by Jaime Lewis
“Daddy…can I go see Cody now?” Alejandra asked Potter in a cute, whispered voice. Potter looked down at his little girl, who was tugging on his sleeve, and Autumn could see the love shining in the big bad SEALs eyes. She had been bouncing up and down for the last thirty or so minutes, waiting to see Cody. Tenley was having a hard time keeping her still during the ceremony. She wanted to stand with him while Cody got his award, and Tenley had to explain to her that sometimes being family, they’d have to stand back and just watch.
The two kids had definitely grown very fond of each other over the last two months and held a special connection.
“Yeah, sweetie. You’re allowed to go see him now,” he told her as he released her hand, and she took off in a sprint.
They all watched as she ran over and gave Cody a big hug, and he, in return, gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. The two of them were so cute together as they walked back toward the group holding hands and smiling at each other and talking. Cody, in his dress whites and Alejandra in her pretty red, white, and blue dress and her black curly hair blowing in the breeze; they made the perfect little kid couple. She took a picture with her phone to remember this moment. It kind of reminded her of an image you’d see on a postcard.
Autumn had to wonder if she didn’t just have a little Alpha male on her hands. Not that she minded because his dad was a big Alpha-male and the perfect role model. He would teach him the ropes with respect to women and how they should be protected, loved, and cared for. Everyone knew it was hard for Potter to watch, and all the guys ribbed him about it every chance they got.
“Jesus Christ, shoot me now,” she heard Potter mutter as he gripped the nape of Tenley’s neck and pulled her into him. His large hand caressed her baby bump. “I will love that baby in your belly no matter what sex it is, but Christ, I hope it’s a boy. I can’t go through this again.”
Tenley’s smile reached clear to her eyes as she looked up at her husband, then batted her thick eyelashes at him.
“Well, then I guess this isn’t the best time to tell you that we're having twins.”
Autumn never thought she would see the day when a man so intimidating like Potter looked scared out of his mind. Who knew it would take his wife telling him she was pregnant with twins to conquer that feat.
Right at that moment, Alejandra tugged her dad’s hand and looked up at him with those huge brown eyes of hers. “Daddy, Cody and I are getting married like you and mommy and want babies like mommy too.”
Potter’s naturally tanned face took on a tint of green, almost as if he was going to be sick. He looked at Frost with a stern expression.
“Frost, I think tonight is the perfect night to sit down and have ‘the’ talk with your son.” Everyone laughed.
Frost caught Autumn around her waist and pulled her against him. She turned and looked up into his beautiful amber-colored eyes. He smiled at her, showing off his dimple that she adored.
“I love you.”
She smiled. “I love you, too,” she said, hugging him tighter. Ever since he wore his dress uniform during their wedding, she loved seeing him in it. However, tonight she was looking forward to peeling it off him. Cody was staying over at Potter and Tenley’s, and this would be the first night they’d be alone in their new home, and she couldn’t wait. Tonight, they would start working for that baby.
She snuggled closer against his chest despite how hot it was out, and she turned her head and glanced around at everyone. They were a special group of individuals and ones she was proud to call her family.
Epilogue
Irish sat by Ace and Alex’s pool, his feet dangling in the cool refreshing water. It was hot and humid, although not as hot as where he and the team had just come from. They had been living in a South American jungle for the past two and a half weeks. The ladies planned a welcome home barbecue for them. Another few weeks and the season will start to change, bringing the cooler fall temperatures. He was looking forward to it. He could adapt in any type of weather, but there was just something about the fall temperatures that he loved.
He was deep in thought, thinking about the conversation he had with the guys a few weeks ago at Stitch’s cabin. He caved and told them about “Blue,” the blue-eyed goddess he met in the parking lot at Bayside. At first, they teased him, and it was expected, but when they all realized he was serious, they told him that if he truly felt something, he shouldn’t ignore the feeling because, in a blink of an eye, it could all be gone. And that wasn’t a more accurate statement after seeing Ace, Potter, and Frost all fall in love, and then almost lose their women because of assholes in this world.
But, unfortunately, “Blue” was going to have to stay on the back burner for just a little while longer. He needed to make a quick trip home to Michigan to see his mom and dad.
During this last deployment, his dad Ollie had a heart attack. Derek had informed him when he had arrived home. Even though doctors said it was a mild heart attack, it would make Irish feel better if he saw that his dad was indeed doing okay with his own eyes. The doctor said his dad should be just fine with a proper diet and exercise. Irish’s other concern was the farm his family lived on. Over the years, his mom and dad sold off a lot of the livestock. He had a feeling it was getting to be too much for the two of them now that they were getting older. They only kept a few goats around, and that was for the benefit of his little niece Sienna who lived with them.
His thoughts went to Sienna and how she might be dealing with everything going on with his dad. As she was only five-years-old, she probably didn’t really understand. His parents were her legal guardians after his drug addict sister gave her up at birth to continue her life with her drug dealer boyfriend. Neither Irish nor his parents had seen or spoken to Maggie, his sister, since that day.
Damn, he hated being so far away from his parents and niece. He hadn’t seen them since Sienna’s birthday last October. That little girl was a spit-fire but so adorable, and she knew it too. She had him wrapped around her little finger and was one of the few females who held a place in his heart.
He had plenty of leave accrued, so his Commander told him to take a couple of days to go and spend some time with them. He was actually looking forward to it.
He felt the cool pool water hit his face and then heard a giggle. Alex. He wiped the water from his face and grinned as she swam over and held onto the ledge next to him.
“You looked so deep in thought; I thought you needed a distraction. Want to talk about what has you acting like a hermit and ignoring your friends. This is supposed to be a fun party, you know.” She gave his leg a nudge with her elbow and smiled up at him.
He was silent for a moment as he sat there staring at her. Alex was a beautiful woman and smart as hell. Ace was a lucky son of a bitch to land her. Irish wanted someone like her—someone beautiful on the inside and out. Someone who could like him for him and not just the SEAL. His mind went back to “Blue,” and he wondered if she could be that someone?
Alex’s voice broke his train of thought. “Are you thinking about your mystery girl, “Blue.”
Christ, he regretted telling Alex about “Blue.” He didn’t know the woman’s name who had consumed his thoughts for the last couple of weeks. But every time he thought about her, all he saw were those glacier blue eyes that sparkled like diamonds. So, until he found her, he and apparently everyone else referred to her as “Blue.”
His lips twitched, and he took a slug of his beer. “Maybe.” He replied, and she smiled.
“Well, now that you’re back, you can look for her. You said she mentioned she just moved here, right?”
“Yeah, but I’m going home to Michigan for a few days. I don’t know if your dad or Ace told you, but my dad had a heart attack while we were deployed. I just want to go home and make sure everything is good with them.”
She covered his hand and squeezed it. “No, he didn’t say anything. I’m so sorry. Please let us know if there is anything we can do.” He smil
ed at her. She was like a mother hen to all of the guys, and they all loved her. She took care of them even though Potter and Frost had their own women now.
“I will. Thanks.”
He smiled to himself as she swam off. His thoughts immediately went back to “Blue,” and he chuckled. He should never have mentioned the woman to the guys. They named her blue because he was so fascinated with her eye color. They were majestic like an ice glacier in the Arctic. He took a swig of his beer. He had to find her. It would be his next mission.
◆◆◆
Bailey Anderson sat on her balcony overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. It was a beautiful evening as the sun was starting to set and the moon starting to show its face. She closed her eyes as she felt the slight warm breeze pass over her face. She’d been living in Virginia Beach for a few weeks now and had already fallen in love with the town she now called her home.
She looked down at the large sweatshirt she was using to cover her legs. She smiled, thinking about the gorgeous man who had helped her with her flat tire the first night she arrived in town. It was his sweatshirt. He had lent it to her since it was raining out that night, and she was soaked and cold. She didn’t have much of her belongings at the time since they were in the moving truck that wasn’t scheduled to arrive until the next day.
She remembered his intense steel blue eyes and that faint scar that ran from his bottom lip to just under his chin. He was a perfect gentleman, but the way he looked at her before he got in his car and drove away is a look that she would never forget.
She shouldn’t be sitting here thinking about a man right now. She moved away from her home to get away from a man, a man who was in cohorts with her greedy and selfish parents. He wanted to marry her and make her a trophy wife. He wanted to control every aspect of her life.
So then why was it that she couldn’t get her mind off Irish, the stranger who came to her aid the very first night in her new town. Was fate trying to tell her something? Only time would tell, but she was determined to meet him again. After all, she had his property to return to him.
Irish and Bailey’s story is coming in December 2020!
Pre-order available now!
Book List
The Trident Series
Volume I
ACE
POTTER
FROST
IRISH (December 2020)
STITCH (February 2021)
DINO (April 2021)
SKITTLES (June 2021)
DIEGO (August 2021)
About the Author
Jaime Lewis is new to the indie author world; writing military romance and suspense fiction. Her first book, ACE, from The Trident Series was published in June 2020.
Born and raised in Edgewater, Maryland, Jaime now resides in Ormond Beach, Florida with her husband and two very active boys.
When not working her full-time job, writing, or chasing around her boys, you can usually find Jaime somewhere outdoors. She is an avid sports fan and has a huge passion for supporting the military, veterans, and first responders.
Follow Jaime:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jaime.lewis.58152
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17048191.Jaime_Lewis
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Epilogue
Book List
About the Author