Page 16 of A Very Grumpy Navy SEAL

I’m ready to throw her down on the nearest surface and make her mine, but one look at her face, and I can see that we’re not on the same page.

“What the hell?”she yells, eyes wide as she takes in the busted door and me standing there like some lunatic with a pizza box in hand.

“I thought something happened,” I say, turning my back quickly so no one in the hall sees her.I force the door closed behind me, chest heaving.

“I was taking a shower!”

“You didn’t answer the door.Or your phone.I got worried.”

She stares at me, furious and flushed.Water drips down her chest, sliding along her curves.I groan as I try not to look, but fuck, it’s impossible.

She’s glorious.All tan skin and full curves, her towel barely hanging on.I can still see bubbles clinging to her collarbone.

“Turn around,” she snaps.

I obey instantly.I hear her rummage for clothes, muttering curses the whole time.

“Did you have to break down the door?”she huffs.

“I thought you were hurt.”

“Well, I wasn’t.Just...wet.”

I groan at her word choice.

When she finally says, “Okay,” I turn back around.She’s in an oversized T-shirt and shorts now, her cheeks still pink, but her eyes calmer.

“What do you want, Koa?”

I step toward her, setting the pizza box on the desk.“I talked to Ledger.”

Her eyes widen.

“He called me a little bit ago.Told me you called him.”

“I didn’t rat you out or anything,” she says quickly.

“I know.I’m not upset.You just forced me to do what I was putting off.”

“Which was what?”

“Tell him the truth.”

Hope shimmers in her eyes.“What truth?”

I swallow hard, vowing never to hurt her.Never again.“That I want you.That I can’t stop thinking about you.That I haven’t touched you or asked you out because I respect him.And you.”

She swallows hard, hugging her arms around herself.“And what did he say?”

“He said that he trusts me.That he’s not your boss or bodyguard.And that if I care about you, I should do something about it.”

She stares at me like she’s not sure she heard me right.

“So...”I take a step closer.“Unless you tell me to leave, I’m not going to keep pretending like I don’t want you.Because I do.So much it hurts.”

“Koa,” she whispers.

I move in front of her.“Tell me to stop, and I will.But if you feel even half of what I do, let me show you.Let me love you.”

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