Amy J Fetzer - The Seal's Surprise Baby

One

Congratulations! It's a girl!
Still in his field uniform, Lt. Jack Singer blinked and read the postcard again.
The card was a picture of an old plantation and he recognized his sister's
handwriting.
"Hey, I'm an uncle. I have a niece!"
Jack's SEAL teammate, Reese Logan, smiled. "Great! Tell Lisa and Brian I said
Congrats."
A girl. Jack frowned. That was all she'd written. Odd for shutterbug Lisa not to
send pictures. Odder still that his sister hadn't even told him she was
pregnant. Not that she could have reached him by any other means than this
post-office box. He'd been gone fifteen months on special operations, and no
contact with the world beyond his commander and his team had been allowed. It
was the toughest part of being a SEAL. Cutting ties, or letting them blur badly
enough that people often forgot about you.
Melanie Patterson obviously had.
He flipped through the mail, not finding what he'd hoped. A letter. A message
that the woman he'd spent a mind-blowing night with after his sister's wedding
hadn't really dismissed him from her life. Closing his mailbox and pocketing the
key, Jack strode to the command center, tapping the postcard against his thigh.
He had thirty days' R and R coming and knew exactly where he'd spend it. He'd
take the time to see his sister, his new niece—and maybe find Melanie and ask
why the hell she'd cut him out of her life with the precision of a surgeon.
The reality hit him that maybe she'd forgotten about him.
Bad news, when all he could remember about his sister's wedding was Melanie.
She'd been the maid of honor, Lisa's best friend and three years older. And the
kind of woman who made men damned glad they were men.
Jack headed for the phones and dialed Lisa's number, realizing he should be more
excited about his new niece than getting the chance to grill his sister about
Melanie Patterson. That was a signal, Jack thought, he should be glad the woman
didn't expect anything from him. But he wasn't.
When he'd managed to get near a ship-to-shore phone months ago and had clearance
to call, he'd discovered Melanie's phone was disconnected. It was as if she
didn't exist anymore. He'd phoned his sister and asked, but Lisa'd said she
hadn't seen or heard from Melanie in months. He was worried and irritated at the
same time.
Why wouldn't she speak to him? They were good together, in and out of bed, and
Jack, sifting through junk mail, replayed that night in his mind for the
millionth time. The memory of making love with Melanie was enough to drive him
crazy, just as she had that night.
"No mail from her?"
Jack shook his head, listening to the ringing on the other end of the line as
the SEAL team members stripped off their gear and turned the most expensive
components into the requisition officer.
"Give up, pal. I got the message, even if you didn't."
Jack's gaze shifted to Reese. "SEALs don't give up."
"They fight the battles they can win, and the woman has made her feelings damn
clear."
Jack shook his head, wondering why his sister's answering machine wasn't turned
on. "Melanie Patterson is worth going after for a straight answer."
Reese smirked. "Grab a life vest, Lieutenant, because your ship's already
sinking."
Jack scowled, more at himself than at his friend's words. He'd never really
thought of himself as that far gone. Sure, he'd thought about Melanie a lot and
wanted to hook up with her now that he was stateside again. Yet there was more
to it. They'd connected in more ways than in bed, and he wanted to see her again
to find out if that connection was reality or just the memory laced in fantasy.

Fifteen months earlier

The wedding was over.
In his late father's place, Jack had walked his little sister down the aisle,
given her to the man she loved and, as of a few minutes ago, put them both into
a limo and sent them off to start their life together. His mom was off with her
friends. Now he could focus on the object of his torment for the past two weeks.
The maid of honor, Melanie Patterson. Just being near her was enough to make his
mind fog. He didn't want to think about what she did to the rest of him. He'd
been fighting it for more than 336 hours. Since he'd first laid eyes on his
sister's best friend.
He'd suffered through about forty snags in what he considered a well-thought-out
plan for his sister's wedding, yet through it all there was Melanie. Calming
Lisa, running errands and running Jack ragged.
Leggy, opinionated and so damn sexy he thought he'd burn up with his need to
touch her.
When he wasn't fixing a problem that threatened to ruin his little sister's big
day, he was with Melanie, talking to her long into the night, sailing on the
river with her when they could grab a moment from the chaos of the wedding. When
she wasn't near, he was thinking about her, waiting till he could get the sassy
redhead someplace private and dark. And find out if she tasted as good as she
looked. He'd bet a month's pay she did.
He wasn't alone in this. He knew that for certain, or he'd have mentally shut
down his libido and kept far away from her. They were subtle, the hints coming
from her, and caught him dead in the chest. They made him want her even more.
As the limo rolled away from the officers' club, he waved to his sister and
looked at Melanie. She was holding the hem of her gown, bending down to pick up
a ribbon-tied pouch of birdseed. The officers' club wouldn't let them throw
rice, and Melanie had convinced them that birdseed was environmentally safe. She
only wanted the tradition for Lisa, she'd said. No bride should leave without
the wish of prosperity from those who loved her.
And no man should have to stand here, look at a woman like that—and behave.
"Melanie?"
She looked up, smiled, then straightened. "Hey, Lieutenant. Did I tell you how
very dashing you look in that white uniform?"
"You can start now."
"A Navy SEAL with an ego," she teased. "How rare."
He held out his hand for hers. She dropped the pouch of birdseed into it. He
glanced down, then stuffed it into his pocket.
"Sentimental?"
"No, I'll have the bills to remind me of this."
She laughed and said, "So, the cynic emerges. I knew you weren't all patience
and knightly duty."
Around them, the caterers began cleaning up. The band still played one last
song, and while the guests departed, Jack pulled Melanie into his arms and onto
the dance floor.
"You looked great this morning."
"As opposed to right now?"
He smiled. She kept him on his toes, he'd give her that, and found himself
wanting to give her a hell of a lot more. "The belle of the ball."
"Thank you, and I won't tell your sister you said that."
He pulled her more firmly against him, and the single touch of her hand in his,
her body to his, set off fireworks under his skin.
She inhaled a soft breath. "Jack." She tried to ease back.
"Shh," he murmured, sweeping her across the dance floor like a duke at a summer
ball. "You feel it, don't you?"
"Oh, yeah," she breathed, and held on to him, laying her head on his broad
shoulder.
He loved it, the feel of her; she fit perfectly in his arms. And he knew they'd
be a perfect fit elsewhere. "Good. I was hoping I wasn't in this torment alone."
"Not a chance, sailor." Her arms tightened around him, her hands moving up his
back in a heavy caress.
He wished they were on his skin. Wished the two of them were naked and rolling
across his bed. "You've been driving me crazy, you know," he whispered close to
her ear, and sent gooseflesh cascading over her skin.
"You'd never know it."
"It wouldn't be nice to go after the maid of honor while Lisa was falling apart
over those flowers, would it?"
"You're to be commended for your restraint, then, Lieutenant."
"With what I've been thinking about, I should be court-martialed.''
Melanie lifted her head from his shoulder. Her gaze moved over his handsome
features and under-stood the message she saw there. Heat, hunger. Need. She'd
been receiving it for more than fourteen days.
Jack Singer had walked into Lisa's living room amidst yards of tulle and satin,
and one look had struck Melanie with the force of charged lightning. It wasn't
so much that he was good-looking, which he was, or that his naval uniform fit
like a glove and the sight of him in it would make any woman weak-kneed. It was
his eyes, eyes that shouted his emotions, as well as hid them from the world.
She remembered the way he'd looked at Lisa this morning, in her gown, the
picture of a fairy princess, and she'd seen those deep-blue eyes gloss with
tears. Of love and pride. Who'd have thought such a strong man with a dangerous
job could melt at the sight of a bride? But just as easily, she recalled the
stare he'd delivered to the florist who was going to ruin his sister's big day,
and the words "If looks could kill" came to mind in an instant.
"What have you been thinking?" she asked suddenly.
"Dangerous territory," he warned, his blue eyes smoldering as they raked over
her.
"I'm up for the adventure."
"With me, right now?"
She slid her arms to his shoulders, the fingers of one hand sliding up the back
of his neck and tipping his head down. It was as if she'd done it a hundred
times before, as if she'd known him for a thousand years.
"I was wondering when you'd get busy," she whispered, and pulled him closer. His
mouth covered hers, devoured with savage need as his hands climbed up her
satin-covered spine and crushed her to him.
It was all-consuming, as he'd known it would be. Hot and fast and too private to
be seen in public. His body was hard, hers firm and yielding against his.
"Whoa, Singer!" he heard from somewhere in the distance, and he pulled back. His
breathing was hard.
"Can it, Reese," he said to his buddy without taking his gaze from Melanie's.
"Sir, yes sir," came the response.
"Let's get out of here?" The words came like a question.
She blinked and licked her lips. "We aren't gone yet?"
He smiled and let her go grab her purse. Then they rushed from the club. During
the cab ride to the hotel, he didn't touch her, didn't kiss her, not trusting
himself if he did. He only held her hand. It was the most erotic thing he'd ever
done. Fingers laced, palms tight. Intimate.
More than he'd been with any woman in a very long time.
At the hotel he climbed out of the cab, paid the driver and took Melanie's hand
again as they entered the building and stepped into the elevator. He couldn't
look at her. Her body was still imprinted on him from the dance.
He still felt her warmth. Smelled her scent. It was eating him up inside.
People smiled and nodded. A man mentioned being in the Navy during the Gulf War,
and Jack hoped he made the proper respectful response. People got on and off and
the elevator kept moving. Slowly, slowly. Then, finally, they were alone, the
only ones in the elevator shooting to the top floors. He couldn't stand it and
turned toward her.
She smiled, reaching for him at the same time, and when he backed her up against
the wall, he kissed her like a madman.
And she answered him, clinging, her mouth hot and wild beneath his.
Jack felt himself fracturing inside. She grasped his hand and put it on her
thigh, under the slit in her gown, and Jack groaned, driving it higher, feeling
the stockings, then skin. He cupped her buttocks and wedged her closer. Little
soft sounds came from her, and he wanted to hear more, hear her cry out with
pleasure.
Then he dipped his hand between her thighs, rubbing.
She gasped, her fingers digging into his shoulders as he stroked her. She broke
their kiss, whispered, "This is so naughty."
And he said, "Yeah, I know. I'll never forget it," then hooked the edge of her
panties and pushed a finger deep inside her.
"Oh, Jack," she said, bowing away from the wall, gasping for air.
Jack toyed with her, a single fingertip sliding over slick, soft flesh. Her
panting breath tumbled from her lips and filled the elevator. He introduced
another finger.
"Oh, my!"
"Oh, yes," he growled, kissing her throat. She was wet and slick and tense
against him, tuned for the explosion. Then the ping of the elevator made them
draw apart, both moaning in disappointment. He muttered a curse and when the
doors opened, grabbed her hand and damn near ran to his room. The hall was empty
and he fumbled with the key card.
She took it, met his gaze, then inserted it in the slot. The door sprang open
and he dragged her inside, kicked it closed and pushed her against the door.
She laughed at his impatience and he kissed her. Deep and heavy and thick. She
popped the buttons of his dress white jacket and kicked off her shoes. He toed
off his own and shrugged out of the stiff coat. Then she turned around, her
hands braced on the door. Jack pulled the zipper of her satin dress down. His
eyes flared and his body tightened when he saw the matching lavender bra and
panties. He laid kisses down her spine, taking the dress with him as he did, and
when it was a pile on the floor, he turned her around and looked his fill.
"Man, oh man," was all he could say.
She arched a brow and unhooked her bra. His gaze raked her, his breathing
quickened, and he stripped off his T-shirt.
She grasped his wrists and placed his hands over her breasts. Jack didn't need
encouragement. He was ready for her now. Had been ready for this for two long
weeks.
Each time he'd brushed against her, electricity shot through him.
Each time she'd smiled or laughed, he felt alive and rewarded.
He rubbed her breasts, his palms brushing over her nipples. They hardened and he
couldn't wait to taste them. Then he did, taking one nipple into the heat of his
mouth and sucking deeply.
Her leg lifted, her foot sliding up his calf.
Melanie felt her world tilt and shift. Pleasure radiated outward from her
breasts, singing through her like music, making her blood run fast and hot and
to the rhythm of Jack's touch. He nibbled and licked and her nerve endings grew
taut. His teeth scored, his tongue soothed, over her breasts, her ribs and
lower.
Deliciously lower.
He caught his thumbs in the sides of her panties and drew them down as he sank
to his knees. He touched and kissed her legs, hands smoothing down to her toes,
then back up. Then he hooked her knee and drew it over his shoulder.
He met her gaze. She smiled, running her finger over his lips.
Then he tasted her. And everything she knew shattered.
"Jack," she groaned softly.
His tongue plunged and laved and flicked, and she cried out, wanting more. She
was greedy for this man. Greedy for everything she could get because she more
than liked him, much more, and she knew he would leave, knew he'd disappear into
the mist. A quiet warrior. It was his job, his life. There was only right now.
And she wanted all he had.
And he gave it, finding and teasing every sensitive pulse point, every bit of
flesh that was charged and waiting for ignition. He lit the fuse and she burned.
Oh, how she burned!
Jack felt it, the spiral of heat racing through her, the tightening of her
muscles, the liquid softness of her desire. He spread her wider and thrust two
fingers inside her.
Desire exploded, shuddering through her, clutching at him.
"Jack!" she moaned. And he wanted to hear more, wanted to be the only man she
did this with, wanted to be the one she shared herself with. A possessiveness
he'd never known rose in him.
He didn't ignore it. But he didn't need it. Couldn't encourage it. Not when he
might be a thousand miles away from her in a few hours. So he savored the
moments, the small and big ones, as he had for years, as he would for the next
decade.
He took her past her climax, beyond madness and satisfaction, and back into his
world, his arms.
He stood and she fell against him, limp for a moment, only a moment. Then she
kissed him and fire kindled as she reached between them to unfasten his belt.
She shaped him, the bulge in his trousers, then pulled the zipper down. His
hands braced on the door beside her head, he smothered a groan as her fingers
dipped inside his trousers and freed him.
"My turn."
"Nah-ah."
"What's the matter, Lieutenant—running out of steam?"
"No, afraid of launching without a target."
She laughed and increased pressure, stroking him wildly and pushing his trousers
down. He kicked them aside, pulling her flush against him. The impact of flesh
to flesh left them shuddering, weak.
His hands mapped her body, stroked and dipped, and he wasn't the only player.
Her touch taunted him, made him grow harder, and he scooped her into his arms,
then strode to the bed. He set her in the center and she pulled him down,
opening for him, eager for him to be inside her.
Skin met skin and he held her, wrapping her in muscle and man, and Melanie
thought, Never in my life has it been this perfect. When he reached for the end
table, she took the condom from him.
He arched a brow.
She grinned and pushed him onto his back and straddled his thighs. Jack sat up.
She pushed him down, then opened the packet and drove him wild as she rolled it
down.
"Melanie! Sweet mercy!"
"I don't think so," she said, and shifted to straddle his hips.
He grinned, loving her openness, and cupped her breasts, leaning up to take her
nipple into his mouth.
Melanie forgot almost everything when he did that. "Oh, Jack, you do that so
well."
"Yes, ma'am."
She smiled, kissing his face, then rose. "My hero."
He guided himself into her, and she held on to his shoulders, meeting his gaze
as she sank down. He filled her, thick and throbbing. Jack experienced more than
the feel of this woman around him, of being so deep inside her. But he didn't
understand it. He tipped his head back and she smoothed hair from his brow, let
her fingertips stroke his face.
"Melanie—"
"Shh," she said. "Not now." She saw it, the connection that went deeper than
sex. All wild and hurried eagerness was gone. The rush had died to a sweet
poignancy. They had to have each other. It was as if pieces were missing and
here they came together. Joined. One.
She moved, releasing him and taking him back, claiming a man she could never
have. He was a mustang. Free. Noble.
And she wouldn't dare try to tie him down. Or ask him to stay. Though she
couldn't bear the thought of losing him when she'd only just found him.
Two weeks was not enough. Yet in his eyes, in the eyes that could be cold as ice
and tender as a lamb, she saw more. More than he could give. More than sex.
Jack grasped her hips, his gaze never leaving hers as he gave her motion, never
leaving hers as he pulled her down onto the bed beneath him and pushed deeply
into her.
Her legs trapped him and he went willingly into the snare.
Her heart beat against his and he danced to the tune. Sinking. He withdrew and
plunged, and she rose to greet him, to take him into her and into her soul. And
when feminine flesh gripped him in a slick glove, pulsing as he pulsed inside
her, Jack knew he'd relive this night a thousand times in the future. And want
it never to end.
He pushed, long deep strokes that brought cries from her, brought pleasure in
mounting waves. Their tempo increased, bodies moving in a damp and primal
rhythm, his gaze locked on hers and refusing to let go. Flesh throbbed and
squeezed; he drove deeper.
Then it came, the hot prickling rush that fought the surface of skin and bone
and erupted. Sensations folded in on each other, breaking apart and coming
together in a blinding moment that hung for seconds, then minutes before
releasing them.
He thrust hard once and final. A claim. He watched her green eyes darken,
watched her smile bloom and felt warmth spread through him. She pulled him down
onto her, holding him as the rapture faded.
She whispered his name in a throaty purr, then kissed him with a power he'd
never felt before.
He knew then and there he'd never stop wanting her. And that the night wasn't
over yet…

The phone rang at 0600 hours and Jack groped for it, knocking it off the cradle
and then dragging it to his ear.
"This better be good, Reese." Otherwise, his good buddy was going to earn
himself a black eye.
"Lieutenant Singer? This is Colonel Walsh."
Jack was instantly awake and sitting up. "Yes, sir."
"Plans have changed. Report ASAP."
"Yes, sir."
"How was the wedding, son?"
Jack's gaze moved to the slender bare back tucked against his thigh. "Memorable,
sir. Perfect."
"Outstanding. See you in a few hours." The colonel hung up.
Hours. Damn.
Melanie turned her head and met Jack's gaze. "You have to go, huh?"
He nodded, sliding down into the bed and pulling her into his arms. She scooted
on top of him, resting her folded arms on his chest.
"I knew this would come," she said, and her eyes teared. She was going to miss
him. "I was just hoping for a few days with you."
He ran his hands over her naked spine. "Me, too."
She inched up to kiss him. "Don't ask me to wait for you, Jack. I don't know if
I could stand not knowing when or if you'll ever come back."
"I'll come back and when I do, I want to—"
She shook her head. "Don't make promises you can't keep. I'm not."
"Why?"
"Because I more than like you." Oh, she was falling for him too fast, she
thought. "And I can't put my hopes on a man."
Jack frowned softly, and realized he knew very little about this woman's past.
But he could tell she'd been hurt. Badly.
Melanie wasn't going to cling to Jack, nor to any man. She'd been left alone
with only her broken heart to hold more times than a woman should have to
suffer. She had to go on with her life as if he'd never touched her heart so
deeply, as if they'd never joined so intimately.
It was almost good that he was leaving so soon. Two more weeks of Lt. Jack
Singer and she'd find herself hip-deep in love with him. And that was dangerous.
And pointless.
He rolled her onto her back. "I'm not one of those guys—"
"Shh," she said, and spread her thighs, urging him between. "Come to me, Jack,"
she whispered, and tried to keep her voice even. "Before you head to parts
unknown for who knows how long. Give me all you hide from the world."
He searched her eyes. "Why?''
"Because I'll keep it safe." It was all she could offer.
He pushed inside her, losing himself in her, giving her what she wanted. All
that he had.
And little did they both know, leaving a bit of himself behind.

Two

The front door swung open and Jack's sister glared at him. "Well, that's not the
fine welcome I expected from my only sibling," he said.
"I'm wondering if I should claim you as my brother." Lisa made a sour face and
spun about, striding into the living room. Jack stepped inside and reached for
her.
"Hey, what's up? Bad day with the baby? Who I'm dying to meet."
"Really?"
"Hell, yes. Uncle Jack wants to pamper the little lady. My right, you know." He
produced a stuffed koala bear.
Lisa softened a little, but not for long. She gestured to her house. "See any
baby things around here?"
He looked. The little house she and her husband, Brian, owned was immaculate,
homey and adult. He frowned. "I don't get it."
"I didn't have a baby, Jack."
He stepped back, scowling. "Then why did you send me that card?"
Lisa glanced to the side, avoiding his gaze, something she never did.
"Hey, darlin', what's going on here?" he said in the voice that always got her
to share with him.
She looked at him. "I sent the card to get you to come home and face your
responsibilities."
His brows shot up. "What responsibility?''
"The one to your daughter, Jack."
He paled. "I don't have a child. I'm not a father."
"Oh, yeah? Well, she's six months old and her name is Juliana. She has your hair
and your eyes."
Jack choked on his own breath. A baby? There was a baby in this world that was
his? His gaze snapped to his sister's. Reality slammed into his gut.
"Melanie. Where is she? I tried to call her."
"You called?"
He gave her a look that said, "Thanks for the vote of confidence," and he wasn't
pleased about it. "Yes, I did—when I got to a ship-to-shore phone. I sent her a
few notes while I was out at sea, but she couldn't write to me." His look said
what he was doing with the SEALs wasn't up for discussion. "Still, when I got
stateside, there was nothing, no phone listing, no address."
Lisa met his gaze. "You really called her, huh? When she said she didn't want
you to know, I thought it was just a… well, that she was hiding her feelings."
"Don't you think I had the right to know?"
"Of course! That's why I sent the card. Good grief, Jack, I thought you hadn't
contacted her. That's the impression she gave me."
"How did you find out?"
"Brian and I were in Charleston on a little vacation and I went into the bank to
cash a check. Melanie was the bank manager. She's moved back here now, but she
really doesn't want you in her life."
"Well, she's getting me, dammit," he muttered, heading to the door.
"Jack, wait! She's not going to like this." Lisa moaned and folded her arms over
her middle. "What are you going to do?''
"Talk to her, marry her, give my daughter my name. My child isn't going to grow
up like I did, Lisa. I won't allow that." He let out a breath. "Tell me where
she lives."

Jack marched up the neat path to the little house. It was a perfect cottage in
the woods, far back enough from the street to be private and surrounded by a
small picket fence to protect a child from the traffic.
He stopped short. A child. His child. Good God. Melanie had given birth to his
baby. Alone, without him. Without him ever knowing he'd become a father. And his
daughter was already six months old! He'd missed everything. Missed seeing
Melanie round with his baby, missed the baby's birth, those moments when dads go
into complete panic with the coming of labor pains. He'd missed his baby's first
smile, her mother's first look of pride… Damn. Inside, anger as wide as the
Chechessie River warred with a strange feeling of absolute joy.
He was a father. There was a baby in that house that was half his. A life he and
Melanie had created that night. And she'd tried to take that from him, take away
his chance for something more than what he was.
Anger boiled and he continued to the door, knocking hard.
It flung open an instant later.
And his breath punched out of his lungs.
She looked incredible. More incredible than she had during those two weeks. His
heart pounded like a hammer in his chest. His gaze ripped and dipped over her
body. Jeans never looked so good on a woman. A T-shirt never looked so sexy. Red
hair spilled over her shoulders, and if he hadn't been staring at her body he
would have noticed the look of surprise and anger on her face.
Then he did. Well, so what, he thought. She was the liar. She was the one who'd
denied him his rights to his own child. "I hear you have something to show me."
Her features yanked taut. "I'm gonna beat your sister up, just so you know." The
day in Charleston when his sister had walked into her bank, her whole world had
crashed. Melanie had been feeling so alone then, and seeing her best pal had
opened a floodgate of anguish she hadn't known she'd held back. She'd missed
Jack so much. Really missed him.
"Yeah, well. That won't compare to what I'm ready to do to you."
Her look was leery. "Perhaps you should come back when you've calmed down a
bit."
"I am calm."
She arched a brow, trying not to let her heartbeat shoot through her throat at
just the sight of him."Try again, Jack. You look ready for battle."
He stepped closer and enjoyed her indrawn breath. "I'm always ready—it's my job.
Or did you forget that about me, too?"
Melanie didn't forget a thing. Not the look in his eyes when he wanted her, not
the one he got when he was mad. And he was furious. But then, she knew he would
be.
"So are you going to invite me in or do I have to push my way inside?"
She didn't say anything, the inevitable too clear to argue. She stepped back,
waved him inside and closed the door.
He stood close, looming over her, and Melanie wanted nothing more at that moment
than the feel of his kiss. His arms around her. Seeing as that was dangerous,
she went for reason. "I didn't try to keep this from you, Jack."
Her soft tone and liquid eyes caught him in the gut. "Then how come I'm the last
to know?"
"I couldn't reach you. You're a SEAL." She moved into the living room.
"Everything you do is top secret and cloak-and-dagger. I called your unit and
spoke to an Ensign Frostbite—"
"Frostbite?" he interrupted.
"As in, his attitude was chilling enough to give me some."
Jack tried not to smile. She'd called, he thought, removing his cover and
tucking it in his belt. She'd tried to contact him. Some of the fire went out of
him.
"He said that since I wasn't your wife or next of kin, I couldn't speak with
you. Even Lisa tried to contact you for me once, but no one was dying or
anything, so they wouldn't oblige." She shrugged, understanding in the movement.
"And well, tell him he's the father of a girl, eight pounds seven ounces, is not
something you want to leave in a message."
She moved behind the sofa, dragged her fingers over the edge, tweaked a pillow,
and for a split second he saw her as she was then, pregnant, hanging on to a
phone and talking with a by-the-book ensign, wanting to tell Jack, but unable to
reach him. "Yes, I guess not."
"I decided I had to wait."
"I called you a couple times and wrote. My letters came back unopened,
undeliverable as addressed."
Something old and smothered in Melanie tried working itself out just then. "I'd
moved home to be near my parents. But I'd always liked it here, so we came
back." She wasn't going to admit to a soul that it was because of Jack. She'd
survived fine without him. She'd had a baby alone, hadn't she? But then she'd
moved back to this place, where she knew he'd be able to find her if he wanted.
Real brave, she thought.
Jack glanced around at his surroundings. The interior had a sudden calming
effect on him. While the furnishings were elegant—cherry tables, wing backed
chairs—the fabrics were casual. Tiny checks and crumpled velvets in sage-green,
cream and little splashes of maroon and emerald. Fat pillows with tasseled
corners were strewn on the sofa and floor. Elegantly rumpled, he thought and
realized he liked it.
Then he noticed the toys. His heart slammed into his chest as he bent to pick up
a doll. He rubbed his thumb over the belly, the little gingham dress, and tried
to imagine his child playing with it.
"Where is she?"
"She's sleeping."
He met her gaze. "I want to see her."
"I'm not waking her to see a stranger, Jack."
"I'm not a stranger."
"But to her you are."
"I won't wake her up. I just want to look at her."
"In a few minutes, okay?"
As long as she knew he wasn't leaving without a look at his baby. "So what did
you tell your parents?"
"Nothing more than they needed to know." And once Juliana arrived they were the
grandparents any child could hope for.
His temper quick-started like an engine. "Dammit So they think I'm some sort of
jerk that would let their daughter have a baby without helping?"
"No. They don't think that. They understood."
In truth, her father had been the hardest to handle, and given a moment of free
rein, Dad would have turned over mountains to find Jack, punched his lights out,
then make him marry her. Which was the last thing Melanie wanted.
She didn't want a husband because of a child.
But Jack was honorable, a real hero type, and though he hadn't gotten to it,
Melanie suspected there was a bigger battle coming.
He folded his arms over his chest and widened his stance. "So, enlighten me. How
did this happen?"
She sent him an innocent blinking look. "Gee, sailor, think maybe we forgot
protection one of those times?"
"Don't get cute. That I figured. It happens. I was as willing as you were. I
have no regrets." He arched a brow, the question unsaid.
She felt the heat of that night spin through her and light her from the inside
out. She could almost fall into his arms again if he wasn't looking at her like
a new target to assault. "Neither do I, Jack."
His stance softened. "Then if you accept that, why couldn't you accept that I
would want to know, to help?"
"Other than I couldn't contact you," she reminded him. "I didn't need it."
"And that makes it right?"
"Maybe, maybe not." She moved to the kitchen and started preparing a pot of
coffee. Maybe by giving up on hunting him down she thought she was doing him a
favor. A man like him, with a dangerous job, he didn't need to be worrying about
her and a child when he was supposed to be concentrating on keeping his head
down and staying alive. Just the thought of him being distracted by her when he
was in the line of fire gave her nightmares and kept her from charging into his
unit office and embarrassing herself and Jack by demanding he be contacted. Then
she just got used to thinking alone, doing alone. But all she'd wanted then,
when she was round with his baby and wondering what he'd think, was to hear his
voice.
Jack followed her and said, "What about what I needed, Melanie?"
She glanced over her shoulder. "And you needed a daughter?"
"How the heck should I know? I've never had one. And if it was up to you, I
never would have known about her."
Melanie glanced toward the hallway. "Keep your voice down." She flipped the
switch on the coffee-maker.
Jack moved to her, gripped her arms and stared down at her. "Talk to me, Mel."
He was hurt, she could see. More deeply than she'd thought.
"You kept my baby from me," he went on. "That's not easily forgivable."
"I did what I had to do, with the resources I had. You were unreachable. They
wouldn't even tell me if you were in this country."
He hadn't been, but he couldn't tell her that. "Did you even once think of me?"
She blinked, hurt and insulted, and pushed off his touch, stepping back. "How
can you say that? I had your baby growing inside me, Jack. All I thought about
was you. When I was screaming in pain delivering her, I thought about you and I
wanted to beat you senseless, by the way."
She looked down, her throat tight. She'd been angry with him then, she
remembered. Angry because he wasn't there to see his daughter being born, that
he wasn't there sharing the responsibility thrust on her. But he was off
fighting evil, being the hero, a higher purpose, she'd finally reasoned. And
she'd just…accepted. Oh, she knew she should have never let this man touch her.
Not because of Juliana, but because his touch left an imprint that went clear
down to her soul.
"If I'd known, I would have let you."
"But the Navy wouldn't have. I know, having a child is no big deal in the
military. Women do it alone all the time. But I knew that the first chance Lisa
blabbed, you'd be here."
"And now that I am, we're getting married."
"Oh, so now it's ride-to-the-rescue Singer? Do I look like a damsel in
distress?"
"You look like the mother of my child, and that child needs my name."
"Mine's been doing quiet well for me for twenty-nine years. It's good enough for
her."
"Why are you being so stubborn?"
"I don't want a husband who would marry me for the sake of a child."
"Why? Is that so archaic to you?"
"Yes." And it's full of doubts to start with, she thought. She couldn't go
through life, through a marriage, with him, a man she barely knew. And she
didn't want to live with the constant uncertainty of does he want me for myself,
or me because I'm the mother of his child? Or because it's the right and
honorable thing to do? And Jack was up to his eyeballs in honor and duty.
Jack let her go, dragging his hand over his head, then his face. "You are about
the strangest woman I know."
"Isn't that why we jumped into bed in the first place? Because I wasn't falling
all over you like the other women?"
"No, it's not, and if you can't see that, then it's probably good that I wasn't
around when you learned you were pregnant with my child."
"Why?"
"Because I would have made certain you knew the truth of my feelings for you,
Melanie."
"You don't love me, Jack, so don't say it."
"I won't. It's not true."
Her heart fractured. Well, that was honest, anyway.
''But whatever it is I feel for you is strong enough that thoughts of you have
been dogging me for months." He headed to the hallway and Melanie was still
reeling in reaction to that.
"Excuse me? Where do you think you're going?"
"I need to see my baby."
"Jack, wait."
He stopped short, his features sharpening with anger. "I've been waiting. I've
missed six months of her life. I'm not going to miss another minute."
A soft cry filtered from the hall and Jack froze.
"Now you've done it," Melanie snapped, then shifted past him and headed down the
hall.
His temper defusing like a puff of smoke, Jack followed, but she was already out
of sight. He listened for sounds, following them, and stepped into a small room
decorated with pink and lavender fairies. But he wasn't interested in wallpaper
and mobiles, but the woman who stood near a crib.
There was a coolness about her, a reserve that hadn't been there before. He
could feel a wall neatly erected between them and she was doing her best to keep
it strong. Was it to keep him from her or his daughter? Things were too brittle
between them right now for Jack to make huge waves in Melanie's life, but he
wasn't going anywhere. He was well-known in his unit for his patience, and he'd
exert some of it now. Because she still set him on fire with just a glance, it
was all he could manage not to grab her in his arms and kiss the living
daylights out of her. His memory was damn good, and he pushed down the need to
satisfy the hunger that had simmered for nearly a year and a half. Patience, he
warned himself, his gaze sliding over her as she hung over the crib.
Everything in him went still as she reached inside. She lifted the baby, fat
little legs pumping the air. The child squealed and Melanie held her close.
Jack felt his heart fill and explode at the sight of his daughter.
"Juliana," he said, and Melanie looked at him. "Lisa told me, and…" He gestured
to the name in stuffed letters hanging on the wall and held by two pink fairies.
He stepped closer, his gaze moving over his daughter. Round-faced and healthy,
she had dark hair like his, eyes like his, but her beauty was all her mother's.
Her head tucked under her mother's chin, she stared at him with wide eyes the
color of corn-flowers. Jack had never seen anything so beautiful. And he loved
her instantly.
"Hey, princess."
Melanie watched Jack, the wariness she'd never thought to see in him coming to
the surface. He faced bullets like most people faced the morning. But he
approached his daughter with a gentle hesitancy that touched her heart.
"She's beautiful."
"Yeah," Melanie replied as he ran a fingertip along Juliana's arm. The baby
simply stared at him, as if familiarizing herself with his face.
Jack moved as close as he could, their baby between them. "Look what we made,
Melanie." He leaned down to kiss the top of his daughter's head, thinking she
smelled of powder and innocence.
Melanie's heart melted just a little. She'd been alone with Juliana so long that
sharing her with Jack felt strange…and sweet. She hadn't known what to expect
from Jack Singer, Navy SEAL, but watching him fall in love with their daughter
in less than a second wasn't it.
"I want to hold her, but I know I'll scare her," he said softly.
"She's still sleepy."
"I'm sorry if I woke her. I didn't think."
"It's okay," Melanie said, watching his eyes, the way he touched Juliana, as if
coaxing her into accepting him a little bit at a time. Yet when his fingertips
slid up Juliana's arm tucked against her mother, they brushed Melanie's breast.
Heat ripped through her, and her breath snagged.
He looked at Melanie, his gaze moving over her with the same intensity as it did
with their child. "I'm here. I'm staying, and I'm in her life whether you want
it or not."
"I know."
"You don't like it."
"Nope."
He arched a brow, stroking the top of Juliana's head and loving the sounds she
made. "Then it's war, huh?" He tipped his head, catching Melanie's chin and
tilting her face till she looked him in the eye. "I think you've forgotten why
we came together in the first place."
"We were both randy."
The corner of his mouth curved. It scared her. He looked more dangerous at that
moment than he would have if he'd been armed with an assault rifle and wearing
camouflage paint.
"Yeah, sure." He brushed his mouth over hers. She tried to retreat, but he
wrapped his arms around her and held tight. Their daughter fussed and gripped
his shirt, one of his medals. Jack felt something new and strong rocket through
him, and he increased the pressure on Melanie's mouth, molding her lips to his,
and wanted to shout when she responded.
The instant she did, he drew back. She was breathing a little harder, her eyes a
little glassy. Victory loomed on the horizon, he thought. He had to have
patience for the long journey. "Expect me in your life, Melanie. Constantly." He
grinned. "Daddy's home."
He looked down at Juliana, touched the top of her head and suddenly knew this
little girl was the best part of his life. Yet knowing Melanie was like a
lioness protecting her cub right now, defensive and distrusting, Jack didn't try
to take his child into his arms. Yet they fairly ached to hold her, to feel her
little body against his chest, hear her heart beat.
Instead, he said, "I'll see you both real soon," then spun around and left the
room.
Melanie gripped the crib rail. Because her knees had melted. Her heart had
stopped. She looked down at Juliana. The baby gurgled, and blew bubbles.
"That was Daddy. What did you think?"
Juliana jerked in her arms and smiled.
"Yeah, he does that to women. He's going to be a real pain, honey. What are we
going to do?"
Her daughter didn't offer a solution and Melanie didn't have one, either. All
she knew was that Jack Singer could turn her inside out and upside down with a
glance. And with a kiss…oh, she was useless.
But she wasn't going to marry him. So it would be best just to keep him out of
her life completely. Big talk, she thought, when just now his presence turned
you into a puddle. Well, she wouldn't let that happen again, nor would she give
him any ideas that she'd agree to marriage. Going into a marriage with such low
expectations wasn't her dream of a future. She had a future. She and Juliana
would be just fine.
Part of her dreaded Jack's showing up again. And he would. She might not know a
lot about the man, but one thing was for sure. He'd drawn a battleline in the
dirt and she was scared of the first attack Because Lt. Jack Singer, Navy SEAL
and handsome as the devil, was a gentleman.
His attack would be subtle. But she didn't doubt that when it came to something
he wanted, he'd fight dirty.

Three

Jack drove his sports car around town for an hour with no destination in mind.
He thought about calling his buddy, Reese, then decided that he didn't want
anyone ever to get the wrong idea about Melanie or his child. Not like they'd
had about him when he was a kid.
His fingers tensed on the steering wheel and he pulled up to his hotel and shut
off the engine. He didn't get out, his mind tripping over plans, over ways to
get into his daughter's life.
And into her mother's.
Man, he thought, rubbing his face. Melanie Patterson didn't look like a mother.
He didn't think it was possible for her to look better than she had that night
after the wedding. But she did and her kiss was just as hot. He tried to imagine
what it had been like for her, tried to imagine her belly swollen with his baby,
and when he did, something sparked inside him. Longing?
Did he want in her life because of the baby?
He checked that thought off the list in an instant. He'd done nothing but think
about her for months. For fifteen of them. Being unable to talk to her all that
time was like salt in the wound. She'd moved to live with her parents, sure, and
her number here was unlisted, but the time wasted gnawed at him. He sighed. It
wouldn't have changed much. Hell, he would have gone nuts if he'd known she was
carrying his child, anyway, he thought. He'd have wanted to be there. With her,
for her. He'd have done anything for that chance, and with his job, that just
wasn't possible. He couldn't walk out when his commander called. When his
teammates and his country needed him.
But dammit to hell, he hated that he'd missed it all.
Sighing with resignation, he left the car and headed up to his room. He didn't
notice the women offering smiles as he passed. Didn't notice the way they tried
to get his attention. All he saw was Melanie holding his daughter to her breast,
stroking Juliana's little spine. He'd wanted to take the baby in his arms, feel
the responsibility. But he didn't have to touch the baby to know it. It was
already inside him.
Juliana was his daughter. His flesh and blood. And he was going to give her
everything he'd never had. And that included her daddy's name.

Melanie looked at Lisa. "I know you're sorry. Forget about it."
"Well, you should have tried harder to tell him," Lisa said insistently. "It
would have been easier if he'd known from the start."
"Yeah? How so? Would he have been any less… determined?''
"My big brother's a handful, huh?"
Melanie rolled her eyes. Her sorority sister was a romantic. Melanie wasn't.
She'd given that up after her fiance broke their engagement. Once was hard
enough, but to be dumped twice? Melanie had a stellar record, falling for men
who seemed to find the right girl after they'd already proposed to her. It was
humiliating and the reason she didn't ask a guy for promises. They couldn't keep
them. Jack wasn't any different. Well, maybe a little. He knew the meaning of
honor, at least.
When she had been with him all those long months ago, women had flocked around
him. She didn't want to see that he'd ignored them and focused only on her, but
still. He'd had a few lovers before her. Lisa had mentioned them once or twice.
Heck, any man who looked like a brick wall of muscle in Navy whites would have
females young and old dropping at his feet.
Okay, so she'd been one of them. She'd wanted Jack. She'd always want Jack. He
was under her skin, in her blood, whatever, but he was there. Fifteen months of
trying to pry him out of her mind hadn't done much good. She still wanted him.
Yet, in her bed was far different from in her life.
The phone rang and Melanie rose to get it. The familiar voice on the other end
of the line made her smile. "Mom, how are you?"
"Oh, we're fine. How's my granddaughter?"
Melanie smiled at her daughter sitting in her high chair. "Eating cereal and
making a mess on my kitchen floor." Her mother laughed. "So what's up? I just
talked to you yesterday."
"That was before Jack called."
"What?"
"Yes, just a little while ago. He talked to your father."
Melanie groaned and leaned against the wall. "And Daddy said what to him?"
"I don't really know. I know he was happy when he came out of the den, because
he was laughing. He was still on the phone with Jack and took it with him out
into the garage. Apparently your father and Jack hit it off. Did you know Jack
makes furniture?''
Oh, great. Her father made furniture, too. The man had every tool ever made for
woodworking, and now that he was retired, he produced more than her parents or
Melanie had room for, so he'd branched out into taking special orders. And now
it seemed Jack and Dad had bonded. Swell.
"Furniture, huh? No, I didn't know Jack made furniture." She glared at Lisa as
if it was her fault that her father and Jack had things in common. Melanie asked
to speak with her father, but he was out. "Ask him to call me, please, Mom."
"I don't think he'll tell you what they said—he wouldn't tell me."
Well, that was devious, Melanie thought. "Jack's hoping to butter up you and Dad
to get to me." She paced, her fingers tight on the receiver.
"Oh, he didn't do anything like that, sweetie. He just introduced himself and
told us what we already knew. That he hadn't known about Juliana till now."
"What else?"
"He said that he would take care of you and his daughter."
"Well, Jack Singer is going to learn that I don't need his financial help."
Her mother's voice held a smile as she said, "I don't think he was talking about
money, sweetie."
The words sent a trickle of fear down her spine. What was he up to? Melanie said
goodbye and hung up, then sat back down and cupped her coffee mug. She'd sulk if
she had the time, she thought, feeling a little betrayed by her parents.
"He called your father," Lisa said, her eyes wide. Melanie nodded. "Oh, gutsy
Jack. That must have been interesting."
A little smiled twitched at Melanie's lips. "I bet it was."
Lisa pushed Juliana's cereal loops within reach. "You know my brother is a great
guy, don't you?"
"I plead the Fifth."
"Hey, he hasn't done anything wrong."
Melanie sighed. "Except threaten me."
"What?"
"He said he was in my life and I couldn't stop him."
"Well, that is a threat, though weak and understandable." Lisa made faces at
Juliana and the baby imitated her. "What are you going to do?"
Melanie shrugged. When it came to Jack Singer, she felt pretty helpless.
"You know, Brian's asked me to join him on his next business trip. For a month.
I think I will."
Melanie arched a brow. "Jumping ship on me?"
"No, I'm trying really hard to preserve what I have. A wonderful friend and a
loving brother. I don't want to have to choose."
"Who says you'll have to?" It was Lisa's turn to look doubtful. And darn it,
Melanie could see her friend's point. She didn't want to put Lisa in the middle,
either. "Okay, go. I can handle Jack."
Her friend stood and grabbed her purse, hitching it onto her shoulder. Lisa
kissed the baby and smiled at the mother. "Good luck." She headed to the door.
"Why did you write and tell him?"
"Because as much as I love you, I love my brother best." Her eyes hardened.
So like Jack's, Melanie thought.
"What if that night was all we had, Lisa?" Melanie called when Lisa reached the
door. She couldn't afford to get her heart crushed again.
Lisa looked at Melanie, sympathy in her eyes. "You have to give the relationship
a chance to find that out, don't you, Mel?"
Before Melanie could argue that she had to risk an already bruised heart to do
that, Lisa slipped out. Turning to her daughter, Melanie picked bits of cereal
out of her hair and watched her bang her pudgy palms on the high-chair tray.
There was no mistaking that Juliana was Jack's baby. She had his eyes.
Intelligent, probing blue eyes.
"Hey, Jules," Melanie said, and the baby looked at her, smiled brightly and
offered a fistful of squishy cereal loops. Smiling, Melanie leaned down for a
pretend bite. "I love you, munchkin. God, I love you."
Melanie blinked back tears and wondered what would become of them. She'd had it
all figured out till Jack showed up. She liked things neat and in order, to know
the outcome of events. Which was why she was a banker. Figures didn't lie.
Figures didn't cheat on you while you were selecting china and bridesmaids.
Numbers didn't leave you with the pitying gazes of everyone you had to tell
about the broken engagement. Twice.
She wondered what was wrong with her that men left so easily. She was nice. She
had a good sense of humor. She wasn't a supermodel, but she wasn't ugly. What
was it about her that sent men running to someone more interesting?
Jack's face loomed in her mind as she gathered up her baby. She held Juliana
closely and prayed Jack would just leave. She'd handled Craig's betrayal with
his old love. She handled Andy's with his bimbo secretary.
But with Jack? If he got her hopes up and dumped her, well, she'd never recover.
She was certain of that. And she'd have his daughter to look at every day to
remind herself of her failure. No, it was better her way. No chance, no
heartache. Right?
She looked at the baby. "Right?"
Juliana didn't answer. It was just as well. There wasn't one, she thought. There
just wasn't.

Juliana was fussing for her dinner, Melanie was trying to get a load of laundry
collected and into the washer before she started the evening phase of her day.
Her day off, too, she thought. A heavy knock shook the door and for a split
second, Juliana stopped whining and looked with Melanie at the door.
"Probably a salesman again," she said to her daughter, and crossed the living
room. Propping the laundry basket on one hip, she opened the door.
"Jack."
"Good, you didn't forget me."
Like that would ever happen, she thought. Just looking at him made her insides
turn to mush. "Why are you here?" Her voice sounded steady, right?
''Lisa and Brian took off and I was alone and hungry."
"Good that you have a houseful of food, because Lisa is a great cook."
Jack's gaze slipped over Melanie. She filled out those jeans better than any
woman he'd known, but her face showed signs of fatigue.
"Then I guess you aren't up for takeout?" He held up the pints of Chinese food.
Melanie inhaled the delicious scent and smothered a groan. Moo goo gai pan. Her
favorite. He fights dirty, she thought. "No thank you, we're fine." Juliana took
that moment to exercise her lungs and Melanie glanced at her daughter. "Hey, be
patient. It's warming."
"What's warming?"
"Her dinner, her bottle, followed by a bath, quiet time, then sleep."
"Then you get to do what, Melanie? Sit here alone and watch TV."
She made a rude sound. "I get to keep cleaning, working. Ironing my clothes for
work. Then I get to rest."
"It's tough alone, isn't it?"
Her spine stiffened. She walked right into that one, she thought. "I manage. And
will continue to do so, without your help."
'Hey, I'm not taking over, darlin', I'm just bringing chow." She arched a brow.
He calmly gazed back, then smiled. "You going to keep me standing out here all
night for the neighbors to see or what?'' When she just stared, he swung the
boxes. "It's hot. And I'm starving."
Tempting…so tempting. Both Jack and the dinner. But if she let him in now, he'd
only expect to be able to come back whenever he felt like it. "So go home and
eat it.'' She was too tired to deal with him now.
"Listen, Melanie, she's my daughter, too, and I barely got a chance to look at
her."
A tiny twinge of guilt poked at her. "She has all ten fingers and toes, is in
perfect health, and the longer you bug me, the madder she's going to get about
being denied her dinner."
Jack pushed his way inside. "Then I guess you should hop to it, huh?" 'Jack."
'Have dinner with me, Melanie. We need to talk."
It was the smell of moo goo gai pan that did it, she thought. Not that smile.
Not that pleading look she'd never seen on his face before. Okay, he was right,
they needed to talk. Getting it all out on the table, so to speak, would make it
clearer to Jack that she couldn't marry him.
She nodded and he smiled, walking to the kitchen and dropping the pints and bags
on the kitchen table. She was right behind him.
He turned and took the laundry basket. "I'll do this."
"I'm capable."
"I don't doubt that. But Her Highness looks like she's working up to a Mach 1
scream."
Melanie looked. Juliana was trying to move the walker, but her legs were still
too short and all she did was kick the air in frustration. The baby was reaching
for her and Melanie's heart shifted. She handed over the basket and went to her
daughter. "Come on, munchkin, dinner's on."
Jack watched her with the baby for a moment How Melanie soothed Juliana, offered
her a cracker as she set her in the high chair. She held a conversation with
their daughter as if they were the only two people in the world, and feeling
like the odd man out, Jack disappeared into the garage with the laundry basket,
assuming that was where the washer and dryer were located. They were. He
separated a load. Ignoring the lace panties and bras, he focused on the baby
clothes. Baby detergent, he thought, remembering a TV commercial for it. He
started the load and went back into the kitchen. Melanie was feeding the baby.
Jack watched. He couldn't help it. Just the sight of them, doing something so
ordinary, fascinated him.
Then Juliana leaned out to look past her mother at him. His heart soared and he
blew her a kiss. She smiled and spit food as she tried her best to talk to him,
and Melanie turned to look at him, a smile tilting her lips.
"I think we're communicating," Jack said.
"That doesn't say much for your intellect."
His gaze narrowed. "You're crabby."
"I'm sorry. I'm a mother. This time of day we're required to be crabby."
He smiled, shaking his head and moved to dish up the Chinese food. "You ready
for some chow?"
"I'll wait. But you go ahead."
He frowned at her over his shoulder.
"I have to give her a bath after this. She sleeps better."
Jack nodded. "I'll wait for you. But…" He fished in a bag and took out a few egg
rolls, then cut them in pieces and brought the plate to her. "Appetizers?"
She snatched up a piece and popped it into her mouth. Jack sat adjacent to her
as she finished off the plate while she fed the baby. Then she cleared the
dishes and lifted Juliana out of the high chair.
"Bath time," Melanie said to Juliana, then looked at Jack. "We'll be a little
while."
A direct hint for privacy, he thought and leaned back in the chair and folded
his arms. He wanted to be a part of their lives, not a pest. "I'm not going
anywhere."
"Dang. Hopes dashed again," she said, and walked to the bathroom.
Jack shook his head. She was as determined to keep him at a distance as he was
to get closer. But then, she really didn't know him that well. But she was going
to learn.
A half hour later, Melanie closed the door to Juliana's room and stepped into
the bathroom to clean up the mess in there. She was beat. And she really didn't
want to deal with Jack on top of that, she thought, bending to collect dirty
clothes and towels. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and groaned.
Her hair was coming out of the ponytail, she didn't have on a stitch of makeup,
and her shirt had baby food all over the shoulder.
Some "I can handle everything" impression, she thought. She dumped the clothes
in the laundry hamper and slipped into her bedroom to run a brush through her
hair and change her blouse. It smelled, anyway.
When she stepped out of the bedroom, the aroma of moo goo gai pan made her mouth
water and she walked toward the living room. Something more than maternal
instinct made her pause at her daughter's room. She heard Jack's voice, soft and
deep, like the distant rumble of thunder. Gently she pushed open the nursery
door.
He was leaning over the crib, stroking the baby's back. "No, I swear to you,
princess, nothing is ever going to hurt you. I'm here for you, even if Mommy
doesn't want it. I'm not going away. And I'm going to protect you. You can count
on it."
Melanie's throat tightened.
"I'll slay your dragons for you, princess. I give you my word of honor."
Tears burned in Melanie's eyes.
"And if she'll let me, I'll slay Mommy's, too."
Melanie swallowed hard and tried not to notice the flutter of her heart. Quietly
Jack lowered the side of the crib and bent to kiss Juliana's soft brown curls.
The night-light illuminated his features, fierce, and loving.
Her daughter had a champion, Melanie thought, backing out of the room. Whether
she wanted it or not. But that didn't mean she had to like it. And it didn't
mean she had to marry him just because he wanted it. She and Juliana had done
just fine without him. She slipped into the living room and sank onto the sofa.
She didn't want to doubt herself, her capabilities.
When he came out, he paused at the edge of the hallway, his hands on his hips.
Tipping his head back, he took a long cleansing breath and let it out, smiling
as he did. He hadn't noticed her yet. He looked as if he was measuring himself
against the responsibility of fatherhood. She understood that. The day she'd
learned she was pregnant with his child, she had done the same thing.
He met her gaze, like an arrow shooting straight toward a target. "Hi."
"Hey," she said. Lord, he was devastating to look at, she thought. In fitted
jeans and a black T-shirt that flowed over every contour of his chest and arms,
she wanted only to run her hands over that body. A body she'd had only one night
to learn.
He moved toward her and her heart skipped an entire beat at that sexy
hip-rolling walk of his. Did the man even know how powerful he was? Maybe he
did, she thought as he slid down onto the sofa beside her.
His face was inches from hers, his gaze making a slow prowl of her features, the
neckline of her blouse. Her breasts tightened in instant reaction.
"You keep looking at me like that and we won't be dining on Chinese takeout," he
said softly.
"I'm starving," she said, and knew she should have kept her mouth shut.
"Me, too. But I'm only hungry for you."
Melanie felt herself turn to mush. "Jack, don't."
"What? Don't be honest? Don't tell you how many times I've thought about you?''
"This isn't helping."
"Denying isn't helping," he said, and leaned closer, his mouth a fraction from
hers.
She could feel his breath on her lips. Almost taste him. And if memory served
her, and it did, he tasted great. She leaned, and an instant before his mouth
crushed hers, the phone rang.
She lurched to get it before it woke the baby.
"Hello," came out on a croak and she had to clear her throat. "Oh, hi, Michael."
Jack's blue eyes narrowed dangerously, and Melanie thought that between her
disappointment at the interruption and the stupidity of falling into his arms
again, this was the bucket of ice water she needed.
"Busy? Well, actually I am." She didn't look at Jack. "Sure. Bye." She hung up.
"Who was that?"
"A friend."
"How close a friend?"
She didn't mistake the edge to his voice. "I work with Michael."
"Was he asking you out?"
"I imagine he was trying."
"You'd date this man?"
No, she wouldn't. It would be trading one piece of heartache for another. But
she couldn't resist asking, "Any reason I shouldn't?"
"Yes, I can barely get you to sit still long enough to speak with me and we have
a child together."
And you're more dangerous to me than Michael could ever be. She could barely
recall the guy's eye color, but there wasn't a thing about Jack she'd forgotten.
"What is it that you want to say, Jack? Except propose marriage."
"You're not even going to consider it, are you?" he said.
"No, but thanks for the offer."
"You act like I did this without thinking first."
She folded her legs under her on the sofa. "It was a gut reaction, Jack. An
obligation. I will not be a man's ball and chain when he doesn't want it."
"Who says I don't?"
"If Juliana wasn't between us, would you have come here first?"
"I've been in-country for three days and two of them I've been here. What do you
think?"
"You want to do the honorable thing. I can understand that. But I don't need you
to. Nor do I want to marry a man only for the sake of a child. Marriage is tough
enough without going in with such low expectations."
"I don't have those—you do. I'll be a good father."
"Oh, I know you will," she said gently. "But you don't have to marry me to be
one."
Jack thought of his own blood father. The man didn't many Jack's mother, wasn't
there for Jack when he was young and impressionable. Later, his mom had fallen
in love with a great man, David, and they had married. Lisa was the product of
that love, and the man Jack called Dad had been great to him, even when he
didn't have to be. But Jack resented that his birth father hadn't the guts to
marry his mother and left a little lost kid to bear the reaction of being a
bastard. He would never do that to Juliana. Even if things didn't work out
between him and Melanie, he was in his daughter's life for good.
He thought about telling Melanie his reason for wanting to marry, though he knew
his father's lack of backbone was only part of it. Melanie herself was the real
reason, and she wouldn't understand. She'd tell him that just because he was
born out of wedlock didn't mean he had to make up for his father's
mistakes—which was true.
Jack just didn't want to repeat them. Not at his child's expense.

Four

Melanie pushed through her front door, glad to be home. Her feet ached, and her
head was brewing a whopper of a headache. Mostly because while managing the
bank, she'd been plagued with thoughts of Jack and what happened last night.
She'd fallen asleep on him. Literally. And during conversation she should have
been paying strict attention to. This morning she'd awoken in her own bed alone,
the doors tightly locked and the dinner mess cleaned up. And no sign of Jack.
Jack at night was hard to handle.
Jack in the morning would just bring back a ton of memories of waking up in his
arms, feeling his strength surround her.
She hadn't set her briefcase down before the scent of something wonderful
cooking hit her full force and made her mouth water. Had Diana, her sitter,
cooked? It wasn't unusual since the older woman did more than just care for her
daughter.
"Diana, you shouldn't have gone to the trouble."
"I didn't, dear," the woman said before Melanie stepped fully inside the
kitchen. "It's his show."
Melanie went still with anger. "Jack."
"Yes," he said, his back to her while he stirred something in a saucepan.
"What are you doing here?''
He tisked, keeping his back to her. "And here I was hoping our daughter got her
smarts from you." He seasoned whatever was simmering in the saucepan and only
glanced back briefly, throwing a beautiful smile in her direction.
It landed on Melanie like a blanket, wanning her to her toes. How did he do
that? she wondered. She bent to kiss their daughter, her gaze going to Diana.
While Juliana made excited noises, her sitter looked uncomfortable and said
quickly, "He came over earlier to be with Juliana."
"It's all right, Diana. I'm sure Jack bullied his way in."
"On the contrary, he didn't want to come in till you came home, and we called
the bank, but you were out."
"I was at the head office most of the day in meetings."
"And he is the child's father."
Question laced Diana's voice, and Jack looked back over his shoulder as if
waiting for Melanie to deny that. "Yes, he is. But this is my home, Jack."
"And my daughter's."
"I didn't invite you here."
"She did. Isn't that right, princess?" he said, turning from the stove to lean
down to the baby. Juliana grabbed his face and rubbed his nose with hers.
Melanie's heart dissolved in a puddle at her feet.
Jack flashed Melanie another smile that lit her insides like Christmas morning,
then rushed back to the stove.
Well, this was a news flash, Melanie thought, fighting her smile. A U.S. Navy
SEAL was at her stove, with an apron tied around his waist and looking awfully
comfortable for a man who was more at ease wielding a machine gun than a
spatula. With a quick glance she noticed the table was set beautifully for two;
Diana was enjoying a cup of coffee and Juliana was in her high chair, gurgling
at her father and chewing on the end of a wooden spoon.
Diana rose and set her cup in the sink. "I'll see you in the morning," she said,
moving to the back door.
"Diana, you don't have to leave so soon." That sounded too much like a plea,
even to her own ears.
Over at the stove, Jack chuckled.
"Oh, honey, yes I do," Diana said with a glance at the table setting.
Melanie rolled her eyes and waved the sitter off. That grin of Diana's spoke
volumes. "Are you trying to seduce me with cooking?" she asked Jack after Diana
was gone.
He looked at her. "No, but if that's what it'll take to get you to relax around
me again…"
"I am relaxed."
"Then why are your hands in fists?"
"Because I want to pummel you for coming into my home without asking me."
"I tried. You should keep your pager on."
"The battery died this morning." She kicked off her shoes and went over to
Juliana, lifting her out of the high chair and cuddling her close.
"I'm on leave, Melanie. I had all day to do nothing while my daughter was here
with a baby-sitter. I just wanted to get to know Juliana."
She couldn't argue with that. Tipping her head to the side, she watched him. His
ease in the culinary department was a bit of a shock. "I didn't know you could
cook."
"There's a lot you don't know about me." His tone said he'd planned to change
that. He poured steaming pasta into a strainer. "I have a lot of time spent just
waiting around for the go ahead, so I read."
"Cookbooks?"
"Any book that's handy, to be honest. I don't get the chance to cook for more
than myself very often, so grabbing this chance seemed like a good idea."
She rose and moved to the counter, careful to keep the baby away from the stove
in case of splatters. Jack chopped fresh herbs, then lowered the temperature on
a roux and stirred. The scents dancing through her kitchen were fantastic.
Melanie snatched a sample of the chicken he had cooling while he worked on a
sauce, popping the chunk into her mouth. "Oh, man."
"Good?" he asked with a quick glance.
"Incredible."
"Why don't you change and get comfortable? I fed Juliana already." As if he read
her mind, he showed her the empty baby-food jar.
She took a step away, then paused to look back at him. He moved in her kitchen
as if he'd been there before, and worked with great care, she noticed, dipping
to taste, season, stir. But the fact that he was here, inviting himself into her
life, her home, said that Jack wasn't going to be pushed out. If he was here for
Juliana, she'd never deny him, but Melanie had a sneaking suspicion he had a
plan she'd have a tough time to fight.
But right now she was so hungry she'd have gnawed through shoe leather, so if he
wanted to cook, let him, she thought.
"Go on, Melanie. Have some time with Juliana." He didn't turn to look at her,
and his ability to sense her like that was unnerving.
She headed to the bedroom with Juliana and couldn't help but notice how the baby
gurgled loudly for Jack as she went.
Jack knew he was being a little devious, but with the way Melanie had reacted to
him yesterday he knew she'd try her best to keep him out of her life. He wanted
in. He told himself it was to see his daughter, that he'd already missed too
much of her life and needed to catch up. But the truth was, there was more to
it, and it had everything to do with Juliana's mama. He added a splash of water
to the sauce and thought about how Melanie had looked when she arrived;
businesslike, confident and sexy in that snug-fitting blue suit. He wanted to
peel it off her and see what she wore beneath.
He marshaled his restraint and kept focused on dinner. He wasn't trying to
impress her. He didn't think his culinary skill made a difference to Melanie,
but the fact that she didn't have anything in her freezer made him assume that
she probably didn't do anything more than open a box and hit "express cook" on
the microwave, and she hadn't been doing much for herself lately.
A half hour later, he heard her footsteps in the hall again just as he was
popping the cork on the bottle of wine.
She stopped near the table, the baby on her hip. "I didn't have any wine."
"You didn't have much of anything. Jules and I went shopping."
"You took her out?"
"Yes, in my car, in the car seat, with Diana. Good grief, Melanie." He looked
insulted.
"Sorry, I just haven't had to trust anyone with her except Diana in a while."
"I know." He offered a smile and a glass of wine. She thanked him, sipped and
made a pleased noise as she moved toward the windows facing the backyard. In
soft cotton leggings and a lavender linen blouse she looked delectable, her
deep-red hair spilling over her shoulders and catching the setting sun. Juliana
was growing sleepy, and she rested her head on her mother's shoulder, her tiny
fist wrapped in Melanie's hair.
Jack felt a swell of something close to pride when he watched them for a moment.
Melanie whispered to the baby, rocking her gently. She'd already bathed Juliana
and dressed her for bed. Jack didn't want his daughter to be sleepy. As far as
he was concerned, he'd missed six months of seeing her grow.
Melanie set the glass aside, holding the baby closer, rubbing her back.
"Hungry?" he asked.
"Yes."
When she went to put the baby down for bed, Jack came to her. "Not yet, please."
"Have you ever tried to eat with a child on your lap?"
"Guess I'm going to learn." He took the baby from her.
Melanie's heart did a flip when Juliana curled against him with a contented
sigh. They sat and Jack held their daughter, encouraging Melanie to eat while
the food was hot. She tasted the meal. It was heavenly.
"Whoa. Okay, you're hired."
He chuckled and Juliana lifted her head to stare at him. Wide eyes skimmed his
face, as if trying to understand who he was and why he was here. He smiled,
kissed her, and satisfied with that, she laid her head back down on his
shoulder.
Jack thought that nothing in this world would ever touch him as deeply as
feeling his child in his arms, accepting him.
"Aren't you having any food?" Melanie asked.
"My mom said if the cook goes hungry, there's something wrong with the food. I
will. I just don't want to give up my hands right now."
Melanie smiled. The baby looked like a pink dot against his wide muscled chest;
his hand spanning the baby's back nearly covered her completely. Juliana's pink
pajamas left fuzzies on his navy-blue polo shirt, but he didn't seem to care.
He held Melanie's gaze and whispered softly, "I love her already, Mel."
"I know," she said, and felt a catch in her throat. "I can tell."
It was good, too, she thought. He could have ignored her completely and never
shown up, never wanted to see his child. It would have been hard to explain
later on to her daughter, and it certainly would have made Melanie hate Jack.
But that wasn't what she wanted. He was welcome to be with his daughter.
He shifted the baby into the crook of his arm and reached for his fork. Juliana
opened her eyes briefly, then feeling safe, closed them. The man has already
charmed his daughter, she thought, because Juliana was rarely content to just
sit by while the world went on around her. She always wanted to participate it
it, investigating her surroundings, tasting lint and paper, but her daddy made a
difference. They had a rapport.
The realization should sting, since Melanie had been doing all the work since
Juliana had arrived. But it didn't. How many times had she imagined Jack holding
Juliana? How often had she wished he'd been here to share those first growth
spurts, the day the baby could hold a cup, feed herself.
Tears burned Melanie's eyes and she focused on the meal. She didn't want to feel
like this, confused and needing. She wanted to feel independent and in control.
Jack ate, but he could tell something was wrong with Melanie. She wouldn't look
at him and she barely said a word.
"Well, since I can't talk about my work, why don't you tell me about yours?"
She looked up, blinking, and he saw the trace of tears and frowned softly.
"I manage a bank." She shrugged. "And I'm a troubleshooter for two others. It
keeps me busy."
"What about this guy who called, Michael?"
"He manages one of the other branches."
"Do you want to date him?"
"No, Jack. I don't want to date anyone."
"So you're going to close yourself off because you have a child?''
"No, I don't plan to, but she's young and she needs me right now.'' Melanie
smiled at her daughter. "I'd rather be with her than out on a date any day."
Jack released a breath. He could understand that. Being with Juliana was more
pleasurable than anything. His gaze snapped to Melanie. Well, almost anything,
he thought, then tried to cut the chicken marsala using one hand.
"Can I cut that for you, or do you want to put her in her bed now?'' Melanie
asked.
He handed her the knife.
Melanie rose up a bit to help, laughing as she said, "I imagined doing this for
her, not you."
"I bet you didn't imagine doing anything for me.''
Her hands stilled before she went on cutting. "That's not true."
"Really?"
"Let me ask you something. What would you have done if you learned I was
pregnant when I was pregnant."
"Come home and married you."
"I thought so. But you couldn't come home, so we'd still be just like this. In
this situation."
"I'd have convinced you to marry me."
"No, you wouldn't have. It has nothing to do with you, the man. It's me." She
pushed the plate closer to him.
"Tell me, then."
"I can't marry a man for the sake of a child."
"I know, low expectations, which is garbage, but you and I…we're good together."
"In bed, yes."
"It was more than that."
She didn't answer. She couldn't let herself believe that or she'd be helpless
around him, and she was already trying to deal with her need for him. "I don't
know." She'd made mistakes before and didn't want to repeat them. She had her
daughter to think about now, and what she did affected her, too.
"So you just shut me out?" he said.
She sighed, fingering the stem of her wineglass. She watched her movements.
"Don't make promises you can't keep, Jack."
"And how do you know I can't? It's the job, isn't it."
"No, it's not that." He was gone for long periods of time, and usually even his
family didn't know where he was.
"My daughter needs my name."
"But her mother doesn't."
"Dammit."
Juliana fussed and Jack stood. "I'll put her down," he said when she reached for
the baby. "At least give me that." She nodded. He was gone for only a few
minutes and Melanie sipped her wine. She could hear him and was tempted to go
look, to check if he'd covered the baby, then somehow she knew he would. She
just knew. Jack wasn't a man who did things halfway.
When he came back she was exactly as he'd left her, twiddling, moving food
around her plate. He was pushing her and couldn't help it. The longer his
daughter didn't have his name, the angrier he grew. He tried to see reason but
one look at his child, he couldn't. Juliana would suffer for being illegitimate,
even if her mother wouldn't. Juliana would know what it was like to be ridiculed
through no fault of her own. She would be on the receiving end of the judging
looks. Jack recalled one day when he was about seven and how he'd hitched a ride
with a neighbor to his baseball game, and while all the other boys had dads
cheering them on, he'd been alone because his mother was working her tail off to
provide him with food, clothes and a decent place to live.
Other kids came from single parents and did fine, but it was the stigma of being
a bastard that stung. Kids teased and often were ugly about it.
He refused to put his own child through that.
Jack went to the stereo and pushed in a CD, then came back to the table. He
didn't say anything as he let the music soothe the rough edges.
"I'll back off, if that's what you want," he said.
Melanie's head jerked up.
"I'll stop pestering you to many me." For now he thought, since they were
butting heads like two bulls. "But I want to be in Juliana's life and on that
I'm not budging."
Melanie's gaze locked with his. She nodded. "Okay."
"Good."
"Why don't you come over during the day?"
He was well aware of the ploy. Be here when the sitter was and not when Melanie
was. "You're setting limits?"
"No, it's just that—"
"Can't handle being me near, Melanie?" he interrupted. "Afraid you'll like it?"
"Of course I can handle it," she said.
"Outstanding. Because I have two months' leave and this is the only place I plan
to be."
Two months, she thought. Oh, no.
He leaned back in the chair, chewing his dinner, and then grinned. Melanie
looked nervous already. This was going to be interesting, he thought, and poured
her more wine.

Jack was true to his word. He didn't mention marriage again. But he was being a
nuisance. Melanie couldn't turn a corner and not find him near. And now this was
going too far. He was at the doctor's office when she'd arrived, waiting for
her. He wanted to see who was caring for his daughter and butted into the
examination, asking a dozen questions. That was fine. He was Juliana's father.
But Juliana had to have one of her regular shots, and when the baby cried,
Melanie cried, too. The nurse left them and Jack slipped his arms around her,
holding both of them close.
"She's so little and I'm letting them hurt her," Melanie said.
His smile was filled with tender humor. "No, darlin'," he said softly. "She has
to have them, you know that."
"I know, I know. I just don't want to cause her any pain."
The baby still cried and Jack lifted her from her mother's arms, holding her
tightly and rubbing her tender thigh. He murmured to his daughter, his voice a
soft drone of tenderness. When the baby quieted, he handed her back to Melanie.
"Well, I feel foolish," Melanie said, sniffling.