Page 58 of Loving a Warrior

He gritted his teeth and swam on.

When Matt and Trey eventually hauled themselves up into the rubber boat at the extraction point, they stripped off their masks and waited anxiously while the dive supe glanced at his stopwatch.

“Good work. Well under the time limit, gentlemen.”

“Fuck, yeah!” Matt gave Trey an exuberant high-five.

It wasn’t long until all the swim pairs had returned from their “mission” and the small flotilla of boats headed for shore. A stop at the dive locker to stow their gear, then into the classroom for a debrief. To Matt’s satisfaction, he and Trey had scored higher than anyone else.

After they were finally dismissed, Matt was exhausted, yet riding an adrenaline high. He headed toward his barracks room to change clothes, intending to go treat himself to a huge breakfast somewhere before the training day started in a few hours.

Sleep? Who needs sleep?

As he climbed the stairs toward his room, his heart leapt when he caught sight of Shane sitting on the top step.

“Hey,” he said, plopping down next to him when he shifted to the side to make room. “What’re you doing here?”

“Waiting for you. How’d your dive practical go?” Shane nudged Matt’s knee with his. “I heard through the grapevine that tonight was the retake.”

“Passed it. Best time in the group.” Matt grinned at him, and Shane’s eyes dropped to his lips briefly before he cleared his throat and scooted away, leaving a couple of careful inches between them.

“Good” was all he said.

After a moment of silence, Matt said, “So does this welcome reception mean I’m forgiven at last?”

Shane didn’t reply, so Matt elbowed him in the ribs. “Does it?”

“Maybe,” Shane said grudgingly, although the tiniest of smiles played about the corners of his mouth. “If you’ll go to the Padres game with me this Friday night.”

“Padres? What?”

“Baseball game? You know, the San Diego Padres?” Shane sounded so disgusted that Matt got pissed.

“I know who the fucking Padres are, but why are you asking me to a game? Who cares about baseball right now? I don’t.”

“I don’t either, but my sister is bugging the hell out of me.”

Matt listened as Shane told him about Alexis’s request for him to spend some time with her boyfriend, Derek.

“I need to get it over with, and I figure with you there maybe it won’t be so damn awkward,” Shane muttered. “Besides, you owe me.”

He stared into Matt’s eyes defiantly, and Matt nodded. “Yeah. I do.”

Shane blinked in surprise at Matt’s admission. “Well, shit.” He paused, then rushed on, “What was that all about anyway, you leaving like that?”

Matt wanted to tell him, but this wasn’t the time or place. Guys were straggling back from various night evolutions, doors were opening and closing all around them. Thinking about his mistakes always made Matt tense…

“Not now, okay?” he said softly. “But I’d love to go to the baseball game with you.”

Shane’s face grew remote at the nonanswer. He got to his feet. “It’s not a date,” he informed him, his voice stiff. “It’s a favor. Meet me in the parking lot Friday after we’re dismissed.”

“Okay.”

With a curt nod, Shane strode off toward his room, and Matt sighed. Maybe he should’ve just told him instead of being so evasive. Now Shane seemed to think he wasn’t worth an explanation.

Sudden exhaustion swamped him, and he glanced at his watch. If he went to bed now, he’d get two-and-a-half hours of sleep. It’d have to be enough.

As he passed by Shane’s room on the way to his own, he paused. No, it wasn’t a fucking date. That would be stupid.