SEAL Brotherhood 06 - SEAL My Destiny by Sharon Hamilton Read Free Book Online

do that again. The rehearsal was declared a success and everyone retired to the kitchen to get their food.
    She scrutinized Stephanie carefully, maybe subconsciously looking for some evidence she wasn’t really Luke’s sister, which she already knew was ridiculous. Julie could see the family resemblance. Stephanie’s blue eyes were the same shade as Luke’s, her lips were full. She was pretty, and appeared to be having a good time.
    Glancing around the room, she couldn’t find Luke and began to relax, thinking perhaps he had decided to leave early. He couldn’t have misunderstood her coldness. Perhaps he’d gotten the message, finally.
    But no such luck. Her back stiffened when she heard him call out to her from behind. Though it wasn’t very smart, she turned around. No helpful distractions were within earshot, unless she yelled.
    “I’ve thought hundreds of times about what I’d say to you if we met someplace. All the things I rehearsed have just gone out of my mind. Completely vanished.” He pressed his fingers against his forehead.
    She didn’t want to drink in the cool blue liquid of his gaze, but she couldn’t help it, finishing it off with a quick glance to his lips that grabbed his attention. His nostrils flared and his breathing deepened. Within seconds, their breathing was in tandem…the magical chemistry enveloping them both.
    She saw movement at her waist and saw one hand begin to rise.
    She immediately took a step back.
    “Don’t,” she said.
    “I’m sorry, Julie. I truly am.”
    “Good.” She whirled away and marched back into the kitchen to join other partygoers.
    Julie didn’t have any trouble avoiding his gaze the rest of the evening. Luke seemed to disappear. And then she was told he had left.
    Thank God.
    She poured herself a big glass of red wine and sank into the family room couch. She listened to the happy banter of the bride and her girlfriends. She watched her brother joke with a couple of his groomsmen. Her parents danced to something on the radio. The caterers were busy clearing the kitchen.
    And Julie wasn’t here at all. She was back in San Diego on the beach, replaying everything that had happened with Luke.
    How could something, which felt so right, have been so wrong?

Chapter 8
    ‡
    L uke went straight to the motel and crashed. Up until tonight, he’d been sleeping well without the medication. Tonight, he wasn’t so sure he could.
    He knew it would be a mistake to watch TV. Something would snag him, and then he’d be off on that loop in his brain, like a hamster in its wheel. Of all the messed-up situations. He was now going to be family with the woman he’d had a truly momentous one-night stand with. It had been a beautiful evening and morning after, until his past had overwhelmed him. He knew he was damaged goods. It would have been better for her if they’d never met again.
    But it was impossible now. The marriage of his sister and her brother made meeting Julie unavoidable. It was selfish on his part, but he was angry with his sister and her brother. Angry about their love. Angry about their normal future.
    Not that he blamed them, actually. He’d made different choices with his life, and because of his choices, he was forever altered in a totally fucked-up and negative way.
    He could never have what Stephanie and Colin had. He knew how much work it would be for a woman to create some kind of normal life with him, and it was dangerous. In trying to save him, it could well cost another woman her life.
    Julie was such a sweet thing. Which was why it felt so bad, knowing he had hurt her. She’d lovingly kissed his scars and tats, given herself to him with a full and open heart, unafraid.
    I don’t do uncomplicated.
    No, she wouldn’t understand the complicated jumble that was his brain, otherwise she wouldn’t say such a thing. If she only knew.
    I want to be sorely missed when I’m gone.
    That was the thing, though, wasn’t it? Falling in love meant losing