SEALed with a Kiss

Jill Monroe

A woman on a mission…Thanks to her distracted sister, hotel owner Rachel Sutherland is now alone to greet ?ber-hot Navy SEAL Riley Wilkes as he disembarks from his ship. But when Riley scoops Rachel into his arms for a hot, combustible kiss, Rachel wonders if she owes her sister a big favour…Now Rachel is reconsidering her stance on bad boys…especially those of the Riley Wilkes variety. In fact, a naughty fling could be just what the doctor ordered. Because the only thing better than a Navy SEAL in his uniform, is a Navy SEAL out of his uniform…

She looked like the best thing he’d ever seen …

Riley found himself wanting to lose himself in those green eyes of hers. Beautiful green eyes that were, for the first time, warm and inviting. The coldly reserved Rachel Sutherland who ran the speed-dating parties with a watch and a whistle was gone.

Something deep and elemental punched him in the gut. This was what it was like to have someone waiting for him. His return.

His feet ate those last steps that separated them.

“Hi,” she said, her voice a little breathless. She thrust something towards him. “I brought you cookies.” Riley had never seen Rachel more gorgeous. And the woman always looked hot. Her gaze lowered to his lips, and he was lost.

His duffel bag hit the pavement and his fingers sunk into her hair. Riley saw the desire in her eyes before her lids lowered. She rose on tiptoe to meet him halfway. Rachel’s mouth was everything he’d fantasized about. Her lips parted with a soft moan that sent a shaft of heat straight through his body.

Rachel wrapped her arms around his neck, her elbow snagging on the pins of his uniform. There were kisses and then there were kisses, and this was a kiss to remember.

“Welcome home, Riley,” Rachel whispered.

They were the best damn words he’d ever heard …

Dear Reader,

I admit I’m a news junkie. Where other people play music in the background, I prefer the twenty-four-hour news channel. So when a heart-wrenching story of sailors coming home from a long deployment flashed on the screen, I had to stop what I was doing and watch. I was touched by these incredible scenes of men and women being reunited with their loved ones, while the newscaster explained the protocol of how each sailor left the ship—new parents first, newly married, etc. Of course there were tears of joy, hugs and lots and lots of kissing—everything to make a romantic like me sigh dreamily.

But I couldn’t help wondering about the men and women on board who didn’t have anyone waiting for them on the pier below, and it made me a little sad. I wanted to rewrite their stories and give them somebody anxiously waiting for them.

And that’s how Riley Wilkes came to be!

It was so much fun revisiting the world of navy SEALs. This is the first time I’ve ever written about characters from a previous book, but I’ve had a lot of requests from those who’ve read SEALed and Delivered to write Rachel Sutherland’s story, and I couldn’t think of a better man to pair her with than sexy Riley.

I love to hear from readers. You can visit me on the web at www.jillmonroe.com.

Happy reading!

Jill

About the Author

JILL MONROE makes her home in Oklahoma with her family. When not writing, she spends way too much time on the internet completing “research” or updating her blog. Even when writing, she’s thinking of ways to avoid cooking.

SEALed with a Kiss

Jill Monroe

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

This book is dedicated to Donnell Epperson—

I will miss you forever.

Special thanks to Pink, my awesome daughters and my family, whose support is immeasurable.

A book dedication cannot be written without mentioning Gena Showalter. Wind beneath wings does not begin to describe her.

Again thanks to HelenKay Dimon and James Miyazawa who helped with the geography of San Diego and other details.

Kassia Krozser, Shelia Fields and Betty Sanders all gave me invaluable feedback and I thank you.

A shout out to every amazing lady of the Day Camp Team but especially Scout, Taxi and Misty, and