Free Romance: Military Romance: Protected by the SEAL (Contemporary Hero Bad Boy Navy SEAL Romance) (New Adult BBW Alpha Male Virgin Protector Short Stories) by Carla Parker

take, which I did in slight puzzlement. “How about a walk in the fresh air then?”
    I nodded, yes that seemed like a good idea. Before I knew it, I was up and following the man to Jess and her new friends in the corner. I was unsteady on my feet and I thought it could be easily noticed. Jess giggled when we reached them and I drew some amused glances from the men.
    “We’re just going to go for a walk,” said my army guy. “Don’t worry, your friend is in good hands, Jess.”
    Jess waved us away eagerly. She said, “Oh of course she is, don’t worry about me, I have plenty of company.” Jess glanced up at the guy she was leaning against and smiled saucily up at him. With that the army guy took my hand and led me outside through the back door.
    The shock of the cool fall air felt good on my alcohol-warmed skin. “It feels nice out here.” The guy’s hand moved from mine to the small of my back and we headed to the right, towards the surrounding woods.
    “That it does. There is a path just through here if you feel comfortable enough to walk through the dark woods with a stranger who may or may not have given you a date rape drug.” I laughed at his brazen joking of my earlier concerns.
    “Um…it’s fine, I never walk in the woods at night, but you make me feel safe.” The alcohol was definitely taking effect as that sentence dropped from my mouth without going through a filter first.
    “What is your name?” I asked and looked up at him curiously. He gave me a toothy grin that made him appear vaguely canine.
    “Why?” Why? I was briefly flustered at his question.
    “Because when you meet a person you need to know what to call them,” I said. We rounded a bend in the path just out of sight of the bar; I spotted a convenient tree stump just ahead that he walked over to and sat on in a casual position.
    “What have you been calling me in your head all this time then?” I studied him in contemplation this was one interesting guy.
    “Army guy.”
    He graced me with his laugh once more and stood up.
    “You don’t look too steady on your feet there, how about you have a seat for just a moment.” He walked over to me and put his hand at the small of my back again. He led me to the tree stump.
    Once I sat down my eyes seemed able to focus better. “I think I just need water more than I need a seat,” I said. I giggled and he smirked. “So are you going to tell me your name or what?”
    He seemed to contemplate this, his lips pursed while he put his forefinger to his chin. I laughed at his silly expression and he glanced down at me with a charming gleam in his eye.
    “My name is Tarik.” His accent became more pronounced when he said his name, definitely Middle Eastern.
    “That’s a really cool name, where are you from?” I asked curiously, my words only slurring but a little.
    “I am from right here in Keene. My father grew up in Morocco though, before he moved to this country. I picked up the slight accent from him if that is what you are wondering?”
    I nodded. Tarik’s silver eyes studied me closely, and he struck me as incredibly perceptive.
    “How old are you?” I asked. Tarik smiled at me wolfishly before laughing as if I told him the funniest joke.
    “I am just as old as I look,” was his strange reply and he leaned back against a tree near my stump seat. Studying his face I’d say he looked around 35. But he also looked somehow timeless, a factor which only added to his striking handsomeness.
    “So what brought you to the bar tonight Christina?” Tarik asked. I bit my lip, forcing myself to think about my reply rather than just blurt something out.
    “Jess and I just needed to get out. I work at the hospital and, though it’s a small town, it’s the only hospital in town so we’re always hectic there. That, and Jess needed to get out. She just got out of a bad relationship.” That was mostly true. As much as I was all for Jess getting out of her funk, her condition for our