Navy SEALs - Act of Valor

Today Act of Valor is released in theaters. Although it is a movie, this film was originally begun as a documentary on the Navy SEALs. Therefore, there are real SEALs in the movie, but they weren't paid actors on the government payroll, waiting for their time under the big lights and cameras. They were part of the original documentary.

Years prior, a documentary was made on the SWCC boat warriors, the support staff for Navy SEALs. These guys operate the boats that get the SEALs on shore or up river when required, although SEALs land HALO (high altitude jumps), under water and by land as well. The documentary was a smashing success.

You can find out about these specialized warriors here. They have quite a history, and are a relatively recent addition to our Special Forces. Just try doing what they have to do to qualify:

PST	SWCC
SWIM 500 YDS. side stroke or breast stroke	13:00 min
Rest 10 minutes
PUSH-UPS within 2 minutes	42
Rest 2 minutes
SIT-UPS within 2 minutes	50
Rest 2 minutes
PULL-UPS no time limit	6
Rest 10 minutes
1.5 MILE RUN	12:30 min/sec

Because of the success of this documentary, the filmmakers decided to make one on the SEAL community as well. After filming had started, however, they decided to make a regular motion picture feature length film out of the footage--something that could be shared with audiences all over the world, not just the small community of men who were considering that as a career path. So, actors were hired and a script was created. I have talked to those who have seen the movie, and it is highly regarded.

I am writing the second in my SEAL series now, WIP title is Fallen SEAL Legacy. This manuscript has finaled in the Gotcha Contest, hosted by Silicon Valley RWA. My first book in the series, Accidental SEAL, is set to release early March. But I can share the yummy cover!

I love these strong silent types, the ones who say little and can explode into action when required. Their training drums out hesitation. Their community supports not only them, but their entire families. No wonder they would rather hang out with their own, than with civilians. They put their lives in each other's capable hands at every turn.

My hero, Kyle Landsdowne, is looking for his AWOL team buddy, and holes up temporarily in his buddy's house, looking for clues as to his disappearance. Christy Nelson is about to hold her first open house as a newbie Realtor, but gets the wrong address from the listing agent. I don't want to spoil it for you. What happens when they meet accidentally under these circumstances was one of the most rewarding chapters to write!

Here's a rough excerpt. Please join me when I release this book in March.


           “You!” Christy said, suddenly aware of the understatement. His blue eyes melted her bones. She needed air, and pushed against him to step back a safe distance, if that was possible.

She wondered if he felt the electric ripple that traveled with lightning speed all over her skin surfaces.

Probably not.

His face had that soft smirk, with upturned lips, head held at an angle. He looked more uncomfortable holding the flowers than the three metal open house signs with the Patterson Realty logo on them.

“I came to apologize for the misunderstanding.” Simply delivered, his deep voice, cracking just a little, was dripped in honey and ensnared her as if he’d tied her up with pantyhose again. She shivered at the very thought this might be something she could look forward to.

“Good. Saves me the trouble of calling the police.” As soon as she’d said it, she wondered why. It was not what she was really thinking.

“That won’t be necessary, but hear me out first, and if you still want to call them, I won’t be able to object. It’s your right. But I’m sorry about…”

“This him?” Simms immediately stepped next to Christy, and, after sizing up the physique and bearing of the stranger, pegged him. “Navy, right?”

“Yes, sir.”

Wayne appeared at the end of the hallway but his ego had turned to pudding. He hovered in the shadow, half protected by the hallway wall.

“I’m Carl Simms, the manager here. Ms. Nelson was just telling me how you terrorized her yesterday. Scared this nice young lady to death. I’ve advised her to call the police, and if she doesn’t, I will.” Simms delivered this with determination, but stayed a healthy two steps away from the large Navy man.

The visitor had been looking at Simms, but in the silence that followed, his blue gaze turned back on Christy, as if to beg for time alone with her. And damn, she was going to give it to him, too. There was something there she needed to find out about. She had too many questions about the day before to be consistently angry. And how could she, when he looked at her like that?

“Why don’t we go to the conference room and discuss this?” Christy offered softly.

“That sounds fair to me,” the stranger replied. He didn’t take his eyes off Christy when he added, “Simms, you can join us if you like.”

“Christy?” Simms asked.

“I think I’ll be okay. Thanks.”

“Can someone take these please?” the man said, holding up the heavy metal signs like they were a carton of Chinese food.

“Those are mine,” Wayne grabbed them away without looking at the stranger. The signs clattered and he almost dropped them.

“I’m guessing you must be Wayne.”

Wayne shot him a murderous look, then adjusted his bravado, and walked off, carrying the signs awkwardly in both hands. His sport coat stretched across his shoulders and his knees hit the metal sides as he lumbered off, swearing under his breath.

Christy drew back the sliding door to the conference room as the stranger passed by her too close. A fresh soap scent made her eyes flutter and her nose itch. He found a spot at the head of the table facing out towards the reception area, and remained standing until Christy slid the door closed. When she took the chair at his left, he sat in tandem with her.

He pushed flowers in her direction across the laminate tabletop. She noticed again his tattoo of footprints from a three-toed creature going up his forearm.

His voice was raspy and soft, as he began, “These are yours. Once again, I am very sorry.” His large hand squeezed the plastic outer wrap with a delicious crunch. The package was a colorful spring gathering of daffodils, stock, and baby green chrysanthemums. A few sprigs of lavender had been added for garnish. The glorious smell of the bouquet filled the room. It was obviously hand selected and freshly made. She noticed things like that. Some of her past boyfriends hadn’t even bothered to take the price tags off the supermarket bunches. This bouquet probably set him back a good twenty dollars.

            A whole lot cheaper than bail. Some of her anger returned, but she gave him a curt thank you.

            He retracted his hand and leaned into the table. He took a deep breath, and then exhaled as he began his story. “My name is Kyle Lansdowne. I am in the Navy. I’m looking for my Navy buddy and best friend, who is missing.”

            “Okay.”

            “The house…where we…met…belongs to my friend. I’d begun to look for him, and thought I would start there.”

            “Naked?”

            “Well.” Kyle suppressed a grin and nodded his head. “I understand this may not make sense, but I actually meditate like that all the time. I didn’t expect company.” He flashed those blue eyes up at her again.

            “Obviously.”

            “Look, I’m sorry, but I’m really not a weirdo.”

            Christy had to break eye contact or she would never get through this. She rubbed her temples as she closed her eyes.

            Mr. Simms popped his head into the conference room. “Everything all right?”

            Christy realized how weary she must have looked from her night of tossing in her sleep. The stress of the last twenty-four hours was getting to her. She barely held it together.

            “It’s okay,” she said to Simms.

            Her manager nodded and closed the door, staring back at Kyle, but leaving them alone again. Kyle rubbed his palm where her teeth marks were clearly evident. When he noticed she was looking down at them, he stopped and buried his hands under the table.

            “So why the questions about all this covert stuff? The tying me up with my pantyhose? What was that all about?”

            “Again, please let me apologize. I thought maybe you were involved with Armando’s disappearance.”

            “Me?”

            Kyle rolled his shoulders. “I just assumed you might be one of the bad guys.”

            “You think I look like a bad guy?”

            “Of course not. I see that now.”

            Christy found herself glaring at him. She felt he was telling the truth, so backed down. “Well, I still don’t see what the big deal is. Maybe your friend went out on a bender—it happens, you know.”

            “Not to us.”

            “I’m sorry?”

            “We’re SEALs.”

            “Oh.”

            “And we never disappear without someone else from the community knowing about it. We’re trained to disappear, but that’s not how this happened. Something’s wrong.”

            “Sounds a little over the top. Don’t you guys have a life?”

            “That’s exactly what we’ve got.” Kyle surveyed the top of the conference table, his eyes sweeping up to the flowers laying flat against the Formica surface. “Staying alive is the goal.”

            Christy didn’t know what else to say.

            “Well, I’ve taken enough…” he started to rise.

            “No. Wait a minute. That was unkind of me.”

            Kyle shrugged, sat back down. He looked at his lap.

            “What can I do to help?” she asked.

            Kyle folded his hands neatly in front of him, a crooked smile angled up to the left, causing a dimple. “Nothing you can do. I’m here because you never should have been involved in the first place and I wanted to personally apologize for my behavior.”

            Some of the pieces started to connect. She could feel her neck relax as she rolled it back and forth.

            “Did I injure you? I tried not to.” His eyes were steady. He raised his brows, forming crease lines on his forehead. “You hurt anywhere?”

            Good question. “No. I’m fine.” She didn’t understand why he chuckled at this and nodded his head twice.

            “You’re a very strong young lady.”

            “I’ve been told that a time or two.”

            “I can imagine.” He scanned her face like he had yesterday on the floor. She could tell he wanted to look at her further down, but held himself in check. She liked that about him.

He looked to the side as if thinking about something before he spoke again. “I would like to make it up to you, if you’ll let me.” He turned on the blue charm again and smiled. “Give me a chance for you to see my decent side, not my animal side.”

She was thinking about his animal side. Did he know?

            “Well, I don’t normally bite people when I first meet them, either.” She found it in herself to smile and enjoyed that he returned her smile, focusing on her lips.

            It was an awkward silence, but she was determined not to break it. The move was up to him, and how he played it indicated how she would be able to trust him.

            “Maybe I could buy you lunch sometime. Maybe tomorrow?”

            She’d been hoping for dinner, but knew lunch was the right answer. “That would be fine.” She wanted to say “nice” but was pleased she made the last-minute word substitution. There was no denying her attraction to this man, but it would be dangerous to let him see it.

            “Okay, then. Can I pick you up here tomorrow at, say, Noon?”

            “Yes. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

            They stood as she gathered up the flowers, burying her nose in them, inhaling the delicious scent. He caught her little lapse in judgment and smiled.

            “I thought you’d like them. They look like you.”

           

            Christy didn’t remember when or how she said good-bye, or even what she did the rest of the day or that evening. She had been numbed by his words, they look like you. She operated out of the comfortable cocoon that warm numbness created, shielding her from her ordinary life.

She wasn’t sure she completely trusted or believed him. But she was looking forward to tomorrow with an eagerness she hadn’t had in years.

Kyle had his first string of second thoughts before he got in his Hummer. He stopped halfway there, almost turning back and calling the whole thing off.

You’ve got no business doing this. You are one messed up sailor if you think someone like her is fair game.

He wondered why in the world he’d asked her out for lunch. Well, being honest, he knew why. He couldn’t stop thinking about her and the way her eyes held him courageously, staring at the possibility of her own death. She didn’t beg. She was a fighter.

Just like me.

That kind of a person deserved an apology, and more. Her defiance in the face of mortal danger reached in and grabbed him. She commanded respect. Sure, he was marking time, waiting for Timmons to get the information on Armando’s cell phone, but something else was going on, and he couldn’t quite identify it. Or, maybe he didn’t want to.

He continued telling himself it was the right thing to do. After all, he had terrorized her, put her through an ordeal with a civilian he never thought he was capable of. He was half-surprised she’d said yes.

Hanging around a woman like Christy was dangerous. Would it set up an uncontrollable craving, forcing a well-disciplined heart to open just a crack and let the outside world in?

Despite what he commanded of his own thoughts, he was enchanted, and couldn’t wait for tomorrow.

What about you? Do you love to read military romance? Do you find a guy in uniform irresistable? Love the strong, silent types? I'd love to hear...

Sharon Hamilton

Life is one fool thing after another.

Love is two fool things after each other.

Sharon's Blog ** Sharon's Website ** Facebook

Heavenly Lover ** Underworld Lover ** Honeymoon Bite available now at Amazon/B&N