Falling For Her Navy Seal…Again (2 page)

“Your injury bothering you?”

The memory of the searing sensation through his chest burned in his mind and left tingles running down his spine. “No, it’s okay. I barely feel it.”

His dad nodded and took a seat in the leather lounge chair. “You need to be careful out there, kid. It’s dangerous. Not everyone can be a SEAL. You have to trust your instincts.”

“I know, Pop.” Matt sat down on the couch and glanced at the television screen. CNN played—something his dad had watched ever since he’d left the Navy to raise him. Ever since Matt could remember. “I’ve always been careful. Just this time….” He paused and drew a deep breath. He’d been out on a mission in the desert, his eyes and body focused, but his mind…elsewhere.

“Don’t let it happen again. You have the responsibility to come home and take over the damn farm and haunted house for me.”

Matt laughed. While his uncles managed the other family businesses, his father had chosen to take care of Hunt Farm, along with the haunted house, pumpkin patch, and orchards. They were known to have the best haunted house and hayrides come this time of the year. “Don’t you miss being a SEAL?”

Gerald Hunt let out a rusty chuckle. “Sometimes. But I could do without the weeks in some exotic jungle living off MREs. Besides, if I hadn’t left, I wouldn’t have been able to watch you grow up to be the man you are today or watch you go through the pain of BUD/S like I did.”

“Funny.” Matt gulped his beer, his mind on his father’s words. “There’re always going to be more training, more drills, more missions that could break a man. But you know I’m good at what I do.”

Gerald grunted in agreement.

Matt let out a hesitant breath. It’d always been him and his dad, and he couldn’t imagine life being any different, but thoughts of his mother loitered in his mind at times. “Do you regret leaving because of me?”

His dad frowned. “Hell, no. If I had let your mother raise you, you probably would have been one prissy little boy.”

As much as he enjoyed his dad’s jokes, he couldn’t muster the energy to laugh. His mother had left once she’d gotten fed up with being married to a SEAL. His father’s schedule was erratic and unpredictable, leaving his mother to worry and wonder what danger her husband could be facing, and having to raise a young boy by herself. She’d written Gerald for a divorce, dumped Matt off with his uncles, and fled with another man. “But, seriously….”

Gerald threw him a sober look. “What’s up with you? Since you got home yesterday, you’ve been acting all weird. That bullet hit a nerve to your brain?”

“Ha. I’ve just been thinking.” Matt finished his beer and set it on the table next to the couch.

“Thinking about what?”

Flashes of shootings, his team yelling, bombs exploding—and Jenesi—crossed his mind. “Just stuff.” He gave his dad a halfhearted smile. “It’s good to be home.”

Gerald continued to study him, then sipped his beer as he redirected his gaze to the television. “Don’t think too much, boy. You got a long life ahead of you. If you’re getting restless or bored, get out. There are opportunities that await you here, and if this isn’t what you want, I won’t be mad at you. You’re my son, first and foremost, and you know what to do.”

Calmness filled him. The old man never ceased to amaze him. “Love you, Dad.”

“Love you, too, Son.” He lifted his feet and placed them on the ottoman. “I know something must have distracted you out there. What was it?”

“It was nothing.” Matthew picked up his beer bottle and went to take a sip when he realized it was empty. How could he share with his father that he’d messed up? That he’d ruined his friendship with one of his best friends? That Jenesi
scared
him? “I need another beer. You want another?”

“No, I’m good.” Gerald returned his attention to the news.

Matt made no move to get up. He’d only been home one day, and he’d walked the yard a million times, debating whether or not to drive over to the Colemans’ house. No doubt everyone had heard that he was back. In a small town like Huntsburg, New York, word got around faster than a bullet train. Plus, it didn’t help that the mayor’s wife thought him a hero for saving her dog when the little ball of fluff had run out across the street. He’d only been there at the right time. It didn’t make him a hero. He almost groaned out loud, recalling the calendar he’d yet to see since he’d posed for it five months ago. Right before he’d stupidly kissed his best friend’s sister, scored second base, and then pushed her off and called her an idiot for letting him do so. After he’d lied and said he’d drunk too much, which wasn’t the whole truth.

He shoved off the couch. “Dad, I’m going for a drive.”

Gerald calmly sipped his beer. “Don’t forget to grab the house keys.”

“’Night, Pop.”

“’Night.”

Matt entered the kitchen and swiped the keys off the counter. He thought about taking his Porsche—his reward after finishing his twenty-fifth mission—out of the garage, but decided it was quicker to hop into the truck. The orange-red sky told him of another warm Indian summer day to come. He found himself slowing down as he approached the Colemans’ street. He could recall the days of running around with Jared, riding their bikes and shooting water guns at each other, and Jenesi would be trailing behind them with her softball mitt and oversized glasses that covered her whole face. The Colemans had treated him like their own son, never passing judgment on his mother’s neglect or his father’s child-raising tactics.

The week his mother left, he’d been driving his uncles crazy, and they’d begged the Colemans to take him until Gerald returned. He’d had Jared and Jenesi to help see him through those tough times. Especially Jenesi. He missed her.

Matt maneuvered the truck into the Colemans’ driveway and parked behind Jenesi’s Mini Cooper. The car was a joke, but then Jenesi never ceased to surprise him. He noted the light in the window, the fresh coat of paint on the siding, and new mailbox on the lawn. Blowing out a breath of air, he got out and rubbed his palms against his jeans. He walked up to the front porch and had just lifted his hand to knock when the door swung open.

Standing before him, Jenesi jerked back and gasped. His gaze trailed over the dark curls hugging her glowing cheeks, the fullness of her lush lips…and her tight black dress. Images of their night together crowded his mind. He could remember the feel of her skin, the shape of her breasts, the color of her areolas. Quickly recovering his composure, he flashed her a grin. “I’m home.”

Her green eyes narrowed. “Go to hell.”

The door slammed in his face. He stared at the orange, leafy wreath hanging on the white panel. Shock coursed through him.
What just happened?

He rapped on the door, anger rising through his throat. Could she seriously be this mad at him? “Jenesi, open up.”

“Go home.”

“I am home.”

“Go back to your dad’s.”

“Open the door.”

“What do you want?”

“I want to talk.”

“Jared isn’t here.”

“I’m not looking for your brother.”

“We have nothing to talk about.”

“The hell we don’t. You can’t be mad at me about last time. We both had too much to drink. We weren’t acting like ourselves.” He stuck his hands into his pockets, his heart pounding hard. “Besides, I miss you.”

He heard a curse before the door whipped open.

“Yes, I am mad.”

Fire blazed in her eyes, and he stood mesmerized.
Were they always emerald green?
“We drank too much that night. It would have been wrong.”

An eyebrow lifted. “Oh, please. I threw myself at you, and you were ready to ravish me before you pushed me to the ground and said I was stupid for drinking so much and letting a guy take such liberties.”

“Ravish.” He chuckled, but then sobered when her fingers curled into a fist. “I was trying to be the gentleman.”

“I didn’t ask you to be one.”

He shoved his hands through his hair. “I’m sorry. I hated leaving you like that last time. It just surprised me, and I didn’t know what I was doing. All I could think about was that you’re like a—”

“I will punch you if you say ‘sister.’ I’m not your sister. Nor will I ever be.” She closed the door before locking it then spun around to face him. Her smile threw him off, all rage disappearing from her expression. “You know what? I forgive you. It’s in the past, and I’ve forgotten all about it, really. I’m sorry, but I have to go.”

He frowned. He had a whole speech on how important their friendship was, but to hear her brush over everything like it didn’t matter…. “You just said I was ready to ravish you, and now you’ve forgotten?”

“Whatever, Matthew.” She headed down the steps as a car pulled up into the driveway behind his truck.

“Who’s that?”

“My date.”

He spotted the sexy red stilettos on her feet. He’d never known her to own something impractical. Now that he thought about it, he’d never seen her dress so provocatively, not even the night she’d tried to seduce him. “Nice shoes. I’m surprised they’re not sneakers.”

She stopped on the bottom step and glared. He glanced at the man getting out of the car. Though the guy wore a brown tweed suit, he didn’t seem that much older. Jealousy rose to his throat. “Who’s the stuffed shirt?”

“That’s my boss.”

He laughed. “You’re dating your boss?”

“Bugger off.”

“Does Jared know?”

“My brother isn’t here, nor does he have to know until I’m ready to bring my date home to meet my parents.”

He crossed his arms. “Do your parents know?”

“I’m not sixteen. I don’t have to report everything to them. Besides, they live in Florida now. This house belongs to me.”

“I think—”

“That’s your problem.”

“What?”

“You think too much.”

He took a few steps forward until he stood over her. “And what do you know?” The view gave him a good look at her cleavage. Images of her soft skin and rosy nipples flashed in his mind. Heat traveled down his spine to his groin. His pants suddenly seemed tight. He shoved his hands into his pockets to hide his growing erection. Just thinking about her made him warm up lately. He mentally bashed his head against a wall. She was his best friend’s sister, and he needed to remember that.

She tapped her chin with her finger, as if trying to figure him out, but then her lips curved into a wicked smile. “I couldn’t care less. Excuse me, while I go on my date.”

She whipped around and closed the distance to the other man, who stood by his car, watching them. The jerk threw him a smirk as Jenesi hugged him and kissed his cheek. He watched the man’s hand trail down her spine to rest above her ass. The urge to rush over and pound the guy into the ground tore through him.

But then he relaxed. If she didn’t care, she wouldn’t have been mad at him. They’d crossed the friendship line, and it was too late to go back.

Without really seeing anything, Jenesi stared down at the papers she needed to grade. A whisper sounded from the far right corner, and she glanced up to see some of the kids pretending to sleep, some making faces at each other, and some just plain passed out. She loved naptime, where quietness shrouded the room and everyone gave her a moment’s peace. If only her brain wasn’t torturing her with images of
him
.

What right did he have to come back home and expect everything to be okay? How dare he show up and tell her he missed her? Especially after what had happened? He hadn’t even said good-bye last time. And where did he get the nerve to call Bart a nerd?

But then, why the hell hadn’t he called or stopped by since Saturday?

She’d lost her cool the moment she’d seen him even though she’d promised herself she’d act cordial.
Good going, Jenesi!
She dropped her chin into her palm. Blowing her bangs out of her face, she glanced at her cell phone. Fifteen texts from Bart.

Nothing from Matthew.

Pitiful and stupid. Those were the only words she could use to describe herself.

What was it about Matthew that drove her crazy? Every woman wanted him, thought him a great catch and a hero. He exemplified danger, excitement, yet was a dream come true for women who craved the town’s most-wanted bachelor in their beds—if she could truly pass that judgment, since the two of them had never gone further than groping.

She’d been fine in the past few months with him away, but seeing him on her porch had brought out the anger she’d hidden inside. Only Matthew could make her react like that.

She let out a groan. A few heads popped up from their mats, and she pasted on a smile. Her phone buzzed. No doubt it was another text from Bart to inform her of what he was doing at the moment or to complain about some meeting he was stuck in. She pressed the screen and saw Matthew’s name. Her heart pounded as she opened the message.

Come out into the hall
.

Excitement rippled through her. She glanced around and slowly made her way to the door. She peeked out to see him leaning against the lockers in jeans and a leather jacket. His brown hair glimmered in the light and that smile—it almost brought her to her knees. Quietly closing the door, she drew up a fierce frown. “What are you doing here?”

He smiled. “I just stopped by to deliver pumpkins to the school.”

The school ordered them for decorations around the building every year, except the hired help usually handled the farm’s deliveries. “Where’s Walter?”

“Busy.” Matthew moved a few steps toward her. “How’s class?”

“They’re napping. It’s naptime.”

His lips twitched. “I know.”

Exasperated, she set her hands on her hips. “Then why’d you ask?”

He shrugged. “How was your date with Bartholomew?”

Her eyes narrowed. She couldn’t recall telling him Bart’s name, nor was there anyone who called Bart that except…. “You talked to Liz.”

“I did. I needed a haircut, and she actually cut my hair herself. Nice of her, since she no longer take on clients.”

Her best friend no doubt couldn’t resist laying her hands on him, just like every other woman in this town.