Page 9 of Summer with a SEAL

“Ryker and I are going with them to the hospital,” Michelle announced. “You can drive me, right?” she asked, glancing over at him. “I need to make sure that Amy’s okay.”

He nodded, his dark gaze assessing the situation.

“All right, well, I can meet you over there,” Jessica said.

“We left the house unlocked,” Amy choked out. “You should probably bring our stuff back first and lock up.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Jessica agreed, glancing over at their belongings further down the beach. The women’s towels and bags were still sitting there, possibly with cell phones or other items that shouldn’t be left out for hours for anyone walking by to grab.

“I’ll help you,” Jacob assured her. “We can gather up your friends’ things and carry it all back to your house. Then I can give you a lift to the hospital if you want.”

“Okay, um, if you’re sure you don’t mind.”

“It’s no trouble,” he assured her. She looked so worried in that moment, he wanted nothing more than to wrap his arm around her shoulders and pull her close. He wasn’t sure how she’d react to something like that though. The thought of her nestled against his bare chest was appealing as hell, but she seemed reserved again. Just as she’d started to relax at the bonfire, one of her friends had nearly drowned.

Now wasn’t exactly the time to worry about getting closer to her.

He could help soothe her frayed nerves though. Jacob would help her pack up their stuff and get it back to her house. Maybe get her number and take her out another night when things had settled down a bit. For now, their main priority had to be her friend.

“We’ll meet you over there soon,” Jessica told Amy before they drove away.

Jessica’s eyes nervously skittered over Jacob as they headed back to the bonfire and the rest of the group a few minutes later. “It’s all right, angel,” he said. “Let’s update the others, and then I’ll help you grab all your stuff. It’s just a precaution to check them out at the hospital. Amy will be ready to go home in no time.”

“I hope you’re right.”

Impulsively, he grabbed her hand, tugging her slightly closer to him. His thumb caressed the back of her hand, and he swore that she shivered at his touch.

As hesitant as she was, he could see she was attracted to him. And he sure the hell was attracted to her.

A woman like Jessica wasn’t up for a quick lay though—and he was okay with that. Something about her was attractive as hell, her looks notwithstanding. She was level-headed and rational, not panicked and screaming when her friend was in trouble. She calmly adapted to the changing plans of the night. She didn’t get all wound up like Michelle, who’d seemed to enjoy the attention of prancing around in a bikini all night.

He wouldn’t have minded if Jessica hadn’t pulled a dress over her own bikini—hell, she was gorgeous. But there was something appealing about knowing that Jessica in a bikini would be for his eyes only. And he wanted her to feel comfortable with him.

Now he just needed to convince her to let him take her out.

***

“Is everything okay?” a tall guy with ice blue eyes asked in a low voice as they headed back to the bonfire. His cool gaze swept over Jessica and Jacob, taking in the way they were holding hands, before tracking to the emergency vehicles heading off in the distance.

“Affirmative, Ice,” Jacob said. “They’re taking them to the hospital to get checked out, but both victims were coherent and breathing on their own.”

“Victims,” Jessica said with a shudder.

“You’re in good hands with Jacob,” the man said, holding out his own hand. “I’m Patrick.”

Jessica reluctantly let go of Jacob’s hand to shake Patrick’s. He was easily as big and strong as Jacob, but she didn’t have the nervous butterflies in her stomach that she did when Jacob was around. That was probably a good thing, too, since she noticed a wedding ring on his hand.

“I don’t know what we would’ve done if you guys weren’t here on the beach tonight,” she admitted. “I never could’ve swum out their quickly enough to help them—not that I could have dragged two people back for help anyway.”

“The best thing you can do is call 911 if you’re ever caught in a situation like that again,” Patrick said. “We’ve all trained for water rescues, but most people shouldn’t even attempt that. And the guys had each other, too. It wasn’t a one-man rescue attempt.”

“Did Amy know that guy she was with?” Jacob asked.

“Not really. We met him at a bar the other night. He’s just here for the week on vacation, but Amy and him hit it off. I think he’s renting a place somewhere on the north end of the beach like us.”

“It’s dangerous to swim when you’ve been drinking,” Jacob said. “I know your friend wasn’t drunk, but that other guy sure the hell was.”

“I know—I didn’t even realize they’d gone into the water. I went off with you and—” She cut herself off, realizing they probably shouldn’t have left Amy alone anyway. They didn’t know that guy, and she should’ve at least checked on her friend before they were way out in the ocean.

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