Brianna's Navy SEAL Page 2

  "Is he married?"

  "I don't think so. No ring, and I asked if the supplies were for his kids. He just kind of smiled at me.” She sighed, and Brianna thumped herself back onto the bench and raised her legs. The sled made a lot of noise as she whooshed through her second set. The women glared at her. She added three reps out of spite.

  "Anyway,” the store clerk said, turning back to her companion, who was now struggling to curl a five-pound barbell. “I can't wait to see him again. I'll get a date from him, no doubt."

  Another woman chimed in from in front of the mirror, where she had a wooden pole across her shoulders while she twisted at the waist. “If I don't get to him first, honey! My brother runs the paint store. He's painting the bedrooms in his house.” She paused significantly. “Moss green."

  The other women groaned like that was an unpardonable sin. Brianna gritted her teeth and added twenty-five pounds to each side of the sled, then positioned herself on the bench. She waited to hear what the woman was going to add.

  "I'm an interior decorator. I'll offer him my services for free.” She tittered in what she probably thought was a sexy manner. Brianna rolled her eyes and tried to control the weight as she lifted the sled with her feet.

  "He's new in town. I'm sure he'd appreciate a hot meal and companionship,” someone said.

  "Who wants to offer him companionship?” Another woman had joined the fray. Brianna recognized that voice. Darcy Langlais. What was she doing back in town, the slut?

  "He's a Navy SEAL,” Darcy said. “We all know what military men want when they're on leave."

  Brianna pushed too hard and felt a sudden “twang” in her right inner thigh. “Gaah!” She cried out and let the weight go, grabbing the pulled muscle. She ignored the concerned attention the others gave her and pulled herself upright.

  "Minor pull.” She waved them off. “I'll be fine.” She concentrated on walking normally out of the room and down the hall to the front door. Once she was out of sight of the building she allowed herself to limp.

  "Stupid, stupid, stupid,” she grunted with every step. It took her three times as long to get to her street as it had going the other way. The muscle tightened painfully as she went, and she cursed. She was as bad as those women in there.

  When she got to her own block, she groaned in relief. Only a few more steps. She'd almost reached her driveway when suddenly someone was at her side. In her pain and concentration she hadn't noticed Cable mowing his lawn. The mower stood abandoned in the middle of the postage-stamp sized front yard.

  "Brie, are you okay?” He supported her by the elbow and she allowed herself to lean on him. “What happened?"

  "Groin pull,” she muttered through her teeth, hissing as he lowered her to the top step of her porch. “Leg press."

  "How much weight?"

  Brie blushed. She felt it in the heat of her cheeks and chest and hoped he didn't notice. She hated to admit to her stupidity. She wasn't an amateur. “Two-thirty."

  Cable let out a whistle. “Third set?” She nodded. “That's impressive."

  Brie grimaced and lay back on the floor, letting her injured muscle stretch, tensing until it relaxed. “Impressive if I manage not to hurt myself doing it."

  "Where'd you start?"

  "Ninety."

  Out of the corner of her eye she saw Cable shake his head. “You went up too fast, Brianna."

  "Skip the lecture,” she told him.

  "Where's your key? I'll get you some ice."

  That had her sitting up again and beginning the slow struggle to her feet. “No way. I'm not putting ice on my groin in front of you."

  Cable chuckled. “Would it help if I told you I had some medical training?"

  Brie finally got to her feet. “Somehow I think your ‘medical training’ runs to treating gunshot wounds and broken bones, not routine groin pulls.” She began limping toward the front door. Cable stayed where he was, perched against the front rail, watching her with folded arms.

  "How'd you get distracted? You don't look like someone who would make that kind of mistake."

  "I'm not.” Brie pulled her key from a hidden pocket in her bike shorts, glad she had worn this pair and that the key wasn't tied to her shoelace. “I was listening to all the town spinsters bragging about how they were going to pin you down and seduce you with interior decorating and home-cooked meals."

  Cable followed her into the house and toward the kitchen in the rear. There was obvious amusement in his voice. “Let me guess. The clerk from the teacher's store."

  "That was one.” Brie poured herself a glass of water from the cooler, then offered one to Cable. He took it gratefully, then frowned a little. He looked so cute when he frowned! Brie scowled and turned her back to him. She was as bad as all the others.

  "Who else?"

  "The paint store guy's sister."

  "Ah. Is she the interior decorator?"

  She nodded. “Apparently doesn't like your choice of paint."

  Cable came up next to her and placed his empty glass in the sink. Brie held herself still as his body heat and personal scent—pine and paper—reached out to her.

  "Don't worry. They won't bag me."

  "Why not?” She resisted the urge to look up at him, knowing his fiery blue eyes would be focused on her.

  "I'm not baggable at the moment.” He moved away and Brie breathed more freely. She pulled a bag of peas from the freezer and sat at the table, resting the bag against her offended muscle. Cable helped himself to the chair across from her, a thoughtful move because then her lap was out of his line of sight.

  "Why not?” She gulped her water, feeling dehydrated and not from her workout.

  "I'm looking for the right woman. I plan to do the bagging.” He looked amused again and Brie couldn't help but sigh internally. None of the big-screen action heroes could hold a candle to this guy.

  "Well, good luck. You'll need it trying to find one in this town."

  "One what?"

  "Right woman."

  "Why?"

  "If they're not taken, they're not right."

  He tilted his head at her. “Maybe. Maybe not.” A beat. “You're not taken."

  Brie's heart sped up and she allowed herself to meet his gaze. Oh, yeah, that was interest. She felt giddy and tried to act her age. “No. I'm not baggable for different reasons."

  The phone rang before Cable could ask what they were. He stood and grabbed it off the wall, handed it to her, then waved a goodbye. “Call me if you need any help,” he whispered, then left.

  She would, if she had any inkling what his phone number was. She waited until she heard the screen door slam shut before raising the phone to her ear.

  "Hello?"

  "Hi, is this Rick's Pizzeria?"

  Brie cursed again and slammed the phone to the table.

  CHAPTER 2

  The first week of school was as exhausting as it was exhilarating. Cable watched the last group of bus riders get dismissed, then returned his attention to the roster and his notes from the week. Most of the kids would be fine. He had two potential troublemakers who seemed to enjoy daring each other to be naughty. He would do his best to keep them separated. He'd be setting up the groups for Centers this weekend and Carl and Zack would be in different groups.

  He had a crowd of eager learners and an overall level of ability higher than he would have expected, with a few far past the pack and three or four that had to catch up.

  A knock on his open door was followed by a deliberate throat-clearing. Cable waved the principal into the room.

  "How'd you do?” the little man asked. Cable always had to hide his amusement at the guy's tentativeness and unassuming demeanor. Most of the principals he'd known were a bit tougher, at least externally. He hadn't yet seen Steve Dvorak tested.

  "Fine.” Cable closed his folio and gathered the files he needed. “The kids were great. Very well behaved, considering the weather and the excitement of starting school."

 
"Yes, the days were quite hot, weren't they?” Steve perched himself on the edge of a table and folded his arms under his bow tie. “I wanted to talk to you about your teacher's aide."

  "Great!” Twenty-six kids were a lot to handle alone. Not that he had problems, but he could only give one child attention or assistance at a time. “Did you find one?"

  Steve gave two short jerky nods. “Elyse Macgregor."

  Cable raised his eyebrows. “Brianna Macgregor's ... what?"

  "Mother. She's raised three daughters through the system and is quite familiar with how we do things."

  "I'm sure she'll be fine."

  "Quite.” Steve looked a little disconcerted. Cable wondered how long it had taken him to work up to the confrontation he'd expected and hadn't gotten. “Well.” The principal straightened and pulled down the bottom of his buttoned blazer. “I wonder if you have a moment to meet with Mrs. Macgregor?"

  "Now?” Cable glanced at the clock. Not that he had anything to do at home besides watch for Brianna.

  "If it's convenient.” As if offended, Steve had stiffened even more. Cable hadn't thought it possible.

  "Sure. No problem.” He stood when Steve ushered in his new aide, and shook the hand of the petite, dark-haired woman who entered. The only resemblance Cable could see to Brianna was the sparkle in her eyes.

  "Welcome, Mrs. Macgregor."

  "Nice to meet you, Mr. Addison.” She sat at his gesture, then pointedly stared at Steve until he excused himself and left.

  "Thank you for meeting with me,” she said. “I'm sure you have plenty to do at home. Are you settled in yet?"

  "Nearly."

  "I understand you live across from my Brianna.” The sparkle changed to a glimmer. Uh, oh, Cable thought. Matchmaker alert.

  "Yes, coincidentally. As I'm across the hall from her here."

  Elyse beamed. “Wonderful.” Then she suddenly turned all business. “I'm sure you're wondering what to expect from me."

  Cable leaned forward and picked up a pencil from the desktop. “It might be better for you to tell me what you expect."

  "Drudge work.” Her eyes were back to sparkling. “Pouring glue and picking it out of hair, taking kids to the bathroom, sorting papers, that sort of thing?"

  He nodded. “The biggest assistance will be during Centers each day. Certain projects will require more supervision or help for the students than others. Art and science in particular, since they're more hands-on. The reading and math centers are much quieter and the kids are able to do for themselves more easily. Parent volunteers can help out there."

  He sat back again as he warmed to the topic. “I want to try to get them all on the computer each day, which won't be easy. We need to devise a system to move them along when each child finishes their program. Recess and snack are group activities, of course, and every morning we do Daily Circle to talk about the date and weather. I also teach them new sign language and a song in circle each day.” He noted the smile on her face was now of the can't-hide-it variety. “What, you don't think I can sing?"

  "I'm sorry.” She placed her fingertips over her mouth. “It's just, you're such a big man, and it's hard to picture you in a circle with the children."

  "You're not the first to have trouble with that image."

  They talked about the daily routine a bit more, then Cable stuffed his briefcase and walked her out. By the time they left the parking lot in their cars—hers a Chrysler Sebring convertible, his a Ford Expedition—he had accepted an invitation to dinner Sunday night.

  * * * *

  Elyse Macgregor had a plan.

  Brianna could sense it before she'd even set foot in the house. The cars were wrong. Usually, her father and mother squeezed their cars into the cluttered garage, Kira and Sophie parked their SUVs in the driveway, and Brianna parked her little Jetta on the narrow street. But today, Kira's 4Runner was sitting by the mailbox. Brianna parked behind it, stepped onto the sidewalk, and saw why. A silver Expedition sat in Kira's usual spot. A silver Expedition just like Cable's. She hesitated, but decided it was coincidence and continued up the walk. No doubt a friend of her mother's was in town, one of the women she'd met on her annual “personal” vacations. She'd taken one just before Kira and Jake married, and it had changed her life.

  Certain she was right, Brianna opened the kitchen door and walked in with a smile.

  Of course, the smile froze as soon as she saw Cable chopping carrots at the counter. He wore a ruffled apron around his waist but looked as comfortable as he had in his classroom. Both were places he just shouldn't belong, but he did. And Brianna's system went haywire.

  She backed out of the kitchen and shut the door, hearing “Bee-Bee!” as the latch clicked. She grimaced, feeling terrible when the excited cry turned into a wail.

  She couldn't help her reaction, or her instinctive need to hide it. But she couldn't let her nephew cry, either.

  She hesitated two seconds, wondering how bad it would be to run back to her car. The “I wanna huuuggg!” behind the door told her it would be very bad.

  She sighed and went back inside, pasting a huge smile on her face and opening her arms wide.

  "Joey, baby! I'm here!"

  He didn't run to her this time, but kind of slid over into her arms, sniffling and ducking his head. He looked at her from wide, shimmering blue eyes that matched his mama's, and kept two fingers in his mouth. She folded him into her arms when he came close enough. “Shh, love. I'm sorry.” He let her stroke his hair for a few seconds, then babbled something about a ball and Cody, the dog, and ran off into the living room.

  "Well, that was unusual.” Her mother was watching her from the stove. “What did you do that for?"

  She glanced at Cable and blushed when she saw the look on his face. “I forgot something.” He knew, she could tell, and blushed harder. “Um, what can I do to help?"

  Her mother put her to work slicing bread at the island, back-to-back with Cable. The kitchen wasn't tiny, but it was close enough that she could feel his movements behind her, and for some reason, that felt intimate. Too intimate.

  Which was ridiculous. Why shouldn't she get intimate with Cable Addison? She had too many instinctive reactions to him, all conflicting, and it would be easier if she could just avoid the whole thing. Working together was bad enough, but at least they were in separate rooms most of the time. She kept finding herself peeking out the window to see if he was home, maybe doing yard work in his muscle shirt, but she didn't have to go outside herself. But here, with this forced proximity, both attraction and fear were building every time they touched.

  She took a deep breath, held it, and let it out slowly, forcing herself back to normal before anxiety got completely out of control.

  Her mother was talking to Cable about the kids in their classroom, mundane stuff about next week's lessons. Brianna relaxed and listened while she finished slicing the loaf and arranging it in a bread basket. This was familiar territory, and they soon drew her into the conversation, which continued, with Jake's input and Sophie's smart remarks, into dinner.

  Suddenly, without warning, she yawned. Mortified, she slapped her hand over her mouth, but everyone had noticed. It had been a pretty loud yawn.

  "Not enough sleep?” Cable asked, grinning at her over his fork.

  "Nah, we're just too tedious for Brie,” Jake teased. He reached to move Joey's cup away from the edge of the table. The toddler, wiggly in his booster seat, was intent on scooping peas onto his spoon. His father nudged them on with his thumb, and Joey dumped them gleefully into his mouth.

  "See, Mama! I do it!” He waved the spoon.

  "I don't think you guys are tedious,” Brianna protested, watching her nephew to avoid seeing Cable viewing her embarrassment. “Or teaching, for that matter. You know I love it."

  "For now.” Parker, Sophie's husband, hadn't been part of the family for long, but he'd quickly gotten the hang of picking on Brianna. “By Christmas break she'll be taking off again, maybe for
the Middle East. New York and LA haven't seemed to be enough."

  "Shush, you guys.” Cable didn't need to hear about her past restlessness, and it wasn't like she could counter their accusations by pointing her finger at her sisters anymore.

  "Middle East?” Cable questioned, eyeing her. “What are they talking about?"

  "Nothing.” She stabbed a piece of meat with her fork, then set it down, her appetite gone. She had no doubt Cable was intimately familiar with the Middle East, and wondered what he was thinking.

  "So, what do you think the Sox's chances are to win the pennant this year?"

  Grateful to her father for taking pity on her, Brianna stood and started gathering plates while the rest launched into their favorite fall debate. She'd just get a few moments alone in the kitchen to recover. But Cable followed her with his own stack and started scraping remains into the trash. Stuck, Brie bent to help.

  "You do a lot of traveling?” Cable asked, something careful in his voice. Not sure why that was, she answered cautiously.

  "Not really. Just a couple of times in the last few years."

  "You going overseas?"

  "No, that was a joke. I'm sorry, that's just kind of what happens with a big family. They toss out inside jokes and ignore how rude it is to guests."

  Cable dropped the silverware into the sink next to the plates and scooted the trash can back into place with his foot. “What are you doing after dinner?"

  "Um, well, usually we ... I go home and relax, ‘cause tomorrow's Monday. Tonight I have some bookkeeping to do for an accountant I help out, though, so no rest for me."

  "I was hoping you'd go get coffee with me or something. But if you're busy—"

  "Not that busy.” Brianna felt like she was in high school again, her chest filling with air and threatening to take her to the ceiling. “Um, there's a new coffee shop on the square. It's within walking distance. We can take it to the park, then walk back. If you want."

  "Sounds good."

  "Hey, you guys want to play Cranium?” Jake poked his head through the door. “Sophie and Parker are hanging out for a while before they head home."