Defender (Navy SEALS Romance Book 4) Read Online Free

airplanes.”
    “Great. Mata’s at six o’clock. If you get there first get us a table outside.” Michael gave him a half-smile, obviously by way of an apology for their little talk earlier, then headed out to change clothes.
    “Hey, you guys bring me back a Greek salad and a gyro!” Knox called out. “Angel, you still owe me a sandwich from when I brought you dinner last week!”
    “I know, I know!” Ruiz said, rolling his eyes but laughing in spite of himself. He turned to Madison. “We need to stop by your place and let you change clothes?”
    “That’d be great. I haven’t quite gotten the hang of just throwing a duffel bag full of old t-shirts in a locker and calling it an outfit,” she answered, pointing to the room where the guys changed. “Besides, I don’t actually have a locker in the first place!”
    “Yeah, we should probably work on that. I’ll put it on our to-do list, right next to ‘buy potpourri and fancy soaps for the bathroom,’ I mean!” He ducked when Madison threw a tennis ball at him.
    “I never asked for fancy soaps! And I’m sorry if asking you guys to wipe the toothpaste out of the sink was a little too much of a feminine touch around here!” She pretended to pout until Angel pulled her close against his chest, planting a firm kiss on her lips. She broke the kiss and turned away long enough to say, “If you’re trying to distract me with sexual favors, it’s totally working and you should put even more effort into it.”
    “Why do you think I asked if you wanted to stop by your place to change?” he whispered conspiratorially. Madison laughed and followed him out, waving to Knox as they left.
    By six, the guys had assembled at a large outdoor patio table under a string of soft white lights strung in the trees. Their dates were with them, all but Jake, who had no reason to be early. He drove up on his motorcycle, came to a stop near the door, and took off his helmet. Next to his right side, a car door opened, slamming into his leg.
    “Hey! Watch it!” he shouted, but stopped when he saw the horrified look on a young woman’s face. She seemed familiar somehow, her jet black hair pulled back from her face in a severe twist.
    “I’m sorry, I wasn’t paying attention,” she said sincerely, but her tone took on a certain edge. “Of course, it wouldn’t have happened if you’d parked in an actual parking spot.” She pointed to the sidewalk, indicating that Jake was in the wrong.
    “Are you serious? You hit me, I should call the cops!” he said, fuming at the nerve she had to blame him.
    “Do it. Please. Then you can explain why you’ve left your vehicle in the middle of the pedestrian walkway.” She smiled and gave him a smug nod, then slammed her car door and stalked off, hitting her car’s alarm on her key fob over her shoulder.
    Jake growled to himself as he watched her saunter off, his good mood evaporating more and more by the second. He was tempted to just start the engine and high-tail it out of there, maybe go keep Knox company since he was in no mood to be social anymore. Instead, he vowed not to give the witch the satisfaction of making him think she’d scared him off. He threw a leg over his bike and walked up to the door, veering left towards the patio instead of following the driver inside.
    “Jake. You made it! We were about to send out a search party but then we realized we’d be the ones who had to go looking for your sorry butt!” Tanner called out, waving with the hand that he had wrapped around his girlfriend’s shoulders. Jake smiled; the inside joke was only a little bit old, but still good for a laugh when he was in the right mood.
    “Have a seat over here!” Angel called, sliding Madison’s chair even closer to his and pointing to an empty seat on her other side. Jake raised an eyebrow, noting how there was another empty chair next to that one. Surely they hadn’t invited someone after he’d clearly said he wasn’t interested