Contract with a SEAL (Special Ops: Homefront Book 3) Read Online Free

“It’ll be nice to
go someplace in a tux rather than a dress uniform.”
    Another awkward pause met him on the
other end of the phone. “Oh. Umm, here’s the thing,” she began. “You could wear
your dress uniform. I mean, that would be really fine with me.”
    “Kind of looks ridiculous if it’s not a
military gala. I don’t mind wearing a tux.”
    The sigh he heard escape her could
accurately be described as painful. “Oh, God,” she whimpered.
    “What?”
    “You’re really going to make me say this,
aren’t you?”
    “Say what, Vi?”
    “I’d really, really rather you wore your
uniform.”
    Joe cocked his head at the desperation in
her tone. Odd, Vi didn’t seem like the type to have some kind of uniform fetish
or something. “Why?”
    “Okay. This is embarrassing. But my ex is
going to be there. As well as at least three hundred people who know about how
he cheated on me after only being married a few months. And I just really want
to… I don’t know how to say this.”
    Realization formed in his head. “You want
to show them all you’re doing just fine. And a guy with a few dozen medals on
his chest might just distract them from what’s happened in the past.” Being
twice divorced, he’d been in similar situations before a few times in his life.
    Her voice sounded relieved. “Exactly. Sound
pathetic enough?”
    “Shrewd, not pathetic. Why didn’t you
tell me in the first place?”
    “I didn’t think you’d say yes.”
    “And miss out on the chance to avenge
some guy who cheated on you? That’s totally up my alley.”
    Vi laughed. “Still don’t want me to pick
up the hotel bill?”
    “Hell no.” Joe smiled out to the salty
horizon. “I guessed there was something more to this since I hadn’t heard from
you in so long.”
    “Oh, please. How could I have called you?
I was so embarrassed. I haven’t been that drunk since—well, ever,
actually. I can barely remember you driving me home, but I’m pretty sure I
threw myself at you.”
    “You did. And the memory has kept me warm
for about five months now.”
    “You’re the last honorable guy on the
planet, Joe.”
    “Not quite. Which tells me this guy you
married definitely lowered your expectations of men.”
    “No kidding. So will you go? It’s really
okay if you don’t. I can’t blame you at all. It’s a long drive up here.”
    He paused momentarily, an idea materializing.
“So you’re essentially asking me to be your date-for-hire for the evening. I
wear what you want me to wear. I say the right things, dazzle them with a few
scary war stories, make your ex-husband look like yesterday’s news, and look at
you like you are God’s gift to men.” That last part wouldn’t be too hard, he
decided.
    “When you put it like that, it sounds so
horrible.”
     “Vi, when I walk out of that gala the
only question in people’s minds that evening will be why the hell you were
slumming it with your ex when you had the likes of me lined up next.” Joe
grinned confidently. “So what do I get in return?”
    Dead silence ensued, and Joe nearly
laughed at the palpable tension firing through his cell phone. He could imagine
what was going through that gorgeous head of hers.
    “Um, what do you want?” she finally
asked.
    “There’s actually something you could do
for me. But how about we discuss this over dinner Wednesday? I’ll be at the
Pentagon briefing during the day. I should be done by seventeen hundred hours.
You can lay out the details of what you need, and I’ll tell you what I’d
require on my end.”
    “Dinner?” She sounded flustered. In front
of the camera, Vi Owens never missed a beat, her voice smooth, and her eyes
calm and unreadable. But right now, she sounded like she was a freshman asking
a senior to the Prom.
    “Sure. We’re entering into a bit of a
contract, aren’t we? And I do my best negotiating in person.” He smiled, knowing
she wouldn’t—couldn’t—refuse.
    Confidently, he smiled out