“Guess so.” He kissed her hand and grinned. “Your place or mine?”
Sam made a show of thinking it over. “Considering I don’t really have a place anymore, I’d say yours. Your little farm was lovely, and Glory would enjoy growing up with all that space and those cows. That is, if you’ll have us.”
“Oh, I’ll have you all right,” he whispered in her ear, and she couldn’t suppress her shiver as erotic images of them together the previous night filled her mind. “Maybe we can make a brother or sister for Glory too. After I make you an honest woman.”
She giggled and pulled away slightly to cup his cheek. “I think with my background, an honest woman might be a stretch. But I’d love to have another baby with you, Jack. Maybe let’s give a few months though, eh? Give us time to get settled in, make sure we’re compatible.”
“I guess I can wait.” He kissed her quick, then sat back, keeping her hand in his. “I love you, Sam.”
“I love you too, Jack.”
All the marshals in the room, including Zeke, stood and applauded.
Despite their rocky beginnings, they’d found their happily ever after, and Sam couldn’t ask for any more than that.
Thirty
Six months later…
After a blustery autumn rainstorm, the sun finally came out. It was Glory’s birthday, and they had a party planned.
Sam had insisted on inviting half the town of Rally, Nebraska, to the September event, which was taking place on their farm. Zeke and some of Jack’s old SEAL team who lived nearby were coming, too.
Glory had taken immediately to her new life and her new grandmother. Sam was watching them through the window now as Jack’s mom played with Glory on the patio out back, trying to catch the earthworms that had crawled out during the rain. After all the pain and fear of the past, her heart now felt near bursting with happiness.
Jack had never acted like the farm was that important to him, but Sam could see now that it was. She’d watched as he’d thrown himself into working his land and caring for his animals the minute they’d returned from Chicago months ago. When they’d first come here, she’d been too stressed to really appreciate the beauty of the area and the warm hospitality of the people here, but now she did and was so grateful. The town of Rally and Jack’s mom had all accepted her and Glory as one of them from the start, no questions asked. For a girl who’d grown up isolated and alone, it was a wonderous and delightful change.
She turned to fuss with the homemade birthday cake on the island, decorating it with more candy balloons and sprinkles. Glory was thriving these days, taking her first steps and talking up a storm, even if most of it was just gibberish. She knew a few words. Mama. Dada.
He just beamed each time she said it. He was head over heels in love with his daughter and it only made Sam even more head over heels in love with him.
Jack and Sam were getting along great too. Learning all the little things about each other that made for true intimacy and lasting bonds—favorite colors, favorite foods, favorite songs. Goals, dreams, disappointments. Each day, she got to wake up in Jack’s arms, and that was the real blessing.
Not that she sat around while Jack did all the work. She was doing things too. She’d enrolled at the University of Nebraska in Omaha and had been accepted into their PhD program to continue her studies in marine biology. Life was good.
Jack came downstairs from his shower, his hair still damp and his feet bare beneath the hem of his jeans. He’d been working out in the barn all morning. He walked over to grab a glass of water at the sink, then leaned his hips back against the edge of the counter, all lithe muscle and masculine grace. Even after all these months and all this time together, he was still the most beautiful man she’d ever seen. “How’s the cake coming?” he asked after downing half his glass of water. “Everything ready for the party?”
“Good. And yep.” She turned to run her hands up his chest, the cotton of his blue T-shirt soft and warm against her palms. His heart beat steady and strong beneath her touch. She raised on tiptoe to give him a quick kiss before reaching around him to grab the candy Number One on the counter behind him. Sam swiveled to stick it into the center of the cake. “Have you heard from Zeke yet?”
Last she’d heard, his flight from Chicago had been delayed due to the storm. Zeke had flown back a few days prior to receive a commendation from the US Marshals office for his outstanding service during the attack on Sam’s safe house the night before her testimony.
All of that seemed so far away now. Her father had been put away for life, and her brothers were facing stiff sentences as well—along with the other lieutenants from her father’s organization. Those who hadn’t been part of the raid on the safe house had been revealed as part of plea deals. As far as she knew, her father’s business was over, done. With so many of his cohorts in prison, his network had collapsed. More than likely, someone else would step in and take over the area he’d vacated, but that person would have no reason to target her, so for now, Sam and Glory were safe and well-protected. Well-loved too, and that’s all she could ever ask for.
“Ah, there you are, son,” his mom said, coming inside with Glory. “Your daughter’s been asking for you.”
“Ack! Ack! Ack!” Glory weaved on unsteady legs toward them as Jillian put her down. “Dada!”
Jack crouched and held his hands out to his daughter, his grin wide. “C’mon, baby. You can do it! Come to Daddy! Yes! Yes! That’s it, baby. That’s Daddy’s special girl!”
Glory wobbled over to him, smiling broadly, and snuggled her little face into his chest. Sam couldn’t blame her daughter. She’d have done the same. The little girl giggled and gnawed on her hand as she tipped her face up toward Jack. “Dada.”
“You betcha!” He swung his daughter up into his arms and twirled her around, eliciting another round of giggles and cries of glee. Jack kissed the top of her head and held her close. “Daddy’s so proud of you. So, so proud of his big girl.”
“Can I help you with anything?” Jillian asked, moving in beside Sam at the island. “What time are people getting here?”
“Soon.” Sam licked frosting off her finger and glanced at the clock. The party had been postponed a bit because of the weather. “I told everyone to be here around two, so another half an hour.”
“Great. I’ll run out to my car and get the rest of the decorations then,” Jillian said, giving Sam a quick hug. “I’m so glad to have you and Glory here.”
“We’re so glad to be here,” Sam said, hugging her back.
Jillian pulled away, her eyes sparkling. “Now if my son would just go ahead and marry you already.”
“I know, right?” Sam joked, giving Jack a pointed stare. Honestly, they weren’t married yet by her choice, not his. He’d offered, numerous times, but she’d put him off because of one thing or another. In truth, she’d been scared that all this would disappear. After six months though, she was finally ready to accept. If he asked again. She hoped he would.
Jillian left to go outside and Jack put Glory down in the corner where her toys were scattered. Sam went to put the utensils she’d been using to decorate the cake in the sink, but was stopped by Jack’s arms around her waist. He pulled her back against him and held her close, her back to his front, his breath tickling the hair near her temple. “Did you mean what you just said?”
Playing coy, she swallowed hard, her pulse racing loud in her ears. “About what?”
“About marrying me.” Jack turned her to face him. “Will you, Sam? Will you marry me?”
Before she could respond, he let her go and went down on one knee, reaching into his back pocket to pull out a little blue velvet box. Tears filled Sam’s eyes as Glory clapped from the corner of the room. She was too young to know what was going on, but she had to sense the excitement in the room. Sam could hardly breathe from it.
“Jack, I—” Her voice cracked from emotion. “Yes! Oh my God. Yes!”
He slid a lovely solitaire
diamond engagement ring on her finger then straightened, whooping for joy as he hoisted Sam high in his arms. “I love you, Samantha Engel.”
“And I love you, Jack Williams!”
They were just getting started on a long, sweet kiss when the sound of a clearing throat broke them apart. Cheeks prickling with heat, Sam glanced over to see Jillian and Zeke standing in the doorway.
“Look who I found outside,” Jack’s mom said, hiking her thumb at Zeke. She cocked her head, her eyes narrowing on the ring on Sam’s finger. “Does this mean what I think it means?”
Jack grinned at his mom. “It does. She said yes!”
“About damned time!” Jillian rushed over to wish them well, then took the bags of supplies she was carrying out back to set up for the party.
Zeke set his duffel bag on the floor by the door and walked over to the island, carrying what looked like a gray cloth-covered crate in the other. He set it on the floor, then hugged both Sam and Jack in turn. “Congrats, you guys. I knew you were perfect for each other.”
A whimper came from the crate and Sam gave him a curious look. “What’s in there?”
“Well,” Zeke said. “Jack’s been talking about starting that therapy dog business for years and I figured maybe now was a good time to start. Or at least see if him and dogs get along. Plus, what one-year-old girl doesn’t need a puppy of her own?”
With that, he took off the gray cloth cover to reveal an adorable tan Labrador puppy.
“Oh my gosh.” Sam knelt down and opened the door to the carrier and was immediately inundated with puppy kisses and nuzzles. “So cute! Yes, you are. Thanks, Zeke!”
“You’re welcome.”
“Wow, thanks buddy.” Jack gave his friend another bro-hug, then knelt beside Sam to play with the new addition to their family. “What a great gift. Is it a girl or a boy?”
“Girl.” Zeke chuckled. “Figured you didn’t have enough estrogen in your life already, so…”
“Funny.” Jack gave his friend a look.
“Plus, if you’re serious about breeding and raising therapy dogs of your own, she’ll be a good start for you.” Zeke walked over to pick up Glory. “I talked with the breeder about it all.”
“Cool.” Jack picked up the puppy and held her up to look into her face. “And what should we call you, huh?”
“I’d say we should name her after Zeke,” Sam said, watching as Zeke crouched beside Jack and the puppy. The little girl was enraptured, reaching out a tiny hand to stroke the dog’s head. The puppy licked her fingers and Glory giggled. Sam’s heart ached with the sweetness of it all. “But seeing as how the puppy’s female…”
“What’s your middle name?” Jack asked his friend.
“Henry, after my dad.”
“Welp, that’s it then.” Jack put the puppy down at the same time Zeke sat Glory on the floor. The two little ones started playing together immediately.
“You’re going to call the puppy Henry?” Sam asked, nose scrunched.
“Nah. Henrietta.” Jack put his arm around her and pulled her into his side, kissing the top of her head. “As long as that’s okay with the future Mrs. Williams.”
Sam couldn’t resist snuggling into his warmth, then wrapping her arms around his waist. She was exactly where she wanted to be with the people she loved most in the world. “It’s perfect.”
End of The Protective SEAL
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About Katie
It isn’t a big surprise Katie Knight ended up writing romances about the stellar, studdly men of the Navy SEALs; after all, she was a K-9 trainer for the SEALs and met her own Navy SEAL hero husband while preparing one of their K-9 partners for combat. A few years after their marriage, her and hubby decided to retire with their K-9 partner, Sam, to raise their children in the Midwest. It wasn’t long after that before Katie decided to write her own stories featuring the men of the SEAL teams and the women who love them.
When not imagining dangerously romantic scenarios for her heroes and their feisty heroines, Katie enjoys hikes with her husband and Sam, spending time with her children, and long runs (on and off the beach).
To learn more about Katie you can check out all her books on social media and her website.
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About Leslie
Leslie North is the USA Today Bestselling pen name for a critically-acclaimed author of women's contemporary romance and fiction. The anonymity gives her the perfect opportunity to paint with her full artistic palette, especially in the romance and erotic fantasy genres.
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BLURB
When Navy SEAL Jake Hendrix attends a charity bachelor/bachelorette auction as a favor for a friend, he’s stunned to see his squad mate’s gorgeous sister, Hanna Masterson, walk across the stage. She’s grown even more stunning in the years since he’d met (and very nearly made out with) her at the end of basic training. When Jake overhears other bidders talking about her, his alpha protector instinct kicks in and he decides to bid on her himself. He thinks he’s saving her. What he didn’t expect was how upset she’d be at him.
Hanna has developed a checklist of qualities she wants in a man. Someone reliable, dependable, and family oriented who can provide for her and their children. She doesn’t need the likes of Jake Hendrix—smoking hot as he is—getting in the way of her man hunt. She’d been hoping the auction might pair her with a potential long-term match, but alas she just got her brother’s hot squad mate who has “one night only” written all over him.
But the date actually goes well—really well. Best sex of her life well. But the following day, Jake immediately pulls back, just as she expected. Romance only gets in the way of doing his job: protection has no room for passion. Resigned to their night together being nothing more than a blip in the road, Hanna’s unsettled when a pregnancy test turns that blip into a major speedbump.
Before she can tell Jake she’s pregnant, something far more unexpected lands on her plate. One of her high-profile clients has been murdered, and because he’s shared certain information with Hanna, the killers will stop at nothing to silence her.
Despite his promises to stay uninvolved, Jake can’t help but protect Hanna, baby bump and all, insisting they go on the run as they dig deeper into the dangerous situation they’ve found themselves in. But as the threat closes in on their secluded safe house, their biggest problem might just be falling in love and losing it all…
Grab your copy of Coming to Her Rescue
Available July 11, 2019
LeslieNorthBooks.com
* * *
EXCERPT
Chapter One
Jake pulled under the porte-cochère in front of Hotel del Coronado and chuckled to himself when the valet gaped at his car. He may not have been driving a Lamborghini or a Bugatti—and probably never would, considering his SEAL salary—but he was proud of his Subaru WRX STI. Ruby, he called her. Ruby the Subi. And those who appreciated cars—including the valet, apparently—knew what she could do.
The STI had plenty of ‘giddyup,’ and the custom racing harnesses he’d installed the day he bought her meant he could push her to her limits without fear. It also meant he got to initiate a little contact with every date he had as he strapped her in. He had yet to meet a woman who could figure out how to buckle up without any help. Or who objected when he reached over playfully to show her how to do it. It was the p
erfect icebreaker.
He’d love to take a date out for a drive right now. Or just burn some rubber along the open road himself. Or be… just about anywhere but here, stuffed into a suit that never fit as well as his uniform, about to enter an event he’d been dreading all week. He was currently on leave—he had racked up about forty days of “use-it-or-lose-it,” which meant he would be out more than a month of time off if he didn’t take it because it wouldn’t roll over—and he would rather be doing just about anything else on this “forced” vacation instead of coming here. But he owed a buddy a favor, so any plans he was thinking about making over the next month would have to wait.
Jake undid his own harness and opened the door to find the valet grinning on the other side.
“Sweet ride, man,” he said, stepping aside so Jake could get out.
“Thanks, bro.” Jake started up the steps but turned around before the valet had shut the driver’s door. “Take good care of her.”
Jake was planning on heading straight to the bar, but he realized he should probably find Brody first so Brody would know he’d kept his end of the deal.
Jake had met Brody five years ago, at basic training. They were both from Southern California, and they had bonded over complaining about the crappy local Mexican food and Lake Michigan’s freezing water.
When Brody married Natalie, a proper Southern girl from what had seemed to be a well-to-do Georgia family, his life changed dramatically. Since Natalie had been raised to believe that money talked but wealth whispered, Jake hadn’t put the pieces together until their wedding.
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