RULES OF LOVE (A Navy SEALs Romance) by Bella Grant Page B

him.”
    “And here, I thought you would enjoy playing civilian.”
    “Hate it with a passion. I’d be of more use if I could stick to what I’m good at instead of playing the helpless victim.”
    “We’ll do what we can to help, but my man and I can only stay a few nights. We’re being put up in a hotel. Reinhart has to brief us on another mission.”
    “Sounds like you’ve got a lot going on,” Eddie said enviously, thinking of what she could be doing if her knee wasn’t practically useless. She’d been damn good out in the field, and now, she was regulated to babysitting the mark.
    “Yeah, you just got lucky with that leg of yours, kid.”
    “Trust me, I’d rather have twenty missions at a time than be forced to walk with a cane. Could go without the pain, too.”
    Jackie halted the conversation, asking sternly, “You’ve been taking your meds again, right?”
    “Don’t have a shit fit. The damn Navy knows about it now. Practically shoved one down my throat this morning.”
    “Good! It’s about time someone got on your case about all the crap you’re not doing. How about those nightmares you told me were gone? And that kiss?”
    Eddie cringed. “I’d rather not talk about the nightmares I’m not having.”
    “How bad are they?” Eddie avoided Jackie’s eyes. “You better tell me, or we’re going to be out here for a while.”
    “Fine! Apparently, I wake up screaming.”
    “You what? And you didn’t call me because?”
    “I didn’t want you worrying. I already have Beau freaking out every other second of the bloody day. He keeps asking me about my past, why I… why I flinch when certain people try to touch me. And he’s beginning to realize it has something to do with a man. Especially after he kissed me.”
    “What were you two doing that he kissed you?”
    Eddie’s mind drifted back to that brief moment of happiness in a world where she saw nightmares everywhere. “Dancing. It was as if the accident never happened, and he held me, he kissed me… And then I freaked out and ended it.”
    Jackie sighed, pulling her friend along, and Eddie knew exactly what was going through her mind. It was so long ago, but for Eddie, it still seemed like yesterday. They came around a bend in the path and saw Shane and Gareth sharing beers out on the back patio as if there wasn’t someone on their way to kill their mark. That’s what happened when you were on the job too long. One death threat was nothing to get excited about anymore.
    “Maybe, for once in your life, stop being so stubborn. You don’t need to prove yourself to anybody anymore. Okay? If he wants to kiss you, let the man kiss you. Maybe it’ll knock some sense back into that head of yours and chase the other asshole out for good.” Eddie nodded, and they hugged. “You’ve been through a lot. It’ll be a big step if you can talk to someone—anyone—about everything that happened.”
    Except I can’t because I’m not being me around him .
    Eddie put a smile on her face. She gripped her cane and walked into the kitchen with the rest of the gang following her. On the counter was an array of sandwiches and salads that she hadn’t put together. She looked accusingly at Shane, who shrugged as he fixed himself a plate. She frowned at the bags under his eyes. Whatever he was up to was not treating him well.
    The hammering upstairs reminded her that Beau hadn’t eaten all day. She followed the noise of construction and cursing into the bedroom. Leaning in the doorway, she watched his lower half twist and turn as he attempted to do whatever he was doing up there. A loud bang echoed followed by a stream of curses, making her struggle to laugh quietly. He stepped down the ladder, favoring his right hand. Mid-curse, he turned and Naomi waved at him. He closed his mouth quickly.
    “I didn’t hear you come in.”
    “Are you alright?” She pointed to his hand.
    He shrugged. “I’ve had worse. Is something wrong?”
    “Oh no, I was