Matty: A Navy SEAL Romance Read online

  Matty

  A Navy SEAL Romance

  Lisa Carlisle

  LisaCarlisleBooks.com

  Contents

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  Also by Lisa Carlisle

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Epilogue

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  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Book List

  Matty

  Copyright 2020 Lisa Carlisle

  Edited by Mellow Wood Editing

  Cover by Talia’s Book Covers

  The right of Lisa Carlisle to be identified as author of this Work has been asserted by her in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, copied in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise transmitted without written permission from the publisher. You must not circulate this book in any format.

  This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please do so through your retailer’s “lend” function. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  To obtain permission to excerpt portions of the text, please contact the author at [email protected].

  All characters in this book are fiction and figments of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Find out more about the author and upcoming books online at lisacarlislebooks.com, facebook.com/lisacarlisleauthor, or @lisacbooks.

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  Also by Lisa Carlisle

  Anchor Me

  Navy SEALs, Marines, and hometown heroes. Each one encounters his most complicated mission yet, when he will find a woman from his past—who changes his future.

  Antonio (a novella available for free here)

  Angelo

  Vince

  Matty

  Jack (All Released in 2020!)

  Underground Encounters

  Steamy paranormal romances set in an underground goth club that attracts vampires, witches, shifters, and gargoyles.

  Book 1: SMOLDER (a vampire / firefighter romance)

  Book 2: FIRE (a witch / firefighter romance)

  Book 3: IGNITE (a feline shifter / rock star romance)

  Book 4: BURN (a vampire / shapeshifter rock romance)

  Book 5: HEAT (a gargoyle shifter romance)

  Book 6: BLAZE (a gargoyle shifter rockstar romance)

  Book 7: COMBUST (vampire / witch romances)

  Book 8: INFLAME (a gargoyle shifter / witch romance)

  Book 9: TORCH (a gargoyle shifter / werewolf romance

  Book 10: SCORCH (an incubus vs succubus demon romance)

  Chateau Seductions

  An art colony on a remote New England island lures creative types—and supernatural characters. Steamy paranormal romances.

  Darkness Rising

  Dark Velvet

  Dark Muse

  Dark Stranger

  Dark Pursuit

  Highland Gargoyle

  Gargoyle shifters, wolf shifters, and tree witches have divided the Isle of Stone after a great battle 25 years ago. One risk changes it all…

  Knights of Stone: Mason

  Knights of Stone: Lachlan

  Knights of Stone: Bryce

  Seth: a wolf shifter romance in the series

  Knights of Stone: Calum

  Stone Cursed

  Knights of Stone: Gavin

  Stone Sentries

  Meet your perfect match the night of the super moon — or your perfect match for the night. A cop teams up with a gargoyle shifter when demons attack Boston.

  Tempted by the Gargoyle

  Enticed by the Gargoyle

  Captivated by the Gargoyle

  Night Eagle Operations

  A paranormal romantic suspense novel

  When Darkness Whispers

  Berkano Vampires

  A shared author world with dystopian paranormal romances.

  Immortal Resistance

  Blood Courtesans

  A shared author world with the vampire blood courtesans.

  Pursued: Mia

  Visit LisaCarlisleBooks.com to learn more!

  Chapter 1

  Matty

  “It only hurts when the sun shines. Come to think of it, after it sets too.” Matty grinned at his older brother, Angelo, who’d just asked him about his leg.

  Matty lay on his side on the grass in his parents’ back yard, counting the umpteenth repetition of the clamshell leg exercise he’d learned in physical therapy months ago. “One kajillian and ninety-two. One kajillian and ninety-three…”

  Angelo rubbed his beard and assessed Matty with concerned eyes. “The pain is that bad?”

  “No, just teasing. Ma asks me about it a dozen times a day and I’m working on spicing up the responses.”

  Angelo shook his head and his lips curled up into a half-smile. “Still haven’t lost your sense of humor, I see.”

  If Matty had, what would he have left? Despair over the end of his career as a SEAL and uncertainty about his future?

  “No, brother.” He spoke in a cheerful tone. Humor was how he coped with the world. If Matty lost that, he’d be even more lost than how he felt now, floundering around as a civilian again back in Newport, Rhode Island.

  He’d returned to his parents’ house just over a week ago, the first step in adjusting to civilian life. This strange new life outside of the Navy rubbed him like an itchy wool sweater.

  “Are you sure you’re up for a run?” Angelo asked. He wore shorts, sneakers, and a T-shirt, ready for their scheduled jog on the beach.

  Matty jumped up like an eager puppy ready to go out for a walk. “Hell yeah. These rehab exercises might bore me into a coma.”

  “Don’t rush the recovery, Matty. It’ll set you back.” As a former SEAL corpsman now paramedic in Providence, Angelo had seen it all, not just the physical damages, but mental too.

  “I know, I know. Rushing will make things worse.”

  It had been worse for Gunther, Matty’s K-9 partner.

  The sudden flash of Matty’s dog pierced like a bayonet in his gut. He suppressed the shudder that shook him by covering it up with a shoulder roll. To squash the intrusive memory, he visualized shoving the image back down into a safe compartment in his mind he labeled Not going there.

  Angelo’s dark eyes held reservations.

  “I’m crawling out of my skin, ready to do something. Anything,” Matty added. “I’ve worked up to being able to run again. Le
t’s go to the beach to give it a go.” He tapped his bad left leg. “Even if the old bones rust up like a bicycle left outside in winter.”

  “All right.” Angelo ran in place, starting his warm up. “But take it easy. I know you like to push yourself and burn out.”

  After a brisk walk down to the beach, they jogged at a relaxed pace to get started along the shore. It felt good to push his legs again, running through the sand. He was antsy to run the way he used to.

  “Easy,” Angelo warned. “You don’t want to aggravate your leg.”

  Matty gritted his teeth. Angelo was right, but it didn’t make slowing down any easier. Matty was itching to find his new limits and push beyond them.

  He slowed his pace and focused on the scenery. They passed a couple walking a golden retriever, but other than that, not many people walked the beach. Seagulls called overhead in the blue sky dotted with thin clouds. Countless white boats bobbed in the water, appearing as eager as Matty for their next adventure. The exertion from the run quickly heated his body and tapped his lungs.

  It didn’t take long before the soreness returned in his left leg, courtesy of the IED that had caused multiple fractures and soft tissue damage. As the minutes ticked by, the pain intensified in his knee as if radiating outward.

  He scowled. “I think I’m done.” He slowed to a walk, noting the slight drag in his leg.

  “That was a good run.” Angelo turned with a concerned gaze. “How are you feeling?”

  Like a reduced version of myself.

  At least his legs had held out—and he’d run farther than he had last week. “Peachy.” He rolled one shoulder in a half-shrug. “Just a bit sore.”

  “You should elevate and rest your leg when we get back.”

  “Will do, Doc.” He used the nickname he’d dubbed Angelo when he’d become a corpsman.

  While they cooled down with a walk back up the shore, Angelo asked, “How is it being back here?”

  Matty inhaled, breathing in the salty air of the ocean. One thing he missed about Newport was living by the sea. During scorching days under the relentless sun in deserts or jungles, he’d dreamed of being back here, of having the sea breeze cool his skin. Although the seaside attractions and mansions looked the same, everything felt different.

  Or maybe it’s just me.

  Now he was back and wasn’t sure if the dream would live up to reality.

  A larger, louder wave hit the shore, spreading droplets in its wake. The water crept higher along the sand and he had to step away to avoid it drenching his sneakers.

  Matty shook his head, not even sure himself. “I don’t know, bro. I feel… restless.”

  “That’s nothing new for you.” Angelo quirked his brows.

  “True.” Sitting still was never Matty’s strong suit. “It’s a different kind of restlessness, though. Strange. Know what I mean?”

  “I do.” Angelo gave a sage nod. “It takes some time to get used to the adjustment to civilian life.”

  Matty grunted in acknowledgment. He glanced at the jetty stretching out into the ocean and then picked up a rock and tossed it into that direction. It sank short far short of its mark. “It’s like I put on a pair of glasses with the wrong prescription.”

  Angelo cocked his head and exhaled. “The world looks the same, but something about it seems foreign.”

  “This is normal then? To feel so—so off?”

  “Yup. Ask anyone who’s out. It’s practically given.” Angelo stared out to the sea. “It’s like forcing a puzzle piece that’s been warped by water back where it’s supposed to fit. It might work, but the fit isn’t as smooth and seamless.”

  Matty blew out a breath. That sounded about right. The comfort of being at home with family soothed some of the roughest edges, yet it didn’t take away his unease. He shouldn’t have been surprised since he’d been warned by others that the adjustment could be tough. Angelo had managed though, and now lived in Providence with his wife, Catherine.

  A cool sea breeze rolled in, causing Matty to hunch his shoulders. “How do you go from the rush of missions to a boring life where every day is the same?”

  “You know there’s plenty of mind-numbing boredom in the Navy as well.” Angelo took a swig from his water bottle.

  True, Matty faced killer down time, but the adrenaline rushes from training or missions kept him going for days.

  “One meal at a time, Matty. It will soon feel like your new normal.”

  He nodded his head at the familiar military mindset. A day could seem endless, making it easier to sink into despair. Rather than one day at a time, it was easier just to push through to the next meal.

  Angelo nudged Matty’s bicep. “It helps to have an amazing woman to help you adjust.”

  Matty groaned. “Not gonna go there, and it’s not like there are any prospects. I’m giving myself a month to get adjusted and figure out if I even want to stay in Newport.”

  He stepped around a giant tangle of seaweed and grunted. That might as well describe his mind right now—a big, tangled mess. He’d never considered anything other than being a SEAL, following his dad and Angelo into the Navy. Since he’d graduated high school, he’d been chasing that goal. But now that part of his life was over, and it was time to move on.

  “And then what?” Angelo asked.

  “Good question.” Some of the guys Matty served with had a wife and kids and a plan for the future. Not Matty. He couldn’t live that way. Where was the thrill in living when you spent all that time planning for the future? The time to live was in the present as you never knew when you’d take your last breath.

  “The boring stuff.” Matty added. “Find a job and place to live.”

  “It’s not so bad,” Angelo added. “You’ll see.”

  Matty grunted with doubt and glanced out to the horizon. “I might try to find a rental on the water.”

  “You could get a good deal with it not being peak season,” Angelo replied. “But Ma will probably insist you stay with them.”

  “Oh, she will, for sure. You know what she’s like. She wants to take care of all of us, no matter how old we are or where we are.”

  “Especially her baby,” Angelo pointed at Matty. “You could always come stay with Catherine and me for a little while and check out Providence. It’s grown on me. Has a lot to offer.”

  “Thanks, bro. I’ll keep it in mind.”

  They turned around, heading back up the beach.

  “What do you have going on this weekend?” Angelo asked.

  “I’m meeting up with Derek for a beer down at Bowen’s Wharf later.”

  Angelo’s brows rose. “Derek Coleman?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Thought he was working in Japan.”

  “He is. He’s home for a visit.”

  “When’s the last time you saw him?”

  Matty pictured the last time they’d met up at a pub. “At least a few years. You know how it goes once people move away.”

  “Sure do. It doesn’t help when you move to different countries.”

  “And continents. Me being deployed numerous times didn’t help.”

  “I’m glad you’ll get to see him. You two were close.”

  That was true. They’d been best friends growing up, but hadn’t talked as much since they’d both moved away. “Yeah, I’m looking forward to it.” He paused, remembering the conversation with Derek earlier. “It sounds like it’s more than just catching up. He sounded anxious and said he wanted to talk to me about something.”

  “Anxious about what?”

  Matty shrugged. “Guess I’ll find out soon.”

  Jenna

  Saturday afternoon, Jenna logged off her computer at the front desk of the veterinarian’s clinic and spun around in the office chair. With her brother, Derek, visiting from Japan, it would be a good weekend. She’d seen him for short visits throughout the week, but he promised that they’d spend the day together tomorrow.

  As she put her t
extbook into her shoulder bag, Sophie, the veterinarian who owned the clinic, came out from her office.

  “Got anything going on tonight?” Sophie had taken off her white lab coat, revealing an emerald-green top that went well with her dirty-blonde hair.

  Jenna would always be grateful to Sophie for giving her this job. It had been rough to start over after Jenna had divorced Roberto, but Sophie not only hired Jenna, but encouraged her to grow with the business. She had been splitting her time between work and a program to become a veterinary technician. When she completed it, she’d be able to take on more responsibilities at the clinic.

  “Just trying to see as much of my brother before he leaves on Monday.” Her stomach clenched as his departure approached. “We’re going to the Roger Williams Zoo tomorrow.”

  Their dad had sometimes taken them there when they were kids, especially after their mom ran off and remarried. It bothered her to see the animals in captivity, but she loved being around animals and looked forward to spending time with Derek doing something they’d enjoyed as a family.

  “Good plan,” Sophie said. “It might be a while before you can see each other again.”

  Exactly. Derek worked in Japan. He used to come home every year, but it had been eighteen long months since she’d last seen her only sibling. He was busy with who-knew-what keeping him occupied, so she’d soak up as much family time with him as she could get.