your ass, har har har.”
To say Levi had been the target of his SEAL team buddies’ relentless butt jokes would be an understatement. They’d been brutal in the way only people who love you can. Levi knew that. Understood that. And would have been there throwing out the butt and ass jokes if it’d been anyone else who’d gotten shot in the ass, but it wasn’t. It was him and he was tired of it. He lowered himself carefully onto a bench.
Compass looked around and then back to Levi. “Okay, look, I’m going to go talk to the agent over there. I’m not spending a dime, but sometimes they let active duty get upgrades. Let me see what I can do. Okay?”
Levi followed Compass’s gaze to an attractive brunette behind the Delta service counter. He chuckled. “Damn man, you could pick up a woman anywhere, couldn’t you?”
Compass shrugged, but his grin said he knew exactly what Levi was talking about. “It’s a God-given talent. But that’s not what this is about. Give me your military ID.”
Levi pulled out his card, but hesitated. Compass had more money than God, Dropping an thousand or so dollars to change a plane ticket was probably pocket change to him, but not to Levi.
Compass jerked Levi’s military card out his hand with a snort. “Shit that damaged ass muscle has fucked up your reflexes.”
“Fuck you, man. It’s the pain meds.” Levi narrowed his eyes at his best friend. “Not a penny, Compass, not a fucking penny. Got it?”
“Loud and clear.” Compass pointed to him. “Stay here and look pathetic.”
Compass had only taken a few steps before Levi heard him laugh. God damn asshole.
Jesus, he hated this. Not only was he in pain, but the damn doctors had restricted him from lifting anything over twenty pounds. Twenty pounds! Like he was some fucking girl or something. He was a Navy SEAL. He could lift twenty pounds with his toes…or could before just moving his toes made the exit wound on his thigh ache.
Now that their last mission was behind them—he groaned at his own bad joke—the team had a little time off, which meant he could finally go home for a few days. However, the restrictions from the doctors meant someone had to help him with his duffle bag since it definitely weighed more than twenty pounds. He was pissed off and embarrassed by that limit to his activities. Hell, even jogging was off his activities list until the stitches healed a little more.
He’d been ordered to do medical follow-up at the Alaskan VA Health Clinic. Knowing his commander, Skipper would follow up on that, and if Levi didn’t follow orders, his ass would be grass. He groan again and ordered himself to stop with the ass jokes.
Turning his attention back to the action across the lobby Levi watched Compass operate. He was too far away to hear the conversation, but he knew his friend’s M.O. well. He’d smile. He’d compliment the woman. Then he’d toss in his best friend’s war wound for sympathy. Levi snorted to himself. He’d seen Compass in action too many times to count.
Compass leaned toward the Delta agent and Levi was sure the poor woman had been sucked into Compass’s charismatic gravitational pull. She didn’t stand a chance against a pro like Compass.
When Compass set both of their duffle bags on the scale and the airline agent tagged them, Levi was at least sure he was going home. What he didn’t know was if it would be in the front of the plane or the back of the plane. If it weren’t for his ass and leg, he wouldn’t care where he sat, but he knew that wasn’t true for his friend, who always went first-class when he could.
Compass turned from the check-in desk and started toward Levi with a broad smile he’d seen before when Compass got what he wanted.
Levi eyed him. “Why do you have a shit-eating grin on your face? What did you do?”
“I’m smiling because I’m a fucking magic man.” He handed Levi a boarding pass.
Levi studied the boarding pass with first class all in capital letters. “Did you buy this?” His lips tightened into a straight line.
Compass help up his hands. “Nope. Not a penny spent. I swear on my mother’s grave.”
“Your mother is alive, asshole.”
“Yeah, but we have a family plot and we all have real estate allotted. I swear I didn’t spend a single dime on that ticket man. That pretty little thing over there hooked you up.” He motioned over to Brittany who was busy with another customer.
“Sir, are you ready?”
Levi’s gaze fell on an attendant pushing a wheelchair. “What the fuck?”
SEALs in Paradise Editions
SEALs in Paradise: Favorite Drink Edition
Hot SEAL, Black Coffee, Cynthia D’Alba
Hot SEAL, Cold Beer, Cynthia D’Alba
Hot SEAL, S*x on the Beach, Delilah Devlin
Hot SEAL, Salty Dog, Elle James
Hot SEAL, Red Wine, Becca Jameson
Hot SEAL, Dirty Martini, Cat Johnson
Hot SEAL, Bourbon Neat, Parker Kincade
Hot SEAL, Single Malt, Kris Michaels
Hot SEAL, Rusty Nail, Teresa Reasor
SEALs in Paradise: Vacation/Relocation Edition
Hot SEAL, Alaskan Nights, Cynthia D’Alba
Hot SEAL, New Orleans Night, Delilah Devlin
Hot SEAL, Hawaiian Nights, Elle James
Hot SEAL, Australian Nights, Becca Jameson
Hot SEAL, Tijuana Nights, Cat Johnson
Hot SEAL, Vegas Nights, Parker Kincade
Hot SEAL, Savannah Nights, Kris Michaels
Hot SEAL, Roman Nights, Teresa Reasor
SEALs in Paradise: Wedding Edition
Hot SEAL, Bachelor Party, Elle James
Hot SEAL, Decoy Bride, Delilah Devlin
Hot SEAL, Runaway Bride, Cat Johnson
Hot SEAL, Cold Feet, Becca Jameson
Hot SEAL, Best Man, Parker Kincade
Hot SEAL, Confirmed Bachelor, Cynthia D’Alba
Hot SEAL, Taking The Plunge, Teresa Reasor
Hot SEAL, Undercover Groom, Maryann Jordan