Protected by a SEAL (Alpha SEALs, Book 6) (3 page)

And when she’d gone back after the incident
demanding her final paycheck, nearly in tears because she needed to
make her student loan payments, Frank had sensed the desperation in
her and pounced. Oh, he hadn’t done anything—not really. Not yet.
Just stood a little too close, glanced at her chest one too many
times, and insinuated she could be making even more money if she
spent some of her off-hours with him.

Implied that’s what would be required if she
wanted her job back.

She shuddered.

It was ironic how quickly Brianna’s and her
lives had diverged. She was still working her way through college
while Brianna already had an MBA, but they’d met and bonded while
serving cocktails. Brianna and been laid off and needed the cash,
and Ella needed the job to scrape by. Now Brianna had a new
marketing career in Virginia Beach, a handsome fiancé, and a baby
on the way. Ella had a pile of student loans, more than a year of
college to finish, and no family to help her out. She needed the
money, and her slimy manager knew it. Although he’d begrudgingly
agreed to let her come to Virginia for the week, he expected her
back.

In the cocktail lounge and in his bed.

She could always say no, she told herself.
It’s not like he’d
forced
her to do anything.

So he was a little controlling. And too old
for her. She’d work there until she was done with college, get her
degree, and get the hell out of there. It wasn’t so bad. She’d
calmly explain they were keeping things strictly business between
them and that she had no intention of spending time with him
outside of work.

Ever.

Too bad that was easier said than done.

Everyone was rising from the table when she
returned, gathering their things. After dinner out tonight, Ella
didn’t think she could afford to waste money on a few games of
pool. She’d had only water instead of alcohol, claiming she wasn’t
feeling great, and had ordered a salad for dinner. Even that was
more of a splurge than she could afford, but she might as well
enjoy one night out with her friend before she had to go back to
Florida.

Unexpected tears smarted in her eyes as
Brianna laughed happily and Matthew bent down and caught her in a
long kiss. She was happy for Brianna but couldn’t believe she
herself was even worse off than she’d been a few weeks ago. She’d
never exactly loved working at the cocktail lounge, but no lines
had been crossed. Nothing else insinuated. She wanted to laugh at
the absurdity of how she was spending her week off from school.
Other spring-breakers went down to Mexico or hit the beaches in
Florida. Her own town of Pensacola was a big spring break spot—full
of drunk college students and overzealous frat boys. Some of them
even used to turn up in the cocktail lounge—understanding that she
only served drinks but begging for her number for a little after
hours fun.

Which was never going to happen.

Even though Ella was only twenty-two, she
was used to being on her own. Relying on herself. And if worse came
to worst, she’d drop out of school and get some boring job
elsewhere. She wouldn’t finish her degree, but if she couldn’t
afford it without serving up drinks at the cocktail lounge, then
she couldn’t afford it.

She blew out a sigh as she walked up to the
table.

“We thought we’d head to the pool hall now,”
Brianna said, giggling as she finally broke free from Matthew’s
embrace. “You know, show these guys up.”

Evan’s girlfriend, Alison, laughed and
grinned at Brianna. “I’m down for showing the boys how it’s done.
Us pregnant ladies have to stick together.”

Evan beamed at Alison, and Ella felt a funny
little stirring inside her. They were all so happy, so content, and
her own life was in complete shambles. True, she was the youngest
one here, but other students her age weren’t all struggling just to
make ends meet. Or dealing with managers who demanded some
inappropriate off-hours time just to let them keep their job.

“Hey, even us non-pregnant ladies want to
show up the men,” Kenley joked. “I’ve got to keep my guy in
line.”

“What are you going to show us?” Mike asked
as he walked over and wrapped his arm around Kenley’s
shoulders.

“Show you up,” Kenley said. “Us ladies have
decided to win a few rounds of pool.”

“Maybe we need a friendly little wager,”
Mike said as he gazed at Kenley, his eyes heating. “You know,
winner gets whatever they want tonight….”

“Oh, stop you two,” Brianna scoffed. She
looked back over to Ella. “I still can’t believe you have to leave
in a few days. It won’t be the same not seeing each other every
week. I mean, I’m glad neither of us are working for Frank anymore,
but I’m going to miss you so much when we’re living in different
states!”

Ella smiled at Brianna’s tears. Her friend
wasn’t normally a crier, but somehow the pregnancy hormones were
getting to her. “I know, but I have to get back to school and
finish the semester. Spring break is only a break,” she added
wryly. “And don’t forget you’re the one that moved away.”

“And I’m damn glad about that,” Matthew said
with a grin.

“I remember my student days. College,
business school—it felt like it would never end. It just won’t be
the same living in separate states,” Brianna said, tears smarting
her eyes again. “And I wouldn’t have moved if Matthew wasn’t
stationed here.”

“I know,” Ella said. “I’m happy for you
guys. But I’m allowed to think it also sucks, right?” Her own voice
wavered, and she chastised herself for being so silly. She was
happy for her friend. Plus Brianna and Matthew’s parents both lived
in Florida. They’d be visiting at some point. She wasn’t really all
alone.

“Hey ladies,” Alison interrupted. “No tears.
Tonight is supposed to be fun!”

“Easy for you to say,” Ella laughed. “You
have a job, a boyfriend, and a baby on the way.”

“College sucks,” Alison agreed. “I mean, not
the fun parts—” She was cut off by laughter from the others. “But,”
Alison continued, “the living on a limited budget, writing endless
term papers, and eating a diet consisting mostly of ramen noodles
part can suck. And doing rotations on the graveyard shift,” she
added, referring to her own nursing career. “But you’re almost
done, right?”

“Yeah,” Ella agreed. “One more year after
this.”

“Then you can move here,” Brianna said,
cheering up. “I’ll hire you.”

Matthew laughed. “One thing at a time. Let
her finish school first. She might find a kick-ass job down in
Florida for all we know.”

“That’s true; maybe you’ll be the one hiring
me,” Brianna said with a grin. “I’m sure big financial institutions
need marketing help. I’ll go where you go.”

“Not if I have anything to say about it,”
Matthew protested. “I rather like having you here in my
apartment—and in my bed,” he murmured. Ella flushed as she
unintentionally heard his whispered words to Brianna. What would it
be like to have a man whisper to her like that? To look at her that
way and want her that much? Her exes had treated her more as a
friend with benefits. They sure hadn’t acted like she’d made the
Earth move just by standing beside them.

She sure the heck wasn’t going to meet a man
like Matthew at school. Or serving drinks. Or really ever. She blew
out an exasperated sigh.

Ella caught sight of Brent shucking on his
black leather jacket and heading for the door without so much as a
backward glance at the rest of their group. With his jet black buzz
cut, bulging muscles, and piercing gaze, he had the whole bad boy
image down pat. Some of the other women didn’t seem to like him
that much, but he didn’t seem that bad. He’d scared Frank the night
he was yelling at her, jumping in front of her to tell her manager
off, and she didn’t even know him. Hadn’t even asked for his help.
Too bad she couldn’t drag Brent down to Pensacola with her, asking
him to stand up to her manager one last time. Frank would probably
piss in his pants if he ever saw Brent again, she thought with a
grin. He sure the hell didn’t have issues bossing her around
though.

A busty blonde in a skintight dress sidled
up to Brent as he was leaving, and Ella resisted the urge to gag.
If that kind of Barbie lookalike was the type of woman Brent went
for…. Jesus. Maybe she’d just caught him on a good day the night
they’d met. There were plenty of waitresses like that blonde at the
cocktail lounge where she used to work. Possibly still worked, she
thought with a cringe. They enjoyed being the center of a man’s
attention and loved dressing the part. Ella and Brianna had worked
there for the money alone—and hated parading about like some sex
object. It’s not like she expected customers to discuss nuclear
physics with them or something, but to look into her eyes rather
than her cleavage would’ve been a start.

“I guess you’ll have to stick with visiting
me,” Brianna said. “Matthew’s not going to let me move away after
all.”

“Damn straight,” he growled as the others
laughed.

The door to Anchors swung shut, and Ella was
surprised to see the blonde still standing there.

Alone.

“All right,” Mike said, helping Kenley put
on her coat. “Gator’s getting entirely too sappy for me. Cobra
already blew out of here. Let’s hit the pool hall.”

The others agreed, and Ella walked out with
Brianna and Matthew, feeling more and more like a third wheel. Or
seventh wheel, since she was currently with
three
other
couples.

“Maybe I’ll just head back,” she said as
they walked toward Matthew’s pick-up truck.

A car honked in the street, and she briefly
glanced up, watching them speed away. This kind of spring night had
everyone racing around, enjoying the beautiful night. It made her
antsy for something—anything. Soon enough she’d be back to
reality.

“You don’t want to play pool?” Brianna
asked, concern etching across her face as she looked over at her.
“I thought you wanted to come with us tonight.”

Ella shrugged. “It’s been a busy week. I
might just call it a night. I can always walk down to the beach or
something.”

“Come for a little while,” Matthew insisted.
“I promise to drive you home as soon as you want to leave.”

“Well….”

“Yeah, come with us!” Brianna said. “You’ve
only got a few more days in town. You don’t want to sit around
Kenley’s apartment by yourself all night.”

“Just for a little while,” she conceded.
“And don’t worry, Matthew. I can always catch a cab back.”

“No way, darlin’. The second you’re ready to
leave, we’ll drive you home.”

“They should clone you,” Ella joked.

Brianna grinned. “He’s a great guy. But it
did take him a lifetime to ask me out.”

“Flattery will get you everywhere, ladies,”
Matthew joked, opening the truck door so the women could climb in.
“And are you kidding me, Bri?” he asked with a wink. “Your brother
would’ve killed me for asking you out.”

“Maybe,” Brianna agreed flippantly as Ella
laughed. Brianna slid to the center, and Ella climbed into the
passenger seat beside her. Matthew rounded the truck and then
climbed in beside Brianna. “And about that whole lifetime thing—you
were worth the wait.”

Brianna beamed beside him, and Ella couldn’t
help but smile. Brianna and Matthew had grown up together, and
although Brianna had apparently been in love with him for most of
her life, it was only recently that they’d connected. And now they
were engaged. And expecting a baby. The speed with which everything
had happened for Brianna and Matthew was mind-boggling. But when
you know, you know, Ella supposed. And it’s not like they just met.
Brianna had fallen quite literally for the boy next door.

She relaxed into her seat as she watched the
people walk down the crowded sidewalk. A group of what had to be
college students walked by, and Ella couldn’t have felt more
different from them. She could never afford to be that carefree.
Thoughts of returning to Florida loomed in the back of her mind,
and she tried to brush it aside. Tried not to let it ruin her
evening. She might as well enjoy her time here. She never took
vacations, and this was as close as it was going to get to a real
vacation for her. Then she’d be back to college and work
and…Frank

She shuddered.

“Are you cold?” Matthew drawled, turning up
the heat in his pickup as he pulled onto the busy road leading down
the main strip of Virginia Beach. Pedestrians dashed between cars
as they stopped at a red light, and bass thumped from the stereo of
a passing car.

“I’m fine,” Ella said.

“Where did Brent disappear to?” Brianna
asked as she snuggled against Matthew. “He was alone at the bar
earlier and then vanished. He didn’t even have a woman with
him.”

Matthew pulled off the main drag, avoiding
some of the traffic, and sped up as they headed toward the pool
hall. “He’s meeting us there,” Matthew said. “Took off on his
Harley. Mike and I were ribbing him for sitting there drinking
alone. Usually he’s got women around him like flies drawn to
honey.”

“Tell me about it,” Brianna said.

“He was watching Ella, earlier,” Matthew
said with a chuckle. “Don’t worry—I told him to stay away.”

Ella glanced over at Matthew’s profile in
surprise and felt a strange warmth pooling inside. It was nice to
be the object of someone’s attention, she supposed. She pictured
Brent’s dark cropped hair and piercing blue eyes. According to
everyone else, the guy was a real womanizer, but she sensed
something else there beneath that façade. A sadness that she could
relate a little too well to. And a protectiveness that she found
comforting, despite his sometimes brash, arrogant demeanor. He’d
stood up for her, which she couldn’t say about a whole lot of other
people in her life. When she had no one aside from her friends on
her side, it had felt good to have a man she didn’t even know
literally step in front of her, shielding her from her boss’s angry
words.