I tried to hide my smile, but it was no use. I wasn’t about to snap my fingers or anything demeaning like that, but I was sure as hell thinking about how I could use my charm to the best of my ability to ensure her clothes ended up on my bedroom floor tonight.

“Lucky for you, I’m retired from the military,” I told her, folding my arms across my chest, mimicking her pose.

I caught her giving me a quick, top to toe inspection and made sure to flex the muscles in my arms and chest just a bit, the corner of my mouth tilting up in a satisfied smirk as I watched her tongue dart out to wet her lips again.

“Still not interested,” she replied immediately.

She was lying. I’d just met this woman, but I was a Navy SEAL, trained to pick up on the subtle signs someone gives when they aren’t telling the truth: the way she avoided my eyes when she said she wasn’t interested, how her throat flexed with each swallow she took, indicating anxiety and dryness in the mouth, and how the pointer finger on her left hand nervously tapped over and over against her arm

Her beauty immediately turned me on, but that feigned, aloof indifference was like waving a red flag in front of a bull. Women found me attractive and I’d never had a hard time finding someone to warm my bed. It’s cocky, but it’s true. I’ve never chased a woman, but I willingly admitted that I’d chase this one for as long as it took. There was something about Olivia that was unlike any woman I’d ever met, aside from the obvious in the looks department. She wasn’t afraid to threaten a hard-assed SEAL like Garrett and she didn’t hesitate to put me in my place, even if she was lying.

“It’s okay, I’m not interested either,” I lied right back with a nonchalant shrug of my shoulders. “Let’s just get through this dinner, humor Garrett and Parker and then we can go our separate ways.”

Her eyes widened in surprise and I’m absolutely certain she didn’t expect that to come out of my mouth. Shit, I didn’t expect to say something like that either, but I quickly realized it was the right move. Her arms relaxed at her sides and, even though I could still see the wariness in her eyes, at least she’d loosened up a little.

I had no intention of going anywhere without Olivia, but she didn’t need to know that right now. I was going to have fun chasing this one and when I finally caught her, I knew it would be that much sweeter.

A creaking sound jolts me out of my stupor and I shake off the remnants of my daydream of the day Olivia and I met. Since Parker was pregnant and not drinking and Garrett stayed sober in sympathy for her, Olivia and I finished off every bit of alcohol they had in the house over dinner. We left our cars in their driveway and shared a cab back to Olivia’s hotel. As we ripped off each other’s clothes as soon as the door to her room closed, she informed me that this was a one-time thing and what happened in San Diego, stayed in San Diego. I was a little shocked when I woke up alone the next morning and realized she was serious. She’d checked out while I slept and went back to D.C. without so much as a note saying good-bye.

It took weeks of phone calls, text messages and a few impromptu trips out to D.C., showing up at her place of employment and shocking the hell out of her with my dedication, but I eventually wore her down and convinced her to give me a chance. Two months after we met, she was packing up her things and moving to San Diego. She claimed it was to be closer to Parker and I let her hold onto that belief for a little while. When she was spending more time in my bed than hanging out with her friend, I finally made her admit that I’d gotten under her skin.

A month after that, we bought a house down the street from Garrett and Parker in Midtown and, for the next eighteen months, I thought my life was damn near perfect.

I watch as the toe of a tennis shoe pokes through the sliver of an opening in my bedroom door, nudging my crutches out of the way. Barricade removed, the door swings open and suddenly, like something right out my fucking dreams, she’s standing there in front of me. I blink several times so I’m certain of what I’m seeing. Her blue eyes shine against the scrubs she’s wearing and I have a clear view of her gorgeous face, her hair pulled back from it. I don’t know what she’s doing here and, right now, I don’t care. I don’t care that I’m going to need her help to get off of the floor, I don’t even care that she’s going to see me at my weakest. After a year without her, seeing her again feels like I’m breathing for the first time. She’s my air, my life and my heart. Why in the fuck did I ever leave her?

I MAKE IT out the front door before I hear him call my name. Just the sound of his voice makes a lump form in my throat, and I angrily squeeze my eyes shut, refusing to let the tears fall. I’ve shed enough tears for Cole Vargas; he doesn’t deserve any more.

When I hear my name again, the anguish and pain in his voice as it travels down the hall and out the open front door makes my footsteps falter. Even though the sight of him completely blindsided me and I want to scream and punch something, I’m still a nurse. He’s on the ground and his crutches are halfway across the room. I don’t know what happened to him while he was gone and I don’t care, but I can’t ignore the fact that he’s injured and needs my help. No matter how much I want to get in my car and drive as far away from him as possible, I can’t. The professional side of me won’t let that happen.

Scrubbing my hands down my face, I take a few calming breaths. I’ll go back in there, help him get up and then I’m out of here. I’ll call the agency and tell them to find him a new nurse because there is no way in hell I’m doing this job.