Chapter 2

“Oh my gosh,” Alexa murmured a week later, her hands covering her mouth in actual embarrassment. “I’m the worst mini golfer in the history of all mini golfers.”

Austin watched the hot pink golf ball she’d hit sail right into the water, floating away to another hole. “No. I’ve definitely seen worse.” He leaned toward Alexa conspiringly. “Did you see that kid over there? I think it took him eight strokes on the last hole.”

“He’s like seven years old!” she protested, playfully swatting at him. Austin snagged her hand mid-air and kissed it, and Alexa bit her lip, her cheeks flushing. She wasn’t shy in the least, but sometimes his actions surprised her.

“That he is,” Austin agreed, running his thumb over her knuckles before releasing her hand. “I’ll go grab your ball.”

She watched as he strode away and leapt over a decoration on the course, moving with confidence and ease. Briefly, Alexa wondered if anything got him riled up. He was as easygoing as her and fun to be around. From the moment he’d picked her up at her place, he’d had her laughing. And goodness. It was hard to not have fun around a guy like that.

Austin reached down and plucked the pink ball from the water in one big hand, grinning as he looked at her. Alexa tried not to laugh as she shook her head. He looked so damn proud of himself, and the hot pink golf ball looked almost comical in his hand.

“My hero,” she said as he walked back over. Austin dried the ball on his shirt before handing it back to her. She didn’t imagine the electric sparks that shot through her as their fingers touched.

“At your service. Sometimes we chase down insurgents overseas. Sometimes we rescue errant golf balls. Just another day on the job,” he said, his eyes twinkling.

“I notice your golf ball hasn’t been flying off course like mine. Do you secretly practice mini golf all day long? Like instead of reporting for duty, swimming a mile or two and running through various training scenarios, are you really out looking for sand traps and hazards like that ominous looking windmill over there?” she asked, nodding toward the next hole.

Austin chuckled. “Negative. I should ask Wyatt if we could start adding some mini golf time in,” he mused, winking at her.

“You totally should. I bet Callie could sweet talk him into it,” she joked.

She set her hot pink golf ball down, noticing that Austin watched her movements. She’d worn a strappy sundress for their date this evening. It hugged her breasts perfectly and flowed around her legs, ending just above her knees. She felt flirty and fun, and her blood heated at Austin’s not-so-innocent looks. He wasn’t leering or making her uncomfortable, but she could tell he appreciated the way she looked in it.

“Wait, where do I start since my ball went AWOL?” she questioned.

His lips quirked. “Right there is fine.”

She positioned herself, holding the putter, the Hawaiian breeze blowing through her long hair. “Relax your grip,” he said quietly, and she realized she was squeezing it way too hard.

“Right. Thanks,” she said, suddenly realizing her hands felt sweaty. It wasn’t like Alexa to get flustered, but Austin was standing so damn close, and it turned out, she was truly terrible at mini golf. She looked to where she was aiming for, hesitating, and then Austin was right behind her.

“Is this okay?” he asked, his chest pressing against her back as he reached around and repositioned her hands on the club, his muscled hands lightly holding onto hers.

She sucked in a breath, his big body hovering behind her own. He wasn’t rubbing up against her or doing anything inappropriate, but he was close. So damn close. She could breathe in his clean, musky scent, feel the heat from his body, and sense the way he completely surrounded her. And his hands on her own? Lord. They were big, with veins running across them and thick fingers. Suddenly, Alexa wanted to feel his touch everywhere. Over her swollen breasts. Trailing up her inner thighs. Delving inside her slick pussy.

“Of course,” she said breathily.

Austin seemed to feel the chemistry between them, too. His arms wrapped around her and hands on her own felt almost like a caress. They were frozen in the moment, which suddenly felt deliciously sensual despite the public setting.

Her hair blew back with the slight breeze, and Austin quietly chuffed out a laugh as he moved it aside, out of his face. He held it in his grip for a beat too long, his breath fanning out over the back of her neck. Although he was much taller than her, he’d bent down to help her with her swing, and Alexa felt overwhelmed by him in the best way possible. They might be standing out in the open, but the moment seemed intimate.

His hand returned to hers after he released her hair, and he spoke in a low voice, instructing her how better to swing the club. She wanted to shiver in delight at his closeness and touch but tried to pay attention. Together, they swung the club back, Austin’s arms flexing with the movement. “Now,” he said quietly. They swung forward, connecting with the ball just so. Much to her shock, with Austin’s help, she’d hit the ball perfectly, and it rolled straight into the hole.

“Oh my gosh!” she shrieked, jumping up and down to the sound of Austin’s laughter. “Thank you!” She threw her arms around him, giving Austin a big hug. He easily caught her in his embrace, seeming amused by her exuberance. She stayed there in his arms a moment, his big body warm and hard against her own.

“You’re welcome.” His voice was deep and husky and sent shivers racing down her spine. His hand palmed the back of her neck as she looked up at him, and she couldn’t resist trailing her gaze down to his mouth. “If I knew I’d get that kind of reaction, I’d have helped you sooner,” he teased.

“Well, we’ve got a number of holes to get to,” she said flirtatiously, realizing too late how that had sounded. “I mean—”

“I know what you meant,” he assured her, but his eyes were dancing with mischief.

“Your turn,” she said. Alexa stepped back, watching as Austin positioned himself, completely at ease. She wondered if there was anything he was bad at. Clearly, he was athletic. He had to go through rigorous testing and training just to become a Navy SEAL. They did PT and drills every day on base to stay in top physical condition. Even his downtime seemed adventurous. The guys had talked the other night how they liked to hike around Oahu and explore or kayak together. He wasn’t the type of man to lie around, watching the world go by.

That she’d met him at all seemed like a happy accident. To think she’d been half drooling over the bartender at Coconuts when she’d dragged Callie there. Austin was a man with an intense career and incredible passion for life. He was devoted to his country, loyal to his friends, and funny as hell. Not to mention mind-blowingly hot. Her body reacted to him in a way that surprised her. Sure, she’d dated men she was attracted to before, seen handsome guys on the beach. But this?

She couldn’t quite put it into words.

There was a sizzling undercurrent when they were together and sparks shooting through her body whenever they touched.

Austin swung the golf club, the muscles of his forearms shifting. The putter connected with the ball, and Austin also got a hole in one as she cheered. Austin flashed her a grin then walked over and grabbed both their golf balls.

They finished the course over more teasing and laughter, and Alexa tried to remember when she’d had so much fun. He took her hand as they walked back to his Jeep, pulling her close. “I made us reservations at a great seafood place. It’s not fancy, but the food in incredible.”

“Sounds perfect,” she told him.

“And if I didn’t mention it, I’m glad you were available for a last-minute date tonight,” he said. “We were busy with training all day yesterday, and I wasn’t sure if we’d be called in today as well.”

“I had a wedding anyway yesterday. It was an incredible sunset ceremony, but I was there for hours.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yep. I’ve got about a million photos to go through and edit, but the sunset on the beach was amazing last night. I got some incredible shots.”

“Huh. We were out on the water, and yeah. It was pretty gorgeous.”

“You should’ve swung by to say hello,” she teased.

“Yeah, just what every bride wants—Navy SEALs pulling up in a Zodiac and storming the beach.”

“I’m sure there are worse things in the world then having some wedding crashers in the form of a hot and hunky Navy SEAL team,” she joked.

“Well, trust me, some of us are better looking than others,” he quipped.

“Oh, I believe it,” she said, squeezing his hand. “I would’ve fought off the rest of the girls for you.”

Austin’s low laughter filled the air. He was so much bigger than her, the thought of her fighting anything for him was somewhat ridiculous. “Thank goodness I’ve got you on my side,” he said.

They reached his Jeep, and Austin opened the passenger door and helped Alexa into the vehicle. She’d worn flat sandals since they were mini-golfing, which made their difference in height even more evident than the other night. She shifted in the seat, her dress pulling up slightly with the movement. Alexa felt Austin’s eyes on her bare legs almost like a caress, and arousal coursed through her.

He grabbed the seatbelt and handed it to her, his eyes lingering for just a moment on her breasts.

“Thank you,” she said, clicking it into place. He hovered by the door, ducking down for a brief kiss. It was short and sweet but almost felt like a promise of what was to come. Their entire evening had felt like foreplay, full of heated looks and playful caresses. Austin was being a gentleman, but she didn’t miss the pure male interest in his eyes. They’d already planned to take a walk on the beach after dinner, but Alexa was dying to get him alone after that.

***

Alexa shrieked in surprise as Austin lifted her into his arms, laughing as he moved through the surf, the waves from the Pacific Ocean lapping against his lower legs. One muscular arm was around her torso, the other beneath her bare legs. She practically shivered at his touch, her sundress blowing in the ocean breeze. “You would not drop me,” Alexa said, pretending to glare at him.

“Of course I wouldn’t drop you,” Austin said with a grin, his muscles flexing as he lifted her even higher. Her arms wrapped around his neck, and she could see the amusement dancing in his eyes. Her heart began to thud in her chest. Being a Navy SEAL had served him well. Austin was in perfect shape and easily held her much-smaller frame in his arms. “I lifted you up so you’d be closer,” he said, those full lips quirking.

“Oh yeah?” she asked, heat blooming within her. Alexa playfully trailed her fingers over the nape of his neck, not missing the flare of heat in his eyes. Suddenly, the beach felt all too public. She wanted him alone. The air between them grew thicker, and as they gazed at one another, she was very aware of his muscular arm against her bare legs. Although Austin holding her close was mostly innocent, it felt sensual to have his skin against hers.

She wondered what it would feel like to have Austin’s hard, muscled body moving over her own. Would he be a gentle lover? Demanding? Playful like his fun-loving personality?

It felt like they were hanging in the moment, lost in one another. Finally, his head dipped lower, and as she clung to him, his full lips finally met hers. Alexa gasped at the contact and swore fireworks were exploding in the Hawaiian sunset. Austin kissed her more deeply, his sure lips moving over hers. As she opened to him, he took what he wanted, caressing his tongue against her own. Austin tasted of the beer he’d had with dinner and pure man, and there was something sinfully erotic about the way his mouth expertly took hers. He took his time, despite the fact that he was holding her in the surf. Somehow, even now, Austin was in complete control.

Both of them were breathing heavily when he finally broke off the kiss, his eyes wide with arousal.

“We should go back to my place,” Alexa said, running one hand down his chest. His polo shirt felt slightly rough against her fingers, but she wanted his hot, male flesh pressed up against her bare skin.

“Are you sure?” he asked, nuzzling her gently as his breathing slowed.

Technically, this was their first date, but they’d also had drinks and spent another evening together with Callie and Wyatt. And this particular date had lasted about four hours so far. She couldn’t get enough of him. Alexa palmed his cheek, feeling the slight stubble of his five o’clock shadow beneath her fingertips. “I’m sure. Come home with me.”

Austin turned, striding out of the surf, before he set her down in the soft sand. Austin was just as ready as she was. Giggling, she grabbed his hand, and then the two of them hurried back to his Jeep.

Twenty minutes later, Alexa was practically dragging him through her apartment. She could tell Austin was holding back, letting her take the lead. It was sweet. Most guys would probably be pawing at her the moment she pulled them through her front door. Not that she ever jumped into bed with a man this quickly. If she didn’t feel comfortable or safe with Austin, she’d never have even agreed to a date. “Did you want another beer or anything?” she asked, pausing near the kitchen. She was still holding onto his hand with both of hers, loving how he didn’t seem to mind when she did that. Alexa had always been affectionate.

Austin studied her for a moment, searching her eyes. “We can slow down and have a drink if you’d like. Whatever you want is fine with me.”

“Bedroom it is then,” she said, trying to hold back her smile. “I didn’t want to seem rude by dragging you straight there.”

He chuckled, ducking down for a lazy kiss, one hand palming the back of her head. “You’re in control tonight. However far you want to take things is perfect. Hell. I was happy kissing you on the beach.”

“Well, how happy do you want to be?” she teased, moving slightly closer. She could feel the heat radiating off his frame and was about ready to strip off her own clothes right then to speed things along.

Austin licked his lips, smiling. “That’s up to you, Lex.”

“Come on then, sailor,” she joked. “I’m going to blow your mind.”