Stepbrothers Stepping Out: With His Friends Read online

  “Ready to swim back?” came the deep timbre of the voice beside her. Not Marc’s, because it didn’t hold the same note of silky, Cajun warmth. Sam’s voice was brisk. Deep, but the sound didn’t send shivers down her spine. Was she disappointed?

  She forced a slight smile and turned to look at him. His arms swept forward and back, holding him in place beside her. How long had he been watching her? This time, a slight shiver did roll down her back. His gaze was steady. He was studying her. Was that a SEAL thing? Had Marc’s intense interest in her been a habit born of his training?

  “I think so,” she said. “I should get some rest. I haven’t slept since…” She shook her head at the inability to remember when. Yesterday morning, she’d dragged herself from her sofa to see Melanie Oats, but she hadn’t really slept that well. Her dreams had been fitful, causing her to turn and waken every time her heart beat faster and her legs felt leaden.

  “I hope you enjoyed it. I swim often. Fish, too. Off the rocks,” he said, pointing toward boulders at one end of the beach, an outcropping that stretched into the water. “When I’m here, anyway.”

  “Are you gone a lot?”

  “Sometimes more than others. When duty calls…”

  She nodded. “Guess I’ll head back.” She struck out again, this time for shore. Slower now because fatigue had taken hold. By the time her toes touched the sand, her body felt heavy. She realized she hadn’t brought along a towel, so she stood and squeezed the water from her hair.

  Sam paused beside her. “I’ll walk you to your door.”

  “There’s no need,” she said, her tone abrupt. She was glad of the darkness that hid her blush at her rudeness. Sam had been nothing but kind.

  “Maybe not,” he said before giving her quick smile. He strode forward, bent to pick up a towel he’d left on the beach and held it out.

  Feeling his gaze touch her body, she felt self-conscious for the first time, realizing how little she wore and the fact he could likely see her nipples tightening against the stretchy swimsuit fabric. She quickly wrapped the towel around her body and walked beside him toward her bungalow.

  “Sweet dreams, Ash,” he said softly before he turned to leave her.

  Her body stiffened and she stood, staring after his tall figure. Why had he mentioned dreams?

  See all the Uncharted SEALs stories…

  Watch Over Me

  Her Next Breath

  Through Her Eyes

  Dream of Me