SEAL's Embrace - Makenna Jameison Page 0,43
embarrassing childhood stories about me or something.”
“That’s for next time,” Grayson said with a wink. “I gave her my cell number.”
“Great,” Hailey said, mock rolling her eyes. “You two will be besties before I know it.”
“I figured if she wanted any updates she could just call or text me. She seemed relieved to have someone to check in with about you.”
“That sounds like her,” Hailey said with a smile. “Sorry about that. But I do appreciate you talking to her so she wouldn’t worry.”
“I ran out to the store earlier while you were sleeping. I can still pick up whatever you want later on or tomorrow, but I went ahead and made dinner. Like I said, I was out of pretty much everything since I tossed my perishable food before our op. I never know exactly how long I’ll be gone, so it’s easier just to clean out my fridge before I go.”
“It smells amazing,” she said. “And that’s saying something since I can’t breathe too well through my stuffy nose.”
“I have to admit I only cook a few things—chili being one. I picked up some extra cans of soup though and some crackers if you’d prefer that.”
“I’ll try your chili,” she said with a smile. “I don’t suppose you have any cold medicine?”
“Yep. I grabbed some earlier before I went to your hotel. I should have offered it to you when we got back to my place, but you were asleep on my sofa by the time I grabbed your suitcase.”
“Yeah, sorry about that,” she said sheepishly.
“Hailey, having you here in my space is no trouble.” He reached out and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. She flushed slightly at his touch. Having Grayson’s calloused hands on her made her shiver with desire, despite how awful she currently felt.
“What?” she asked softly, catching the way he was looking at her.
His thumb lightly rubbed over the earrings in her left ear before he removed his hand. “I was just looking at your jewelry. I never really paid much attention to that type of thing in the past, but it’s sexy as hell on you.”
She smiled, her face heating. “I look awful, and you think my earrings are sexy?”
“Umm-hmmm,” he murmured. “I like you in my sweatshirt, too.”
She looked at him a beat, not saying anything. It was still completely surreal that she was here. “Are you ready to eat something?” he asked. “The chili is ready.”
“Yeah, I am kind of hungry.”
“Awesome. And just so you know—this absolutely doesn’t count as our dinner date.”
She laughed, shaking her head. “No?” she asked as she stood up. “You picked me up at my hotel and made me dinner,” she teased.
“Hell no,” he said, shaking his head. “That’s just me taking care of you. When you’re feeling better, I’ll come pick you up at your apartment, show you around San Diego, and take you out. We could still drive around a bit if you’re feeling up for it sometime this week, but dinner? We will definitely get to that.”
“I should call the storage company and make sure my things are ready. They were supposed to have arrived, but I want to double check.”
“And you’ve got movers lined up? The guys and I could help.”
“Well, since I’m changing jobs with DOD, they’re paying for the transfer and move.”
“Makes sense,” he said, leading her into his small kitchen. He had a small table that seated four, plus some chairs outside the sliding glass doors on his balcony.
“You’ve got an awesome view,” she said, glancing at the ocean in the distance.
“Thanks. My teammate Blake got a townhouse last year because he wanted more space. Although I see the appeal, I love being right near the water. And I travel so much for work it didn’t make sense for me to get anything bigger.”
She nodded, looking around. His apartment was neat and clean, and it seemed to have everything he needed.
“I think I’ll take off the sweatshirt,” Hailey said. “Maybe after dinner I’ll shower and change if that’s okay.”
“Of course,” he said. “I brought your suitcase in and have extras if you need anything.”
“Oh, and Grayson—I’m fine with sleeping on the sofa. You’re nearly a foot taller than me, so you’d be more comfortable in your bed.”
“Not a chance,” he said. “I invited you to stay here—there’s no way I’m letting you sleep out in my living room.”
“We’ll see,” she said.
He chuckled then moved to grab some bowls from the cupboard. “So what are your