Loved by a SEAL by Cat Johnson Read Free Book Online Page B

Eleanor. She’s fixin’ to pitch a fit if I don’t.”
    “Okay.” He released her, but it was with a smile on his face as he did it.
    Gone was Ashley’s mature professional persona that he’d found so strange and jarring since he’d found her at the door. Back was the girl he remembered. The one who said fixin’ and would do anything she could to avoid disappointing or upsetting the Cassidys.
    Both sides of Ashley had merit, but this was the one he’d once loved.
    Hell, he was pretty sure part of him always would.

CHAPTER 6
    “Everything go a’ight at the Cassidy’s today?” Nana stood at the sink, hand-washing the supper dishes when they had a perfectly good dishwasher she could use. One Ashley had bought her with one of her first paychecks when she’d gotten the job at the hospital.
    After Nana’s wrist had healed, Ashley had realized it was a losing battle. She couldn’t convince her grandmother to use the automatic machine on a regular basis.
    The woman was old school and stubborn. Just like Miss Eleanor. Which was exactly why Ashley had no business kissing Brody in the kitchen today with his grandmother just down the hallway. And why she shouldn’t even consider meeting him later tonight.
    So why was her pulse racing just thinking about the possibility?
    “Yeah.” Ashley answered her grandmother’s question and then hesitated before adding. “Brody’s home.”
    Nana flipped off the water and turned to face her. While grabbing a dishtowel to dry her hands, she said, “About time. It’s been too long since that boy visited his folks.”
    “And far too long since I’ve seen you. Hey, Nana.”
    Ashley’s eyes flew wide at the sound of his voice behind her. She spun to see Brody in the kitchen doorway.
    “Brody Cole Cassidy, I know that your momma taught you to knock.”
    He grinned wide at Nana’s censure as he strode across the kitchen. “Yes, ma’am, but Uncle Sam taught me even better how to sneak up on people and that’s so much more fun.”  
    Brody wrapped his arms around Nana. He lifted her until her feet no longer touched the ground, proof Uncle Sam had also given him some pretty strong muscles, as well, since Nana wasn’t a small woman.
    She slapped at his arms. “Put me down, boy.”
    Still smiling, he did as she asked, but he didn’t take his hands off her waist. “Yes, ma’am.”
    Even as she was scolding him, Nana hadn’t been able to completely hide the twitch of her own smile.
    “Did you eat supper?” she asked.
    “Yes, but I might as well not have since it wasn’t your fine cooking.” He dropped his hold on her and moved to the pot still on the stove. He sniffed the air and even before he lifted the lid, he glanced at Nana and asked, “Chicken and dumplings?”
    “It sure enough is. I see your nose is just as sharp as always.” Nana was already reaching for one of the plates she’d just washed. “Sit yourself down. I’ll serve you.”
    “Thank you.” He looked like the teenage version of himself as he pulled out a chair and sat opposite Ashley at the table. “Hey, Ash.”
    That was it? He’d kissed the hell out of her in his family’s kitchen, and then had followed her, uninvited, to her home, and all she got was a hey ?
    Of course, there was a good possibility he really was here for her grandmother—and the chicken and dumplings. Ashley knew Brody had truly loved both things—Nana and her cooking—while growing up.
    Nana slid an overloaded plate of food in front of Brody.
    As he tucked into it, Ashley wasn’t sure if she should be insulted or relieved that he’d apparently come there tonight for Nana’s food and not to see her.
    “So, Ashley, got any plans for tonight?” The heat in Brody’s eyes as he asked the question between forkfuls clued her into the fact that Brody’s visit might have multiple purposes.
    “Plans? Nope. Some of us have to work in the morning, you know.” She could tease him just as well as he could tease her.