Read SEAL Brotherhood 06 - SEAL My Destiny for Free Online Page A

be a nice salmon glow at sunset.
    Her mom came out to greet her before she could get to the front door.
    “Julie, so glad you’re safe. The guest room is all ready for you.”
    “No, Mom. Remember, I told you? I’m staying at a friend’s house while they’re in Europe. Besides, you’ve got tons of relatives coming from the east coast who arrive this week, right?”
    “Next week. I just thought you could stay here. One night? Just one night?”
    She always had a hard time saying no to her mother.
    “Fine. But just one night. I need a little time to relax and clear my head. Yesterday was the last day of classes, you know.”
    “Not to worry. Your dad will be so happy to see you.” Her mother picked up her duffel bag and hitched it over her shoulder. “Colin and Stephanie will be here to go over some details after your dad gets home.”
    “Great.” Which meant another late night, Julie thought. Not exactly what she wanted, but she’d just have to get caught up on her rest tomorrow night.
    The rehearsal dinner was a catered affair. The warm, early June evening was perfect for eating on the patio under the stars. Julie’s parents’ home was built in the middle of vineyards, overlooking a small lake. They had sent small boats holding votive candles sailing out from its grassy banks just before the sunset. Crickets had begun to chirp. An occasional frog mouthed off, telling her it would be a full-chorus night.
    Stephanie looked radiant, as she always did. Colin was working to keep a couple of his five groomsmen away from her, and Julie enjoyed seeing him so possessive, but happy. She hoped someday this would be her fate…having friends and family share in a glorious celebration of love, here in her gorgeous childhood home.
    One of the groomsmen was running late, so they sat around the patio sipping wine until they heard the doorbell ring.
    Julie decided she’d play hostess and ran to answer, leaving her parents to mingle with the guests and deal with the caterer.
    She threw the door open, caroling “It’s about time you got here, Mr. Sixth Groomsman, we’ve been waiting for you so long, everybody’s had a bit too much wine, and…”
    Luke Paulsen stood on their doorstep.
    He was dressed in baggy jeans and a light blue shirt. Though he was dressed casually, there was no mistaking the muscles beneath the cotton fabric, muscles that bulked out his magnificent chest, making the shirt spread deliciously over his breastbone. A trail of light brown hair lingered there, daring her to be inappropriate. It had been at least a month since she’d run her fingers up that chest, up the side of his massive neck, and pulled his lips to hers with consuming need, but she remembered so vividly, it was if she’d just left his bed.
    Her need was no less right now, standing in front of this irresistible man without touching him.
    His hair was slicked back a bit from a recent shower, emanating the faint scent of soap and just a little aftershave. But his blue eyes bored into her, making her knees wobble. She felt so light-headed she could almost float up into the night sky.
    He was obviously surprised, too, but a wild, kind of feral look crossed his face, an involuntary lifting one corner of his lips. His chest expanded as he inhaled hard enough to suck her right into his arms, which she refused to do.
    She’d steeled herself for the possibility of running into him in San Diego, but she never thought she’d find him standing at her front door. For an instant she thought perhaps he had found her, was coming to the house to apologize for his behavior in San Diego, but then it dawned on her.
    Luke was the sixth groomsman.

Chapter 7
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    “J ulie,” he said hoarsely. “What are you doing here?”
    She exhaled, trying to shake off the dark circles beginning to gather, narrowing her vision, because she’d been holding her breath. “I live—lived here. This is my parents’ home.”
    She could see he was troubled. “Then Colin