SEAL's Embrace - Makenna Jameison Page 0,51

to tempt fate.

“Thanks for coming to check on me. Goodnight,” she said softly.

“Goodnight.” His husky voice made her body painfully aware of his masculine physique, of how close they were to one another right now in his bed. The hair on his arm brushed against her bare leg as he stood, and it made her entire body light up with warmth. He turned toward her, and she averted her gaze when she realized her eyes were level with his cock. He was impressive, even if she didn’t think he was fully hard at the moment.

Geez.

Being with a guy like Grayson would be a fantasy come to life. And she had a feeling that he’d claim he was the lucky one.

He walked to the door of his bedroom, and she let her gaze rake over his broad shoulders, muscled back, and tight ass. His boxers didn’t conceal his muscular thighs, and she realized she was enjoying the view a little too much when he flipped off the lights.

“I’ll leave the door cracked open so I can hear you,” he said.

She sensed that he’d turned back around, and she was relieved he couldn’t see the blush spreading across her cheeks. Or that he hadn’t noticed her checking him out.

“Okay. Thanks Grayson.”

“Goodnight, sweetheart.”

“Goodnight,” she repeated softly.

***

The next morning, Grayson ran out to the store while Hailey stayed back at his apartment and rested. Her fever was finally gone, and after she’d showered and dressed, she felt a hundred times better than she had the day before.

She decided to sit out on his balcony until he returned, enjoying the ocean view. His teammate Ethan was sitting inside in the kitchen, on the phone with someone from base. Grayson had asked him to come over and wait with her, and she had to admit she felt safer than she would’ve if she’d been all alone.

The rest of the men on Grayson’s team would be there in an hour, and she wanted to hear what they thought about the unnerving texts she’d suddenly started receiving.

Checking her emails on her cell phone, she saw that she had one from her new office confirming the date and time to begin her training. Nothing confidential was disclosed since it was an unclassified email address. She typed a quick reply saying she’d be there on Wednesday morning. Although she’d originally planned to be there first thing Monday, given her illness, they’d suggested she wait a few days.

She adjusted her position in the chair, wincing as her ribs ached. She knew it would probably be a few more weeks before she felt one hundred percent better, but it was still a little frustrating to be in pain. Her phone buzzed with a text, and she saw Grayson’s name flash on the screen:

Doing okay, baby?

She smiled. He’d only been gone twenty minutes but was checking in on her. She quickly thumbed a response:

I’m fine, Just enjoying your ocean view. Ethan’s right inside on a call.

Her phone buzzed again:

Okay. See you soon. xoxo

Smiling, she closed her eyes and relaxed. The warm sunshine and salty air did wonders for her mood. She’d been a little depressed at her parents’ home last week—unsettled, maybe. She didn’t have her apartment, didn’t have most of her belongings, and she was unexpectedly sidelined before starting her new job. It wasn’t exactly how she’d planned to end things in Bagram, but she had to admit she was more than happy to have met Grayson during her last day there.

She wished she’d gotten to say goodbye to the men and women she worked with, and to the women she’d befriended in her building. Her breath caught as she thought of Kim. She had to hope for the best—that she was somehow recovering in the hospital and the paperwork had gotten messed up. Because to know she was missing?

Hailey squeezed her eyes tighter. She couldn’t stomach it.

Her phone buzzed on her lap, and she wondered what Grayson had to say now. Glancing down at the screen, she froze when she saw it was a text from another unknown number.

Watch your back.

She shivered, uneasily looking around. It was just a coincidence she’d gotten a text right after Grayson had sent her one. She’d hadn’t gotten any since last night. Shakily, she got to her feet, turning away from the gorgeous ocean view and opening the sliding glass door. Ethan looked up, catching the alarmed expression on her face, and immediately walked toward her.

“I’ll call you back,” he said to whoever he’d been