THE KISS OF A SEAL Read Online Free PDF Page B

work.
    Jessa pulled her sweatshirt over her head and tossed it onto a chair. Stretching her arms over her head, she heard the sounds of her back popping in places and felt her muscles loosening. She loved physical fitness. It wasn’t just dedication, it was more like an addiction; the rush of adrenaline and the excitement of forcing her body to take itself further and further. She adored it.
    Men poured in through the main door. They knew exactly where to go and to whom.
    Gesturing to the group prepared to run, she signaled for them to follow her outside. A heady power surged through her system as ten men focused on her. She was used it, and smiled. “Gentlemen, today we beat our usual time to NAS and back, before Jones switches the rotation. Are you game?”
    “Hooyah!” they replied in unison.
    She nodded, and took off with a swift step.
    The men behind her pushed her pace even further until she was straining to keep ahead of them. She loved this, reveled in driving her body. Racing the men to NAS and back to the Amphibious base gym was an extra bonus. Her blood was pumping, the dolphins were surfing the waves, and the pelicans were diving for fish. This made everything right with the world.
    Drawing in the fresh air, she felt alive and connected to nature. She opened her stride and forced the group to increase theirs until they were racing like the devil was on their backs. As one, the men moved with her, and she could appreciate the dedication it took. Any of these guys could have broken ranks and beat their brethren, but that wasn’t what the Teams were about. They wanted each other to succeed and to exceed their own physical capabilities, so they pushed themselves and each other.
    She could appreciate those attributes. In essence, it was what she wanted in a mate. Her perfect man would want to know everything about her and her day and her life, and then together they could set the bar higher for each other.
    Lincoln did that for her. The first time they met, he took her on a swim. Not a dip in the ocean, but a nine-mile excursion that took them through shark-infested waters to these amazing underwater caves. She’d been forced to face her fear of sharks and had also tested her ability to hold her breath. The experience had left her exhilarated.
    When he had followed up with a picnic in the desert where they had laid on a blanket and watched a meteor shower and talked about their childhood dreams, she had been swept away. This soul continued to blow her mind by pushing her boundaries.
    What happened when he stopped doing that? Would she grow tired of him, the way she had Scott? The thoughts hit her abruptly as they reached the gym, their final destination.
    Suddenly, it seemed hard to catch her breath. Was all of this her fault?
    She signaled the group’s release and they rushed off for water, before they joined the rotations going through the machines. She knew she was still too early to meet her first appointment, so she walked to the top of the sand dune and looked out at the ocean. That hard knot was still in her stomach.
    Wind blew across her skin cooling her as she reached the top. Shading her eyes, she could see several RIBS (Rigid Inflatable Boats) manned by BUD/S Instructors working with the trainees. Those tadpoles had a long way to go, before they ended up in her realm. This class appeared younger than they had in the past. Was she growing older or just wiser?
    A hand skimmed over her fanny.
    She turned to reprimand the person, and a smile bloomed on her face. “Link.”
    “At your service.”
    “I’m glad you’re here.” She wanted to lean into his warm embrace and kiss him, to let go of all of her worry, but life didn’t work like that. She was a grown-up who needed to face her own problems. “Scott is on his way home.”
    The expression on Link’s face didn’t change. He was all SEAL, and his many emotions were tucked behind an expert’s mask. But she knew him well enough to know that he