Page 3 of Stranded with a SEAL

But she definitely wasn’t having a one-night-stand with one of Mason’s friends.

She took drink orders from a few women who’d sat down, and then moved around making drinks for other patrons. Half an hour later, she’d been pouring beers nonstop, mixing mojitos and other specialty cocktails, and even popping open a bottle of champagne for an older couple out celebrating their anniversary.

By the time she got back to Noah’s group, he was MIA.

Maybe he’d already left to go meet up with his SEAL team friends. Hadn’t he told that guy Owen he’d just be there for a little while?

She let the other bartender take over while she took her break, and she slipped out onto the deck out back, planning to go down to the boardwalk and enjoy a few minutes of relative quiet before she had to be back on duty.

She shivered in the night air but jogged down the steps of the restaurant’s deck, heading toward a bench down on the boardwalk. Lampposts dotted the strand up and down the boardwalk, and with the sun nearly setting, the lamps perfectly lit the entire path up and down the beach.

“Hey,” a male voice said, causing her to jump and squeal in surprise. “Sorry, it’s me,” Noah said, reaching out to calm her. “Noah.”

His warm hand landed on her bare shoulder, and she glanced back to see him standing behind her. Heat radiated off his large frame, but it was the touch from his hand that burned into her skin. Even when he removed it, she could still feel it there, as if he’d branded her.

Marking exactly where he’d been.

She turned toward him and looked up to meet his intense gaze. Noah was six-feet-tall and nothing but pure muscle and masculinity. He towered over her much smaller frame, somehow making her feel delicate and feminine.

Inexplicably making her feel safe.

The clean scent of his soap filled the air between them, mixed in with the salty air from the ocean breeze.

“I didn’t mean to scare you,” he said, his voice deep. “I saw you head out here and wanted to say goodbye. I’m meeting up with some of my team mates over at Anchors.”

“Oh,” she said in surprise. He’d come out here looking for her just to say goodbye?

Not that it mattered. Guys like him were a dime a dozen around here. One military guy would leave the bar with a beautiful woman, and another would walk in the door a few minutes later.

It didn’t matter what Noah did.

He was just like every other man around.

“Hell, you’re cold,” he said as she shivered.

“I’m fine. It feels good out here after being behind the bar all night. The deck is so crowded, I just came down here for a breather.”

He nodded. “Yeah, it’s packed in there. But anyway, I didn’t want you to think I up and stiffed the bartender.”

“Uh-huh,” she said, crossing her arms as she looked up at him.

He chuckled.

“What’s so funny?” she asked, feeling miffed.

“You. You act all tough, but I bet you couldn’t hurt a fly.”

“That’s a bet you’d lose.”

He reached out and brushed a stray strand of her hair back, tucking it behind her ear. He seemed fascinated by the tiny row of earring she had there, briefly running his thumb over them as she shivered. His large hand lightly moved down her neck, his touch burning into her skin, and she felt heat rising within her.

This was ridiculous.

She didn’t know Noah. He was friends with her best friend’s boyfriend. So what?

She shouldn’t be standing out here with him in the dark like they were together or something. It was a little odd he’d come looking for her, but she supposed they were sort of friends. They had mutual friends, at least.

“I’ll let you enjoy your break,” he said, taking a step back, breaking whatever spell was between them. “Owen’s best man is footing the tab for tonight. But if those guys don’t pay the right amount, let me know. I’ll swing by tomorrow and settle up.”

---