I ARRIVED AT LOFTY COFFEE twenty minutes early. I didn’t want to be late. My stomach was in knots—this felt like going on a first date, and I didn’t date. Annie still hadn’t arrived, so I slipped out the door to The Den, a boutique next store. I wanted to buy her something.

The designer clothes and lingerie weren’t what I was looking for. Then something caught my eye at the counter. “I’ll take this.”

The shop girl grabbed the item and packaged it up. “Is this for your girlfriend?”

I couldn’t tell if she was hitting on me, but I didn’t care. “Something like that.”

I paid, and went back to the coffee shop.

Annie had arrived but hadn’t noticed me yet. She and Gabriel were standing in line.

I couldn’t resist checking her out. She was wearing a pale peach dress that clung to her body. I couldn’t tell if she had a bra on or one of those camisoles. Either way, I could see the outline of her nipples. I clenched my fists and tried to reconcile this beautiful woman standing in front of me with the traumatized hooker I’d first laid eyes on. A mixture of shame for how I met her with pride at how she’d recovered filled my mind.

I leaned into her and kissed her, not caring about my own objections. The words spilled out of my mouth, the look on her face made me happy as I said them. “I’m glad you came to greet me off the ship. Honestly, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you.”

She touched my face, her fingers tracing my beard. “I missed you, too.”

We ordered two cold-drip iced coffees and chocolate milk for Gabriel.

Annie was turned toward the coffee bar adding milk and sugar to our drinks. Some dickhead handed her the plastic covers and said something to her to make her blush. I wanted to punch him.

She handed me my coffee. Her cheeks were red.

I put my arm around her, grabbed Gabriel’s hand, and headed back to my truck.

I texted Vic and told him we were on our way. I really wanted to see how she would act around the other Team guys and their wives. I wasn’t trying to test her, yet I couldn’t help but be curious if there was any possibility she’d ever fit into my world. I mean, I was still going to ship out and be away from her again, without a doubt. But it was like there was a part of me that wanted to know for sure, wanted to see how stupid any vague lingering idea of us…. No. This could never work, no matter how much we might both want it. I’d used her once; I was one of her johns. And despite her claiming she was better, she was probably too emotionally damaged to be in a relationship.

God, she looked hot in her dress.

Forty minutes later, we arrived at Vic’s family’s house. The smell of cumin and lime wafted from the backyard.

I didn’t need to knock. We walked around the back and opened the gate.

About twenty other Team guys, plus their wives and kids, were milling around the yard. There was one of those bouncy houses for the kids. Gabriel’s eyes widened. I wasn’t sure if he was used to kid centric parties; somehow I doubted Annie’s parents had fully embraced him, but I honestly didn’t have a clue.

Vic spotted us. He poked Kyle to get his attention and they both came over.

“Annie! You look great.” Vic hugged her. “Thanks for coming.”

A hug wouldn’t satisfy Kyle. “Hey, sweetheart!” He lifted her in the air. She seemed more excited to see him than she had to see me. Not that I had anything to worry about—we never ever hit on another Team guy’s woman. “How’ve you been? Where are all the hottie friends you promised me?”

She smiled. “I’ll hook you up.”

Vic’s mother walked over to us, his daughter Carina trailing behind her.

“Mama, this is Annie and her son Gabriel,” Vic told her.

“Hola, mija. Bienvenida.” I loved Vic’s mom; she was like a second mother to me. She never hesitated to make food for an entire SEAL Team or drive downtown in the middle of the night to pick one of us up if we were smashed.

“Encantada, Señora Gonzales. Soy Analía.”

Vic’s mom seemed impressed by Annie’s fluent Spanish. Three-year-old Carina looked up at Annie and then back at Gabriel. Vic’s little princess was adorable—huge brown eyes, long wavy hair tied up in a bow. I admired how he made her his top priority when he was in town, knowing that as long as he remained in the Teams, they would spend more time apart than together.

“You wanna see my dolls?” Carina asked Gabriel.

Gabriel nodded.

Carina led Gabriel into the house, and Vic’s mom went to the kitchen.

Our Teammate Joe’s wife Tori walked over, carrying a tray of beers. Tori was a SEALs dream woman. Gorgeous, great mom, faithful. They’d been high school sweethearts. Joe had just been selected for SEAL Team Six, our most elite Team and was currently deployed. No doubt, his success was directly attributed to the love and support of his wife.

“Annie, this is Tori. Her husband Joe is one of my best friends. He’s deployed.”

Tori reached out her hand. “Hi, Annie. Nice to meet you. How did you meet Pat?”

Annie pulled on her hair, her face now white.

Fuck, we hadn’t prepared for questions. I was about to open my mouth, but Annie started talking.

“Pat picked me out of a line-up . . . . at a country bar and asked me to dance, said I was the prettiest girl there.”

I spit out my beer. “Annie was the most beautiful girl that night for sure, but she’s also a champion soccer star and a great mom. I fell for her the moment I met her.” I winked at Annie.

“Well, you must be pretty special, Annie. Pat never brings anyone around us. Ever. I’ve known him for eight years. He’s a good guy, saved my husband’s life. Why don’t you come over and I’ll introduce you to the other wives.”

Annie looked up at me, as if asking for permission. I squeezed her hand and she and Tori walked over to the other women.

Kyle gave me a devilish grin. “Couldn’t stay away from her for a day. We’ve been back, what, five hours? Have you already hit that?”

“Two days, asshole. You saw her greet me at the dock. Welcome home sign and everything.”

Vic raised his eyebrow. “What’s the problem? You wanted to see her anyway.”

I glanced over near the pool; Annie was sitting at a table chatting with the other women. She gave me a big smile and waved at me. “Yeah, I did. But, I mean, she has Gabriel, and we’ll leave again soon. I don’t want to confuse him; poor kid’s been through enough.”

Vic jumped in. “Walsh, she wants you. She’s a good girl. And she’s gorgeous. You have nothing to lose. Stop being such a closed-off prick and give her a chance.”

I was going to respond, but Annie walked over to me carrying a plate of food.

She smiled and I couldn’t help but think even though I didn’t fit in her life, she sure seemed at home in mine.