SEAL's Promise (Alpha SEALs Coronado Book 5) Read online

  SEAL’s Promise

  AN ALPHA SEALS CORONADO NOVEL

  Makenna Jameison

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

  Copyright © 2021 by Makenna Jameison.

  All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.

  Table of Contents

  About This Book

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Epilogue

  Books by Makenna Jameison

  About the Author

  About This Book

  A dangerous hostage standoff at sea. An event planner caught in the middle. And a Navy SEAL who’ll risk everything to save her.

  Navy SEAL Troy “T-Rex” Harrison doesn’t expect to see the pretty redhead he flirted with at the beach ever again. Her flirtatious smile and sexy curves might’ve made his heart pound, but when he had to rush off to base for an emergency, he didn’t get her name or number.

  Event planner Caitlyn Thomas is ready to pull off the highlight of her career. She’s arranged an anniversary party for a high-ranking military officer and his wife. When the admiral is targeted by terrorists intent on stealing state secrets, Caitlyn is caught in the middle of the standoff. Taken hostage and out to sea with the admiral and his wife, she is shocked when the good-looking guy from the beach sneaks onto the boat to save them.

  A SEAL team coming to her rescue is the last thing she expects—especially the ruggedly handsome man who made her pulse pound. Danger follows her home from the rescue operation though. Troy won’t let anything happen to her, but he won’t let her get away this time either.

  SEAL’s Promise, a standalone novel, is book five in the addictive Alpha SEALs Coronado series.

  Chapter 1

  Troy “T-Rex” Harrison jogged across the sand, listening to his buddies chuckling behind him as the sun dipped lower over the Pacific and the salty ocean breeze blew in. He nodded at his teammate, Logan “Hurricane” Hudson, who was flirting with a few women on the beach, but kept moving toward his target—the pretty redhead he’d spotted moments ago.

  She had a sundress and sweater on and shivered slightly in the breeze, but he could see why she’d chosen to wear a dress despite the cooler weather—she had a purple cast on her left leg and crutches. She couldn’t exactly wear the skinny jeans her friends had on. Not that he minded looking at her toned legs. Even with the cast, he got a nice glimpse of her fair, creamy skin peeking out from beneath the dress that grazed her thighs. Her red waves blew back from her face, and he wanted to grin as he caught sight of the smattering of freckles across her cheeks as he jogged up the steps to the boardwalk where she was standing.

  Her freckles were cute as hell, despite the fact that she was otherwise all woman. She had nice hips. Gorgeous breasts. And green eyes that looked surprised as he approached her. “Do you need help?” he asked, nodding at the wooden stairs leading down to the beach. The access ramp for wheelchairs was damaged, which would’ve been easier for her to navigate with crutches.

  “Oh, no, I’m fine. I’m just waiting for them,” she said with a small laugh, looking over toward the three women who were talking to Logan.

  She seemed nervous, and Troy slowed down as he walked closer. He was a large guy, like his SEAL teammates. And she couldn’t exactly run away from danger with her crutches and cast. If anything, that made him feel even more protective toward her. She was already so much damn smaller than him. Add in the fact that she was at a total disadvantage in getting around with that cast on her leg? The chivalrous side of him sprang into action. Not that he was dangerous to innocent civilians or that he would ever harm a woman, but she didn’t know that.

  He heard a whoop from the parking lot and saw a car of young guys peeling out. Even in the winter, the beach was crawling with people. It was sunny and gorgeous. An amazing weekend evening. But despite the fact there were others around, he only had eyes for the redhead.

  His gaze followed hers down to the beach. “That’s my buddy Logan talking with your friends.”

  “Are those the rest of your friends?” she asked, looking off in the distance. His teammates and their women were gathered around a cooler, drinking beers and laughing. Grayson “Ghost” Douglass tipped his beer bottle toward Troy, and he smirked. His friends knew exactly why he’d left them for a pretty girl.

  “Yep. That’s my buddy Ghost and his fiancée, Hailey. The other guys all have girlfriends or are engaged, which is why Logan and I came over here,” he said with a wink. “I’m Troy.” He held out a hand, waiting to see if she’d take it. She paused a beat but then shook his hand, sparks shooting through him at her touch. She looked momentarily surprised as well, and he held on, heat coursing through him.

  The sight of her slender hand in his own calloused one was intriguing. Her skin was soft and smooth. She was fragile, like a goddamn bird or something. He felt huge in front of her, but he loved that she didn’t pull away from his touch.

  The redhead didn’t get a chance to give him her name as they heard her friends shrieking down on the beach, and Troy released her hand and glanced over to see the women moving away from a crab scuttling across the sand. Logan was chuckling, and Troy could see he’d taken a liking to the blonde, who was now clinging to his arm.

  “I’ll handle it, sweetheart,” Logan assured the woman, smiling down at her.

  “Come down!” one of the women called out, gesturing toward the redhead. “The spot over there will be perfect!”

  “I’ll carry you down the stairs,” Troy offered. She flushed, the hint of pink spreading across her cheeks intriguing as hell.

  “Um, I don’t know….”

  “I promise not to drop you,” he said huskily. Hell, if he had his way, he’d carry her off in the opposite direction—away from the others toward the parking lot. He’d set her down on a bench somewhere, find out her name, and then ask her out. Not that a woman he’d just met would be comfortable with him carrying her away from everyone else. Not this woman at any rate. He’d certainly had his share of one-night-stands in his younger days, where he’d meet a pretty girl at a bar and take her home, but now he found himself dating a woman for a month or so before things fizzled out.

  A couple was walking toward them headed for the beach, and Troy called out to the guy. “Hey, can you carry down my girlfriend’s crutches for me?”

  He winked, and before the redhead could say a word, he was lifting her into his arms. His groin tightened as he felt her softness pressed up against his chest, but he ignored it. She smelled delicious, like vanilla cupcakes or something else mouthwatering that he was dying to taste. And the sweet way she clung to him made his heart pound.

  “Girlfriend, huh?” she asked dryly.

  Her friends giggled and clapped as he carried her down the steps toward the sand, and he chuckled. Hell, she weighed practically nothing at all. He’d carried his six-foot-plus teammates slung over his shoulder in training. The woman in his arms hardly compared.

  “It s
eemed plausible,” he said with a boyish grin. “I mean, you’re just my type.”

  “And what type is that?” she asked, her green eyes twinkling in amusement.

  “Pretty. Petite. The kind of woman who agrees to head to the beach with her friends in a cast but doesn’t mind a little help from a handsome stranger when they leave her stranded on the boardwalk.”

  “I’m actually an event planner. The brunette is engaged, and she’s planning a beach wedding for next fall. The other two are her sisters. I told them I didn’t mind hanging back while they talked about their vision down on the sand. But after trekking all over San Diego with them today, I’ve decided I’m never going somewhere with stairs again—not in this cast. Maybe we can visit the rest of the venues virtually or something.”

  “Never say never,” Troy quipped. “You just need to make sure I’m with you.”

  They reached the sand, and he gently set her down as the other man handed Troy her crutches.

  “How long have you two been dating?” the woman asked.

  “Two minutes,” Troy said, and the couple laughed.

  “Well, good luck,” the guy chuckled, wrapping his arm around his girlfriend’s shoulders and walking away.

  Troy and the redhead moved slowly toward the others. Logan grinned as the blonde stood right at his side. “Stacy here is planning a wedding,” he said, nodding at one of the women. “These are her sisters.”

  “Are you guys really in the Navy?” the blonde asked, resting her hand on Logan’s forearm.

  “Guilty as charged,” Troy said with a smirk. He wondered where she was from. Everyone who lived around here was used to seeing military men all over the place. San Diego was a damn Navy town. Maybe the woman getting married was the only one who was local. Or the blonde was just trying to play dumb.

  “So, what do you think?” the redhead asked the other women. Troy realized he still hadn’t gotten her name. “The ceremony and reception could be right here. If the ramp is fixed, your older relatives should be able to get down to the beach. And we’ll have chairs set up in the sand, a gorgeous floral arch for you to say your vows under, and then a nice tented area for the reception.”

  “It’s perfect!” the brunette squealed. “I can’t wait to show my fiancé. Thank you so, sooo much for showing us everything today. I feel so bad that you were on crutches. Email me the contract, okay? We’ll sign the paper for the permit or whatever we need and then plan the rest of the wedding. Eeek! This is so exciting.”

  “Now that that’s settled, let’s go for a walk!” the blonde said, tugging on Logan’s arm. “I love the ocean at this time of night.”

  “A walk sounds perfect,” the brunette said. “It’s such a gorgeous evening.” She looked over toward Troy and the redhead, frowning.

  “Go ahead,” Troy’s girl said. His girl? He’d just met the woman a few minutes ago. She wasn’t even his date, let alone his girlfriend. “We’re all set. I’ll email you the details and paperwork tomorrow. Enjoy your walk!”

  Troy turned toward her, loving the cute flush that spread across her cheeks as the others walked away. “Don’t tell me they just left you stranded here,” he said in a low voice.

  “We drove separately. Thank goodness my left foot is broken, because I can still use the gas pedal,” she said with a shrug. A red strand of hair blew across her face, and Troy reached out, brushing it back. He tucked it behind her ear, watching as she licked her pink lips.

  Hell. What was he doing? He’d just met her but couldn’t help imagining what it would feel like to duck down and brush his mouth over hers.

  She seemed affected by his touch as well. Her eyes had widened in arousal, and he saw the way her chest rose and fell. They were standing quite close to one another for being strangers. She didn’t seem scared of him anymore though. He knew he’d surprised her by jogging right up to her earlier, but damn. She was the prettiest thing on the entire beach.

  “Do you live around here?” he asked.

  “About twenty minutes away.” He noticed she didn’t say exactly where, and he smiled.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “I like that you’re cautious. There are too many dangerous people in this world.”

  She tilted her head, looking at him questioningly. “Spoken like someone who knows. And while the blonde who liked your friend Logan is from Ohio and a bit naïve, I figured you guys were Navy SEALs.”

  “How so?” he asked, feeling amused.

  “Well, you’re all big,” she said, shifting on her crutches. “And you seem kind of ‘take charge.’ I mean, you carried me down the stairs without even waiting for an answer.”

  “Sorry,” he said, his lips quirking. “Should I carry you back? I’d invite you to hang out with my friends,” he said, nodding at the group in the distance, “but the beach doesn’t seem like the best spot with a cast. I don’t have a chair or anything for you to sit on. And while my buddies would let you sit on the cooler, that wouldn’t be very comfortable for long.”

  “I think I do need to sit down,” she admitted. “My ankle is throbbing a bit. There’s a bench back on the boardwalk.”

  “Hell, sorry, sweetheart,” he said. He took her crutches in one hand and then lifted her again, loving the feel of her in his arms.

  “Sweetheart?” she asked.

  “Too tame for you?” he asked with a wink, loving as her cheeks pinkened again. “How about Butterfly, for all that gorgeous red hair?”

  “Monarch butterflies are orange,” she said. “And I can hold my crutches,” she protested as he began moving across the sand.

  “Nope. I’m good. And I think Butterfly suits you—both fragile and beautiful.” He carried her up the stairs, setting her down on the top step so she was seated facing the water. It couldn’t be too comfortable without being able to prop up her leg, but at least she could rest it on a lower step for the moment. Hopefully no one else would come right now and want to walk down. And he wanted to get to know her.

  She giggled as he sat down beside her. “You’re ditching your friends for me?” she asked, sounding amused.

  He shrugged. “Like I said, they’re all couples. Besides, I see those guys every day. I’d rather sit here and get to know you. You haven’t even told me your name yet, Butterfly.”

  “I might,” she said. “I’m still thinking about it.”

  He chuckled, loving the mischief sparking in her green eyes. She was teasing him, but he sensed her caution was real. Aside from the fact that she was an event planner, he didn’t know much about her. She was a bit guarded. She was beautiful, too, so she probably had guys like him hitting on her all the time. It was no wonder she was reluctant to tell him much about herself. Some men could be quite aggressive when chasing after a woman. He wasn’t a threat to her, but of course she didn’t know that.

  She shivered slightly in the breeze, and he frowned. “You’re cold.”

  “I wasn’t planning to stay here long, just to show the bride the location. We scouted out several other places earlier, but I think she had her heart set on a beach wedding.”

  “I get it, but the beach isn’t the best spot when you’re in a cast. How about this—you’re cold and it’s getting late. I’ve got PT early tomorrow morning anyway. I’ll walk you back to your car and let you get home to rest. But can I take you to dinner sometime?”

  “I don’t know,” she said, looking flustered as he glanced over. A hint of pink spread across her cheeks again, and he wondered if that dusting of freckles across her face trailed down her chest. It took everything in him to hold her gaze and not look down. He bet she looked adorably sexy in a bikini. The freckles made her appear somewhat younger than she probably was, but he could tell she was all woman. And he loved the way she flushed at his attention.

  She was intriguing as hell, but she was also still a bit wary of him. He didn’t need to spook her now. She was essentially working, scouting out locations with her client, and he’d appeared out of nowhere and hi
t on her. It’s not like they’d been out at a bar with friends. “I haven’t had the best luck with men lately,” she admitted.

  “I promise I’m a good guy,” he said. “I’ve got two younger sisters. I’ve been in the Navy since graduating from high school. My buddies will vouch for me. Or, better yet, their women will. That says more than my friends, right?”

  She smiled. “How come you’re still single if they’re all dating someone?”

  He shrugged. “I guess I keep meeting the wrong women. The last girl I dated a month or so before it ended. My sister had a flat tire and called me. My date freaked out that we’d be late for our dinner reservations and ditched me.”

  “Damn. That’s kind of harsh. So, what’d you do?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Did you go change her tire or something?” she asked, looking up at him.

  His heart thudded in his chest as he gazed at her. With the dunes in the background and the sun setting over the Pacific, it was romantic as hell sitting here with her. Her cheeks were flushed, her green eyes bright, and her red hair sexy as it fell in waves around her face. This wasn’t a date though. While he’d love to pull her close, he wasn’t about to freak her out. She didn’t need a man she just met pawing at her, no matter how badly he’d love to touch her porcelain skin or kiss those pink lips.

  They parted slightly as he gazed at them.

  “No, she lives a few hours away,” Troy said, trying to get his mind back on track. “I did call a tow truck for her though. I didn’t want her stranded on the side of the road. If I could’ve gotten to her quickly I would’ve, but it was faster just to arrange for someone to help her.”

  “Of course,” she agreed. “And honestly? Your date sounds a little obnoxious. You’re better off without her.”

  Troy snorted. “Yeah, I found that out the hard way. We’d only gone out a few times. But I got my sister taken care of and that was that. And as you guessed, I am a SEAL. We deploy frequently sometimes, which can make things tough for dating. I’ll be getting to know a woman and then have to disappear.”