Romance: Military Romance: Protected by the SEAL (Contemporary Hero Bad Boy Navy SEAL Romance) (New Adult BBW Alpha Male Virgin Protector Short Stories) by Carla Parker Page A

showed up at my house uninvited.
    “I’m Roland, Tarik’s friend. It’s nice to meet you.” Roland grinned politely and then gestured down to the bag of trash I was taking out. “Let me help you.” He took the bag from me and disposed of it in my trashcan at the side of the house before walking over to me again.
    “You’re…Tarik’s friend? How did you know where I live?” I asked him, still wondering as to why he’s here.
    “Think of it as a sixth sense. Can I come in?” Roland asked and, too confused to do much else, I let him in. “I promise I’m not an assailant,” Roland said, as if trying to reassure me.
    “That’s just great…why don’t you have a seat?” I gestured him into the living room area. Roland sat down on the couch and gestured me to come and sit next to him. I hesitated, but decided, hell he was in my house for a reason I might as well hear what he had to tell me.
    “Why don’t you have a seat? Relax, I’m not going to hurt you,” Roland said in all seriousness. I sat at the edge of the sectional, and Roland chuckled. “I told you, I’m not here to hurt you.” I simply nodded and he took a deep breath. “I’m actually here to take you to Tarik’s. He told you last night that he would find you again, right?”
    I nodded. Boy was Tarik resourceful, but I wondered why he didn’t come himself. I asked Roland.
    “He was called away at the last minute, but you’ll see him when we get to his house. So how about you change, and we can get going?”
    *****
    Roland was telling me to change? I glanced down at my tank top and sweats and my cheeks heated up in embarrassment. I didn’t have a bra on and my nipples were clearly visible through the thin material. “It is kind of cool outside.” Roland said, a chuckle in his voice. I looked up at him and glared.
    “Whatever, you’re the one who just came over unannounced!” Roland was obviously holding in his laughter and I stood up.
    “If it helps…you have really nice breasts,” Roland commented, exactly like a guy would, and I picked up a sofa cushion to throw at him, which he dodged easily. “I apologize, that was inappropriate.” Roland said, his expression sobering just a little.
    “Whatever, I’ll be back,” I grumbled, and went into my room to change into something more presentable. As I brushed my hair back into a ponytail I wondered if I was really going to get into the car with this strange man and let him take me to who knew where. I’ll take my pepper spray just in case, I thought. And I have my cell. If anything I’ll just call the cops.
    I took an easy breath once I had my game plan. Boy did Tarik have an odd way of going about things. He was lucky I liked him. I went back to Roland.
    “Now that’s much better, Tarik can never refuse a girl in a sweater dress and knee high boots,” he said. Roland’s deep voice scared me into dropping the pepper spray I was packing into my purse. “Though I have to say, the little tank top was nice too.” Roland smiled at me wolfishly as he posed against the doorframe to my bedroom. His eyes traveled down my body and stopped at the small can on the floor.
    Roland chuckled and walked into the room, where he picked up the can and put it in my purse for me. “You won’t need this, but if it makes you feel better then fine…” He paused and I looked up into his nearly black eyes. “You’re safe with me, with us. We wouldn’t do anything to hurt you or make you uncomfortable. We just want to talk really.”
    Roland sounded assuring, and I suddenly believed him. As weird as it was, I actually felt safe in his presence.
    “So you’ll be with Tarik and me too?” I asked Roland and his dark gaze searched my face before nodding.
    “Yeah, we’ll all just be hanging out pretty much. It’s nothing you should be worried about Christina.”
    Roland’s gaze was intense and I couldn’t help but feel attracted to him. Something was off about this, but now I wanted to find