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

smarted more than anything else he’d felt for months.
    H E WASN’T IN good shape when Shannon called him. He was walking down the Strand, because he knew he shouldn’t be driving. He was so drunk, he couldn’t remember where his pickup was, anyway.
    “I’ll come get you,” she whispered. In spite of his sour mood, his unit lurched, making him swear.
    “What’s the matter?”
    “I’m fine,” he argued.
    “T.J., come on. This is me.”
    He watched the steady stream of lights from passing traffic and decided he’d not take a chance to cross the road and run to the beach. It was dark. He was drunk and cold. He wanted to go home and fall asleep in his own bed.
    “I’m not much good company tonight.”
    “Don’t do this, T.J.”
    He knew it wasn’t wise, but he sat down on one of the concrete bus stop benches, leaned back and crossed his leg. “You think we did this all too fast, Shannon?”
    He hated that she took a long time to answer.
    “Can we talk about this in person?”
    “You don’t want to be around me tonight, Shannon.”
    “I don’t want to leave you this way.”
    “What way?” He knew what she meant but he wouldn’t let go. He knew it was so unwise to even talk to her right now. But he couldn’t help himself. Just like Frankie and wanting to talk to the girls. He didn’t, but he couldn’t help himself.
    “You’re drunk.”
    “Well, la-dee-fuckin-da.”
    “You’re an asshole.”
    “Yes, darlin’ I am. I’m a fuckin’ asshole.”
    “I’m coming to get you. Tell me where you are.”
    H E RELUCTANTLY TOLD her and then fell asleep on the bench. Next thing he knew, he was being shaken by a policeman he’d had a run-in with a time or two. Shannon arrived just in time to place her very pregnant body between the official and T.J. before he could be arrested.
    “It’s my fault, officer. I was late,” Shannon started. “I got held up and didn’t get here like I was supposed to.”
    T.J. groaned at the lie. The policeman helped her get T.J. into her car after some fancy explanations from Shannon.
    He knew she was angry with him when she didn’t say anything until they got nearly to her house. “So what brought all this on, T.J.?”
    “Why didn’t you tell your mom?”
    “Tell my mom what?”
    He couldn’t believe he was hearing this. Did she forget already that she’d said she’d marry him? “You didn’t tell her about us, Shannon.” He saw pity in her eyes, exactly the thing he didn’t want to see.
    “T.J. We need to talk.”
    Yeah, holy fucking right we need to talk.
    They arrived at the house, and Shannon parked the car in the garage. T.J. was struggling to get out on the passenger side when Shannon was suddenly there to help him up. He tried to push her arms away, but had to be careful, and in the end gave up and just let her guide him.
    He loved the smell of her hair, the brush of her belly as she braced him, pressing her left breast into his chest, encouraging him with little words like he was a child. She led him to the living room, pulled his feet up onto the ottoman, covered him with an afghan and removed his shoes. He heard the buzz of a coffee grinder and soon the fresh smell of the black brew.
    “You want something to eat, T.J.?”
    He couldn’t answer that question. His mind was completely blank.
    “T.J.?” she asked, her hands on her waist.
    “I don’t fuckin’ know.”
    She brought him a mug of steaming black coffee, but didn’t trust him to hold it on his own. When he reached for it, she held it away from him. “Wait just a minute or two. I don’t want you to burn yourself.”
    None of this was helping his mood. Finally she put the mug to his lips and watched as he slurped it and then pulled his head back when he’d had enough.
    “So I gather you’ve changed your mind.” T.J. didn’t see any point in belaboring the point. He decided to confront her.”
    “I didn’t say that.”
    “But you didn’t tell your mom what we’ve been doing the