Page 51 of Single Mom's Navy Seals
My mouth finds her neck, pressing a kiss just below her jaw. She sucks in a breath, eyes fluttering shut. She tastes like sunshine and something sweet I don’t have a name for.
I want to lay her back, kiss every inch of her, worship the strength in her body, and the softness she rarely shows. But I don’t.
Because this isn’t just about lust—it’s about trust. About making her feel safe.
So I hold her tighter. Steadier. Letting her feel everything I’m not ready to say out loud.
And just when I think I’ll completely lose control?—
Tiny footsteps slap against the dirt.
Ava pulls away fast, scrambling off my lap, cheeks flushed and hair mussed. She straightens her shirt as Eli barrels back into view, wide-eyed and oblivious.
“All done!” he announces proudly, clutching the waistband of his shorts. “I didn’t even need help!”
I force my voice to work, still dazed. “That’s great, buddy.”
Ava avoids my eyes, trying to steady her breathing. I glance at her, wanting to say something—anything—but I don’t. Not yet.
But her lips are kiss-bruised, her hands still trembling slightly, and when our eyes meet again—briefly—there’s something there that wasn’t before.
A door opened.
And I’m not letting it close.
“Mama, I saw another butterfly!” Eli exclaims breathlessly, barely pausing to catch his breath. “It was blue! Can you draw that one next?”
Ava tries to respond, stammering, clearly affected by our kiss. “Uh, y–yeah, baby. For sure! Um, let me see the pencils.”
I bite back a smile, feeling a surge of satisfaction at the shake in her voice and blush on her cheeks. I made the right choice at that moment.
Let her think about that, let her stew in it for a bit. At least now I’ve officially thrown myself into the ring.
21
AVA
Lying on the bed and staring at the goddamn ceiling isn’t exactly the most productive use of my afternoon, but I can’t force myself to move.
The late-afternoon sun filters through the bedroom window, casting warm rays across the worn quilt covering my legs. It’s quiet in the house, except for the occasional burst of laughter drifting up from downstairs.
I know exactly what’s going on down there. Eli has roped Cole, Jax, and Liam into yet another round of Uno. That little guy’s excitement over finally mastering numbers and patterns is adorable, and now he drags anyone within arm’s reach into playing his favorite game.
A faint smile tugs at my lips despite my emotional chaos. But it fades, replaced by a tight knot of guilt twisting in my gut. I’ve been avoiding everyone today. Earlier, I ducked into the bathroom, pretending I needed privacy, and when Eli inevitably came looking for me afterward, I even went so far as to fake sleep. A pathetic, cowardly move. Yet, I can’t deny it’s effective.
I close my eyes, groaning inwardly at my own behavior. What the hell is wrong with me? I’m hiding like a child, too chicken to face reality because I kissed Cole yesterday, and I kissed Jax a week before that. Now I’ve kissed two of three.
Then there’s Liam, and if we’re going to face my awfulness head-on, I have to admit that I’d be lying to myself if I pretended I didn’t feel drawn to him, too. The man simultaneously irritates the hell out of me and sends sparks flying up my spine every damn time he walks into the room. I haven’t even figured out what the fuck that feeling is yet, let alone how to handle it.
I’m officially the worst fucking decision-maker on the planet.
God, I’m mortified. What does this make me? Who kisses multiple guys they’ve known for less than two weeks and feels things for both? And not just a casual attraction, either. Real, deep feelings that I have zero idea how to navigate.
I roll onto my side, pulling the quilt up to my chin and gazing out the window toward the pasture. The horses are wandering, their movements relaxed and lazy beneath the glaring sun. There’s one chestnut mare that Eli named Cocoa. She lifts her head, snorting, before returning to grazing. I envy her simple existence right now, without complicated relationships or confusing feelings to navigate.
It would be easy to blame this whole damn mess on Jax. He started this cascade of emotional confusion with that first kiss on the porch swing. I should’ve put a stop to things right then. But the truth is, I wanted it. I still do. And I wanted Cole’s kiss, too. I probably want Liam’s, too, not that he’d ever give it to me. But, each time I think about their lips on mine, warmth floods my chest, guilt following immediately on its heels.
I’m leading them on, aren’t I? Letting them both think there might be something more, when I’m not even sure I can offer that. What are we going to do, be long distance while I’m in Witness Protection at a desert horse sanctuary that barely gets cable, let alone Wi-Fi? That still doesn’t settle the fact that I’ll have to choose, and I don’t know how I’m supposed to.
