Chapter 1

One month ago

Austin “Storm” Eckhart grinned, glancing around the bar he and his buddies were at in Oahu. Music and laughter filled the air, and he took a swig of his beer, taking in the scene. Two of his Navy SEAL buddies had just gone to dance with a couple of women, which was hilarious in its own right. The muscle and training required as Special Forces operators didn’t exactly translate to smooth moves on the dance floor. Hudson “Torpedo” Brown and Aaron “Anchor” Nielsen were clearly having fun flirting with the pretty girls here tonight anyway.

“You should join them,” Sawyer “Saint” Collins said with a smirk. “Save them from Hudson’s God-awful moves.”

The two women—sisters—Sawyer had bought drinks for giggled. “You look like you’d be a good dancer,” one of them told him, batting her eyelashes. “What do you say?”

“I told you, honey, we could all go…dance…back at my place.”

The women laughed like that was the funniest line ever, and Austin exchanged a glance with his Navy SEAL team leader, Wyatt “Wildcard” Miller. Wyatt smirked but shook his head. “Some things never change,” he said. Austin spoke quietly with him for a few moments while the fun-filled evening carried on around them.

“Hi boys!” a sunburned woman in a tank top and miniskirt called out, holding a bottle of beer as she approached their table at the bar. “Got any room for one more?”

“Sure,” Austin said with a smile. She wasn’t exactly his type, with bleached blonde hair and too much red lipstick, but his friends wouldn’t mind in the least. Besides, the more the merrier.

“Welcome, welcome,” Sawyer said with a wink.

“We’re trying to get him to dance,” one of the sisters told the newcomer. “He claims that because he’s in the Navy, he never gets out on a dance floor.”

“We should all dance!” the blonde said. “And really, the Navy should one hundred percent install dance floors and bars on their battleships.”

Now Sawyer was smirking.

“Go right ahead,” Austin said with an easy grin. “I don’t dance but wouldn’t mind watching my buddy here look like a fool.”

“A damn fine fool at that,” Sawyer replied.

“I’ll be right back,” Wyatt said as he stood, heading across the bar toward the restrooms. Austin watched him for a second, momentarily distracted by two women coming in the front door of the bar. The tall blonde seemed slightly familiar and looked nervous, but it was the brunette at her side that nearly made Austin’s jaw drop. Lush, brown hair trailed down the sun-kissed skin of her bare back in loose waves, and the woman’s huge smile was apparent even from across the room, her face flushed and eyes sparkling. She had on a halter top that hugged firm, pert breasts, and a short skirt that made her shapely legs look incredible. The heels she wore added a few inches, and Austin swore his mouth watered. She was toned and tanned, with curves in the right places, and he rose without thought as he saw Wyatt stopping to speak with the blonde.

Sawyer was ribbing him now, noticing how Austin had reacted to the pretty brunette, but he hardly noticed. As Wyatt handed the blonde woman a phone that she’d dropped, recognition suddenly dawned on him. They’d rescued the blonde from a hijacked plane in Manila several months back. How she’d ended up in the same bar as them in Hawaii was anyone’s guess, but Wyatt looked pleased as hell to see her.

“What’s up, man? You picking up ladies tonight?” he joked as he approached them. “I’m Austin,” he added, holding out a big hand to the gorgeous brunette.

“Alexa,” she replied, and he felt a jolt of electricity as their hands touched. Her hand was so much smaller than his own. Petite. Soft. He picked up a trace of her floral scent, his heart rate increasing. Austin didn’t exactly believe in love at first sight, but damn. Everything about this woman called out to him. He held onto her a beat longer than necessary, noticing the slight hitch in her breath as their hands touched. He was probably a foot taller than her if she hadn’t been wearing heels. As it was, she was so much smaller than him, all of his protective instincts rose. He had the weird inclination to both kiss the hell out of her and also keep her safe from any harm.

She was smiling at him as he finally released her hand, clearly feeling the same spark between them. He briefly turned his attention to the blonde. “I thought you looked familiar from across the room. Callie, isn’t it?”

She looked at him in surprise. “You know my name.”

“Wyatt might’ve mentioned you once or twice. You were singled out by the hijackers,” he added with a frown. “I’m glad to see that you’re doing well. But hey, I didn’t mean to interrupt the reunion. Can I buy you a drink?” he asked Alexa.

She conferred with her friend for a moment to make sure Callie was okay and then was grabbing Austin by the forearm and dragging him to the crowded bar area, much to his amusement. Clearly, she couldn’t force him anywhere he didn’t want to go. He didn’t mind Alexa dragging him off in the least. He appreciated a sexy and confident woman.

“Do me a favor and pretend you’re my hunky date tonight,” Alexa implored, looking up to meet his gaze with those pretty brown eyes.

“Why? Is someone bothering you?” Austin asked, suddenly concerned. Alexa was gorgeous. He wouldn’t be surprised in the least if some drunk guy was hitting on her, giving her a hard time. But no. She and Callie had just arrived. Unless some asshole in the parking lot had been bothering Alexa.

“Oh no, it’s nothing like that,” Alexa assured him. She clung to his forearm more tightly, and something about the ease she felt with him made his chest warm. They’d just met, but clearly, Alexa was already comfortable with him. And her feminine hands on his muscled forearm was sexy as hell. “The bartender here is a major flirt. I want him to think we’re together.”

“Gotcha,” Austin said with a chuckle. “I can be the dutiful date.”

“I knew I liked you,” she teased with a wink. Austin helped her onto the barstool, admiring Alexa’s bare legs as she crossed them. He rested a hand on the warm skin of her back, preventing her from getting jostled by a group moving by. Hell. Even her back and shoulders were sexy. The baser part of him wanted to take her home right then and strip her bare, exploring every inch of that soft, satiny skin with his hands and mouth. He wondered if she tasted as sweet as she smelled. Not that he was a total dick. He wasn’t about to buy her a drink and whisk her out the door to have his wicked way with her tonight. He was attracted to her, but hell. For some reason he felt protective towards her, too.

He glanced over toward Wyatt, noticing him still talking quietly with Callie. The woman had been through hell, and he didn’t blame her for looking slightly wary.

“Your friend isn’t a jackass, is he?” Alexa asked, also looking in their direction. “I know he rescued her and all, but Callie’s one of my best friends. I want to make sure he’s all right.”

“Wyatt’s my team leader and a stand-up guy,” Austin assured her, appreciating Alexa’s concern for her friend. “She’s safe with him.” She watched them a moment longer and nodded, seemingly recognizing that Callie wasn’t in any distress. She was smiling up at Wyatt now, and his buddy? Damn. Wyatt looked practically over the moon to be here with her.

The bartender moved toward them, leaving behind the group of women he’d been flirting with. His eyes heated as he saw Alexa, but then he frowned, noticing she was with Austin. The man’s gaze flicked up and down the entire length of him, looking irritated. Austin had at least six inches on the guy, plus fifty pounds of muscle. He wanted to chuckle at the look on the guy’s face but cleared his throat, trying to choke back his laughter. He kept his hand on Alexa’s back, glancing down at her. “What would you like, baby girl?”

He felt rather than saw her huff of laughter, her back moving beneath his hand, but she glanced up flirtatiously at him, smiling sweetly. “I’d love a Mai Tai.”

Austin nodded toward the bartender. “A Mai Tai and another bottle of this,” he said, holding up his beer.

The man grumbled something but moved away to get their drinks, flipping the cloth he was holding over his shoulder in irritation.

“Baby girl?” Alexa asked with a coy smile.

He shrugged, his gaze briefly dropping to her pretty lips. “It was worth it to see the look on his face.”

“You don’t have to pay for my drink,” she said. “Callie and I were planning to come here anyway.”

“I don’t mind buying a Mai Tai for a beautiful woman. Especially one who’s my fake date.”

“You’re such a romantic,” she said with a dreamy sigh, her eyes full of mischief as she reached for his forearm again and leaned against him. Austin chuckled, loving the feel of Alexa’s body against his. Even with her perched on the barstool, he was taller than her. His body pulsed with awareness at her closeness.

“Can’t say I’ve been accused of that before,” he quipped, trying to tamp down his libido. Wyatt and Callie grabbed a spot near them, and Alexa told them the bartender’s reaction to being here with Austin. The group chatted over their drinks for a while, eventually deciding to get a table and have dinner. Austin was surprised to learn that Alexa was a photographer. He knew Callie was a travel blogger and for some reason had assumed Alexa did something similar. With her outgoing personality, he could see her going live on social media and engaging with followers.

“I mostly photograph weddings,” she explained. “Usually, tourists coming to Hawaii want a beautiful ceremony on the beach. I get to spend time outdoors with generally happy couples—”

“Generally?” Austin asked with a chuckle.

“There’s always a bridezilla or two.”

“Oh yeah. I forgot about those mythical, dangerous creatures,” he said as the others laughed.

“They should really give me hazard duty pay for those situations. I mean, I’m sure your career is dangerous, but have you ever seen a bride smash her wedding bouquet on the ground when something goes wrong?”

“Honestly? No.”

Alexa pulled out her phone. She showed him a few shots of mishaps that had the group laughing. Growing serious, she pulled up her photography website, letting him see the photos showcased there. Austin was stunned. He didn’t know much about photography, but the pictures looked like something out of a professional marketing campaign, showcasing Hawaii’s natural beauty as a backdrop for wedding ceremonies. “Those are incredible,” he admitted.

“Thanks. I’ve started booking some other photography sessions, too—family photoshoots, engagement photos, etc. Honestly, I have to turn people away. I’m a one-woman shop and can’t really keep up with the demand anymore.”

“You should raise your rates,” Callie said.

“I might,” Alexa mused. “I don’t want to price people out, but given that I’m booked solid, I might shift a few prices around.”

“You should,” Austin agreed. “It’s clear that you’re a hell of a photographer.”

The rest of the evening passed all too quickly, and before long, Austin was walking Alexa to her car. She barely came up to his shoulder, and he loved that he towered over her. Alexa was feminine and petite, and for whatever reason, that attracted him to her all that much more. The breeze blew her dark hair back, and he got a whiff of that floral scent again, which immediately made his body take notice.

“Thanks for dinner,” Alexa said, grabbing his hand as they walked. Austin smiled. He loved how touchy-feely she was. Austin had no problem with showing affection, but he was a big guy. He was happy to let her take the lead for now. “I had a great time,” she continued. “And honestly, I was thrilled to see Callie so happy. I know she’s been stressed about the ordeal she went through with the hijacking, but seeing her relax with Wyatt made me worry a bit less.”

“You’re a good friend,” Austin said. “It was quite a shock to see her. Wyatt and I deploy all over the world with our teammates, but hell. We never run into people we’ve rescued.”

“It must be fate,” Alexa declared. “And to think, I’m the one who suggested to Callie that we come here tonight. I hope they name their first child after me.”

He chuckled. “Do you always get ahead of yourself?” he teased.

“Of course. I’m excited!” she said, squeezing his hand as she looked up at him.

Their eyes locked for a beat. “I had a great time, too,” he said. He wanted to duck down and kiss her right then, but they were walking in the middle of the parking lot. Alexa guided him over to her convertible, and he could completely picture her driving through Oahu in it, top down, hair blowing in the wind. It suited her fun-loving personality.

“Here we are,” she said.

“It suits you,” he said, nodding toward her car. “When can I see you again? We’ve got a full day of training tomorrow—probably Saturday as well.”

“I don’t suppose you can go AWOL,” she mused, flashing him a flirty look.

“Negative. That type of thing is frowned upon in the Navy.” His lips quirked. He loved that she seemed as eager as him to get together soon.

“I figured as much,” she said with a wink. “My dad’s actually retired military, so I know the drill.”

“Oh really?” he asked in surprise.

“Yep. Retired Navy, but he and my mom live on another island.” She smiled up at him, licking her lips. “I don’t really want to talk about my parents tonight though.”

“Fair enough,” he said, the air between them growing thick.

“So. Maybe Sunday?” she asked, looking up at him with those big brown eyes. He loved that she didn’t play hard-to-get. Alexa was as into him as he was about her.

“Sunday should work,” he said, his gaze landing on her mouth. Austin lifted his free hand, lightly caressing her cheek as they stood beside her car. Her skin was soft, and he wondered if she felt that satiny smooth all over. Alexa didn’t pull away from his touch, and he noticed the tiny hitch of her breath. The halter top she wore hugged her breasts enticingly, and he watched for a beat as they rose up and down. His cock twitched, pressing against the confines of his boxer briefs as arousal coursed through him, and he resisted the urge to groan. Alexa was gorgeous. The woman was sexy, funny, and down-to-earth as well. A lethal combination. His gaze briefly raked down her body, taking in those toned legs in her little miniskirt.

She stilled, seemingly enjoying his perusal of her. When his eyes moved back to her face, her lips parted, and her cheeks were flushed. She was just as affected as he was, and Austin fucking loved that. He couldn’t resist leaning down, hovering close to those perfect, pink lips. Their breaths intermingled, and then she was pressing up against him, her body warm against his own.

In the next moment, his lips were on hers. Hot. Hungry. Alexa tasted fruity like the Mai Tais she’d had that evening, along with something feminine and sweet. They fought for control of the kiss for a moment before she yielded to him with a soft sigh. Austin’s hand cupped the back of her head as he kissed her how he wanted, his other hand spanning across her back, holding her to him. Austin explored her mouth with his tongue, enjoying her tiny whimpers and gasps. Alexa’s hands clutched onto his biceps, and they were both gasping for breath when he eventually pulled back.

“Wow,” she said, looking slightly dazed.

“Wow indeed,” he agreed, meeting her lips with his once more. He kept this kiss lighter, despite the fact that he wanted to simply devour her. Alexa was breathing heavily as he finally pulled away, her eyes wide with arousal. That had been far from a chaste, first kiss, and hell if it killed him to stop.

“Tell me your phone number,” he murmured.

“I want yours, too,” she said, gently squeezing his arm. Austin shifted, pulling his phone out, then typed in her digits as she rattled them off. He immediately shot her a text so she’d have his number as well. She giggled as she read his message.

Austin: Best first kiss ever.

“It was, wasn’t it?” she asked coyly.

“Do you live close by? I promise that’s not a come-on,” he added, suddenly realizing how it sounded. “I just want to make sure you get home safe.”

“Such a gentleman,” she teased.

“I swear I didn’t mean that how it sounded,” he said with a low chuckle. Not that he’d deny her if she dragged him back home, but he didn’t take her for the type of woman who wanted a one-night-stand. Besides, Austin had left his younger days long behind him. At twenty-nine, he might be the youngest man on the team, but he wasn’t exactly an eighteen-year-old new recruit either. While he certainly wouldn’t mind getting Alexa between the sheets, he also wanted to simply spend more time with her, too.

Alexa licked her lips, looking amused. “I’ll text you when I’m home safe, but I promise, I’m not far at all.”

“Okay,” he said, loving the happiness that was clearly evident on her face. He was still feeling the effects of their kiss, too, and he resisted the urge to adjust his cock. She had him all sorts of worked up, and he felt like a teenager again.

Austin nodded toward her car door. “I’ll help you in.”

“Sounds great,” she said, stepping aside as Austin pulled open the door for her. He took her hand as he helped her into the driver’s seat, already hating that he had to let her go. They had to be on base early in the morning, however, and if they ever spent the night together, he fully intended to take his time. He definitely wouldn’t rush off at the crack of dawn to report for duty.

“Drive safely. And Lex? That was the best fake-date I’ve ever had.”

“Me too, sailor,” she said, blowing him a kiss.

“I’ll be in touch.”

“I can’t wait.”

He shut the door, already regretting it, and stepped back. Alexa started the engine and backed out of her parking spot. She rolled down her window for one last goodbye, gave him a brief wave, and then drove off into the Hawaiian sunset, leaving him grinning from ear to ear.