Protected by a SEAL (Alpha SEALs, Book 6) Read Online Free

asked
as he walked over and wrapped his arm around Kenley’s
shoulders.
    “Show you up,” Kenley said. “Us ladies have
decided to win a few rounds of pool.”
    “Maybe we need a friendly little wager,”
Mike said as he gazed at Kenley, his eyes heating. “You know,
winner gets whatever they want tonight….”
    “Oh, stop you two,” Brianna scoffed. She
looked back over to Ella. “I still can’t believe you have to leave
in a few days. It won’t be the same not seeing each other every
week. I mean, I’m glad neither of us are working for Frank anymore,
but I’m going to miss you so much when we’re living in different
states!”
    Ella smiled at Brianna’s tears. Her friend
wasn’t normally a crier, but somehow the pregnancy hormones were
getting to her. “I know, but I have to get back to school and
finish the semester. Spring break is only a break,” she added
wryly. “And don’t forget you’re the one that moved away.”
    “And I’m damn glad about that,” Matthew said
with a grin.
    “I remember my student days. College,
business school—it felt like it would never end. It just won’t be
the same living in separate states,” Brianna said, tears smarting
her eyes again. “And I wouldn’t have moved if Matthew wasn’t
stationed here.”
    “I know,” Ella said. “I’m happy for you
guys. But I’m allowed to think it also sucks, right?” Her own voice
wavered, and she chastised herself for being so silly. She was
happy for her friend. Plus Brianna and Matthew’s parents both lived
in Florida. They’d be visiting at some point. She wasn’t really all
alone.
    “Hey ladies,” Alison interrupted. “No tears.
Tonight is supposed to be fun!”
    “Easy for you to say,” Ella laughed. “You
have a job, a boyfriend, and a baby on the way.”
    “College sucks,” Alison agreed. “I mean, not
the fun parts—” She was cut off by laughter from the others. “But,”
Alison continued, “the living on a limited budget, writing endless
term papers, and eating a diet consisting mostly of ramen noodles
part can suck. And doing rotations on the graveyard shift,” she
added, referring to her own nursing career. “But you’re almost
done, right?”
    “Yeah,” Ella agreed. “One more year after
this.”
    “Then you can move here,” Brianna said,
cheering up. “I’ll hire you.”
    Matthew laughed. “One thing at a time. Let
her finish school first. She might find a kick-ass job down in
Florida for all we know.”
    “That’s true; maybe you’ll be the one hiring
me,” Brianna said with a grin. “I’m sure big financial institutions
need marketing help. I’ll go where you go.”
    “Not if I have anything to say about it,”
Matthew protested. “I rather like having you here in my
apartment—and in my bed,” he murmured. Ella flushed as she
unintentionally heard his whispered words to Brianna. What would it
be like to have a man whisper to her like that? To look at her that
way and want her that much? Her exes had treated her more as a
friend with benefits. They sure hadn’t acted like she’d made the
Earth move just by standing beside them.
    She sure the heck wasn’t going to meet a man
like Matthew at school. Or serving drinks. Or really ever. She blew
out an exasperated sigh.
    Ella caught sight of Brent shucking on his
black leather jacket and heading for the door without so much as a
backward glance at the rest of their group. With his jet black buzz
cut, bulging muscles, and piercing gaze, he had the whole bad boy
image down pat. Some of the other women didn’t seem to like him
that much, but he didn’t seem that bad. He’d scared Frank the night
he was yelling at her, jumping in front of her to tell her manager
off, and she didn’t even know him. Hadn’t even asked for his help.
Too bad she couldn’t drag Brent down to Pensacola with her, asking
him to stand up to her manager one last time. Frank would probably
piss in his pants if he ever saw Brent again, she