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I gaped at him. This was not Seb as I’d ever seen him. My Seb was a Type A adrenaline junkie, cracking jokes while triple-checking that all the gear was in good condition and all the knots were correct. A flirtatious goofball. And while I knew that his 6'3 frame put him nine inches taller than me, he had never once used his height or strength to intimidate me.

But this Seb…this was the Seb who ran missions to the most dangerous places on earth and came out alive. This Seb was lethal.

My pulse skittered like a scared rabbit. But my pussy was embarrassingly soaked.

My skin felt hot. I wet my lower lip nervously. His gaze dropped there, and his eyes narrowed before he jerked them back to mine. His hold on my wrist was going to leave a bruise.

I wasn’t sure I cared.

“Take control, Lila. Or I will.”

The promise in his low growl sent a frisson of excitement down my spine. My brain kicked back on, and I remembered what to do. I moved hard and fast. I covered his knuckles with my free hand and pushed down, bringing him even closer to me. Then I swung his arm around so he had no choice but to pivot. He released my wrist, but I still had control of his. With his wrist bent back, I forced him head-first to the ground. He crumpled to his knees when his chest and shoulders hit the mat.

I took off running like Tamilee taught me. Halfway to the door, I came to my senses. What the hell was I doing? I couldn’t let this opportunity pass me by. I made a U-turn back to him.

“Lila!” Tamilee hollered. “What are you doing? Run away from danger! Away!”

I brought my leg back and aimed for his hamstring.

My foot never made contact. His hand snapped out behind him with ruthless precision, capturing my ankle with his long fingers, leaving me hobbled on one leg.

“Hey!” I shrieked as he rolled toward me, taking me out at the knees, and brought me down to the mat.

All my flailing and scratching had zero effect. He had me underneath his big body in two seconds flat with my arms pinned over my head. We stared at each other, breathing hard.

Okay, maybe it had been a terrible idea to think I could sneak up on an ex-SEAL.

I tugged at my arms, but all that did was push my chest against his, making my traitorous nipples harden, so I wiggled my hips, trying to get enough leverage to get a knee to his balls.

Air hissed through his teeth. “Don’t.”

His warning was too late. I still couldn’t get my knee up, but I had gotten something up, and it was big and hard and wedged against a place that felt so good I wanted to cry.

Tamilee cleared her throat. “And that is why we run away, Lila.” She shook her head. “Clearly we have more work to do.”

19

SEB

Lila fluttered around the cabin like a trapped bird. Frustrated, clumsy, desperate for an exit. She hadn’t stopped moving since we got back from Tamilee’s training session twenty minutes ago. I eyed her warily from the kitchen. She was probably hungry after sparring. She needed a snack.

She needs a good fuck.

I shoved the thought aside and grabbed an apple. Tension pulled taut like an invisible string between us. Putting my hands on her like that, pinning her under my body, fuck. That was a mistake.

Fucking Tamilee. It was her fault I was going to spend an hour in a cold shower after Lila went to bed.

“What are you doing?” Lila halted by the counter, hands on hips.

“What does it look like I’m doing? I’m making you a snack.” I scooped the apple slices onto the plate and nudged it toward her. “Eat something. Shower. Go to bed.”

She shoved the plate right back at me, so hard it sailed off the counter and clattered to the floor. Apple slices and cheese flew in all directions. We watched silently as the plate circled itself like a hula hoop before vibrating to a stop. I looked at the apple slices, the cheese, the plate, and then Lila.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” I shouted into her face.

“You are what’s wrong with me!” she shouted back. “Just stop, okay? Stop making me snacks. Stop flashing your abs around. Stop fucking with my head. Stop making me want you.”

I leaned in so we were almost nose-to-nose. Her chest rose on a sharp inhale, but I didn’t give her back a single inch. “You first, baby.”