SEAL The Deal Read Free Page A

and opened up her computer. She crossed her legs and ran her fingers through the hair at the back of her scalp, took a deep breath and logged on to the Internet to begin a property search. But Nick’s presence still loomed large enough to make her catch her breath.
    The soft sweeping sound of Sophie’s broom against the cool concrete floor began to distract her. Didn’t help much that she could see Nick wrestling the handle with nearly enough force to break it. His forearms were as big as her thighs, for goodness’ sake. His shoulders moved with sinewy grace underneath smooth tanned skin. His mop of blond hair went in all directions. He tickled her ankles as he reached the broom under the table and swept the area around her.
    “Does that bother you?” he asked. He’d stopped, leaning his chin on the end of the broomstick.
    “As in, were you trying to?” Why were men so obvious?
    “Nope. It was an honest question.” The sparkle in his eyes made him out to be a liar. His animal magnetism was bringing up those butterflies again. She needed to get back to the cold hard facts, and the numbers. Things she was asked to do for poor Sophie. This was all about Sophie, after all.
    “You want some coffee, Devon?” he asked.
    He wasn’t going to leave her alone, was he? “Wow. You clean the dishes, sweep the floor, and you make coffee? The Navy must have trained you well. What did they do, get some of the senior wives to come in and give you pointers?” She wondered where that comment came from.
    “I don’t need any pointers.”
    In spite of herself, she blushed. Damn. That sticky feeling of not being in control and him standing there, looking all confident and smug sent her pulse racing. She attempted to get back to her computer when…
    Just then he fired up the coffee grinder, making her jump in her seat.  She began to smell the glorious scent of freshly brewing coffee and her mouth watered.
    When she looked up, he had his back to her. A variety of Celtic crosses and symbols poked up above the collar of his T-shirt. She could see discoloration from beneath the white cotton fabric, hinting at tats on his shoulders and lower, in places she forced her eyes not to search. One long stream of tats like footprints of a three-legged toad was inked on his right inside forearm.
    It was impossible to ignore the enormous V of his upper torso leading to the small waist, his deltoids and lats so tight they looked like they’d hurt. She began to wonder what they would feel like—
    He caught her staring when he stole a quick glance over his shoulder before crossing the room with two mugs of the hot black coffee. Placing one next to her computer, he took a seat right across from her like she was his entertainment.
    “I dare you to say there’s a better cup of coffee anywhere.” His deep green eyes were almost iridescent. His smooth tanned face and full lips did cause her to blush. She quickly grabbed the mug, sipping the steamy liquid. She was going to try to ignore him by finding  something of interest on the screen.
    But then Nick slurped his coffee. She could feel his eyes still focused on her.
    Devon didn’t care how long he stared. She wasn’t going to return the gaze. Didn’t the guy have any shame? Or, was this little cat and mouse game a way to process the pain he must be feeling over Sophie’s illness. Either way, it was making her feel like she was spinning out of control.
    She frowned, consulted her yellow-lined tablet and kept tapping on the keys. Her red nail polish matched her red suit, but now she wished she’d worn black.
    One of her heels fell off and plopped to the ground because her legs were crossed. She briefly looked up at him, only to see the wiggle of his eyebrows, and the unspoken offer to crawl under the table and place the patent leather pump back on her foot. That would mean he’d have to touch her calf as he adjusted the shoe. He’d hold her ankle with both his dinner plate hands, and his