Free The Navy SEAL's Bride by Soraya Lane Page B

herself the night before, drinking as if she’d never drunk alcohol in her life before, she needed to give the guy a chance. To be there when he arrived this afternoon for their hike instead of flaking out and canceling the way she wanted to.
    Even if her head was pounding so hard she could hardly put one foot in front of the other, she owed him that. Because him bringing her home was the first time a man had gone out of his way to protect her. And she hadn’t even asked for his help. Even if she still never trusted a man again, Tom had taken care of her. She at least owed him a thank-you.
    Caitlin went back into the bathroom and found some aspirin. She swallowed two tablets with a swig of water and dropped her towel, stepping into the shower.
    She didn’t know how she was even going to keep her eyes open or stop the earth spinning when she moved, but she was going to. Because Tom was arriving soon.
    The thought set a tickle up her spine that had nothing to do with the hot water pounding against her skin.
    * * *
    An hour later, Caitlin was sitting on her front doorstep, head cradled in her hands, sunglasses pressed firmly against her eyes. She gulped some more water from her bottle, but it didn’t help.
    “Hey, stranger.”
    Caitlin looked up slowly, squinting into the sun. She hadn’t even heard the car pull up through the pounding in her head.
    “Hi,” she said back, wishing it had come out all deep and sexy instead of croaky.
    “I’d ask you how you’re feeling but…”
    “Like death warmed up,” she replied, at least able to smile this time. “While you look like you had a full night’s sleep and then some.”
    Tom chuckled before holding out his hand. She took it, grateful he was hauling her up to her feet.
    “I, um, well.” She looked him in the eye, deciding to do it now instead of avoiding the subject. “I appreciate you bringing me home last night.”
    She wished he didn’t look so darn chipper though.
    “You do?” he asked, walking back to his car then leaning on the hood, legs crossed at the ankle as he watched her. “Because you were pretty sure you didn’t want to leave the bar last night.”
    Caitlin groaned again. She couldn’t seem to stop doing it. “Please don’t rub it in.”
    “Oh, but I have to,” he said, smirk back on his face. “You see, you were sure that you knew what you were doing dancing like that.”
    She ignored him and yanked open the passenger door. “Can we not reminisce about last night? It really wasn’t me at my finest. Please .”
    “You sure about that?” Tom teased, standing on the other side, looking at her through the open windows of the vehicle.
    She was pleased it was a 4x4; it meant she didn’t have to bend down and risk another head spin. Part of her liked this more-relaxed guy; she only wished she didn’t feel like hell and that they were talking about someone else.
    “Look,” she said, getting in as he did the same. “I don’t usually drink, in case that wasn’t obvious from my antics. So can we please forget it ever happened? That was not the real me you saw last night, and she won’t be out on the town ever again. I can promise you that.”
    Tom laughed, shaking his head and putting his hands up in surrender before starting the car. “If you say so. But I can’t stop thinking how cute you looked when I tucked you up in bed last night.”
    “Tom!” She was going to die of humiliation if he didn’t stop.
    He just kept laughing, as if it was the most amusing thing he’d ever talked about.
    “I didn’t, well, say anything embarrassing, did I?” Caitlin cringed at having to ask the question, but she was terrified of what she might have said or done. This was exactly why she didn’t usually drink!
    “Sweetheart, you’re the size of a grasshopper, no one’s going to judge you for not being able to hold your liquor.”
    Now it was Caitlin who was laughing. “A grasshopper? Couldn’t I at least be something a little more, I