Page 26 of Rules of Engagement

He winks as he chews, then after he swallows, he quickly says, “Beer.”

“Hot?” I laugh, then lift his beer to his lips. But he is so tall; the angle is wrong. Trying to help, he leans over, but he only makes it worse. Tipping it too high, I nearly drown him. Laughing out loud at how ridiculous this simple thing has become, I admit. “Oh my god. I totally suck at this.”

Slurping the bottle like a pig, he manages to drink most of the beer, and only a small amount trickles down his chin. When he stands back up, he wipes his mouth on his sleeve.

“I’m so sorry!” I laugh. “I wasn’t trying to drown you, I promise!”

He chuckles. “Good thing I’m adept at surviving waterboarding.”

My face freezes and all I can do is stare at him. “…waterboarding?”

The term jolts me, and suddenly I see him as a Navy SEAL, and know being a SEAL, means there is no doubt that he's killed before.”

I raise my hand to my face, mortified. Hiding behind my beer, I shake my head. “Oh my god, Jocko. I can’t…”

He sets the plate down, grabs my shoulders, and leans down to look me in the eye. “Hey.”

“I can’t imagine what you've seen and done.”

He takes the beer out of my hand and sets it down by the plate. “Jorja, don’t. Don’t go there.”

“You're a fucking Navy SEAL.”

He takes his beer out of my other hand and sets it down next to my beer. Then he takes my hands in his and squats to look directly into my eyes. Then he commands. “Look at me.”

When I do, he says, “Look into my eyes.”

I stare into his. “What do you see?”

I search them before I answer. “I see … honor.”

He smiles, and my panic eases. “We call what you're feeling ‘Shock and Awe.’”

I smile weakly back. “That sounds about right.”

He says in earnest. “I will always be a SEAL, but I'm a former Navy SEAL. Do you understand what I mean by that?”

I nod, losing myself in his eyes. “I do.”

He wraps his arms around me, and I place my face on his chest. Listening to his heartbeat, he says, “I’m just a man, Jorja.”

Feeling better, secure in his arms, I smirk. “You're more than just a man, Jocko Malone.” I lean back to look up into his handsome face. “You're a badass!”

He smirks as he tilts his head in agreement.

Just then, we hear a loud commotion in the house. It sounds like something wild is on the loose. Then the back-door bursts open, and Luke, Grayson, and Sidney’s son, rushes out, yelling, “Jocko! You’re back!” He takes five steps, and he leaps into the air.

Jocko catches him, lifts him overhead, and shakes his body like he is a rag doll.

Luke squeals and giggles.

Jocko tosses him up into the air, pretends to drop him, then pulls him into a sumo wrestler hug, dangling his feet. Then Jocko begins tickling him without mercy.

Luke starts screaming with laughter.

“Quit! Quit! Okay. Okay. I give. I give.”

Jocko sets him on his feet, pulls him tight against his chest, and gives him a sincere hug. “Hey, little buddy. How you been?”

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