Be My Valentine, Baby

by Laura Marie Altom

  “Shut. Up. I don’t care about your touchy-feely lies. What in the world are you rambling about? I haven’t been with anyone besides my husband.”

  “You’re wrong. Before Christmas, you and I shared quite a goodbye before you left San Diego to come up here. You and Tanner were divorced—at least, you believed you were. Soon after, you must have been with him, too, because you called to let me know you were pregnant and either myself or Tanner was the father. When you kissed me at your Welcome Home party, I came damned close to letting our secret slip, but you thankfully missed my mistake. The thing is, none of that matters. Your baby is also my baby. I know I told you I’ll never be a family man, but what if this is fate’s way of telling me I need to try? Divorce Tanner like you’d originally planned and marry me. We’ll raise our baby together. Move back to San Diego. We’ll be close to the beach and your family so your mom and sister can babysit on date nights.”

  During the entirety of Hawk’s speech, Jenny’s head pounded from the inside in time with her thundering heart. She felt dizzy and sick and above all, she felt overwhelmed from the rushing tide of memories accosting her from all directions. She and Tanner’s wedding. Their lovemaking. Their legendary fights. Makeup sex. More fights. Missing him desperately when he was gone on missions. Loving him fiercely when he came home. Moving to Alaska and feeling isolated and alone. Fearing losing him, first from the fishing lodge, and then again to his job at the fire station. When she’d broached the subject of divorce, she never believed he’d follow through. She’d meant it as a warning shot across his stubborn Navy SEAL bow. But he’d not only called her bluff, but upped the ante. Within days, he’d found a lawyer and officially filed.

  She’d returned to San Diego believing herself a divorced woman—something she never wanted to be.

  She’d consoled herself by indulging in a rebound fling with Hawk—the one guy on Tanner’s former team that she knew he couldn’t stand. When she found out the divorce wasn’t final after all, she’d seen it as fate’s way of calling her home to Tanner. When she learned she was pregnant, she took the news as an unmistakable sign that they were meant to always be together. She’d told Hawk there was a remote possibility the baby could be his as a courtesy.

  Never in a million years did she believe it could be true.

  “You’re awfully quiet,” Hawk said. “Do you need anything? Crackers? Water?”

  I need my husband.

  “I realize this is a lot to take in, but think about it,” Hawk said. “We’ve always been hot in bed. But maybe there’s more? Now that we share a baby, don’t you think we owe it to ourselves to try?”

  “Leave.” Using her fingertips, she rubbed circles atop her throbbing temples. “Please, just leave.”

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea. We have a lot to discuss.”

  “Leave! I love Tanner. I want to be with Tanner. If you want to help raise our child, I can’t stop you, and will always welcome you to have a meaningful relationship with your daughter. In the same respect, I hope you’ll understand that I’m married. My husband will also play a pivotal role in Mckynley’s life.”

  In her peripheral vision, Jenny caught a movement by the door. Tanner.

  “H-how long have you been here?” she asked.

  “Long enough. Hawk, I can’t fault you for trying, but if you don’t mind, I need time alone with my wife.”

  Hawk bowed his head. “You got it, man. No hard feelings?”

  “I’m working on it.”

  Once Hawk left, shutting the door behind him, Jenny sharply exhaled. “I remember everything. I was terrified of telling you Hawk might be the father. I couldn’t bear the thought of losing you all over again.”

  “Never going to happen.” He went to her side, lowering her bedrail to perch on the mattress alongside her, drawing her into his arms. “For a hot minute, I contemplated being the bigger man and letting Hawk have you and the baby, but then I said, screw that. I know it’s politically uncool for a guy to tell a woman she belongs to you, but that’s how much I love you, Jen. You’re mine. Always have been, always will be. Understood?”

  Grinning, she nodded. “It’s kind of hot—being claimed.”

  “Good. I’m glad you like it because I’m here to stay.”

  “Mmm…” She leaned forward to kiss him, to find home in his taste. “Tell me how it’s going to be, sailor.”

  “It’s going to be perfect. Forever. We’ll share Mckynley’s custody and Lord willing have plenty more little ones of our own. Sound like a plan?”

  “The perfect plan.”

  “Knock knock…” The room’s door opened and in walked the nurse, pushing the baby in her clear acrylic cart. “Someone misses her momma and daddy.”

  When the nurse left after placing the baby in Tanner’s arms, Jenny asked, “Are you really okay with sharing? It’s not always going to be easy.”

  “Sure it will.” He gazed at her with tears shining in his eyes. “What little girl wouldn’t want to be adored by two proud papas?” After leaning in for a kiss, he added, “As for our little girl’s mother? She’d better be content with one man.”

  “Jamie Dornan?” she asked with a sassy wink and smile.

  Tanner growled before kissing her again. “I think I preferred Jenny 2.0.”

  “Tough. Consider me fully updated and much more user friendly.”

  Deepening their kiss, his growl transformed to a groan. “How long do we have to wait until—you know?”

  “S-E-X? Six, agonizing weeks.”

  “I’ll never make it.”

  Epilogue

  Valentine’s Day…

  “MMM…” FEELING EXTRA lazy and happy to be snug in her bed alongside her husband, Jenny asked, “How long do we have till the munchkin wakes up?”

  He checked his phone on the nightstand. “I’m thinking thirty minutes. Maybe a little more since the weather’s on our side and it’s still dark.” A ferocious north wind battered their cupcake house. Just beyond the windows swirled snow.

  “Happy Anniversary,” he said.

  “Happy Anniversary. Want your present now or later?”

  When he eased his big hand over her smooth belly and lower between her legs, she closed her eyes and groaned, opening for him. “Okay… I’m not opposed to an early celebration.”

  She was already wet for him when he rubbed her to a near-instant climax. He then gifted her with another when he slipped his finger inside.

  Leaning into him, rocking her hips in time with his pumping, she kissed him extra deep, relishing the slow sweep of their tongues. Hungry for more, she reached for him, eager to have him inside.

  At first, his size was uncomfortable, but her body acted on autopilot, stretching to accommodate him when he established the slow and easy rhythm that had always worked for them. When the pressure built and spread until she feared losing her mind from the pleasure-pain, he stiffened, spilling inside her.

  Clinging to him, kissing his throat and chin and finally again his lips, she said, “You never told me when you want your present. Now or later?”

  “Color me confused. I thought I just got my present?”

  “Nope. There’s more.”

  “In that case…” He smiled. “Join me for a quick shower, then we’ll reconvene.”

  “No time. Yes to the shower, but sadly, we can’t linger in bed all day. We have the meeting with our Realtor, remember? If we’re going to open a new fishing lodge by summer, we’ll need to find the right property and renovate all winter.”

  “You’re right. Sorry. The seventh-grader in me still gets excited by waking up to find a naked woman in my bed.”

  She laughed, but then eased out from under the covers to slip on the fuzzy robe she’d tossed across the foot of the bed.

  “Hey, come back!” he complained.

  “I will, but I need to get your present.” She ducked into the closet. Keeping her gift a surprise had been a nightmare, but with Hawk’s help, she’d managed to p
ull it off. He took his fatherhood duties seriously, and was always on hand when she and Tanner needed a sitter. He not only provided regular child support, but learned to change diapers and prepare bottles and make homemade gourmet baby food from recipes he’d found on Pinterest. Jenny feared Hawk and Tanner wouldn’t get along, but she’d thankfully been wrong. The two had developed a fun bromance that allowed for Jenny to spend plenty of time scrapbooking with Rose and Lilianna and even Stephie when she occasionally came to town.

  Life was busy and full and incredibly good.

  Standing on her tiptoes, she tried reaching the gift-wrapped box, but struggled. Why had Hawk put it up so high? “Tanner?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Sorry, but I need a little help with your present.”

  “Be right there…” He strolled into her closet while still naked. Wanting him all over again, she had to remind herself to stick to the schedule. “What’s my assignment?”

  “See that?” She pointed to the gold box with the red bow.

  Meow…

  “Are you kidding me?” That seventh-grader who’d discovered a naked woman in his bed? He now sported an even larger grin. “No way…”

  Meow, meow…

  Scratch, scratch, scratch…

  “Happy Valentine’s Day, baby.”

  He gingerly took the box from her crowded shoe shelf, then set it on top of her built-in dresser to remove the lid. When he saw the box’s contents, he clutched his chest. Tears shone in his eyes. “You know I’m trying not to be so damned sensitive. It’s lousy for my tough guy image. But this is the sweetest frickin’ thing anyone has ever done for me. Where did you even find them?”

  “At a Seattle shelter. Colby called in favors from a few friends to have them flown here in stages. He picked them up in Anchorage yesterday morning.”

  “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” He hugged her and kissed her and tried pretending his eyes weren’t again tearing.

  “You’re so worried about acting manly, but what if I prefer your sweet, cuddly image?”

  “Since you’re stuck with me, I guess that’s a good thing.” He reached into the box to draw out not one calico kitten, but two. “I can’t believe you remembered. This is perfect. Right down to the fact that I didn’t want just one, because she’d be lonely.”

  “Of course, I remembered. I love you. It’s my job to remember. I never want to forget even the smallest detail of our lives again.”

  “I love you, Mrs. Muldoon.”

  “I adore and love you, Mr. Muldoon.”

  Waaaaaggghah!

  They laughed.

  Tanner said, “Looks like our little Valentine is ready for breakfast. Think she’s up for trying bacon?”

  “Not quite, but I am. Should we divide and concur? I’ll cook for Mckynley and you cook for us?”

  “Is that fair? I mean, come on, her meal’s already good to go.” He pulled on flannel PJ bottoms, then doubled back for the kittens.

  Jenny stuck out her tongue at him, knowing full well her sassy action would earn a tickle fight that would lead straight back to the bedroom after their daughter went down for her morning nap.

  A chase ensued and they ended up out of breath and laughing in front of the baby’s crib.

  Jenny gasped. “Are you seeing what I’m seeing?”

  “We’re raising a prodigy?”

  Mckynley was barely seven months old, but standing in the center of her crib, hugging her favorite pink bunny and huffing at them in teary-eyed outrage for her delayed meal.

  “Don’t move. I need a pic of this for Hawk.” Tanner snuck from the room only to then jog for his phone.

  Jenny rolled her eyes. “Do you think you could forward me a copy for my Instagram?”

  “Sure, babe.” As if he was a professional photographer shooting a supermodel, he took shots from a half-dozen angles. “But this is important. We need this for her baby book.”

  “The one I’m in charge of?”

  “Oops.” He snapped a few more photos before scooping their resident supermodel from her crib. “Mommy’s mad. Can you help get me out of trouble?”

  “I’m not mad.” Jenny felt the baby’s diaper. “But I do sometimes feel like with the exception of breastfeeding, you and Hawk could raise Mckynley without me.”

  “Aw, come here…” With the baby on the changing table with her safety strap fastened, Tanner tried drawing Jenny into a hug, but he still held his phone and both kittens.

  “You’re not playing fair. You know how goofy I get around your bare chest. Toss in a pair of cuddly kittens and I have zero hope of resisting you.”

  “Yep. That’s my plan. But—quick, put the angel back in her crib.”

  “Why? I haven’t changed her yet.”

  “Just do it. I promise you double your usual Instagram likes.”

  Hands on her hips, she said, “Tanner, I’m not even fooling. If you don’t get started on breakfast, you’ll need to start looking for a new Valentine.”

  “Hold that thought till you witness my genius…” With the baby plopped onto her rump, still hugging her bunny and chewing his satin-lined ear, Tanner set the playful kittens alongside her.

  “O-M-G.” Jenny had to admit, the cute factor was off the charts! “You really are a genius.”

  “True story.” He grinned.

  She grinned.

  And with their baby giggling and cooing over her fuzzy new friends, Jenny considered herself to be if not the luckiest woman in the world, then at least the luckiest woman in all of Alaska.

  Would Tanner feel lucky when she gave him his most special gift? The news that she was once again expecting. And this time, there was no question she carried his child.

  Keep reading for an excerpt of the next story in my

  SEAL Team: Holiday Heroes series: Saint Patrick’s Baby!

  SAINT PATRICK’S BABY

  SEAL Team: Holiday Heroes

  Book Four

  Laura Marie Altom

  Chapter One

  “SURE YOU WOULDN’T prefer the green beer chug?” Retired Navy SEAL and current adventure tourism guide, Patrick O’Leary, gazed wistfully across Kodiak Gorge’s frozen lake toward the lodge. “If we abort this mission now, we still have time to make it.”

  “You’d prefer beer over nature?” His date, Stephie King, grinned up at him from the log she’d perched on while tying her well-worn white skates. Her red hair and freckles officially made her the cutest leprechaun ever. “Last one on the lake is a skunky beer!”

  She hopped up, bulleting across the lake’s remote edge. Was there nothing this dynamo couldn’t do? They’d been unofficially dating since Fourth of July. His friends said he should man-up and at the very least ask her to be his steady girl, but Patrick and relationships didn’t exactly work—long story.

  Focusing on this unicorn of a sunny day instead of his friends’ advice, Patrick tucked the skates he’d borrowed from his friend Colby under one arm and used the other to close the hatchback on his trusty Subaru wagon. On the drive, the temp gauge had read a downright balmy thirty-four degrees. The sky was a clear, deep blue and there wasn’t a breath of the north wind that had battered them for months. Perfect days like this made him almost believe he’d survive winter.

  “Hurry up, slowpoke!” Stephie waved from the ice. Her butt looked great in tight black leggings. She wore a black down jacket with a shamrock green sweater that matched her eyes. Twin braids hung out from her neon green beanie cap that read: Kiss Me I’m Alien!

  He needed to just take a deep breath and pop the question—not marriage—but for sure asking her to be his girlfriend. Last thing he wanted was for her to date anyone else. With her working in Anchorage as a burn unit nurse and him constantly off in the backcountry, they didn’t see each other nearly enough. If he at least made a partial commitment, maybe she’d visit more? Or he wouldn’t feel awkward when crashing at her place.

  He sat on the log alongside her Sorrel boots. When she’d suggested
ice skating, he should have offered a compromise. Something along the lines of him drinking green beer while telling her from this log that she had amazing form.

  “Patrick, seriously?” Hands on her hips, she cocked her head. “I wanted us to do something together.”

  “We are together.”

  “You don’t know how to skate.” She sashayed over in a smooth glide, stopping with dramatic flair that had her blades shredding the ice in a fantail.

  “Of course, I do.”

  “Prove it.” Her raised chin reminded him how he used to never back down from a challenge. Now, even thinking about a dare had his palms sweating and pulse racing. For an instant, he squeezed his eyes shut, refusing to submit to the wave of panic that rose every time he replayed the crash.

  “I’m good,” he said after forcing a couple deep breaths. “God’s honest truth? I’m having fun watching you. You’re poetry in motion.”

  She made a gagging gesture. “You’re full of you-know-what. Oh well, guess while I’m on the medal podium at the next winter Olympics, you can say you knew me when…”

  He couldn’t help but chuckle. She was a great catch. Too bad he wasn’t.

  His friends’ wives’ Rose and Lilianna never should have set him up with Stephie. She was too good for him.

  She’d skated at least a hundred yards from shore. It made him nervous. The ice should be plenty thick. On the end of the lake where planes came in and out, the ice pack was regularly tested. Same with the public skating area at the town park. But not out here. The water was deeper and underwater springs constantly bubbled.

  “Check out this trick!” She performed a pretty spiral.

  “Babe, how about coming in closer? I don’t trust the ice out that far!”

  Ignoring him, she’d now outstretched both arms, gliding with her face angled toward the warm sun.