Rocky Ground

by Kaylea Cross

  He gave an easy shrug. “I guess I got used to it with my nieces when they were small. Though it’s hard to remember them being this tiny.” Savannah gazed up at him with solemn, dark brown eyes. Her father’s eyes.

  Aidan had served with Carter when their units did joint operations overseas, and liked him. But although Savannah wasn’t Jase’s by blood, he was that wee lass’s father in every way that mattered.

  “It took me a while before I trusted myself not to drop her,” Jase said, sliding a burger onto Molly’s plate.

  “It’s pretty much the same as holding a rugby ball,” Aidan told him. He’d decided to wait to tell Beckett about the work visa after dinner, when everyone else left. “You just tuck it into you good and close and make sure you don’t drop it.”

  Everyone was seated on the back porch eating burgers and the salad Sierra dished out onto their plates when Aidan caught the sound of an excited little voice coming around the side of the house. Smiling, he stood and walked over to Molly, Savannah in his arms.

  Ella appeared at the end of the porch, her face lighting up when she saw him. “Mac! I came to help feed my—I mean, all the kittens.”

  He smothered a laugh. “That’s a good lass. They’re sleeping on Walter. He’s all worn out from his dune buggy field trip this afternoon.”

  She eyed him in consternation. “Why is your face blue?”

  “It’s my war paint. The Scottish flag.” He grinned at her expression, but the smile froze when her mother suddenly appeared around the corner. “Tiana. Hi.” The sight of her was like a punch to the solar plexus. Now that she’d lowered her guard and decided they could be friends he wanted way more. He wanted all of her, for the time he had left here.

  She stopped too, apparently surprised to see him. Or maybe because his face was blue or because he was holding Savannah, he couldn’t be sure. But her smile was genuine, and it made his heart thud against his ribs. “Hi. Nice face.”

  “Thank you.” He handed Savannah over to Molly.

  “Sorry to interrupt,” she said to Beckett and Sierra. “I didn’t realize you had company. Ella got your text about the kittens and begged me to bring her right over.”

  “No, don’t be silly,” Sierra said, crossing the porch to beckon her up the steps. “We’ve got plenty of burgers and sides. You guys hungry?”

  “I’m not hungry,” Ella blurted, already through the porch door and on her way to the laundry room.

  “Shocking,” Tiana said with a laugh, and for a moment, Aidan couldn’t move. Or breathe.

  He’d never seen her laugh before. Not like this, so easy and carefree. It lit up her face and eyes, transformed her from attractive to stunning, and for the life of him he couldn’t look away.

  A wave of possessiveness hit him, so strong he had to fight the urge to walk over to her and wrap a proprietary arm around her shoulders. Or kiss her until she melted and plastered that trim, curvy body against his. He was six-three, so the top of her head came just to his chin.

  Instead he followed her and Sierra over to the table on the back patio where Sierra had all the food set up, and helped himself to more salad. “Where’s Lizzie?” he asked Tiana.

  “She took my camera and walked into town to snap some pictures before she heads to the airport. She’s flying out tonight—cab picks her up at six—and has got it in her mind to make up a calendar with pictures from her trip.”

  “I’ll be sorry to see her go.”

  “Oh, us too, believe me.” Her eyes were so sad, he wanted to hug her and kiss it away.

  “Is your car fixed yet?” Sierra asked her, sliding a cheeseburger onto a bun for her.

  “No, they had to order in some parts and they won’t be in until tomorrow. That’s another reason why I had the courtesy driver bring us here. It’s a school holiday tomorrow and Ella’s been invited to a birthday party-slash-sleepover up the coast. I’ve got an appointment with a family lawyer in Portland at eleven in the morning. The rental car place in town is closed for some reason. Any chance I could trouble you or Beckett for a ride to the closest one in the morning?”

  “I’m going into Portland tomorrow too,” Aidan interjected.

  Tiana looked over at him in surprise. “You are?”

  “I’ve got an appointment with an immigration lawyer.” He was still holding out hope that something could be done to allow him to come back and work here in the fall. “Anyway, I’d be happy to drive you both. If you’re comfortable with it,” he added. Truce or no, he didn’t want to push too hard and make her retreat when he was just starting to make progress. As things stood he had just over two weeks left here. He wanted to spend all of it with her.

  Her smile was soft but it pierced his heart like a bullet. She was slow to trust due to things in her past, but he sensed he was beginning to win her over. That made it all the sweeter. “You’re sure?”

  “Of course.” He’d love to spend more time with her and Ella, and this way he was helping them too. Maybe that would earn her trust even more. He wanted that. He wanted her. To make her smile. Laugh.

  To make her come, while crying out his name.

  “Well then, we’d love that. Thank you.”

  He smiled back, anxious to move the needle from her tolerating him to needing him. Nothing less would do. “I’m looking forward to it.”

  What he wasn’t looking forward to was the conversation he’d been putting off for the past few days. Once everyone had left, once it was only him, Beckett and Sierra, he helped clear the last of the dishes.

  Beckett eyed him. “Something on your mind, Mac?”

  “You wash, I’ll dry,” he said.

  Sierra took the hint. “Great, I’ll go see to the kittens.”

  Beckett washed the first bowl and handed it to him. “So? You gonna tell me?”

  “The appeal on my work visa was denied. Unless a miracle happens, I won’t be able to work in the States again after my contract job is over.”

  Beckett looked away and grabbed the next dish. “I was afraid that’s what you were gonna tell me.”

  “I’m meeting with my lawyer in the morning. Hoping he’ll be able to get the ball rolling on something else. Maybe permanent residency or something.”

  “I’d hate like hell to lose you. You’re an integral part of my company. And I’m not just saying that because I’m the boss.”

  He didn’t want to go. “And you like having me around to keep you entertained with my stellar personality?”

  The hint of a smile tugged at Beckett’s hard mouth. “It’s never boring with you around, I’ll grant you that.” He reached over and clapped a strong hand on Aidan’s back. “Let’s hope your lawyer has an ace up his sleeve. If there’s anything I can do on my end, just name it. I want you to come back here to stay when this next contract’s up.”

  Aidan thought of the friends he had here. Then he thought of Tiana and the prospect of never seeing her again and his insides tightened. “Thanks. That makes two of us.”

  Chapter Eight

  “Have a great time, sweetie.” On the birthday girl’s doorstep Tiana hugged Ella goodbye then pressed her cell phone into her daughter’s hand. “It’s fully charged. I’ve put Aidan’s number in there as Mac. Call or text us anytime, okay? We’ll head straight back from Portland after our appointments. And you can always contact Beckett and Sierra too, if need be.”

  “What about Mr. Noah and Miss Poppy? Or Mr. Jase and Miss Molly?”

  “Them too.” And wasn’t it wonderful to have a trusted circle of friends they could turn to?

  Ella nodded, a big smile on her face. She’d been asking for a phone for almost as long as she’d been asking for a pet, so having a cell phone for a whole twenty-four hours was pretty exciting for her. “Bye.”

  “Love you. I’ll be here to pick you up in the morning.”

  “Okay. Love you too,” Ella called, already heading for the open front door where the birthday girl waited with her mom. Tiana waved at them, waited for the
door to shut, then turned back for Aidan’s SUV.

  Her tummy flipped when she opened her door and climbed in, the interior holding the scent of clean, masculine spice. Aidan was male perfection in jeans and a dress shirt that hugged every muscular line of his chest and shoulders. It made her imagine what he’d look like shirtless. All those sculpted muscles flowing into each other. All that warm, smooth skin to explore.

  “Good to go?” he asked.

  “Yes.” She buckled up, a tiny bit nervous about being alone with Aidan for the next two hours, and two hours more after her appointment on the way back to the coast. She’d offered to pay for gas but he wouldn’t hear of it.

  “She seemed excited.”

  “Yes. She doesn’t get to have many sleepovers, but I know this mom pretty well, so…” She rubbed her hands over her thighs, the denim of her jeans soft beneath her palms. “I’m trying to loosen the reins a little bit, but with everything that’s happened it’s tough for me.”

  “I can understand that. It’s great that you recognize it and are trying, though.” He turned onto the main road that would take them to the highway. “How does she feel about meeting her dad tomorrow?”

  “A little nervous, but mostly excited.” The opposite of Tiana.

  He nodded. “And what about you?” he asked, slanting her a look.

  “I’m…dealing with it,” she said with a slight laugh.

  His answering smile sent a wave of longing through her. “Good on you.”

  “You must think I’m a neurotic freak after everything I’ve told you.”

  “No, I think you’re a loving, protective mother who wants to make sure Ella doesn’t get hurt again.”

  His words pierced her protective armor, landing a bull’s eye in the soft, defenseless place inside her that she did her best to hide from the rest of the world. He got it. He really got it. “That’s exactly it,” she said softly, astounded by his perception.

  She looked out her window, unprepared for how it felt to be understood by this attractive man she barely knew. It shook her deep inside, made her feel simultaneously vulnerable and respected.

  When she risked a glance at him again, her pulse quickened as she took in the strong lines of his profile, the quiet confidence and authority he radiated. A lot like Beckett and Jase. But she’d never wanted to stroke her hand through Beckett’s or Jase’s hair, or climb into their laps to kiss them senseless.

  She mentally shook herself. “You met Beckett and Jase in Afghanistan, right?” She should have asked him ages ago.

  “Aye. Our units worked together on missions from time to time.”

  “How long were you in the military?”

  He nodded. “For fourteen glorious years.”

  “Army?”

  A smile tugged at his mouth. “No. Royal Marines. Four-Five Commando, based in Arbroath.”

  “Oh.” She’d have to look them up when she got home. She wanted to know more about Aidan’s background. “Were you an officer?”

  “Captain.”

  Oh yeah, she could easily picture him in command. That was sexy. Picturing him in his uniform was as well. And imagining how that command and control thing might translate into the bedroom with him filled her head with all kinds of tantalizing possibilities. Yum. “You guys must have gotten to know each other really well, considering the conditions you were in together.”

  “Aye. They’re good lads.”

  “They are.” Lord, the man fascinated her. And she’d decided that allowing herself to indulge in a little fantasizing was harmless considering he was leaving soon, and she had no intention of acting on it. “Okay, I’ve got a million more questions, but it’s a long drive and I don’t want to make you regret taking me with you.”

  He glanced over, the male interest in his eyes unmistakable, and made her heart beat faster, her body warming at the thought of being the center of his focus. “Not possible. Ask away.”

  Oh, she would be in a world of trouble if he ever made a move. Because she didn’t think she’d be able to resist him. “Okay. What about the story you didn’t tell me about that day we walked to the beach?”

  He winced. “You would start with that.”

  “If it’s too personal—”

  “You’re awright, fair’s fair.” He rolled his shoulders. “All right, short version. I thought I’d found the woman of my dreams. Ginny. She was from Glasgow and I met her when I was home on leave from Afghanistan. We moved in together. We’d talked about getting married and I’d planned to pop the question when I got back at the end of my last tour. Only when I got home, she’d moved out and left a note saying she’d found someone else. Someone more exciting that she didn’t have to wait around for to be with.”

  Tiana gaped at him, astonished. “That’s awful.”

  He nodded, a sardonic smile curving his lips. His incredibly kissable lips. “Aye, it wasn’t a fun experience.”

  “She seriously moved out and broke up with you with a note?” She couldn’t fathom it.

  “She did.”

  “That’s cold.”

  “It was, though in hindsight I suppose it wasn’t a complete surprise. I knew something wasn’t right between us. She’d been pulling away, in contact with me less and less while I was gone.” He shrugged. “I guess I just didn’t want to face what was happening.”

  Ginny had left him while he’d been at war, and every day over there could have been his last. God.

  “I guess I thought it was just the strain of separation during the deployment. I’d heard other blokes talk about it with their wives and girlfriends. But I thought we could fix it once I got home.”

  Tiana shook her head, scowling. “I don’t like her.”

  Aidan’s chuckle stirred her insides. “I’m over it now. She did me a favor after all, didn’t she? Left me before we’d made any promises, instead of afterward.”

  “I guess.” Tiana still didn’t like her. Breaking up with him was one thing, but the way Ginny had gone about it was cowardly and cruel. “What did you do?”

  “I got on with it. After my service was up I took a military contracting job based in Florida.”

  “Wow, I would never have guessed we had that part in common,” she said after a moment. “Being abandoned.”

  He turned his head to look at her, reached out to squeeze her shoulder in a show of support. “But we’re both better off for it, aren’t we?”

  True. “Yeah, I guess we are.”

  The rest of the drive to Portland passed far too quickly. “Are you close to your family?” she asked as they pulled into town.

  “Aye. Speak to my mum and dad every week at least. My sister and the girls not as much, but fairly often.”

  She didn’t offer any insight about her own family.

  He was telling her funny stories about his family when they reached her lawyer’s office a few minutes later. Aidan parked along the curb out front. “My appointment’s a few blocks down and shouldn’t take long. Wait upstairs for me and I’ll meet you there when I’m done.”

  “All right.”

  “Good luck.”

  “Thanks.” She shot him a grin. “You too.” It was a relief to get out of the SUV, because the longer she spent with him, the more tempted she became to kiss him.

  Up on the seventh floor, she found that her lawyer was fifteen minutes behind. He finally brought her into his office, a corner unit with a sweeping view of the downtown core and the river, and seated her in front of his wide desk. “I’m afraid I’ve got some bad news.”

  The hope she’d been holding onto deflated like a popped balloon. “Oh, no. What?” What now?

  “Ella’s father is looking into possible child endangerment charges against you.”

  Her eyes flew wide, her insides turning to ice. “What?” she whispered, aghast.

  “His lawyer sent notice this morning.” He flipped through a printed document sitting in front of him. “There’s information here about several of your previous relat
ionships. Apparently one man was arrested for drunk driving with Ella in the backseat?”

  Tiana cringed. She’d been at work late and had asked Ross to pick Ella up from afterschool care. She’d had no idea he’d been drinking at an office party that afternoon. Of course, she hadn’t realized yet that he was an alcoholic. “Yes,” she said softly.

  He frowned as he kept reading. “There’s also mention of possible molestation by your previous boyfriend last year.”

  The blood drained from her face in a prickling rush, then flooded back in, making her skin burn. Oh, shit…

  “And something about an incident with a cougar in the summer?” He looked up at her.

  Her heart raced, thudding against her ribcage. How had Evan found out? “The cougar was stalking us. We live near a wooded area. It could have happened to anyone.” Luckily Poppy had seen it, run to get a rifle and killed the animal before it could attack.

  The lawyer nodded and went back to scanning the papers. “And then there are also some things listed here about your background. Incidents concerning you and your parents when you were younger. Nothing I can see that would pertain to your relationship with Ella, but…”

  A hot, stinging rush hit the backs of her eyes, warning that tears were imminent. Evan was trying to paint her as unfit. Using her past pain to hurt her far worse than anything she’d ever been through. Why would he do this? He’d said he wasn’t going after custody.

  “This is crazy. I would never intentionally put Ella in any kind of danger.” Her voice sounded so shaky. “He can’t use this against me, can he? Especially when he’s the one who abandoned his daughter when she was a baby?”

  “That depends on what evidence he uncovers, and what the judge thinks of it. The ongoing issue of Brian is the most concerning to me.”

  Her anxiety spiked. She’d hoped to keep that and the looming trial separate from the issue with Evan. Now it looked like that was impossible.

  “Yes,” she whispered, feeling ill. Even if it wasn’t her fault that Brian had been a child predator, even if she’d severed ties with him and immediately pressed charges the night the truth had come to light…she was still responsible. She’d left Ella alone with him on countless occasions. Had never guessed what was really happening.