“Hi Mom!” Abby said with a huge smile. “We’re having chocolate chip pancakes.”
“We always have to eat healthy food,” Logan chimed in. “I learned that at school, but Dad said it was okay to have something special on the weekend.”
“Hear! Hear!” Rebecca said, trying not to smile as Patrick slid a pancake onto the counter instead of a plate by mistake. “Chocolate chip pancakes are the best.”
“Hear what?” Abby asked.
“Hear! Hear! means I agree with you.”
“Yeah,” Logan said. “She heard what you said and liked it.”
“I didn’t know,” Abby said, stuffing more chocolate chip pancakes pieces into her mouth. “I thought—”
“Don’t talk with your mouth full,” Rebecca said, taking the steaming cup of black coffee that Patrick handed her. His cool clue eyes sparked as he gazed down at her, and she knew he was remembering their night in bed as well.
She wrinkled her nose as she took a sip of the dark roast.
“I thought you liked your coffee black and super strong,” Patrick said, raising his eyebrows.
Rebecca set the cup back down on the counter. “I just feel a little queasy this morning. Normally I do love it that way. I think I’ll make myself a cup of tea instead.”
“I can make it,” Patrick said. “I’m on breakfast duty.”
He plated the bacon he’d finished cooking and turned to the cupboard to procure a new mug. Rebecca padded across the room and grabbed a box of tea from the pantry. “I didn’t even know you had tea,” he said.
“That’s because normally I’m a coffee girl,” she said, sashaying her hips slightly as she walked. Patrick’s gaze heated as he watched her move across the room in her silk robe. Although she’d knotted it tightly since the kids were around, she knew the material clung to her breasts. And if Patrick’s appreciative gaze was any indication, he’d be undressing her right now if the children weren’t around.
“I have tea at my place,” he said.
“You don’t exactly look like the tea drinking sort. I can’t imagine that’s how SEALs spend their free time. Sitting down with a cozy blanket and hot mug of Earl Grey?”
Patrick chuckled. “That’s for when my sister is over. And Earl Grey has caffeine. I have to buy that tasteless green stuff for her.”
“Makes sense,” Rebecca said with a grin. Sarah was a vegetarian who insisted on eating organic, free-range, nitrate-free, zero caffeine, healthy everything. It was funny that she and Patrick couldn’t be more opposite from one another.
Rebecca pulled her mug of hot water from the microwave and dunked her tea bag in.
“Here you go,” Patrick said, handing her a plate full of pancakes and bacon.
“It smells great,” she said appreciatively as she set the mug on the counter to wait for her tea to steep and picked up a slice of the crispy bacon. She took a bite, and as soon as the flavor burst across her tongue, her stomach roiled. “Oh God,” she said, “I think I’m going to be sick.”
Patrick’s eyes narrowed in concern as he grabbed the plate back from her and maneuvered her toward the trash can.
Rebecca bent over and promptly threw up, clutching her hair back with one hand.
“Mommy!” Abby shouted, clearly upset at seeing her mother ill.
“It’s all right,” Patrick said, his deep voice cool and collected. “Finish your breakfast, kids. I’m going to help Abby’s mom.”
Patrick held back her hair as she threw up once more and rested his hand on her back, rubbing in small circles as she wiped her mouth with a paper towel.
“I’m okay. That was just—weird,” she said shaking her head.
“Are you sure that you’re all right?”
“Fine. I think I just need to lie down a minute,” she said, walking back out of the kitchen. “I’ll be right back, kids!”
Walking into the bathroom, she rinsed her mouth with mouthwash and then returned to her bedroom. Sinking down onto the edge of the bed, she counted out the weeks on her fingers. She was due for her period any day now, so she wasn’t even really late yet. Not technically. And when she’d been pregnant with Abby, she hadn’t had any morning sickness until she was eight weeks along. It was way too soon for anything, and besides that, she wasn’t even pregnant. She couldn’t be. They always used protection and weren’t even trying for a baby at this point.
It had to be a virus or something. Food poisoning from dinner last night.
She looked up at Patrick as he appeared in the doorway.
“Want me to get you a glass of water?” he asked, eyeing her with concern.
“Sure—in a minute. I’m just....”
“What is it?”
She closed her eyes. Opened them again to see him watching her. “It’s probably nothing, but I might go to the drugstore. I mean, I’d feel better knowing for sure.”
Patrick cocked his head, his cool blue eyes assessing. She saw the exact moment it clicked. “It’s been a month since your last....”
“Yep. And like I said, it’s probably nothing. Just a stomach bug. I mean, I’m not technically even late yet. Plus, I’m on the pill.”
“And that’s gotta be, like, 99% effective.”
“Yeah,” she said, tears welling in her eyes.
“Hey,” he said quietly, crouching down in front of her. His broad shoulders took up her line of vision, and he took one of her hands between both of his. “Either way, it’s gonna be fine,” he said, searching her eyes with his cool blue gaze. “I mean, if it happened, it wouldn’t be the end of the world. We already have kids. What’s one more?”
She burst into tears.
“Sweetheart,” he said, his voice gruff. “I didn’t mean it like that.” He pushed a strand of hair back from her face and wiped her tears away with his thumbs. “We might not have been planning on this right now, but if it happened—if you’re pregnant—I’d love for us to have a baby together. For you to have my baby,” he said, his voice gruff.
“But we never really talked about having kids together—about having a baby. Things are going pretty great right now.”
“No, we never talked about it. It didn’t seem like the right time for us to try and have a baby together. Not yet anyway. But if it’s happening now, it’s happening. And I’d be happy as hell for us to have a family together.”
Rebecca swatted at another tear that rolled down her cheek. “I should go buy a pregnancy test. I mean, this could be nothing. I could be getting all worked up about this—maybe we’re not having a baby. And then—”
She shrugged helplessly as another tear fell.
“If you want to have a baby someday, we’ll try for a baby. Of course, we might have to remedy our living situation before that. Driving back and forth to change diapers in the middle of the night seems a bit much. And I kind of like the idea of you in my home—in my bed every night.”
“Yeah, of course,” she said with a laugh. “Of course we’d live together if we were having a baby. We just don’t even need to worry about that yet. Not until we know for sure. I’ll shower and head to the store. We can figure out what’s what after that.”
“I gotta tell you though, I wouldn’t mind moving in together either way,” Patrick said, his eyes heating. “Knowing that I’d be coming home to you every night sounds pretty fucking fantastic.”
“You really want us to live together?”
“I’ve been thinking about it for a while. We’ve been dating for a year now. I know neither of us wanted to rush things with the kids, with my career as a SEAL, but maybe it’s time for something more permanent.”
Rebecca smiled. “Yeah. Maybe. I just—I’m so overwhelmed at the moment.”
“So, will you move in with me? Even if this turns out to be a false alarm? I’d still want you and Abby there whether we have a baby together someday or now or never. And if this turns out to be someday? Then you’ll have made me a happy man.”
“If this turns out to be,” she
murmured nervously. “Wow. It’s hard to even imagine. But yes,” she said. “Yes. Let’s move in together. It’s time to take the next step.”
“Are you sure?”
“Absolutely. I’d love being together every single night. Having all of us under the same roof like a real family.
Patrick leaned forward and kissed her, his large hand cupping the back of her neck. “You’re not feeling nauseous anymore, are you?”
“Oh God,” she said, holding her hand to her mouth. “I just threw up.”
Patrick laughed. “And you immediately ran back here for some mouthwash. You’re fine. Go. Shower, get dressed, whatever you need. Take your time. I’ll go check on Abby and Logan.”
Fifteen minutes later she was toweling off, and she did a double-take as she walked into the bedroom wrapped only in a fluffy white towel, seeing a bag from the drugstore sitting on her bed. She peeked inside and spotted the tell-tale pink box, and her heart immediately began to race.
Funny how something as small as a box of pregnancy tests could potentially change her entire life. Their entire life.
In just a few minutes she’d have her answer, and it could change their entire future.
Patrick wouldn’t have left the kids alone to go to the store while she was in the shower though, so how on Earth had he gotten that so quickly? A moment later, he poked his head in the bedroom door, his cool blue gaze meeting hers. “Ali and Evan stopped by,” he said, his voice deep.
“You called them?”
“Texted. I figured you wouldn’t mind,” he said with a wry smile. “I was kind of anxious to find out the answer.”
“Me too. And no, of course I don’t mind. Alison would have been the first person I told after you. She must have been shocked as hell though.”
“That’s an understatement. They just dropped it off and left, but she did make me promise that you’d call her as soon as you knew anything.”
“All right,” she said, blowing out a breath. She picked up the bag, clutching it in a firm grip. “It’s probably too soon to tell anyway. I mean they make all these early result tests to get women to buy them, but I think they’re most accurate after at least a week. So we might not really know anything yet.”
“Sweetheart—”
“I know, I’m just nervous. I’ll just—” she cocked her head toward the bathroom.
His lips quirked up in a smile.
“Right. I’ll wait in here,” he said, crossing the room toward her. His large hands rested on her bare shoulders and she felt her body instantly begin to relax. “I guess this is probably a bad time to tell you how sexy you look right now?” he asked, a twinkle in his eyes.
Rebecca burst into laughter. “I’m wearing a bath towel.”
“You are,” he said, pushing a strand of damp hair behind her ear. His eyes lowered to her cleavage peeking out above the towel. “I was sort of imagining you without the towel though. And without the kids in the next room.”
“Umm-hmm. I’ll be right back,” she said, turning and heading toward the bathroom.
Less than a minute later she set the stick on the counter as she waited and absentmindedly pulled on her shorts and camisole. Nervously she ran her hands over her stomach—her flat stomach. It was hard to imagine that Patrick’s baby could already be growing inside her—their baby.
That something so tiny could change their entire lives forever.
God, what would she tell Abby?
She’d be thrilled, of course, but husbands and wives had babies. People who were married. At least that was how she’d always explained it to her young daughter.
She blew out a breath.
No sense in worrying...yet.
This could all be for nothing.
Three minutes later she emerged from the bathroom, clutching the little white stick in her trembling hand. Her heart was beating so wildly she was sure Patrick could hear it from across the room.
“How’d it go?” he asked. He didn’t move, just stood there stoically, waiting. How he could be so calm when she was about to burst, she’d never know.
“There’s two lines,” she said, her face flushed as she held up the test.
“Two lines. So that means...”
“Two pink lines. We’re having a baby,” she confirmed.
“Holy shit.”
She hesitated, and then a moment later he was crossing the room toward her. Lifting her up into his arms. She wrapped her legs around his waist as she snaked her arms around his neck and let out a sob.
“Are you okay?” Patrick asked, running a large hand over her damp hair. “A baby,” he murmured into her ear. “Holy hell.”
“Yes,” she gasped. “I’m just—I’m happy. I didn’t even realize I wanted another baby until I thought I might not be pregnant.”
“That makes no sense,” Patrick said, his arms tightening around her.
“I know,” she said, burying her face in his neck and inhaling his clean masculine scent. “I know, I just—I was so scared. The not knowing almost made it worse. But I’m happy for us. I’m happy.”
“I love you,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “I love you so much.”
“I love you, too. I’m just so shocked and surprised and—I don’t even have the words.”
“Should we tell the kids?” Patrick asked as he set her down. His gaze swept over her body as if it had somehow changed in the last few minutes.
“No, not yet,” Rebecca said firmly. “Let’s at least wait until my first doctor appointment.”
“You want me to go with you?”
“Sure, if you want. I’ll call them first thing Monday morning. I don’t think they see you right away though—probably not until eight weeks. And I didn’t have any complications when I was pregnant with Abby, so there’s probably no need for me to come in any earlier than that.”
Patrick scrubbed a hand over his face, glancing around the room.
“What is it?”
“Just thinking. Planning. Logan and I could move here if you prefer, or you and Abby could move into my place. It’s bigger and closer to base.”
“I don’t even have any baby stuff anymore. I gave it all away after the accident.”
Patrick nodded, his jaw clenched. “We’ll figure it out. I mean, hell, we have nine months, right?”
Rebecca let out a small laugh. “Well, I guess we have plenty of time. I mean, that’s the upside of finding out right away, right? Thanks to my crazy early morning sickness. Speaking of which, I think I’ll go eat some plain toast or something. Settle my stomach a little.”
“Tea and toast coming right up,” Patrick said with a grin.
“I can go back into the kitchen. Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll have plenty of time to wait on me hand and foot when I’m further along and am waddling around.”
Patrick chuckled. “That’s what the kids are for, right?”
She took his hand and felt his thick fingers slide between hers and the corded muscles of his forearm as it brushed against her own. Patrick guided her back toward the bedroom door, and a feeling of warmth washed over her. Patrick was always so confident and assured, this hadn’t even fazed him in the slightest.
Funny how just a day ago, she hadn’t been in a rush for anything to change, and now everything was changing, but in the best of ways.
What a way to start the weekend.
Chapter 4
PATRICK TOSSED THE football to Evan on the beach that afternoon, watching it spiral through the air. The kids ran and shrieked in the surf beside him, the sun beating down on the sand and glistening off the sparkling water. A gust of wind blew in from the ocean, and he grinned, enjoying the spray of salt water as another wave crashed onto the shore. His gaze drifted toward the dry sand fifty feet away, landing on Rebecca and Alison resting on beach chairs under a striped beach umbrella.
Rebecca waved when she spotted him watching her and blew him a kiss.
“You’re in a damn good mood,” Evan commented.<
br />
Patrick’s gaze flicked back toward his buddy. “Hell of a day,” he said as he easily caught the pass Evan tossed back at him. He gripped the football, lining up his fingers on the laces without a second thought and spiraling it back toward his teammate.
“You tell the kids?” Evan asked as he caught Patrick’s pass.
“Nah. Too soon.”
“Dad!” Logan shrieked from the water a few feet away as he jumped up and down. “I saw a fish! A fish!”
Patrick chuckled at the tiny school of fish jumping out of the water as another wave rolled in, glistening in the sunlight. He’d have to take Logan fishing again soon. Abby, too, although she hadn’t seemed interested at all whenever he’d mentioned the idea.
The sand shifted beneath his feet as the cool water rushed back out into the ocean, and he squinted up at the afternoon sun. Nothing better than an afternoon at the beach, enjoying the salt water, sand, and sun.
The team would probably be deploying again soon. Their CO had contacted him after lunch to let him know he had an important briefing to update the team on first thing Monday morning. It felt different knowing he’d have to leave Rebecca and the kids now that she was pregnant.
It was a bigger deal now. Harder to go.
He’d given his life to the Navy, but that didn’t mean his own family didn’t come first. And hell, Rebecca was family now. They hadn’t been in a rush before, but he needed to get down on one knee. Get things settled and taken care of before the baby arrived. Move Rebecca and Abby into the house with him and Logan—and most importantly?
Make her his wife.
Evan jogged over to him as Patrick abandoned their game and helped the kids haul heavy pails of water toward the sand castles they were building.
“Mine needs a moat around it,” Abby said, admiring her crumbling castle.
“A moat, huh?”
“Yes. To protect the princess inside.”
“One moat coming up,” Patrick said with sideways glance at Evan.
Married to a SEAL Page 3
