Warrior (Navy SEALs Romance Book 5) Read Free Page B

work.”
    “Sure, I get it. But if you’re so busy, you don’t have time for a car accident, either,” he said softly, a note of warning in his tone. “But hey, I’m just giving you a hard time. Do you have a spare? I can change this for you, but only if you promise to take some time off tomorrow and get these things changed, first thing.”
    “Of course. Lesson learned, I swear,” Emily said formally, holding up her hand in oath. “And yes, everything’s in there, but I can change it. I’ve had to do it plenty of times, considering all the clunkers I’ve driven.”
    “I really don’t mind. It’s pretty late, and you look like you want to get on your way.” Mike looped Misha’s leash over the passenger side mirror and started removing things from the trunk. He hauled out the spare, which was mercifully in good condition, then lifted out the tire iron and the jack.
    “So what do you do with yourself that eats up all of your day?” he asked, grunting slightly at the effort of loosening all the lug nuts. “You only said you were some kind of a doctor?”
    “Well, sort of. I mean, yes, I’m a doctor. Dr. Emily Stanton,” she stammered, flustered at his question. “But I teach at the university. My degrees are in marine biology, not medicine, remember? So really, no. I have no excuse other than just working myself to death to please a faculty that isn’t exactly excited that I’m here.”
    “Wow, that’s pretty cool. I kind of remember you getting really angry about seaweed, or something like that,” Mike said, exhaling sharply when the last lug nut finally gave way and spun gently against the wheel. With all of them loosened, he fit the jack into place under the side of the car, feeling for the hole that fit it securely.
    “I guess. But teaching doesn’t pay a lot, even though everyone thinks it’s a pretty glamorous degree.”
    “Is that why you did it? Because it was so glamorous?” he teased, and Emily couldn’t help but smile as she shook her head.
    “Oh yeah, digging through the carcasses of washed up ocean mammals is really glamorous,” she said with a laugh. Mike wrinkled his nose, but really, it sounded kind of interesting. “And what about you? You never told me what you did, other than you work with Knox. You’re out walking a dog at this hour of the night, so you’re either a night shift guy getting ready to go to work, or an independently wealthy playboy with nothing better to do?”
    It was Mike’s turn to laugh. “Hardly. I work insanely long hours, but it’s a really interesting job doing something that makes a great deal of difference. We just had a late day today, so poor Misha here is just getting her walk. There.”
    Mike stood up and brushed his hands together before reaching for the leash. He surveyed the work, then nudged the small road spare with the toe of his sneaker to test its air.
    “That should at least get you to work in the morning so your terrible boss doesn’t come down too hard on you, but these things are only rated for fifty miles, and that’s if you’re going pretty slow. Take it easy out on the roads, and get these things changed tomorrow, if you can.”
    “I will,” she answered, smiling gratefully. “Can I, I don’t know… pay you for your trouble?”
    “Of course not,” he answered, returning her smile. “What kind of jerk would I be if I’d just kept walking past?”
    “I thought you might say that, but I still had to offer.”
    “I tell you what, you can pay me after all. How about dinner?” he asked without thinking. The shock on her face at his request mirrored the way he felt. What was he thinking? He’d never just casually asked someone out like that, not when they’d already bombed at one date. He also had that other consideration to think of, the one where his job meant he could die the next day. The next hour, even.
    But those hero days are behind you, man , he reminded himself somberly. He had to force a smile, even as