“Grandpa, he said he would quit and move up here with me. Can you believe that?”
Gunnar snorted. “Are you seriously going to ask him to do that?”
“Good God no.”
“How do you feel with Dalton being away on a mission right now?” Gunnar asked seriously.
Now that was a hard one. “You know the other Navy wives tried to reassure me at the baby shower they threw for me.”
“Didn’t you say there were like ten of them or something?”
“There was Kenna, Aliana, Miranda, Sophia, Lydia-”
“Stop already,” Gunnar laughed. “Obviously you’re surrounded by estrogen down in San Diego. So they tried to reassure you about the SEALs going on missions, huh?” he prompted.
“Yeah, but it was when Lindy and I went to dinner that everything came into focus. One, she couldn’t be anything else but a police officer. Two, she’s trained down to the ‘nth degree. Grandpa, you should have seen her at the Olympic Center. The doctors said she should never have been conscious, let alone up and killing Mort. This is in her blood. Having seen it up close and personal, I know it has to be the same for Dalton. I trust him. I trust him to come home to me and our son.”
“I worried how you might handle that.”
“Well if you think you’re worried about me, I’m worried about you. Yeah, it looks promising moving down to San Diego, I could definitely make some friends, and Lindy’s close by in L.A. But I won’t have my Grandpa.”
“I worried about you having a support system when he was gone. It’s good to know that won’t be a problem.”
She leaned over awkwardly and grabbed his hand. “I want you to move down with us. Dalton and I have talked about it. He’s looking for a house that’ll be comfortable for all three of us, and the baby.”
Gunnar cupped her cheek. “God love you. There is no way I’m going to move in with newlyweds and a new baby. But I’ve been thinking, you’re not going to be happy just being a wife and mother, you’re going to need horses too.”
Aurora sighed. She was going to miss Valhalla. “I’ll be up for lots of visits, especially when Dalton is on a mission.”
“I’ve already talked to Myrna Englewood at Torrey Pines. You’re hired whenever you want to be.”
Aurora sipped her cocoa until it was gone. “That’s a bit presumptuous, even for you.”
“She’s okay with you taking five of the horses, including Aladdin.”
“Not interested. I want to come up here whenever I can instead. I want Aladdin to stay here, and I want to be involved with rehabilitating the horses from the Lyle’s place.”
“Stop,” Gunnar held up his hand. “That’s been taken care of and you know it. Elsa is well on her way to wearing an orange jumpsuit, and for the next six months Tate is going to oversee the place.”
“But-”
He looked at her. “Honey, your place is with your husband and your son. Your horses will be at Torrey Pines. Now tell me the real problem.
She felt the tears start. Damn hormones.
“I told you the problem. I can’t leave you Grandpa. I can’t stand the idea of you being alone in this house,” she whispered hoarsely.
Gunnar grabbed her hand in his and ran his thumb over the sapphire and diamond ring on her ring finger. “It matches your eyes,” he said.
“It matches his eyes,” she disagreed.
“Believe what you need to believe. You need to be with your husband. On a full-time basis. Anyway I have something to tell you. That’s why we’re having this picnic. I’m not going to be alone. I’ve met someone.”
Aurora couldn’t believe her ears.
“What? What did you say?”
Gunnar laughed loudly. “You heard me, Darlin.”
“Who is she? Who have you met?” she demanded to know.
“Kim Sokolov.” At Aurora’s confused look, Gunnar laughed again. “You know her Aurora. She works at Safeway. I’ve known for over a year that you’ve been feeding me turkey bacon.”
“Oh, Kim. I just didn’t know her last name. Is this real?” she asked softly.
“I think I’m old enough to know real. I want to explore this. You’re not leaving me alone, I promise.”
Her hot chocolate spilled as she threw her arms around her grandfather’s neck. “Oh my God, I’m so happy for you.”
“Really? She’s not Barb,” he teased.
“Kim’s so nice. I think the world of her. I was just worried she’d tell you about the food.”
Gunnar grinned. “You thought right.”
He kissed her forehead.
Both of them looked around the orchard. “Grandma is so happy for you, I just know it.”
“So do I, Aurora. So do I.”
Epilogue
The minute, the second, the moment that Dalton had seen her pregnant, Aurora had known that there would never be a better father in the world for their child. She stood in the shadows outside the nursery and soaked in this moment.
“Your name is James. Not Jim. James. But right now, you can be Jamie. At least until you start school.”
Aurora smiled. Her husband was a huge softie.
She watched as Dalton’s big hand covered the whole of Jamie’s back. Her son knew he had it good because he snuggled in against his father’s bare chest. He wasn’t hungry, she’d fed him an hour ago. Nope, Dalton had heard the same snuffle she’d heard on the baby monitor and couldn’t help himself. Their boy had them both wrapped tightly around his little finger.
Jamie let out another little sound. Nothing of importance, just a sound to let his father know that he was there, that he liked the attention he was getting. Aurora saw Dalton’s thumb move up, so he could touch the back of Jamie’s head and play with a silky black curl. She’d been right, he looked like his big sister Reagan. All big blue eyes and black curls. Jamie was going to be a heartbreaker.
“So why are you up in the middle of the night my boy?” Dalton asked their son.
Jamie moved his little fist upwards and touched it against Dalton’s whiskered jaw.
“Nope, none of that. That’s too rough for you.” Dalton brought the little baby’s hand to his lips and kissed it.
Jamie let out a little cry. He never liked being told no. He was seven weeks old, and already knew that word and hated it. Dalton went over to the rocking chair and turned on the small lamp. He had to move the blue plush seal off the seat, so he could sit down.
Aurora gulped a watery breath as her husband and son settled down in recliner. Dalton took the little soft toy and put it next to Jamie, who grabbed it’s little tail. It always hit her hard when she saw him sit in that spot with their son.
She remembered when she’d had Dalton sit on that same rocking chair in their San Diego home, she’d been almost nine months pregnant.
“Don’t kneel down,” he’d admonished. “Get up.”
He’d pulled her onto his lap.
“The chair’s going to collapse,” she protested.
“It’s a rocking recliner,” he smiled. He brushed back her hair. “Why is there a package on the table?”
She fought back tears. “It’s for you. I hope I did good. I don’t want you to be sad.”
He frowned.
“Or mad,” she said. Did she do the right thing?
“What’s in the package?” he asked.
“It’s something for both you and Jamie.”
“Our son’s name is James,” he smiled. “What’s in the package?”
She handed him the present. “Just open it, okay?”
Because she’d made such a production about it, he took his time opening it. She could tell he was freaked out, but then again, so was she. Please God, say he’d like it.
He froze when he pulled out the picture frame. Reagan’s little face was smiling up at him.
Dalton’s eyes turned indigo bright and filled with tears. Reverently, he held the picture up over Aurora’s swollen belly. He spoke to their son. “I know you c
an’t see this right now James, but this is your sister Reagan. She’s watching over you.”
Dalton’s tears fell as he smiled and put the picture on the table. He cupped Aurora’s face between his hands.
“It’s perfect. You’re perfect,” he whispered against her lips.
It took a moment for Aurora to come back to the present and realize Dalton was whispering to her.
“I see you,” he was saying.
“You can’t see me,” she protested.
“Okay, then I can feel you,” he laughed softly. “Come help put James to bed.”
“Jamie,” she corrected.
“James,” he smiled as she walked into the nursery.
She watched him put their son gently into the crib. She stood next to the table with the lamp and she kissed her fingers and placed them gently against the photo of Reagan.
“I love you,” they said simultaneously to the two adored children.
If you enjoyed Her Guarded Hero please consider the next book in the series Her Captivated Hero coming December 31, 2018
Get your copy of Her Captivated Hero here.
Chapter One
Her Captivated Hero sneak peek!
A gun in a bar?
Not on his fucking watch!
Gray Tyler lunged from his seat ready to kill. That was when he realized he was dealing with a dumbass of epic proportions.
Asshat fumbled for a gun stuffed in the back of his oil-stained, drooping jeans. Afraid he would get it tangled in his tighty-whities, Gray thought he might be permanently blinded by the sight of the gunman’s butt crack.
He ran across the crowded San Diego bar, hearing the crash of chairs that told him Dex and Griff, two of his SEAL team members, were at his back. Gray acted as blocker for his men as they plowed through the packed crowd toward the potential shooter.
Thank the good Lord, it was looking promising that the dumb oaf would plug himself in the ass before he pulled his pistol loose. But still, if Gray started trusting luck at his age, he wouldn’t make it to thirty-seven. Gray shouldered a billionaire-wannabe out of his way, ensuring the petite blonde who’d been beside him stayed upright.
Fuck me running.
Droopy Drawers swung the gun upwards.
“Let go of my woman,” the man slurred as he shot up into the ceiling. He stumbled as he continued. “Stella is mine. You stole her.” The dumbass lowered his gun to point at some weasel hiding behind a woman in a gold miniskirt and pink thigh-high boots.
Really?
Gray thanked God that Griff and Dex’s wives and the rest of the bachelorette party were busy whooping it up on the dance floor behind him, safely out of the line of fire.
Goddammit, would he have noticed this cretin sooner if his attention hadn’t been so focused on the curvy bridesmaid who danced as though she were music in motion?
People started screaming as soon as the shot was fired. Shouts of “Gun,” reverberated throughout the crowd. People were beginning to run and drop to the floor. Gray and his team needed to shut this shit down.
“Dex, left,” Gray commanded. He didn’t even need to see his man to know that he’d be on the left side of the shooter like white on rice.
“Griff, girlfriend.”
With just those four words, his two subordinates understood that he planned to take out Droopy Drawers. Dex was going to be his back-up and Griff would ensure gold-miniskirt-girl stayed safe.
Since they were all special operations, the three of them had concealed weapons permits. But pulling more guns in this situation was a bad idea, especially since this guy was drunker than a skunk.
“Leroy, she’s mine now,” Weasel-face yelled. “She’s never coming back to you.” The little man somehow showed enough courage to step out in front of Stella and plant his hands on his skinny hips.
Just how much stupid could be packed into three people?
Gray saw the shooter’s forearm tense. Gray flew those last seven yards across the wooden floor and slammed his wrist under the man’s hand, causing the second shot to zing upward into the ceiling. He twisted the gun out of DD’s hand, crashing his elbow into his neck. The shooter went down to the floor before he could say ‘Boo’.
“Get off me, you asshole,” a woman shrieked. Gray glanced up in time to see that Griff and Dex had the dishwater blonde and her weasel boytoy safely on the ground.
“Shit, man, you had him taken care of before I even knew what was going on,” a big bouncer said as Gray was using the toe of his boot to turn DD over so that half his ass wasn’t on display.
People started clapping, but it didn’t drown out Stella. Gray shook his head in disgust when she pushed her way past the bouncer and dropped down on top of Droopy-Drawers.
“Leroy. My poor baby, are you all right? Did they hurt you?”
“Stella,” he groaned.
She turned on Gray like a virago. “How dare you attack him like that. What were you thinking? He wouldn’t have shot me. He loves me.”
She peppered kisses on her old boyfriend’s face. Leroy groaned louder. Then he belched. Gray looked at Dex and they both took a step backward. Leroy let out a louder belch and moaned.
“You need an ambulance,” Stella crooned as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Dex’s eyes twinkled.
Gray backed up one more step, grabbing the bouncer’s arm as he did so.
“Stella, I’m gonna—”
Vomit spewed from Leroy’s mouth, into Stella’s hair and continued on towards the bar room floor. Stella shrieked as she jumped up and back, skidding on her gold-sequined ass, but the damage was already done.
“I owe you twice,” the bouncer grinned.
“How about you let us get back to our ladies over at the dance floor, and you deal with the deputies?” Gray suggested.
“Done.” The bouncer agreed and then held out his hand. Gray shook it, then he handed over the pistol.
“Drinks for your party are on the house tonight,” the younger man said.
“The whole bar will lose money,” Griff joined the conversation. “We’re babysitting a bachelorette party.”
The big bouncer easily looked over the sea of people and saw the dance floor where Griff’s wife and the other girls were. “Those ladies have been causing quite a stir tonight. Are they all taken, or are some of them single?”
Dex stiffened. “The strawberry blonde in green is definitely taken,” he said darkly.
Was that Dex Evans? Gray would have bet a whole hell of a lot of money that his man Dex didn’t have a jealous bone in his body.
Just goes to show, you don’t know everything.
“How about the rest of you? Any claims?” The bouncer swung his head around.
“Willowy brunette is my wife, but she’ll let you know fast enough,” Griff laughed. “Just respect the rings man, and you’ll be fine.”
The young man nodded.
Gray looked over the man in the black T-shirt – he was at least ten years his junior and was in as good as shape as any SEAL. It rubbed him the wrong way that he might end up talking to the dancer that Gray had been watching.
“Ah shit,” Griff groaned. “What now?”
Gray turned, his eyes narrowing.
“Kenna!” Dex tried to shout above the music, but the band was playing so loud, there was no chance that he could be heard. A tall, thin executive-type was standing over Dex’s wife, his attention squarely centered on the alluring dancer behind her. Kenna had positioned herself in front of the executive-type, obviously trying to protect the dark-haired beauty. Gray groaned as he saw her slap her hands on his chest. Thank God pin-striped-suit didn’t touch Kenna, because there would have been hell to pay.
This time Dex led the charge, but before he got there to protect his woman, the pocket-sized Venus had wormed her way between Kenna and the executive. The next thing Gray knew, the man was falling to the floor.
What the hell?
The eleven ladies who had been partying it up for the bachel
orette party all let out a collective whoop of congratulations. Dex, Gray, and Griff arrived in time to see the guy up on his elbows, shaking his head.
Gray held out his hand. “Give me the stun gun.”
Almond-shaped golden eyes looked up at him innocently. “What are you talking about?” she murmured. Gray had been expecting an accent to go along with her exotic beauty, but she sounded born and bred American.
“Honey, the guy on the floor is still vibrating, you used some kind of stunner on him, and I’m going to hand it over to the bouncer. He’s going to want to confiscate it for the rest of the time you’re here.”
“My name is Riya Patel,” she corrected him. “But for the first time ever, I like the nickname Honey.”
Damn, she made him feel like it was just the two of them, yet they were surrounded by at least a hundred people.
“Stun-gun,” he quietly commanded.
Riya grinned at him mischievously. “You’re not easily deterred, huh?” She held out the weapon.
“Oh I think you might be able to dance around me,” Gray smiled slowly, happy he was finally making contact with the woman who had been driving him insane all night long.
He heard Dex cough loudly behind him. If he wasn’t mistaken, he was covering up a laugh.
“Lieutenant, here comes the bouncer,” Dex warned.
Gray took the weapon and turned to see a different bouncer headed their way. Griff was helping the shaky executive to his feet.
“What seems to be the problem?” the bouncer asked roughly.
Ten women started to talk at once, but Riya stayed silent. She just moved closer to Gray and that was alright by him. The bouncer turned to the pin-striped-suit guy.
“I saw you go down. What happened?” he demanded.
“Nothing,” the man answered shakily. “It was all a misunderstanding.” He slid his way past the crowd of women and disappeared. Riya swayed in front of Gray and whisked the gun out of his hand and deposited it into her purse. It was a slick move.
“Ladies, we don’t need any problems here. You got me?” the bouncer glowered. Gray stifled a grin as he saw the younger bouncer from before come up behind the man giving the lecture.
Her Guarded Hero Page 22