Hunter emerged from the shower and quickly toweled off, crossing the master bedroom toward his dresser.  His reflection in the mirror showcased his bare torso—muscles, tats. Hell if pride hadn’t filled his chest as Emma had practically gawked at him.

He worked damn hard in training though and didn’t exactly mind the way she was attracted to him. His cock was half-hard just thinking about her, naked in the bath down the hall. He may have needed to be back on base ASAP, but a quickie suited him just fine.

Too bad she’d looked utterly exhausted though.

She’d been through a lot in a short amount of time and deserved some time to relax. Deserved more than a quick tumble between the sheets, too, he thought as he muttered a curse. He was used to charging into unknown situations, guns blazing. Deploying at a moment’s notice. She may love to travel, but she was certainly in over her head this time.

Grumbling as he pulled on some clothes, he gave Ice a quick call.

“Heard you ran into a little trouble in London,” Patrick said as he answered.

“That’s an understatement,” Hunter muttered. He heard kids screaming in the background and ran a hand over his jaw. Hell. How anyone had the patience for that, he’d never understand.

The noise quieted as he heard a door closing. “Just the kids,” Patrick said. “Don’t know if you heard yet, but we’re expecting another.”

Hunter chuckled. “Well hell. After hearing that, I bet you’re happy to deploy all the time.”

“Makes a difference when they’re your own kids, your own family that you’re leaving.”

“Yeah, I can imagine,” Hunter said. Patrick and Rebecca were married now, but when they’d first met, a stalker had been chasing after Rebecca. If anyone understood the situation of feeling helpless while someone was targeting your woman, it was Patrick.

And damn.

Since when was Emma his anyway?

“My CO said you ended up bringing the woman you were helping in London back with you,” Patrick said.

“Yep. That’s actually why I’m calling—I need a favor.”

Hunter explained the circumstances, and Patrick said Rebecca would drop by to give Emma a hand. A busy lawyer, Rebecca worked full-time while she and Patrick wrangled the kids on the weekend. She’d know exactly where to take Emma shopping to buy whatever clothes or other items she needed.

“I appreciate it,” Hunter said. “I’ve got to head into base, debrief, and Emma literally has nothing but the clothes on her back.”

“Give her my number,” Patrick instructed. “Just in case she needs anything. She may be safe here, but that doesn’t mean she’ll feel comfortable with you gone.”

“Thanks. Let’s catch up over drinks sometime.”

Patrick laughed. “I’m never at Anchors anymore,” he said, referring to the popular bar along the Virginia Beach strand.

“Didn’t think so,” Hunter said. “Thanks again.”

He hung up and finished gathering his things. Grabbing his backpack from the bed, he accidentally knocked Emma’s leather one to the floor. She’d left it open, and some of the contents spilled out. He bent down and began to pick up her belongings, frowning as he spotted a gold band on the ground.

Picking it up between his thumb and forefinger, he stared at it in confusion.

This wasn’t just any ring—and it’s not like Emma was carrying around lots of jewelry with her anyway. He turned it over, noticing it had definitely been worn for a while. There were a few tiny, small nicks and scratches in the metal—something a jeweler could buff out.

And it was small.  Feminine.

The wedding band would fit perfectly on one of Emma’s slender fingers.

There weren’t many reasons men took of their wedding ring—except when they were picking up women.

And people who were divorced didn’t carry their wedding band around with them.

His stomach turned as he gazed at the gold band, feeling a sickening feeling rising inside him.

If there was one thing he couldn’t stand, it was a liar.

He’d slept with a married woman. 

 

***

 

“I’m heading out!” Hunter shouted as Emma soaked in the bathtub. She jumped and looked toward the bathroom door, expecting him to come in, but heard the front door slamming behind him.

What in the world?

Scowling, she climbed out of the bathtub herself, sloshing water all over the bathroom floor as she grabbed one of the extra towels. Hunter had said he’d bring her some clothes to change into, but from the sounds of it, he’d left in a hurry.

She walked down the hall to his bedroom, clutching the oversized towel around herself.

Stopping in shock, she saw the contents of her backpack spilled on the floor. Her mobile without it’s SIM card was there, her charger, wallet, and the small gold wedding band she wore she traveled.

The one she hadn’t needed for this trip, because she wasn’t alone—she was with Hunter.

Bloody hell.

Is that why he’d shouted and run out the front door?

Because he thought she was married?

She nearly jumped in fright when the doorbell rang a moment later, and looked out the bedroom window to see a car parked in the driveway of his townhome.

Sighing, she walked down the stairs wrapped in the towel.

“Can I help you?” she asked politely.

The pregnant woman standing there smiled, her brown hair blowing in the slight breeze. “My husband is a friend of Hunter’s—another SEAL, I’m afraid.  I’m Rebecca,” she added, holding out her hand. “Hunter said you needed some things. I can see he meant that quite literally.”

Emma glanced down at the towel wrapped around her, laughing.

“Yes, I suppose I do. Come on in.”

“I brought over some of my own things for you to borrow if you like,” Rebecca said. “I can’t fit into them now, obviously.”

“When are you due?”

“Not for a while—I’m just showing much earlier this time. I can take you shopping if you like, but I thought you might like some things now if you needed a rest first.”

“Right, thank you.”

“You remind me of my sister-in-law,” Rebecca said with a laugh. “Apparently, she answered the door in a towel, too, and nearly gave the CO a heart attack.”

“The CO?”

“Commanding officer.”

“Right, I do recall Hunter mentioning that. So he and your husband are on the same SEAL team?”

“No,” Rebecca said. “Why don’t I let you go change, and then I can answer any questions you have. I’m sure this—all of this—is quite overwhelming.”

“Yes, that’d probably be best,” Emma laughed. “And ‘overwhelming’ is an understatement. I’ll be right back.”

She emerged a few minutes later in a pair of cut-off jeans and borrowed tee-shirt. “I’d offer you something to drink,” Emma said, “but apparently we don’t have anything. So, er, can I get you a glass of water?”

“Water would be fine,” Rebecca said.

Emma returned with two glasses of water and sank down onto the sofa in the living room by Rebecca. “So you were asking about the SEAL teams,” Rebecca said. “Both are based out of Little Creek, but Patrick is the leader of the Alpha SEALs and Hunter leads the Delta team.”

“Hunter’s the leader of the team?”

“Afraid so. It’s quite busy for them actually, as I’m sure you can probably imagine. They were all out on an op together recently when Patrick was injured.”

“Oh my God, is he okay?” Emma asked.

“He is now, thankfully. I don’t really know all the details of what happened, but I do know Hunter’s team was there as well. They provided cover while Patrick was flown out.”

“Wow. That’s positively terrifying.”

“It was,” Rebecca agreed. “But that’s their job. They train hard and fight harder. They’re really protective, too—which I gather you already know since you’re here.”

“I’m afraid we’ve already had a bit of a misunderstanding though. Judging from the way Hunter blew out of here? I’m beginning to think coming was a mistake.”

“What happened?”

“Oh, it’s stupid, really. When I travel alone, I wear a fake wedding band—just to keep the strange men away.”

“That’s not stupid, that’s smart,” Rebecca said with a laugh.

“Maybe so, but I left it in my backpack. I’d just gotten back from Kabul and hadn’t even unpacked everything yet. I mean, I was barely back in London a day before I was being chased. It looks like my backpack fell over in Hunter’s bedroom, and he found it. The ring I mean. The next thing I knew, he was storming out. Slamming the front door. He didn’t even stop to discuss it, just ran out.”

“I’m sorry,” Rebecca said.

Emma shrugged. “It was probably stupid to come here—I thought I was doing the right thing to get away. But I barely know Hunter. Flying across the ocean to stay with a man I barely know is somewhat ridiculous if you think about it.”

“Maybe, maybe not. When you know it’s right, you know.”

Emma stood up. “Maybe so, but’s it’s not like we discussed anything. I mean, the plan was for me to come for a few weeks, but it seems like I foolishly rushed into this. I was frightened, yes, but I was also a little dumbstruck by Hunter. He’s so big and brash and—I don’t know. Not like any other man I’ve met.”

“Do you want me to take you out now? Get your mind off things?”

“No, I think I’ll take a raincheck. Thank you so much for letting me borrow a few things.”

“Of course. I wrote down our number. Please give Patrick and me a call if you need anything. And let’s get together soon, too. I’ll introduce you to all the other girlfriends and wives. I think all of Hunter’s team is single, but the men on my husband’s team are all coupled up at this point.”

“Wonderful. Thanks again,” Emma said, closing the door as Rebecca left.

Uneasiness rolled over her as she walked back toward Hunter’s room. She could certainly understand why he’d be upset if she were married, but to automatically assume the worst? Slam the door without discussing anything.

She sighed, eyeing her backpack.

Coming here with Hunter had been a bad idea.