Chapter 1
He was driving her crazy. Nine years of wanting that man. Nine years of admiring, loving, and aching for him in silence. It was miraculous that Amanda had lasted all these years without attempting something reckless. But her birthday was two days away, and this year, she wanted him as a present.
I know he’s got some code, all that honor and loyalty crap, and yeah, he’s friends with my dad, but I’m going to have him inside me before I blow out a single candle.
Amanda’s mind drifted back nine years to the first time she laid her eyes on Chris Temple.
She was barely a teenager when her father hosted a backyard celebration for the end of SQT (SEAL Qualification Training). She hadn’t known much about Navy SEALs then. She knew her dad hated BUD/S and that Chris, with his light brown eyes and striking smile, had stood out from the rest of the grunts like he didn’t quite belong to anyone.
Whatever it is, it must be really hard, she thought at the time.
The party was for everyone who completed training, as they wanted to spend it with family rather than at some random bar. Amanda’s father, LT Jackson Branson, decided to keep everyone at his house. He knew the guys were ready to get wild and celebrate. He figured keeping them close by would prevent craziness. He respected the guys, and they respected him in return.
I can’t believe how much noise they’re making. My door and windows are closed, and it’s still so fucking loud, Amanda thought to herself.
Eventually, the smell of the grilled food wafting through the creases of her window made her stomach grumble. The loud growl from her midsection beckoned her to go downstairs and eat.
As she headed downstairs, rounding the corner, she ran into him and bounced back. As she was on her way to meet the floor, he caught her in his arms before she completed the descent.
“Jesus, kid, I’m sorry! Are you okay?” Chris said in a deep voice.
Amanda looked up, slightly angry at first, but then she saw those perfect light brown eyes. He was much taller than she was. She felt his arms bulging with veins and muscles, but still soft and smooth to the touch. The smell of cedarwood and freshly grilled meat filled her lungs as she took a deep breath, still not speaking.
“Hey Amanda, you alright?” he repeated with a more soothing tone.
“Ye…yes, I’m fine,” she managed to squeak out, slowly taking another deep breath and looking into his eyes.
She was entranced like a moth to a flame. Chris finally let her go as she regained her balance and stood upright.
She seems like a nice kid, probably gets it from LT, Chris thought to himself.
“Well, LT’s been telling us a lot about you. Nice to finally meet you. Well, other than me knocking you off your feet,” he said with a low-toned chuckle.
Amanda nervously laughed with him, “Yeah, almost huh.”
She thought, what the hell has my dad been saying about me? I hope it’s not some cute little kid crap. Amanda now felt even more nervous, staring up at Chris. Feeling somewhat embarrassed, she just smiled at him. After a few seconds, Chris said, “Hey, let’s go outside and get some food.”
“Uhh, okay. Sure,” Amanda replied as they started walking toward the party.
The walk out of the house, to the lawn, was quiet.
“Hey LT, look who I found inside!” Chris yelled across the crowded lawn.
Amanda’s dad stopped his conversation and looked at her with a wide smile. He motioned for them to come over. The two swiftly made their way through the crowd.
“Aye, LT, she’s a cute kid. You’re going to have to watch her. Lots of guys are going to be coming from every direction,” one of the other graduates said with the most obnoxious laugh. He was slim and tall, around six feet four inches, with a fire-red buzz cut.
“Ohh man, don’t I know it. Maybe the fact that my body is a trained weapon will help,” LT said through a smile.
They all laughed, but Amanda didn’t see what was so funny about it. She stood with an aggravated look on her face. All the guys were annoying her except Chris, the man that caught her in his arms and saved her from a fall. There was something about him that made her heart flutter. His rugged scent, great eyes, and chiseled body made her daydream.
Jackson reached out and pulled her in close to him. “Alright gentlemen, this lovely young lady is Amanda Rose Branson. And Amanda, this is Terry to the right, Jacob, Nick, Darren here in the middle, and I guess you met Chris inside,” LT said as he pointed out the guys.
She looked around at the five men as her father pointed them out. Terry was the tall, annoying redhead, and Jacob was a shorter guy with an intense look. He was stocky and full of muscles. Nick was of average size with horrible teeth and the bad breath that came with them. Darren was an attractive guy with a shaved head, smooth dark-brown skin, and beautiful teeth. But Chris…that was his name; he was the one that Amanda hungered for. He looked down at her and smiled again.
“My name is Chris Temple, but you can call me BT if you want,” he told her.
“Uhh…okay if you say so,” she said with a nervous smile. “Well dad I’m going to go grab some food, I’m starving. I was upstairs studying and didn’t realize how hungry I was.”
“Okay, well go grab a couple of plates there’s plenty of food. We’re going to take some shots over here,” her dad replied with a loud laugh.
