SEAL Next Door Read online

  Sam sat in one of the chairs off to the side of the couch instead of joining her. For some stupid reason, that hurt. But Poppy pushed the pain down, taking a deep breath and waiting for him to start.

  “The bruises you saw on my face when I got back from that mission to Madura Island weren’t from getting into it with some bad guys,” Sam said, his gaze fixed on the floor. “I got them in a fight with Dalton. We got into it with him when he called you a stripper and said you slept with him because he was a SEAL.”

  Poppy frowned. People wondered why she liked math so much. It was because men were stupid for the most part. “You got in a fight with a Teammate on a mission because he called me names?”

  With the scruff, it was hard to know for sure, but Poppy thought Sam might be blushing a little. It was adorable!

  “Yeah. I know that’s juvenile,” he admitted. “But I was already on edge after the way we’d left things when I had to leave the cookout so suddenly and you’d found out that I was a SEAL, having all those questions I had no time to answer. I couldn’t help thinking I’d blown any chance I had with you, and then Dalton implied that I didn’t know you at all, that you were just playing me. I just…lost it. If Chasen and the other guys hadn’t showed up, we probably would have killed each other.”

  She blinked. “Seriously?” They had somehow gotten off track as far as Sam’s apology, but she wanted to know what had truly happened on the mission. There was something more going on than Sam being offended on her behalf. “Why would you get into a fight over that? There had to be more to it than you wanting to stand up for my honor. For all you knew, he was right about me.”

  Sam didn’t answer right away, but from the look on his face, it was obvious she’d stumbled on something. Then his expression relaxed, as if he’d come to a decision.

  “I slugged Dalton because I was jealous, okay?” he said, the words coming out in a jumble. “I couldn’t handle knowing that a buddy of mine had been with you. Yeah, it’s petty, cave-mannish, and pretentious considering I’d known you for barely two weeks, yet there it is. The thought that Dalton of all people had slept with you hurt like hell and I took it out on him. Then, when I got back, I took it out on you. And that’s the part I need to apologize for. I had no right to get jealous. Who you were with before we met is none of my business. And you obviously had no idea Dalton and I knew each other. But I was jealous and it made me act like a friggin’ jackass. And for that—as well as everything I said to you because of it—I’m sorry.”

  Poppy had never expected this level of honesty when the conversation had started. As apologies went, she had to admit, this one was pretty awesome. But his explanation did leave her with more than a few questions.

  “Apology accepted,” she said. “But you know you have absolutely nothing to be jealous about, right? What happened between me and Dalton wasn’t anything real. Nothing like what we had.”

  Sam took a deep breath, then let it out. “I know that now. It took some time—and a little browbeating from Dalton and the other guys—for me to get there. In hindsight, I realize that my reaction to you sleeping with Dalton had more to do with me than you.”

  “What do you mean?” Poppy asked.

  She was genuinely confused now. But then again, she never understood men at the best of times. She glanced down at the plush Rubik’s Cube in her hands, wondering why no one had come up with a math algorithm to solve men yet.

  “My conversation with Dalton and the other guys led to a bit of self-reflection, so I asked myself why I got so upset when I found out the two of you had been together.” Sam shrugged. “Long story short, it’s possible I’m carrying a bit of baggage due to being one of the newest members of the same SEAL Team my dad led for years. It’s filled with guys who have known me since I was a kid and I think some of them still see me that way, no matter how many missions I go on. It’s made me kind of sensitive to criticism from them. So, when I finally stumbled over something amazing that’s all mine, only to discover you have a previous history with someone else on the Team, it triggered an insecurity I never realized I had.”

  Silence filled the living room, giving Poppy time to think over everything Sam had said. And there had definitely been a lot. But she could easily understand where he was coming from.

  “Look, I don’t expect you to be okay with any of this,” Sam said before she could speak. “I only wanted you to understand where my head was in all this crap and tell you sincerely how sorry I am for everything I said. I’ve done that, so there’s no reason for me to hang around any longer.”

  He started to stand, but Poppy quickly waved him back down. “Stay. Please. You may have gotten everything off your chest, but there are a few things I’d like to say.”

  Sam looked confused, but he sat back down.

  “While I’ll agree wholeheartedly that you were a jackass and should probably be apologizing for the next month, I also have a few insecurities of my own that almost certainly added some drama to the situation,” she began.

  “Okay,” he said.

  “You remember how tense I got when you confronted me about the whole Dalton thing, right? The way I sort of went on the offensive the second you started in on me about it?” When Sam nodded, she kept going. “I know I already told you some of this, but I went out with lots of men who wanted me for my face or my body, but then bailed the second I opened my mouth and said something…smart. I mean, it happened to me on the reg since I was a teenager. Over and over, dozens of times. Until I started to hate the real me. Sometimes, I wished I really was that dumb bimbo Dalton found so attractive. It messed with my head. Until you showed up and I started thinking I’d found the man I’d always been waiting for.”

  “And then I came out and pretty much called you a bimbo, then walked away,” Sam said quietly.

  She nodded. “Yeah. It was like my worst nightmare coming true. So, when you left, I was so devastated, I didn’t try and stop you. My fear of never being good enough for anyone cost me the only man I’d ever felt anything for.”

  If she’d thought the room had been quiet after Sam’s confession, it was so silent now, she could have heard a pin drop.

  “Like you’d said earlier, I don’t expect you to be okay with any of this,” she told him softly. “I only wanted you to understand why I behaved the way I did. So, this is me apologizing for the role I played in everything falling apart.”

  Setting the plush Rubik’s Cube on the couch beside her, she stood. Sam got to his feet, too.

  “So, what do we do now?” she asked. “Do you think we can get past this?”

  “That depends on you and what you want,” he said. “Finding a way to make this work is why I showed up at your door again in the first place, but it’s ultimately up to you.”

  “I want that, too.” She took one step, then another, closing the distance between them. “But how do we do that?”

  “Maybe it’s as simple as being willing to start over?” he said, reaching out to take her hand in his big one.

  She smiled up at him, not sure if it would be that easy, but willing to try to get back what she’d lost.

  “Hi, I’m Poppy McCoy,” she said. “I occasionally teach math and physics at San Diego Mesa College when I’m not evaluating foreign nuclear weapon designs for a variety of covert organizations.”

  Sam grinned down at her, and it felt like the sun coming out after a very long storm. “It’s nice to meet you, Poppy. I’m Sam Travers, Navy SEAL, and I frequently find myself working for a variety of those organizations. Small world, huh?”

  She was about to agree with him in regards to the world definitely being small when his head dipped down and captured her mouth with his.

  Poppy moaned softly as Sam’s strong arms came around her, providing that sense of warmth and protection she only now realized how much she’d missed. Slipping her hand into the short hair along the back of his head, she tugged his mouth down harder, losing herself in the sensation of his taste.


  After a moment, she broke away, making a decision. Seeing the questioning look in his eyes, she trailed one hand along his arm until her fingers latched with his. Then she tugged, turning to head toward her bedroom at the same time.

  Sam didn’t resist.

  When they reached her room, the only light she turned on was the small lamp on her bedside table. Then she turned to Sam, gazing up at him as she slowly unbuttoned his shirt. Neither one of them said a word as she slid the material over his broad shoulders, her fingers tracing over the ridges of his well-defined muscles.

  The rest of their clothes came off as slowly, the only sound that of fabric hitting the floor. When they were both completely naked, Poppy stood there looking at Sam in the dim glow of the lamp. He looked so perfect like this. Like something out of a dream. Her dreams for sure.

  They kissed again, her breasts pressing against his powerful chest, his hard shaft firm against her belly. She could stay like this forever and be supremely happy.

  But soon enough, both of them were pawing at the condom packaging, Sam tearing the foil as Poppy pulled out the latex and carefully rolled it down his achingly hard erection. Then she was nudging him back on the bed and climbing on top of him, slowly easing herself down on him and letting out audible sighs at the pleasurable sensation of him sliding in deep. She leaned forward, kissing him gently even as she rode him. There was no urgency to their movements, only a slow appreciation of each other’s company.

  Poppy felt a tear slid down her cheek and moved her head to the side to let her shoulder intercept its fall. She didn’t want him to think that she was unhappy, when she was, in fact, the very furthest from that. The moment was so perfect it made her cry.

  They continued to move, Sam’s hands sliding up and down her back, warm and comforting. After they’d established a rhythm both of them enjoyed, one of his hands found a permanent position on her butt, the other in her hair. He didn’t quite control her movements, but he definitely helped her do some of the work.

  She’d never had sex where the whole goal seemed to be enjoying each other rather than chasing an orgasm. But she had to admit, it was glorious.

  Time sort of lost meaning as they continued to make love, but then the grinding of her clit against the base of his cock started the tingling deep inside her that had always presaged a climax. Still, Poppy kept the pace tortuously slow, not in any rush for this to end. Amazingly, Sam seemed good with keeping everything chill, too.

  The moment reminded Poppy of being on a gigantic roller coaster, tension building as she climbed until she thought there was no way she could go any higher, at least without running out of oxygen. And then there was that breathtaking second when she was balanced right there on the edge, almost sliding back, almost tipping forward. Then she was falling, air rushing up to meet her as she completely went into a free fall.

  The big drop stole her breath, vision, and voice. Then she was keening and twisting atop him, his strong hands keeping her in place, driving him deeper inside her. Poppy thought she might fly off into space right then, and possibly would have, if it wasn’t for Sam’s arms around her.

  His mouth was right next to her ear when he let loose inside her, his grunts moving her soul as much as the pleasure of her climax did. She said the words then, telling him she loved him. But between his groans and her wrung-out voice, she doubted he heard. But it was true nonetheless. She loved him. As impossible as that seemed.

  Sam got the sheet and blanket around them somehow, and Poppy lay there, content to simply be with him for now. But tomorrow, first thing, she’d repeat the words he hadn’t heard.

  Then his cell phone rang.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  “We need to hurry,” Chasen told the driver as Sam and the rest of his Teammates climbed into the shuttle bus parked in front of the headquarters building. “The plane is scheduled to leave from the North Island Airfield in fifteen minutes.”

  The driver, who had to be pissed about taking them to the airfield after their mission briefing at 0300 hours, didn’t complain. He merely nodded and closed the doors, hitting the gas before most of them had even gotten seated.

  “So, what happened with you and Poppy?” Lane asked, turning around in the seat to look at Sam. “Did you give her flowers and a stuffed toy when you showed up to grovel?”

  Dalton, Wes, and everyone else in the bus all turned to look his way, blatantly interested in his answer. Sam was glad it was dark so they couldn’t see his face.

  “Yeah, I went to talk to her. And yes, I brought flowers and a plushie when I showed up to grovel.” He grinned. “She forgave me for being a jackass and we’re going to try and make it work.”

  His Teammates cheered. Wes even leaned forward to slap him on the shoulder, congratulating him like he’d won the lottery. Which he supposed, in a way, he had.

  Fortunately, there were no more questions, and Sam leaned back in the seat, relaxing as much as he could during the short trip to the airfield. It was impossible not thinking about Poppy and the night they’d shared. Yes, it had been ruined by that call to come in for a mission, but for that one moment in time as he’d held her close, everything had been right in the world. He had her back, and he wasn’t going to blow it this time.

  There had been some panic on Poppy’s part when he told her that he had to go on a mission, but overall, she’d handled it well. He’d gotten dressed and they’d kissed. Really kissed. Then he’d headed out, promising he’d be careful and call her as soon as he was able.

  Now, he and his Teammates were heading back to Indonesia with a specific meeting time for the weapon exchange on Morotai Island and a directive to not only stop the weapons deal but also recover the nuke so it could be exploited for every little piece of intelligence that could be gleaned from it. Sam knew Poppy would play a major role in that part of the operation.

  Assuming he and his buddies were able to get the damn weapon out of the bad guy’s hands and back to the US in one piece.

  Closing his eyes, Sam replayed every second of the kiss he’d shared with Poppy, promising himself he’d forever savor the memory like it was the most precious thing in the world to him. Right up until the moment he saw her again. Then he’d replace the memories of that kiss with memories of the next perfect kiss.

  It turned out that closing his eyes wasn’t a good idea, since he was nearly asleep by the time they reached the small unmarked cargo plane waiting out on the end of the runway. If Lane hadn’t whacked him on the shoulder, Sam might have slept right through the stop.

  Sam was the last one off the shuttle bus, the driver nearly catching his backpack in the doors as he slammed them closed and spun the vehicle around to leave. He stood there for a second, watching the bus drive away, turning when he heard the engines of the plane spinning up.

  Then he saw the person standing at the bottom of the stairs, and all rational thoughts about leaving on time and rude bus drivers fell right out of his head.

  “Poppy? How the hell did you get them to let you come here to see me off?” he whisper-shouted, moving quickly across the flight line to where she was standing. “Not that I’m complaining.”

  Two things occurred to him as he started to hug Poppy. The extremely serious expression on her face and the black tactical backpack resting against one of her legs. Like she was planning to go somewhere with it.

  “What’s going on?” he asked slowly, a funny feeling building in his stomach.

  “I’m not here to see you off, though I would have if that had been an option,” she said, her voice tinged with what he thought might be worry. “I’m going with you on the mission. I got the call about ten minutes after you left. Recovering the weapon is a top priority, but both the CIA and the Navy wanted the thing inspected before you brought it back in case it’s fake or has been booby trapped. I had no idea they were considering having me come, but I’m their best choice for something like this.”

  Sam found himself unable to breathe. What the hell was Poppy sayin
g? “You can’t come on the mission. It’s too dangerous. I’m not letting you come!”

  He realized his error about half a second before a furious expression appeared on Poppy’s face. Crap, she looked ready to murder him. But before she could unload on him, a figure appeared at the top of the plane’s stairs, looking down at them with a frown.

  “Is there a problem here, Petty Officer Travers?” Lucero asked, coming down several of the steps until he was closer. “Before you answer that, let me point out that I have seven other SEALs already seated in the plane and ready to go, but only one expert on foreign nuclear weapons. So, if there is a problem, I’d have no issue leaving your ass out here on the runway as we fly away.”

  With that, Lucero turned and walked back up the steps and into the plane, leaving Sam standing there with a very annoyed Poppy.

  “This is my job, Sam. Now, don’t try and hover over me on the mission.” She picked up her backpack and slung it over her shoulder. “That will just get both of us killed. You do your thing and I’ll do mine.”

  The engines droned louder, making further conversation impossible, even if Sam had known what to say. Finally, not having any other choice, he hitched his own backpack a little higher on his shoulder and headed up the steps after her. This mission had just gotten a whole lot harder. Hopefully, it wouldn’t tear apart his recently repaired relationship with Poppy…maybe permanently this time.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  I’m on an actual submarine!

  Poppy practically squealed as she, Sam, and his fellow SEALs stood in the extremely cramped space beneath the forward hatch, listening as Lucero and Chasen once again went over the plan they’d been putting together for the past five hours. Poppy tried to pay attention, figuring the stuff was important, but it was hard to hear anything with her heart thumping a hundred miles an hour. It didn’t help that the only light in the space were a few dim red bulbs along the ceiling, creating one hell of a somber mood.