A SEAL's Courage (Military Match #1)(5)

“Well, you look smokin’ hot.” With one last small adjustment to the thick brown leather belt around Lauren’s waist, Steph smiled in satisfaction. “You’ve got a great body, hon. You just need to learn how to show it off.”

And that right there was the flaw in her little plan. She wasn’t comfortable baring her assets to the world the way Steph was. She had too many memories of watching her mother get dressed for one of her dates. She eyed her reflection again and sighed. But wasn’t stepping out of her comfort zone the whole idea of this?

Mandy appeared beside her in the mirror and looped an arm around her shoulders. “He won’t know what hit him.”

Knowing that, however, did nothing for the nauseated sensation swirling in her stomach. She had one too many memories of guys promising to call but never actually doing it. If she didn’t hurl on her date’s shoes or fall flat on her face, it would be a miracle.

*



Trent Lawson paced the sidewalk along the windows of the Starbucks. He scanned the street around him as he walked, his heart hammering from the vicinity of his throat. For the first time in almost twelve years he had a date.

This wasn’t where he’d seen himself the day he married his now ex-wife. Wasn’t where he’d seen himself when he’d come home eighteen months ago with his shoulder blown out, his leg in pieces, and his mind scattered to the wind, either. Hell, he still wasn’t a hundred percent. He was still healing, still getting a handle on his PTSD, and his triggers were everywhere. Just last week the pop of a child’s toy gun had sent him into a tailspin. He’d hit the ground before realizing it wasn’t real. He still woke most nights covered in sweat from nightmares about the brutal things he’d seen overseas.

How the hell could he support someone emotionally when he was still drowning himself? But he missed the warm body beside him in bed at night. So here he was, standing in front of a coffee shop, divorced and waiting on a woman whose name and face he didn’t know.

That was supposed to be fun part of the dating service he’d signed up with a month ago. He’d gotten the name of the place from one of the guys he worked with. Gabe Donovan and Marcus Denali co-owned the custom bike shop where he worked. Fellow SEALs, the guys had become his good friends since he started there six months ago. Who else but a fellow vet could possibly understand his aversion to large crowds and loud noises?

Gabe and Marcus had a firm business rule: they only hired vets. A month ago Gabe hired Mike. Mike was army, and his wife, Karen, owned the premier matchmaking service Military Match. Which was how he’d come to find himself here. Mike could talk the Pope into going to a strip joint and had convinced Trent to give Military Match a try.

When he’d woken in the hospital a year and a half ago, he’d promised himself he’d do everything the guys who died that day in the desert couldn’t—he’d live his life. He wanted…Hell, he didn’t even know. To date. To go out and have a little fun. Getting laid might be nice.

Everything he currently wasn’t doing, which was why he’d signed up with Military Match. It went a long way that the place had a good reputation. They took care of the arrangements, and you simply showed up. And it was only coffee. Not drinks or a big, fancy dinner, so there was no pressure. It still meant he had a blind date, though.

He dragged a frustrated hand through his hair and turned to scan another direction. He was supposed to be keeping an eye out for a brunette wearing blue. The problem was, a dozen brunettes had passed him since he’d arrived ten minutes ago. On top of that, it being a spring evening in Seattle, it was barely fifty degrees out and, of course, drizzling. How was he supposed to see what she wore when everyone passing him all wore coats and hats? Unless his date showed up wearing a freakin’ sign on her chest, he hadn’t a clue how he’d recognize her.

She could be any one of the women seated at the café’s outdoor tables.

Hell. He’d no doubt keel over before she ever got here.

He turned again to pace the other direction when a sight stopped him cold. Twenty feet away, a woman stood at the other end of the building. Hands tucked in the pockets of her black coat, she seemed to be waiting. Her head moved as if she scanned the crowd around her. Although he only had the back view of her, he’d long since learned to recognize the slender length of her body.

It was the curve of her tight little ass, however, that sealed the deal. He’d spent the last year trying not to notice how incredible that ass looked in a pair of worn jeans. Never mind that the ones she was wearing right now were fitted to her body, showcasing incredible curves.

Lauren Hayes. His heart hammered as his gaze zeroed in on the peacock-blue scarf peeking out from beneath the collar of her coat. Like a neon freakin’ sign, it shouted at him.

Shit. If she was his date tonight, he was screwed. Lauren was his baby sister’s best friend, not to mention she was ten years his junior. That made her strictly off-limits. He’d known her long enough to watch her go from a gawky preteen into a beautiful woman. He hadn’t noticed exactly how beautiful until after he’d come home. After she’d spent hours at his place, cooking for him, helping him clean…and forcing him to get up and live.

God. What the hell would Mandy say if she found out he had the hots for her best friend? Hell, who was he kidding? She’d probably be happy he was at least dating someone. Not that he intended to give in to his attraction. She was still off-limits as far as he was concerned, which meant whatever he felt for her would be quashed.