Hot SEALs: My SEAL Bodyguard (Kindle Worlds Novella) Read online

  So instead, they talked about their families. She told him about her parents and older sister, who was married with two kids who loved spending summer vacation in Virginia Beach as much as she had when she was their age. Noah said his parents had gotten divorced when he was twelve, his mom was a nurse, and he had a sister who was going to be a freshman in college in the fall. While he didn’t actually come out and say what had led to his mom and dad’s break-up, she got the feeling he was still bitter about it.

  Peyton didn’t even realize they’d been sitting on the couch talking for well over three hours until she caught a glimpse of her watch as she reached for the iced tea she’d switched to sometime during the conversation.

  Noah must have seen her surprise. “Something wrong?”

  She shook her head. “No. I just didn’t realize it was so late.”

  He glanced at his watch, his eyes going a little wide. “Damn. Me, either. We should probably get to bed, I guess.”

  Even though she knew he hadn’t meant going to bed together, her pulse quickened at the thought of spending the night in his arms anyway. He was supposed to be her bodyguard, after all. What better way to guard her body than to sleep beside her?

  Pushing the image out of her head before it became too vivid, she picked up her glass and got to her feet. On the other side of the sectional, Noah did the same.

  “There are towels in the guest bathroom linen closet if you want to take a shower,” she said. “The guest room is already made up.”

  “Actually, I’m going to sleep down here,” he said. “Do you have a pillow and a blanket I could borrow?”

  “Um, yeah. I’ll grab them for you.”

  She put her glass in the dishwasher, then ran upstairs to get them for him. A few minutes later, she was back in the living room, pillow and blanket in hand.

  “You don’t have to sleep on the couch, you know,” she said as she held them out to him. “I have a perfectly good guest room.”

  “I’m sure you do. But I’d rather be down here where I’m closer to the doors. If someone is going to break in, they’ll have to go through me to get upstairs.” He flashed her a grin. “Besides, the couch is a hell of a lot better than some of the places I’ve slept, believe me.”

  Considering he was a SEAL, she supposed that was probably true. Still, it was kind of scary to hear him implying he thought someone might break in while she was home.

  Peyton chewed on her lower lip as she watched Noah toss the pillow on the couch, then shake out the blanket. It occurred to her then that while she and Noah had talked about family, living in Virginia Beach, and a lot of other stuff, he hadn’t mentioned having a wife, or even a girlfriend for that matter.

  “Won’t your wife mind you staying with me?” she asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

  He slanted her a look. “I’m not married.”

  “Your girlfriend, then.”

  His mouth curved. “I don’t have a girlfriend.”

  That announcement had her warm and tingly all over. But how was she supposed to get any sleep when there was a hot, available guy sleeping on her couch?

  Chapter Four

  As it turned out, Peyton slept surprisingly well. Maybe because there was such a big, strong, and highly trained SEAL sleeping downstairs. It was hard not to feel safe with him around.

  She rolled onto her back and stretched her arms over her head, smiling up at the ceiling. She probably could have been a little more subtle last night when it came to finding out if Noah was married, engaged, or otherwise spoken for. But how else was she supposed to figure out if he was single or not? It wasn’t like she was going to jump his bones when she went downstairs—no matter how tempting the idea might be—but it was nice to know she could flirt with him if she wanted to and not worry about being a homewrecker.

  She lay there a few minutes longer, listening for movement downstairs and wondering if Noah was awake yet. She didn’t hear anything. Then again, he was a SEAL. Wasn’t stealth their middle name?

  Deciding there was only one way to find out, Peyton hopped out of bed and went into the bathroom to brush her teeth. Minty fresh, she applied a little makeup and put her hair up in a loose twist, then pulled on a tank top and a pair of yoga pants. She padded barefoot out of the bedroom, along the hallway, and down the stairs, her bell bottoms flapping around her ankles.

  When she got to bottom step, she froze. It was either that or stumble and fall flat on her face.

  Noah stood by the couch, his back to her as he folded the blankets she’d given him. And he was wearing nothing but a pair of tight-fitting boxer briefs. She hadn’t ever really paid much attention to a guy’s back before, but with those wide shoulders tapering to a trim waist, Noah’s was truly beautiful. It was all she could do not to run her hands over all that sculpted muscle.

  Then he turned around and her jaw dropped.

  All Peyton could do was stare. He looked good from the back, but from the front… Well, daaaaammn, was all that came to mind. He was all chiseled chest, washboard abs, sleek biceps, and well-muscled legs. She’d never seen a guy so well-built in her life. Clearly, all the training SEALs did paid off.

  Her gaze wandered lower, to the tight boxer briefs he wore. They left little to the imagination, and she stood there, eyes locked on the obvious bulge underneath the soft material.

  Peyton jerked her head up to find Noah regarding her with a sexy glint in his chocolate-brown eyes, clearly unselfconscious that he was standing there in his underwear. Not that he should be embarrassed. He looked like a Greek god come to life. Besides, he’d spent ten years as a SEAL. When it came right down to it, boxer briefs probably weren’t much different to him than swim trunks.

  She wet her suddenly dry lips. “I…um…I just came down to grab a bottle of water. I’m going to do some yoga. You’re welcome to make coffee and grab something for breakfast if you want.”

  He tossed the folded blanket on the couch, then stacked the pillow neatly on top of it. “Thanks.”

  Peyton’s eyes locked on his bare chest for one long moment before she mentally kicked herself for staring—again. “I’m going to get that water now.”

  Careful not to let her eyes wander any more, she forced herself to walk into the kitchen. It might have been her imagination, but she thought she felt Noah’s gaze follow her. She resisted the urge to look over her shoulder as she ducked into the fridge for a bottle of water. Unfortunately, the blast of frigid air did nothing to cool her down. When she came out again, Noah had already put on his jeans and was reaching for his T-shirt.

  Peyton didn’t know whether to be disappointed or relieved.

  Giving him a nod, she hurried upstairs and into her exercise room. On the same side of the house as her bedroom, it faced the beach as well, making it an ideal space to work out in. Besides the mat she used for yoga, there was also a spinning bike, portable ballet barre, some free weights, and a television mounted on the wall.

  Setting her bottle of water on the table underneath the TV, she popped in the DVD, then grabbed her yoga block and stood in the center of the mat. Hands in prayer, she took a deep breath. With its tranquil music and poses designed for strength and balance, yoga was her favorite form of exercise. As far as she was concerned, it was the perfect way to start each day.

  That, and walking downstairs to find a half-naked SEAL in her living room. Although waking up beside him in bed would be even better.

  She bit her lip to stifle a moan as she moved through her chaturanga. Ogling her bodyguard had been bad enough, but now she was fantasizing about having sex with him, too.

  Determined to think about something other than Noah, she cleared her mind and focused on each pose as she did them. By the time she was done, she had completely forgotten she even had a bodyguard.

  Until she glided into downward dog and saw him standing in the doorway a few feet behind her. Staring at her butt.

  The image of him grabbing hold of her hips and plunging himself into
her in that position was so vivid Peyton almost fell. Yoga sex. Why hadn’t she ever written that into a romance book?

  Better question—how long had Noah been standing there?

  Pulse quickening, she slowly lowered herself to her knees, then half-turned to look at him over her shoulder. The feel of his gaze on her made her warm all over and she had to keep from panting as that heat settled pleasantly between her thighs. Yoga was supposed to relax her, but the way Noah was looking at her definitely had her inner balance all out of whack.

  “Is everything okay?” she asked when he didn’t say anything.

  Noah cleared his throat. “Yeah. Sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt, but there’s someone at the door saying she’s a friend of yours. Her name is Tabitha Markum. About your height, dark hair, brown eyes. Do you know her?”

  Peyton almost laughed as she got to her feet. Noah made it sound like he was describing a criminal suspect to the cops. “I know her. She’s who she says she is.”

  Turning off the TV, Peyton grabbed her bottle of water and followed Noah downstairs. The aroma of freshly made coffee immediately hit her, and she inhaled deeply. Making coffee might not be in his job description, but she appreciated it anyway.

  She expected Tabitha to be waiting for her in the living room, so she was surprised when Noah strode over to the front door and opened it. Tabitha walked in, her dark eyes giving Noah an appraising look, the hint of a smile tugging at her lips. Peyton could imagine what she was thinking. Considering Tabitha was a romance writer, too, it was probably something extremely inappropriate.

  “Tabitha, meet Noah Chase,” Peyton introduced.

  Tabitha held out her hand, her smile broadening. “Nice to meet you.”

  Peyton found herself waiting for the same zap of electricity that had rushed through her body when she’d shaken hands with Noah yesterday to shock her friend, but if Tabitha felt it, she gave no indication.

  “We’re going to grab some coffee and go out on the back deck,” Peyton told Noah.

  He frowned a little but nodded. “Okay. But stay where I can see you.”

  Tabitha lifted a brow, but didn’t say anything as Peyton poured coffee into mugs for both of them. Mostly because her friend was too busy staring at Noah, who was currently looking at his phone seemingly unaware of Tabitha’s eyes on him.

  Handing Tabitha’s mug to her, Peyton picked up her own, then led the way out the kitchen door and onto the deck.

  “Okay,” her friend said the moment they sat down on the island-print outdoor couch. “Who’s the hunk? And why didn’t you tell me that you were dating him?”

  Peyton laughed as she sipped her coffee. “I’m not going out with him. He’s my bodyguard.”

  On the other end of the couch, Tabitha did a double take. “Bodyguard?”

  Peyton nodded. “Someone broke in the night before last and—”

  “Wait a minute! Someone broke in? Oh my God!” Her friend’s eyes went wide. “Why didn’t you tell me? They didn’t hurt you, did they?”

  Peyton shook her head. “It happened while I was over at your place. My publisher thinks it was someone trying to steal a copy of the book I’m working on. They hired Noah to be my bodyguard.”

  “That explains why he told you to stay where he could see you. I thought it was some kind of Fifty Shades dominant/submissive thing.” Tabitha studied Noah through the window. He was leaning against the kitchen counter, muscular arms folded across his chest, watching them. “I don’t have much experience with bodyguards, but he certainly looks like he could do the job. In case you haven’t noticed, he’s seriously built.”

  Peyton hid her smile in her mug as she looked out at the waves rolling onto the beach. Oh, she’d noticed.

  “He should,” she said after sipping her coffee. “He’s a former SEAL.”

  Tabitha blinked. “As in Navy SEAL?”

  “No. The kind that balances a ball on his nose at the aquarium,” Peyton teased. “Of course a Navy SEAL.”

  Her friend let out a whistle. “Well, damn. If you don’t want him, I’ll take him.”

  Peyton felt a little stab of jealousy. What the heck? Tabitha was her best friend. They’d met freshman year at Virginia Wesleyan and had been like sisters separated at birth ever since. If Tabitha wanted to make a move on the former SEAL, Peyton had no right to get in her way. If anything, she should be encouraging her.

  Then why did she have the urge to walk into the house right now and stake her claim on Noah by planting a passionate kiss on him?

  Tabitha must have seen the little green-eyed monster trying to claw its way out because she gave Peyton a smug look. “I knew there was something going on between you and Mr. Bodyguard. Well, if he’s spoken for, tell me he has a few equally hot SEAL buddies.”

  “I don’t know. I didn’t ask,” Peyton said. “And there’s nothing going on between us.”

  “If you say so.” Tabitha regarded her over the rim of her mug. “You know you’re living in a romance book right now, don’t you?”

  Peyton rolled her eyes.

  “I’m serious,” Tabitha said. “If you tell me he slept here last night—with his shirt off—I’m going to start crying.”

  When Peyton didn’t say anything, Tabitha’s eyes widened. “He did! Do you know how many women would love to be in your situation, having a hot guy like him around to guard them? Heck, I’d sign up right now if I could. You should really write a book about this.”

  Her friend might actually be on to something. Noah would definitely make a hunky hero. “Maybe I will.”

  Tabitha set her mug down on the table and shook her head. But after a moment, she turned serious. “Does your publisher really think someone was trying to steal your book?”

  Peyton shrugged. “It makes sense. Whoever broke was only interested in my computer and my laptop.”

  Her friend shook her head, her dark eyes full of concern. “Are you still going to the release party?”

  “Yeah,” Peyton said. “Why wouldn’t I?”

  It was Tabitha’s turn to shrug. “I thought you might change your mind, what with people trying to steal your book and all. They could be dangerous.”

  “That’s why I have a bodyguard,” she said. “I trust Noah to keep me safe.”

  Chapter Five

  Noah never knew yoga pants could be so sexy until he saw Peyton in them. The stretchy material hugged her curvy ass, not to mention made her legs look a mile long. He could barely remember his own name, much less the fact he’d been standing there in his underwear in front of her. He’d been awake since he’d first heard her moving around upstairs and intended to be off the couch and completely dressed with the blankets already neatly folded, but Peyton had gotten ready faster than he’d expected.

  Later, when he’d gone upstairs to tell her that Tabitha was here, and seen her bent over like that, he’d thought he might have to jump in the ocean for a swim to cool off.

  That had been over four hours ago. Her friend had long since gone and Peyton had disappeared into her office to get some writing done, and he was still thinking about her.

  He didn’t know why Peyton was having this effect on him. It wasn’t like he’d never been around a beautiful woman before. But none of them had ever grabbed hold of him like this. Hell, he was pretty sure he’d dreamed about her last night.

  Noah flopped down on the couch and ran his hand through his hair with a sigh. He was more than attracted to her. He genuinely liked being with her. He couldn’t remember having as much fun with a woman as he had with Peyton, even though all they’d been doing was eating pizza and talking about everything from the Navy to his grandfather. It sounded crazy. He’d only met her yesterday. Even so, she was the kind of woman he could see being in a long-term relationship with.

  That brought him up short. Where the hell had that come from? He’d never considered getting serious about anyone in all the years he was in the Navy. Was he feeling this way about Peyton because she really was special or
because he was finally free to actually pursue a relationship? Now that he was out of the Navy, had he finally given himself permission to feel something more for a woman? God knew, he hadn’t exactly had the best luck when it came to the opposite sex. In fact, his track record was kind of pathetic. Women might like the idea of being with a SEAL, but having to go wheels-up at a moment’s notice to some craphole part of the world to do something that usually involved guns, explosives, and a whole hell of a lot of danger definitely put a crimp on a relationship. Now that he was working at GAPS, he wouldn’t be doing that stuff nearly as often.

  He cursed under his breath. It was because he worked for GAPS that he shouldn’t be having these thoughts about Peyton. At least not while she was a client and he was protecting her.

  Noah reached for the mug on the table, shaking his head when he saw it was empty. He’d been so busy daydreaming about Peyton, he didn’t even remember drinking his coffee. He should probably switch to water anyway.

  He was heading for the kitchen when a thud sounded upstairs. He stopped in mid-stride, tensing. Then he relaxed again. There was no way someone could get in the house without him knowing. Even if they could, he doubted they’d be ballsy enough to do it in the middle of the afternoon. Peyton had probably dropped something.

  He made all the way to the fridge this time before he heard another thud. Okay, maybe he should go check on her.

  Noah jogged up the stairs, taking them two at a time, then silently made his way down the hallway to her office. For the second time that day, he stopped in the doorway and stared transfixed.

  Peyton was dancing around room in shorts and a tank top, her feet bare, her iPhone in her hand, buds in her ears, and her back to him. Noah had thought the yoga pose he’d seen her in that morning was sexual, but that was nothing compared to the way she wiggled her hips to whatever music she was listening to. His cock hardened in his jeans so fast it actually hurt.

  Noah knew he should go back downstairs. Peyton wasn’t in danger. If anything, he was the one at risk here. Watching her shake that cute little ass was damn near killing him.