Free SEAL's Promise - Bad Boys of SEAL Team 3, Book 01 by Sharon Hamilton

glad Shannon had come to his defense, but a sense of unease and dread began to grow. He felt a sense of danger the more time these two women spent together. And he didn’t know why.
    “I don’t think that is very polite, Mother. T.J. has been a great friend, helping Joe build a playhouse for Courtney. You really ought to see it. Very impressive.”
    Mrs. Moore walked down the hallway to view the backyard from the master bedroom and shouted back, “You make a good carpenter, T.J. At least you could do that if the SEALs don’t work out for you.”
    T.J. angled his head, looking for some sign from Shannon, but she shrugged and gave a puzzled expression in return. Mrs. Moore came back into the room.
    “Well, I’m sure you have a lot better things to do than hang around a couple of old married women. I’m taking Shannon shopping. I’d invite you, but I think you’d be pretty miserable.”
    He placed his palms in his jeans pockets and nodded for a bit before answering. “You’re quite right, Mrs. Moore. I’ll just get my things.”
    “Why don’t you wait for us?” Shannon posed. “Maybe we could have dinner after I drop Mom off at the hotel?”
    “And do what? Clean the house? Straighten your closets?” T.J. felt the scab had been picked and he couldn’t stop himself. He didn’t like that Shannon was excluding him. Mrs. Moore reminded him of some of the foster moms and state officials he’d known. They’d talk civilly but their hearts were black as coal. Being around her made him nervous.
    Shannon was frowning when he stuffed the duffel with clothes from the bed. Throwing his shaving kit inside and zipped it up. With the canvas strap slung over his shoulder, he leaned over and gave Shannon a wet kiss on her cheek, daring her to grab him and demonstrate what she’d been showing him for the past several days and nights.
    But unfortunately that wasn’t to be.
    Fuck it. Definitely overdue for a bender.
    H E WAS STILL cursing himself when he met Tyler at the Scupper later that evening. Tyler was trying to be helpful.
    “So, she doesn’t like you. Shannon didn’t like you at first, either.”
    “Tyler, I’m not going to fuckin’ have sex with Mrs. Moore to convince her I’m a nice guy. No, the bitch is made from body parts straight from hell.”
    “Come on, T.J. Lighten up.” Tyler tried to punch him in the arm, but T.J. glared at him.
    Tyler had the stones to wait until T.J. softened his eyes first. That was smart. Wait for the angry man to not debase himself and get things under control. Only jump in and call him out when it was getting into emergency mode. T.J. was glad he still had that control.
    “I’m falling for her, Tyler.”
    “Tell me something I don’t know.”
    “Probably isn’t wise, but I am.”
    “So, can you distance yourself?”
    “Not and keep my promise to Frankie. I said I’d be there.”
    “But not in his wife’s bed.”
    “No he even said that too, in the end. Was the hardest thing I’ve ever heard. The guy knew he was dying and he made me promise—” T.J. didn’t want to show tears, so he squinted and looked to the side at the string of muscled men sitting up to the bar watching a basketball game.
    “Grief does a lot of things to a man. You should talk to Nick about that one. Kate says Devon has her hands full sometimes at the winery, Sophia’s—you know.”
    “Yeah, I know. I really miss that sonofabitch. Frankie would know what to say to cheer me up. I never realized how much he did for me.”
    “I gotta ask you, man. What do you think Shannon wants?”
    “Well, that’s the thing. I thought I knew. But now I’m not so sure. Maybe she was just lonely.”
    “Hell, you both were lonely. Wouldn’t be the first or last time a SEAL widow took up with another SEAL, you know. Maybe even someone she wouldn’t have—”
    That put T.J. over the edge. He’d been hit with the two by four called She’s only with you because she doesn’t have Frankie , and that