Hell if he couldn’t have been enjoying a nice afternoon with his kid and Rebecca right about now. She was probably pissed as hell that he’d said they should meet today, and he hadn’t been there. Or upset that he’d stood her up. Shit.
He hadn’t mentioned Rebecca to any of his team. Not that there was much to tell at this point, but he had a strong, urgent need to see her after having been unable to meet her today. Patrick didn’t owe her anything, but he at least wanted to explain that he’d been kept away by circumstances beyond his control. That he would have much preferred a nice afternoon in her company—with or without the kids.
She hadn’t given him her last name, but there couldn’t be too many divorce lawyers in the Tidewater region named Rebecca, could there? She’d be easy enough to track down even without relying on his vast network of contacts acquired over years in the military. And if push came to shove, he’d find her by other means.
One thing was for certain—he couldn’t imagine not seeing her again.
Chapter 6
Rebecca picked up her office phone on Tuesday afternoon, repeating “hello” several times, much to her irritation. There was no one there, just silence and dead air. She’d gotten a hang-up earlier in the day as well, but the call was blocked, so she wasn’t able to see who was trying to reach her.
It was possible they were trying to contact one of the other lawyers in her firm and weren’t expecting her to answer, but you’d think they’d apologize for calling the wrong number or ask to be connected to the appropriate party.
When her phone rang again a few minutes later, she glanced at it with a resigned sigh, but was relieved to see that this time a number with a local area code was displayed. Hopefully the other caller wouldn’t bother her again.
“Rebecca Mayes.”
She grabbed the legal pad sitting at the edge of her desk and a pen, ready to take notes on whatever inquiry the caller had. She received calls from new clients every day, seeking advice on legal counsel. Some only spoke with her briefly before deciding to contact another attorney, but most people sought her out specifically and wanted to set up a meeting.
After all, she was a well-known divorce attorney in the region who had a record of obtaining what was fair and deserved for her clients. Although she had a full plate the moment and was unable to take on any new clients until summer, perhaps she could direct them to another attorney at her firm. Or convince them to take a meeting with her at a later date.
“Rebecca, hi, this is Patrick Foster,” came a deep voice from the other end of the line. “We met at the playground a week ago.”
“Patrick?” Rebecca asked in surprise as her pen fell to her desk, her mind whirling with reasons as to why he’d be calling her. “Of course I remember you. Wait, you didn’t just call and hang up a minute ago, did you?”
“Call and hang up?”
“Never mind. Someone called my office a couple of times earlier today but kept hanging up.”
“Do I strike you as the type of man that would do that?” he asked in complete seriousness.
“What? No, of course not. It’s probably nothing.”
“If they keep calling, you should have the call traced. It could just be some kid fooling around, but you never know.”
“Right, I’m sure they have the wrong number. It was just unusual, and then you called somewhat out of the blue, but anyway…. What can I do for you?”
She was surprised to hear from Patrick at all, quite frankly. Not that she was extremely difficult to track down. Her name and photo were prominently displayed on the firm’s website, and there were only so many divorce attorneys around. She briefly wondered how long it had taken him to locate her, and the idea of Patrick spending the time to seek her out sent a thrill of pleasure through her that she couldn’t quite explain.
He could have just as easily come back to the playground or ice cream shop one weekend in hopes of spotting her again. Or, of course, shown up when he’d said he would. Evidently he wasn’t one to do things the easy way.
“I hope you don’t mind my calling you at work. I wasn’t sure how else to get a hold of you.”
“It’s fine,” she assured him.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t able to meet you this past weekend. My team got called up, so we weren’t around.”
“Oh, right,” she said, a feeling of surprise and relief washing over her. He had wanted to see her again. Their flirtations the week before hadn’t all been in her head. “I’m sure that happens all the time.”
“Sometimes,” he agreed. “We have to deploy quickly when needed. It’s what we’re trained to do. But I want to see you again. And I wanted to apologize for not being there on Sunday. I know we didn’t have explicit plans, but when I say that I’ll be somewhere, I keep my word.”
“It’s no problem. I mean, I hoped to see you again, but I realize things come up.”
“Let me take you to dinner. Any chance you could find a babysitter for Abby on Friday night?”
Rebecca’s heart stopped as her mind processed his request. Was he asking her out on a date? Or was this just some sort of apology for standing her up? There were certainly worse ways to spend her time than in Patrick’s company for a couple of hours. But she didn’t exactly want to get her hopes up either, thinking he was interested in taking her out when it was really just an apology of sorts. Not when she found him so insanely attractive.
Plus, she usually relied on her parents to watch Abby on the rare occasion she went out on the weekend, and they’d be out of town, heading down to North Carolina for a few days.
“Rebecca?” he asked when she hadn’t responded.
“Sorry, I’m here. I’d love to have dinner with you, but I usually have my parents watch Abby, and they’re out of town for the weekend.”
“Of course,” Patrick said, clearing his throat. “I shouldn’t have assumed you’d be available.”
“Maybe the following weekend?”
“That’d work,” he agreed. “Of course, I’ll have to wait that much longer to see you again, but I can be patient.”
Rebecca laughed. “Well, I’m not sure if you’re up for it, but I promised to take Abby to the beach this weekend. It’s supposed to be pretty warm for this time of year. I don’t suppose you and Logan would be interested in joining us?”
“Logan would love that,” Patrick agreed, his voice low. “And since I’d love to see you again, we’ll both be pretty happy.”
Rebecca laughed again, feeling herself flush. What was it about this man that made her blush like a schoolgirl whenever he spoke? She certainly hadn’t acted that way around her husband, even though they’d been madly in love. Theirs was more of a best friend type of companionship, whereas with Patrick? He blew her away.
Patrick’s ability to tease her seemed to bring all sorts of feelings to the surface that she hadn’t experienced since she was young, pining away after her first love. And the fact that the man was smoking hot? Yeah, just imagining him on the other end of the phone line had her stomach fluttering and toes curling in excitement.
“I’d still like to take you to dinner one night.”
Warmth surged through her, and she couldn’t suppress her smile. Thankfully they were talking over the phone so he didn’t see her grinning like a complete idiot. “How about we make dinner plans when we see each other this weekend?”
“That sounds perfect.”
They exchanged contact information, and by the time Rebecca hung up the phone, her hands were shaking. What had she just agreed to? She hadn’t been out on a date with a man since her husband died. She rarely even went out with her friends since she had a daughter to care for. How would she explain Patrick showing up at her home to take her to dinner? Abby would be really confused at his arrival, especially since they were getting together with the kids this weekend.
She’d have to drop Abby off at her parents’ house for the night to avoid any awkward moments, but at least she had time to plan accordingly. Th
The thought of Patrick, shirtless on the beach, had her smiling in anticipation. It was tough to concentrate on anything else that afternoon.
Chapter 7
Patrick glanced around the beach on Saturday morning, scanning the people walking along the boardwalk as he searched for Rebecca. They’d agreed to meet at 10:00 a.m., but Logan had been bouncing off the walls earlier, eager to spend a sunny day at the ocean. They’d come down to the beach a bit early so he could blow off some steam. Judging from the way the kid was currently running around in circles on the sand that had been a wise choice.
Patrick had wanted to be there early anyway since he’d inadvertently stood Rebecca up last weekend. He didn’t want her to wonder again if he’d be a no-show, even though she’d been understanding when they’d spoken on the phone.
Rebecca had been the only thing on his mind on the flight back home, with his thoughts trailing through the various ways he could track her down. Fortunately that hadn’t proven a challenge. He’d pulled up a couple of local law firms that specialized in divorces on his computer the next night, and there she was, smiling at him from his computer screen. Wavy hair, stunning brown eyes, and the prettiest smile he’d ever seen. Hell if he wasn’t already in too deep with the way he was smitten with this woman. She probably didn’t even realize the effect she had on him.
The guys on his team had noticed a change in him, too. Even though he was focused on the mission with laser-like precision, his mind had been on Rebecca on their flight home. Namely the fact that she’d expected him, and he hadn’t been there. Christopher had even gone so far as to ask if things were okay with Logan back home, assuming he was the cause of Patrick’s concern, but Patrick had shot him an icy gaze, warning him off from any further questioning.
Hell, if the guys on his team knew it was a woman who’d had his stomach tied up in knots, worry snaking its way through him, they’d have given him crap about it for the entire flight back. He felt oddly protective of her, and if he said he’d be there to see Rebecca and her daughter, he meant it.
He certainly was looking forward to seeing her today. If the curves concealed beneath her clothing had been any indication, she’d be a knockout in a swimsuit. He was almost thankful he’d have his son there to distract him, otherwise he’d be tempted to haul her over his shoulder and off to the nearest bed. It was unusual that he couldn’t get a woman out of his mind, and he was dying to find out if their chemistry in the bedroom would compare to the sparks flying between them every time they’d spoken. Unfortunately, that would have to wait for a later date.
A moment later he caught sight of Rebecca and her daughter. She had on a pretty yellow sundress, her brown waves pulled back in a ponytail, and dark sunglasses. Abby skipped along beside her, carrying a pink bucket for building sandcastles.
He frowned at the large cooler bag Rebecca had slung over her shoulder. She also was carrying a bag stuffed with beach towels. Why hadn’t she called him when they’d arrived? He’d have gladly assisted her in lugging everything down to the ocean. Judging from the weight of the insulated bag she was struggling with, she’d brought enough food and drinks for all of them. He felt remorse at not having thought to bring drinks or sandwiches himself. Usually he and Logan played for a while in the sand and surf and then grabbed lunch at one of the sandwich shops on the boardwalk. That or they forgo lunch for ice cream, which Logan was more than happy with.
“Come on, buddy,” he said, glancing down at his son. “They’re here.”
“Hi Abby!” Logan shouted, running ahead of him to greet his friend.
Rebecca spotted his son before she saw him, but when she glanced up, the smile that broke out across her face had his heart grinding to a stop. Since when did he start having feelings like this for a woman? When he and his ex-wife had divorced, he’d known that was it for him. He’d never be with someone again. He might enjoy some female companionship from time-to-time, but he sure as hell wouldn’t let a woman into his heart.
Yet whenever he saw Rebecca, the walls he’d carefully constructed seemed to ever-so-slowly begin to chip away. He swallowed, trying to call forth the cool demeanor he usually had. No sense in getting carried away and assuming she even returned those feelings. He could make her blush with a few carefully chosen words, and she seemed attracted to him, but that didn’t mean she’d fall for a man like him.
Rebecca was as independent as he was possessive and protective. There was no telling whether she’d appreciate that instinctive, alpha male trait in him or find it stifling. He was patient, though, willing to take the time to get to know her and see if there was anything to be had there. In fact, he might as well test the waters a little right now.
“Let me help you,” he said, lifting the insulated bag off her shoulder without waiting for an answer.
“Thanks,” she said gratefully, shifting the other bag she held. Score one for him.
“I packed too much, as usual,” she said. “I thought maybe we could have lunch on the beach after the kids play. I don’t know about Logan, but Abby is usually starving after an hour or so of running around on the sand.”
“That sounds perfect,” he agreed. “From the weight of this bag, though, you brought enough to feed my entire SEAL team.”
Rebecca laughed, and he wished he could see into her eyes beneath those dark sunglasses that she had on. “Abby is really picky, so I packed a few different things. There’s food and snacks for the kids and some sandwiches for us as well.”
“A woman after my own heart,” he teased, his voice low.
“Isn’t that true for all men? The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach?”
“It’s certainly true for me.”
Rebecca glanced up at him and grinned, and as he looked down, he could just see the swell of her breasts beneath the sundress she wore. Hell, she was gorgeous, with lush, full breasts that had him dying to reach out and touch. Taste. Caress.
Maybe agreeing to meet on the beach had been a bad idea, because with Rebecca walking around half-naked all day, he was going to be hard as a rock. Thank God the ocean was cold this time of year—he had a feeling he’d need a dip in the cool waters of the Atlantic if that gorgeous body of hers was as taunting in a swimsuit as it appeared to be beneath that dress.
Patrick chased after the beach ball as it rolled toward the waves, hearing Logan’s and Abby’s shrieks behind him. They’d barely gotten their feet wet in the cold water before declaring it was his job to retrieve the ball any time it got near the surf. He plucked it from the water, triumphantly lifting it above his head as the kids laughed. He glanced back to their setup on the beach, watching Rebecca rub sunscreen over her shoulders. Tossing the ball to Logan, he stared at her for a moment, completely smitten.
She’d taken off her sundress, revealing a purple swimsuit beneath it. And damn if it wasn’t sexier than any bikini he’d ever seen—or maybe it was just Rebecca in it. Those curves were flaunted to perfection—the globes of her breasts pushing against the stretchy fabric, the slender waist, and gently curved hips. And when she bent over to retrieve a bottle of water? That ass he’d seen swaying in front of him as they’d walked across the street a couple of weeks ago. Only now it was concealed by nothing but tight spandex. Or whatever the hell women’s swimsuits were made from.
He forced himself to look away before she caught him staring.
“Dad, I’m getting hungry!” Logan whined.
Patrick held back a sigh and glanced between the two children. “Shall we go see what Abby’s mom brought for lunch?”
“Yes!” they both shouted, running ahead of him.
Patrick followed behind, walking back toward their setup on the beach, and he caught sight of a man in the distance, his gaze locked on Rebecca. She was unpacking food from the cooler, getting lunch ready for all of them. The man was watching as if it were the most fascinating thing in the world. Did the guy know her? Or was he just the type to openly ogle every woman on the beach?
Patrick frowned as the man pulled out his cell phone and appeared to take a picture of Rebecca. It looked like this guy was nothing more than an asshole leering after women on the beach—and snapping their photo as a little memento.
He walked more quickly toward Rebecca, handing her the beach ball, and moved toward the man on the boardwalk. The guy took off as soon as he saw Patrick coming his way. Briefly, Patrick debated chasing the guy down, but he didn’t want to cause a commotion. Plus, it’s not like he was proof-positive the guy had snapped Rebecca’s picture. The thought made him uneasy though, sending anger surging through him. He headed back to where Rebecca and the kids were waiting.
“There was a man taking your picture,” he said in a low voice as he came up behind her, bending down so that his lips were at Rebecca’s ear. She jumped in surprise at his silent arrival, and he put a reassuring hand on her arm as his large body stood protectively behind hers. He didn’t want the kids to overhear him, or so he kept telling himself. And he didn’t want the guy to see her, should he look back from his hasty retreat.
Standing so close to Rebecca and inhaling the floral scent of her shampoo, mixed in with the light scent of coconut sunscreen, was only an added benefit. Yeah right. He gently clasped her upper arm, allowing himself to feel the softness of her skin beneath his fingers.
“What?” she asked, startled. “Where?” She turned her head, and if he’d wanted to, he could have bent down and brushed his lips against hers. They were pink, ripe, and soft, and for a moment, he wondered what she tasted like. The moment might have been perfect if he wasn’t telling her about some asshole on the boardwalk and the kids weren’t a few feet away, that is.
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