Free The SEAL Next Door (Alpha SEALs Book 5) by Makenna Jameison

town for the weekend, it was probably the latter.
    “Care for some company?” he asked, holding up his own cup of coffee.
    “Sure, sit down,” she said, hastily sliding over to make room for him.  She felt oddly uneasy seeing him so early in the morning, when she was still half asleep.  She was planning to mull over her future over coffee and a croissant, not be tempted by the irresistible man she’d known for a lifetime.
    Matthew’s body folded onto the bench beside her, and she caught a whiff of his aftershave.  It was clean, slightly musky, and oh-too-delicious for her to be sitting this close to him.  She needed her guard up so she could act like everything was fine.  That he was the same as always—just the boy next door.
    “Looks like we had the same idea,” Matthew said, taking a sip of his drink.  “Coffee, the beach, Saturday morning.”
    “Yeah, this is by far my favorite thing to do on a weekend morning.  Almost makes getting out of bed worth it.”
    “Almost?” Matthew laughed.
    “I wasn’t planning on such a late night.”
    “I had fun,” Matthew said huskily.  She turned to face him but couldn’t see his eyes beyond the dark glasses.  How she’d kill to know what he was thinking.
    A beat passed with neither of them saying a word.  Finally, Matthew cleared his throat.
    “I needed to fuel up with some caffeine before my run.  I figured I’d grab some coffee, enjoy the view for a little while, and then get in a workout.  I’ve got to pick up my buddy from base later on.”
    “How many guys are flying in?”
    “Just Brent.  Patrick—our SEAL team leader—was hoping to come down, but his son is sick, so he’s not going to make it.”
    “Wow.  I can’t imagine doing what you guys do and having kids.”
    “Me either,” Matthew said wryly.
    Brianna took a sip of her cappuccino, trying not to stare at his muscular legs.  Damn.  Was any part of this man not perfection?
    “How far do you usually run?” she finally asked.
    “Ten miles on the weekend.  Why, care to join me?”
    “No way,” Brianna said with a laugh.  “I’m more of a gym girl anyway.  I’m just grabbing breakfast before running some errands, then I have to get to work—uh, working on finding an apartment I mean.”
    Matthew nodded.  “I’d tell you to look for a ground level unit, to make it easier for Beckett to visit, but they’re not safe for a single woman.”
    “Oh, right,” Brianna said in surprise.  Geez.  When she did ever move out, she’d have to take that into consideration.  Her brother wouldn’t be able to jog up a few flights of stairs to see her.  Not now, and probably not ever.
    “So I assume you’ll have to get a building with an elevator then.  Those are more expensive, but I’m sure it’s not an issue with a great job like yours.”
    “Right,” she agreed, watching an elderly couple stroll by holding hands.  An odd sort of regret filled her chest, and she realized she felt guilty for lying to Matthew.  He’d probably flip out if he knew she was serving drinks in a skimpy outfit night after night.  She sure the hell knew her own brother had—and she’d convinced him that she’d left that job.  It would be harder going along with the charade once he was home, living in the same house as her.  But it wouldn’t be for much longer, she reasoned.  She’d find a great job soon enough and put her degree back to good use.
    Matthew slipped his aviators atop his head and looked over at her.  “Sorry, I wasn’t trying to be bossy,” he said with an easy grin.
    “You?  Never,” she chastised.
    “Guilty as charged I suppose.  I just feel protective toward you.  I mean, uh, you’re Beckett’s little sister and all.”
    Her smile faltered.
    “Not that you’re a kid anymore,” he hastily continued.  “I mean you’re a grown woman.  Uh….” He cleared his throat.
    Brianna patted his thigh, feeling the corded muscle beneath his shorts.  Holy hell.