Page 59 of Trusting a Warrior

You’re welcome.

And thank Bosch for me, too.

I will.

With a wicked grin, she typed, Don’t tell him, but I just enlarged the pic and kissed his nose.

What?? Now I’m jealous of him! But I won’t tell.

Lani’s tummy gave a flutter, even as she rolled her eyes. I’d be happy to kiss your nose, too, if it’s that important to you, geez.

After a delay of several seconds that felt like hours, the phone buzzed, and quivering, she opened the selfie. In it, Geo looked tired, and stubbly, his hair overly long, but his incredible eyes glowed with warmth. He pointed not to his nose, but to his slightly parted lips. The text read, Suggested kiss target.

Her own lips started to tingle. Kissing her finger, she pressed it lightly to the screen, then typed, Done.

Mmm, that was nice. A pause. Call me?

Her breath caught. She wanted to, but the emotions of the day had left her raw, her vulnerability dangerously close to the surface. In her current state, it’d be so easy to take Geo’s light flirting as more than he intended it to be, and the last thing she wanted to do was risk their as-yet delicate friendship, a friendship she sensed they both needed right now.

Talking to him would be a big mistake.

She was just about to hit Reply and make up some excuse when the phone vibrated again.

You know what? I’m sorry. You’ve had a long day. Another time?

His perception warmed her, even as she sighed in a combination of relief and disappointment. Yes, please.

You got it, beautiful. Until next time.

A couple of heart emojis followed that, and groaning, Lani pressed the phone to her chest.

Fate, you’re such a fucking bitch. I hate you. Why does he have to be a SEAL?

Chapter Twelve

“She likes you better than me.”

Bosch cracked an eye open at Geo’s disgruntled tone, then went right back to sleep.

“No comment? Thanks,” Geo grumbled. “Lazy dog.” On impulse he aimed his phone and snapped another pic of him, anticipating maybe texting it to Lani at some point with the caption, “Exhausted from pile-driving SEALs all day. How about you?”

That led to thoughts of her tackling some dude from behind in order to wrest his beef jerky from his hand, and the visual made him cackle all over again.

He flopped to his back on the bed, and idly scrolled through his photo album to the one of her on the beach. Oh, yeah, those gold-flecked eyes, that sexy half-smile. He traced his finger over her lips, aching with something he couldn’t define.

He sighed. The sharpness of his disappointment over not getting to talk to her surprised him a bit, even as he sensed that what she needed after a difficult day was a little decompression and quiet time.

And maybe a pity-free hug, if I was around.

Sitting up again, he glared at Bosch asleep in his cage. “But I’m not around, am I?” he said aloud. “And you’re getting free nose kisses. I had to ask for mine.”

Just then the lock on the barracks door whirred, startling him, and he glanced up as Matt pushed it open.

“Talking to yourself again?” Matt asked with a grin. “You do that a lot.”

“Shut the fuck up,” Geo growled, though the words were without heat. In the past couple of weeks, through rooming and working with Matt, he’d come to like him a lot. As a no-nonsense SEAL with a strong work ethic, he’d endeared himself to the entire platoon, so much so that Alex had offered him a permanent slot with them.

“You thought any more about that job offer?” Geo asked him now. “Love to see you come aboard.”