Yeah, I was obsessed with her, which made me cranky. I didn’t obsess about any woman. I couldn’t. Wouldn’t. Except I couldn’t stop with her.
“Good thing I already had my workout with the redhead,” I lied.
She stilled at that, glared daggers over her shoulder before she left, slamming the door behind her.
Yeah, I was a dick. While we never mentioned our little fuck-fest overseas, the air was constantly thick with tension about it.
I’d go back for seconds. Thirds. Hell, I was afraid I’d never get enough of her. And that was why I was pissed. And cranky. And a downright asshole to her.
Because the more she hated me ensured that I wouldn’t get her beneath me again. She’d felt too good. Too perfect. And that meant trouble.
CHAPTERTHREE
QUINCY
I walkedout of yoga class feeling warm and loose. Not bad for a workout that didn’t involve me pushing limits and proving something to everyone around me.
Yoga wasn’t my thing, but it was a nice break from my usual training. I was a Navy pilot. I preferred running, lifting weights, or Crossfit. But I’d moved to a small town, and my circle of friends was even smaller. So if I got invited to a 6 a.m. yoga class with the only three women I knew in Sparks, I had to go.
It was better than another workout with the guys.
Scratch that. It was better than working out with Kennedy. Because the man was Adonis in gym shorts, and every time I got physically near him it made me want to get physicalwithhim.
Which couldn’t happen again.
I liked Kennedy. Far more than I cared to admit. But he was a player. He had a reputation that went far beyond the Navy SEALs. I swore every female in the Navy knew about Kennedy. Maybe in every port around the world. Ford’s entire team had been quite popular, from what I heard, but Kennedy was known as the charmer.
He had those dimples. That ridiculous habit of sucking on lollipops and winking when he talked to you. Even the redheaded waitress the night before hadn’t been immune.
“You guys coming for coffee?” Holly, the owner of the Feed ‘N Seed, which doubled as Sparks’ local cafe and hangout, asked us as we hit the sidewalk, our yoga mats tucked under our arms. It was summer, but the morning air was still cool coming off the mountain. It felt great after the workout. Besides myself, the morning yoga posse consisted of Holly, Indigo, and Megan.
“Definitely,” Megan said. “I’ve been craving your maple walnut scones since last week. So delicious.”
“I’m totally in,” I said. I could eat about five walnut scones right now.
My phone rang as we walked on the grass-choked sidewalk toward the Feed ‘N Seed. I checked the screen and winced, clearing my throat before I answered. “Hello, Admiral.”
“Melissa.” The speaker’s familiar voice was deep and stern.
I waited for him to say more.
“Your mother said you haven’t called in over two weeks.”
I rolled my eyes. I spoke to my mom more often than I spoke to my dad. I likedher. “Nothing to report, remember? I killed my career when I chose not to reenlist.” Or so he’d told me. Several times, in fact.
My dad let out an exasperated sigh. Yeah, I called my father by his rank. He was an admiral in the navy. My brothers, a rear admiral, a commander, and a captain. Me? A Navy dropout, at least in their eyes. “Melissa, call your mother. She wants to hear from you. We both do.”
“I’ll call her after our briefing.”
“What is the op?”
I had to laugh. He thought because he was such a high rank in the military that he could nose his way into my life. Wasn’t happening.
“You know I can’t discuss that with you, Dad.” Call me silly, but I loved parroting back the same things I grew up hearing from him. “Our clients have a right to their privacy.”
My dad grumbled. “What kind of clients are these, Melissa? Drug cartels and supervillains?”
I snort laughed. “Did you just saysupervillain?”