Page 31 of Summer with a SEAL

“No shit, Sherlock,” Jacob said. “I’m just saying, we both know what this is and what it isn’t. Even if things are fucking fantastic all summer, I can’t see a long-distance relationship working out. Hell, they never do.”

“Did you tell her that?” Hunter asked.

“We’ve been on one date. It seems a bit premature for that kind of talk. I had enough trouble just convincing her to go out with me in the first place,” he added with a chuckle. “I’m taking things one step at a time.”

As the other guys continued with their workouts, Jacob felt a stirring of uneasiness beginning to rise inside of him. He was just planning to see her this summer—take her to dinner on the weekends, hang out on the beach. Hopefully start spending the night.

Obviously, nothing would happen after that with her leaving, and at the rate they were going, she clearly wasn’t looking to rush into anything either.

They’d barely even kissed at this point.

He and Jessica would have fun together. Enjoy each other’s company. And when August ended, she’d go back to her home and career. Funny that it felt like when she eventually left, she’d be taking a little piece of his heart with her.

***

Jessica poured boiling water into the kitchen sink, straining the spaghetti noodles as her phone buzzed on the counter. Amy glanced over at it from where she was chopping vegetables for a salad. “It’s lover boy,” she teased. “Should I answer it?”

“We’re not lovers,” Jessica protested, edging back from the sink as the steam rose.

“Bet Jacob wishes you were,” Michelle joked, crossing the kitchen to pull a pitcher of iced tea from the fridge.

Jessica rolled her eyes, setting the empty pot back on the stove. “Go ahead and eat without me,” she said, grabbing her phone and walking out onto the deck as she answered.

“Hey,” Jacob’s deep voice said as she sank down into an Adirondack chair, curling her legs up beneath her. Her hot pink nail polish stood out against the dark wood, and she remembered Jacob briefly running his hands up her legs the other day as he pulled her onto his lap and kissed her goodnight.

Her skin heated just thinking about it. They’d only sat out on the deck a few minutes before he’d had to go, but the memory of his big hands on her skin was enough to leave her flushed and aroused just thinking about it.

“Hey yourself,” she said. “What’s up? Are you back at your apartment?”

“Just leaving base,” he said. “It was a hell of a long day. I’m totally wiped.”

“Yeah, it’s seven at night. Don’t you get on base really early in the morning?”

“We do,” he said. “I’ve been here over twelve hours. I’m starving.”

“Well, the girls and I are making spaghetti if you want to come over and join us. You’ll probably get asked a zillion questions though since they both now seem to think we’re getting married and having ten kids or something.”

Jacob chuckled. “Only ten? Why stop there?”

“Right?” she asked. “Michelle’s seen Ryker almost every night—you’d think they’d be the first to be popping out babies. Apparently, we’re more interesting to discuss though.”

“Every night, huh?”

“Well, he comes over late every night. I mean, they’re not exactly sitting in Michelle’s room knitting or something.”

Jacob chuffed out a laugh. “I’m going to tell the other guys you said that, angel. Ryker, knitting? They’ll love that.”

“Tell them whatever you want. I’m kind of worried about Michelle actually,” she said, lowering her voice. “I mean, she acts like it’s nothing, but they’re not exactly dating.”

“More like fuck buddies.”

“Ewwww,” she said, shuddering. “I just don’t want her to get burned.”

“Sorry, angel. I’ll talk to him tomorrow. I’ll make sure he’s not leading her on or something.”

“You will?”

“Of course, I will,” he assured her. “If you’re worried about Michelle, I’ll tell him to back off. Or to let her know exactly where he stands. I mean, I assume she’d kick him out if she didn’t want him there though, right? They’re grown-ups and can make their own decisions.”

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