Status Updates From A SEAL's Surrender (Alpha S...

“I plan for us to spend all the time you’re getting off from work together.” “Two weeks isn’t bad considering everything I dealt with.” Christopher’s eyes narrowed. Lexi had been joking about the situation, but it unnerved him. He’d thought he’d lost her, and hearing her treat it lightly didn’t sit well. He wanted to protect her and care for her. Love her.

“We found her,” Brent’s voice came through Christopher’s ear bud. “Repeat, we found her.” Christopher paused, mid-sweep of one of the upstairs bedrooms. His eyes continued a quick scan of the room, but he was literally frozen in place. “Mike’s attending to her now, but she needs medical attention.”

Hell, she’d been with him hundreds of times—but the way he looked at her now? All buff and macho and concerned? It made her heart skip a beat. “Did you have a bad dream?” “I guess. I thought someone was chasing me. They wouldn’t let me go.” Warmth filled his gaze. “You’re safe, honey. I’m right here, and you know I’d never let anything happen to you.” “I guess. It just felt so real.”

“Honey, the US Navy couldn’t drag me away from you.” His lips brushed against the top of her head. It was soft, sweet. Completely at odds with his usual alpha male, dominating ways. She looked up at him in confusion, and his thumbs wiped away the tears beneath her eyes. He ducked his head lower and kissed her softly.

Lexi was mad at him, but hell. If he had to get down on his knees and f-ing grovel, he wasn’t above doing so. Just for a damn chance to make the ache in his heart go away—to let her know despite everything, no matter what happened, she was the one thing he cared about in his life. He’d screwed it up royally, but if he had the tiniest shot at making things right, he’d do it in a heartbeat.

Sitting up, his eyes fell on a scrap of paper next to him on the wooden nightstand. Big meeting this a.m. See you around. -Lexi Christopher scanned over the note for the third time, clenching his jaw. See you around? That sentiment might sit better with him if it was from an acquaintance he barely knew, not the woman he’d just spent the night making love to. And it sure as hell didn’t bode well coming from Lexi.

He’d screwed things up a lifetime ago, but at this moment? He’d give just about anything to make it right. “Kiss me,” she whispered, and he realized he’d been lost in his own thoughts. No need to stay there too long—Lexi was just about the only good thing about his past. “I’ll do anything you want, honey.”

Lexi glared at him. “You ran out on me,” she accused. “On us.” “I was just a dumb kid back then—” “I was a kid back then. Just a college student! You were some hotshot SEAL who’d already seen the world. You had a career, a life, everything! But you couldn’t handle a relationship.”

No way would Lexi Mattingly somehow end up here, clear on the other side of the country, waltzing around Little Creek like she owned the place. No way would he be lucky enough to have a chance with that woman more than once in his lifetime.