinned, grabbed his t-shirt behind his neck and shucked it. Followed by his shorts. Reganne sent him an appreciative smile, making his blood boil. The woman turned him inside out with a simple smile.

  Sliding his hands up her shapely legs, loving the feel of her skin beneath his touch, he slowly lowered himself over her. Her arms immediately circled his waist, spanning his back. He lowered his head and kissed her, their tongues doing a mating dance as old as time. It took everything he had not to plunge inside her.

  When she rubbed against him he groaned. “Condom.”

  She pulled back. “Oh, God, please tell me you have one.”

  “I have two.” He grinned, reaching for his wallet. Packet in hand he tore it open.

  “Let me.” Reganne took it from him.

  He watched the most beautiful woman roll the condom on him, barely holding himself in check.

  When she finished she lay back, holding her arms out to him. He went willingly. Kissing her, he entered her slowly, absorbing the way she stretched to fit him, closed around him so hot and tight.

  Reganne moaned, her fingers digging into his shoulders, urging him deeper. Their bodies synced in a rhythm that took him to the brink.

  When he could hold back no more he took them over the edge, plunging deep, feeling her clench around him. Reganne cried out, pulling him closer.

  Spent, satiated, he collapsed on his elbows, kissing her slow. Things stirred in his chest he didn’t want to identify just yet. Although, deep down he knew he’d fallen for this sexy pediatrician. Hell, he’d fallen hard at the party.

  “You’re beautiful,” he murmured against her lips.

  She smiled, soft and pretty. “You said you had two condoms, right?”

  He grinned. “Yes, ma’am.”

  Her hips rocked against him. “Good. Because I’m not done with you yet, sailor.”

  Laughing, he pulled her close. Never wanting to let her go.

  ****

  The next morning the alarm on Reganne’s phone woke him up. Reganne groaned and reached over him to turn it off, leaving her arm draped across his chest.

  “Is it really time to get up already?” she muttered.

  Grey chuckled and kissed the top of her head. “Power’s back on. You have time to catch a shower first.”

  Her head lifted off his shoulder. “Want to join me?”

  His turn to groan. “Love to, but we used all my condoms last night.”

  “We can do other things.”

  Damn, he loved this woman.

  Whoa.

  The thought bounced around his head a few times before he came to realize it really didn’t scare him as much as he expected.

  He kissed her, loving the way she responded. “If I could trust myself to leave it at that, I’d run after you.” He nibbled her lower lip. “But, honey, if I get you naked in the shower right now I’m afraid I won’t be able to control myself.”

  Her smile almost made him change his mind. Instead, he nudged her out of bed, enjoying the sight of her gorgeous, naked body as she walked toward the adjoining bathroom.

  She cast a glance over her shoulder. “One last chance, sailor.”

  He groaned. “I’ll make the coffee, vixen.”

  With a laugh she disappeared into the bathroom. He got up, dressed, and went downstairs to start a pot before he did something he might regret and joined her.

  The hold this woman had on him should have sent him running. After their talk about his mom some of the burden he’d carried for years had begun to lift. Replaced with guilt that he might have been able to do something to help her, but he could manage that. Hindsight was twenty/twenty. Couldn’t change the past, but he could change the future.

  After finding the coffee, he scooped it into the pot. Was he insane? Thinking about marriage. Something he’d sworn never to do.

  Ah, God. He had it bad.

  He liked his life. Looked forward to going to the cabin alone after deployments. Liked no-strings-attached sex.

  Or so he’d thought. Spending his life sleeping next to the same woman sounded pretty damn good. Especially a sexy redheaded pediatrician who made him want things he’d vowed never to.

  His cell vibrated. His XO, commanding officer. Time to go back to work. He took the call, which lasted only seconds. After disconnecting, he finished making the coffee and leaned against the counter while it brewed.

  They were being called in for training. O-six-hundred tomorrow. The familiar energy that always filled him when called to work flowed through his veins. Except this time unease followed. What about Reganne? Her ex was still out there and presented a threat. He wouldn’t be here to protect her. And if something happened to her while he was away he’d never forgive himself.

  He would talk to Donovan and see if a couple of his brothers could keep an eye on her until he could be here to do it himself. They all rotated shifts at the restaurant so it shouldn’t be a problem. The Demarcos were a loyal family. He had no doubt the brothers would help out. He wouldn’t be able to train without distraction if they didn’t.

  Grey scrubbed a hand down his face.

  “Everything okay?”

  At the sound of Reganne’s voice he dropped his hand and looked up to see her standing a few feet away. Dressed in form-fitting skirt and sheer blouse, her hair pulled back in a professional-looking ponytail. She looked every inch the professional and he fell even more.

  “Team Five has been called in for training.”

  “Oh. All right. What exactly does that mean?”

  The coffee pot signaled the end of the brewing cycle. He turned and poured two cups full. When he turned Reganne sat at the island separating the living room from the kitchen. He set a cup in front of her.

  “It means my leave is over. I have to report at six in the morning.”

  She wrapped her hands around her cup, staring at it. “Okay.”

  “I wish I could tell you more.”

  “I understand. It’s like patient confidentiality. You can’t talk about it.”

  He hadn’t thought about it that way, but, yeah, she did get it. “I’m going to talk to Donovan and have his brothers keep an eye on you.”

  Her chin lifted. “That isn’t necessary. I can take care of myself, Grey. I’m not afraid of being alone.”

  His chest constricted. The key to making it as a SEALs wife was the ability to spend weeks to months alone. Clearly, she was the perfect woman.

  “Until your ex is out of the picture I’m not leaving you unprotected.”

  Something crossed her face before she looked away. Softly, she said, “I can’t tell you what that means to me.”

  Grey rounded the counter and cupped her chin, lifting until their gazes met. “I will always protect you.”

  Tears filled her eyes and he knew he would never let this woman go. He pulled her into his arms and she hugged him tight.

  The tears didn’t fall, but she held on longer than expected. Strong didn’t begin to describe her. She’d been through hell with her ex and lived to tell about it. Now her ex was back and stalking her and she still found the courage to go on.

  He would be proud to have her at his side.

  She pulled away. “I really should get to work. My first patient arrives in fifteen minutes.”

  “I’ll drive you.”

  This time she didn’t argue. Just nodded and stood. She grabbed an apple from the fruit basket and her purse.

  They walked out to his truck, and he did a quick scan of the area to make sure no one waited in hiding. The short drive passed in silence.

  He parked in front of the office. “What time should I pick you up?”

  “Five-thirty.” She leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Thank you.”

  He waved to her, waiting until she stepped inside the office to drive away. Instead of going home he headed for Demarco’s Italian Café and Restaurant.

  Chapter Ten

  Reganne breezed through her day, treating patients, barely able to keep a smile off her face. She was in love. This time it felt real. True. After last night she had no doubt she wanted to spend the rest of her life with Grey. It was crazy, rash, and made her giddy with excitement. She’d never acted this way with Carsen. Proof that she’d never really loved her ex, just got caught up in his charm and lies.

  Then when he told her he’d always protect her she took that last step over the edge. Could she really live the military life? Deal with her husband being gone more than he was home, not being able to tell her where he was or what he did there? Well, that part she understood. Related to. In her line of work confidentiality was required. Just like Grey’s. That would never be an issue because she couldn’t tell him anymore about her work than he could his.

 

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