“There is nothing big nor stupid about your head,” Jill soothed from half a world away.
“Well, maybe that’s the problem!” Olive burst out. “Mom, you know my history with men! I always wind up driving them away in the end! Because I just... open my mouth, or... try way too hard to insert logic and be helpful.” Olive shook her head, and her curls bounced wildly. The baby chose that moment to deliver a series of quick kicks, though Olive couldn’t tell if it was because all three generations of Owen girls were in agreement here or not. Olive explained everything to Jill, including their big fight and Olive’s decision to move out.
“Olive, listen to me very carefully,” her mother said. Olive pressed the phone to her ear and held her breath. Even though logic told her Jill couldn’t sort everything out for her in a single phone call, a part of her couldn’t help hoping for that outcome all the same. “I’ve told you your whole life how smart you are. What I never told you is that you didn’t just inherit your mother’s big brain, girlfriend.”
“What do you mean?” Olive was puzzled.
“You’ve got gorgeous looks in addition to your brain!” her mother exclaimed. Olive swore she could hear a grunt of agreement from her father in the background; evidently, he hadn’t walked far enough away. “You’re a knockout, and I should have told it to you sooner! I was so concerned with raising you up to be a young woman who didn’t emphasize looks that I’m afraid you went in the completely opposite direction and totally failed to realize how beautiful you are!” Jill Owen paused as if to come up for air, but carried on before the speechless Olive could think of anything to interject. “Honey, what you’ve struggled with your whole life isn’t your brain chasing men away. Everything about you is striking.”
Olive colored and looked around, hoping no other shoppers were overhearing this pep talk right now.
“And from what you said, it sounds to me like Levon is a man who won’t be intimidated. He may not have handled everything perfectly, but it sounds like he valued and appreciated you every step of the way, even if he didn’t always know how to show it. You need someone to call you on your shit, or, in your case—get you out of your head. You’ve got to live life, Olive; not spend all your time analyzing it.”
“You’re right,” Olive expelled a ragged breath. “But Mom, what if I already screwed it up?”
“According to my calculations, that’s impossible!” her father hollered in the background. “Your stars are in alignment, kiddo!”
Olive’s face practically caught fire. “Mom, am I on speaker? And Dad—you’re so not helping!”
After her parents had finished embarrassing her, Olive hung up the call. She headed over to the mall pretzel stand and deliberated.
Maybe she couldn’t win Levon back. She had to accept that as a possible outcome. Maybe, despite her parents’ cheerleading, she had already fatally messed it all up on that front.
But at least now she knew what bedding she wanted for the baby.
* * *
It took all of Levon’s courage, as a father and an ex-SEAL, to knock on Olive’s door that same evening.
As the seconds passed, he wondered if she would answer. He could tell by her car, and the lights on in the upstairs windows, that she was home. The raid was done. He’d texted Olive himself to tell her the danger had passed, so there was no reason for her to worry anymore, but still. Just because she was there didn’t mean she’d answer the door. Especially when she saw it was him.
When the door finally did open to reveal Olive, wearing baggy denim overalls and covered from head to toe in splattered paint, Levon nearly dropped the gift-wrapped box he was holding. “Olive, what...?”
“It’s okay. It’s safe.” She smiled. “I triple-checked the brand, and it won’t be a problem as long as I keep the room ventilated while working.”
“Uh, okay.” He had no idea what she was talking about. He squinted again, but still couldn’t make out the color of the paint covering her. It was too dark in the twilight realm of her porch, and she was backlit by the lights indoors. “Well, I trust you of all people to have done your research.”
He wanted to kick himself. He wanted to turn around and walk out of her life before she could throw him out of it.
“Want to see the nursery?” To his surprise, Olive stepped aside to invite him in. Levon wondered for a moment if he imagined that shy, flickering glance up at him before she looked away again. Levon nodded gratefully, and followed her inside.
She led him down the hall to a room with dark and tranquil blue walls. Yep, that was the color on Olive’s skin and hair. He’d never realized the color could be so beautiful and... cozy.
“I decided to match it to the nightlight you made,” Olive explained.
“The nightlight we made,” he corrected reflexively. She ducked her head and nodded, but couldn’t hide the shy, happy smile. It transformed her from gorgeous to breathtaking, and the urgency inside Levon couldn’t be denied any longer. “Olive, we need to talk.”
“We’re already talking,” she pointed out.
“Right.” Levon gave a nervous chuckle and scratched the back of his head. Shit. He was blowing it already and he’d just gotten here. The adrenaline ricocheting through his system only tangled his thoughts more, and he needed a few extra seconds-to-minutes to mull over his words. He had practiced his apology in the car coming over here, but all of his anticipated excuses seemed to vanish as soon as he was in her presence. Back when they’d been lab partners, Olive had always told him direct and plain was the best course, so he went for it, blurting out, “I love you.”
She didn’t respond. Just stood there blinking at him, looking as poleaxed as he felt.
Dammit. That didn’t go well. And the fact she obviously hadn’t expected him to say it made him feel even worse. Had he bungled their relationship so much she’d not known how he felt about her? Sure, he’d never said the actual words until today, but he’d thought he’d shown her—by being there for her, protecting her. When he couldn’t take her silence any longer, he resorted to babbling, exactly what they trained SEALs not to do in a hostage situation. You’re supposed to keep your mouth shut and wait it out. Except today, there was no way he could keep his feeling in any longer. “I’m sorry you’ve had to be so patient with me. I always thought book-based intelligence wasn’t my thing... now I’m starting to suspect emotional intelligence isn’t in my wheelhouse, either.”
Olive snorted and shook her head, her smile turning rueful. “You and I have always struggled with this, haven’t we? It’s always kept us apart. Our insecurities, I mean.” She shook her head. “Levon, you’re not the only one who struggles with... us. I don’t think I’ve gotten through a single day since you’ve been back without doubting myself, and wondering if you found me attractive, and if so, why—”
“Not attractive?” This was too much. Before he could rethink his actions, Levon set his gift on the bassinet and crossed to her, pulling Olive into his arms, as close as possible with the baby between them. “I wish you could see how beautiful you are to me,” he murmured into her hair. “Every time I look at you, I feel like I’m looking at a miracle. It’s been that way since high school.”
“I feel the same way about you, Levon,” she said, hugging him back just as fiercely. “I mean, you know I love you too, right?”
He did now. Levon drew back and grinned. “Was hoping you’d say that.”
After a sweet, slow kiss, he pulled back and grabbed the gift he’d brought, handing it to Olive and watching with delight as she tore it open. “Oh, Levon! Thank you!”
It was the mobile she’d bought, the fancy one with all the planets and galaxies and stuff on it. He’d spent the whole night last night putting it together for her.
“I knew it was your favorite thing and couldn’t imagine the baby’s room without it.” He indicated the bedding lining the crib: a dark blue sprinkled with reflective stars and swirls of silver.
“True.” Olive thrust the
mobile at him excitedly. “Here. Help me put it up. The ladder’s in the hall closet. Grab it, will you?”
“Sure thing.” He did as she asked, then returned to set it up. Once he was done, he stepped down off the ladder to admire his handiwork. “There. Nursery complete.”
“Oh. Wait,” Olive said, holding up a finger as she backed out of the room. “There’s one more thing.”
Moments later she returned to plug something into the electrical socket in the wall, then stepped back to reveal the nightlight they’d made together a few weeks prior. His heart swelled at the memory and at all the possibilities of new memories to come. Olive smiled up at him as he gathered her into his arms once more. The room sprang to life around them: dark, dreamy, and full of promise. Levon watched the stars scatter across the walls, and watched the planets spin, as he held Heaven in his arms.
“But what about your job with the Soldiers of Fortune?” she asked after a moment. “Don’t you have to live in Arlington for that?”
“Maybe,” he said, sighing. “We’re still working everything out. Is that a deal-breaker for you?”
Olive squeezed him tight and buried her face in his chest before answering. “No. I’d go anywhere, as long as I’m with you.”
“You wouldn’t miss your students?” he asked, kissing the top of her head. “I know you love that school.”
Olive beamed up at him, taking her hand in his and placing them atop her baby bump. “I love you and our baby even more. And I can still keep in touch with my students no matter where we live. My future’s with you.”
Levon bent to kiss her again, filled with so much love he felt like he might burst with it. “And you, Olive Owen, are my future.”
20
“‘It was the best of times; it was the worst of times…’”
“Really, Levon! Don’t you think that book’s a little too advanced for her?” an amused voice interrupted behind him.
Levon turned, and saw his gorgeous wife slanting her gorgeous frame in the nursery doorway. Despite Olive’s words, he could see her silent laugh in the way her mouth curved.
“Well, I thought little Allie and I would get a head start.” Levon returned his attention to the infant girl, equally gorgeous, sleeping soundly in the curved cradle of his right arm. “I want her to attack reading the way I never did. I don’t want her to ever be afraid of it.”
“But Dickens?” Olive wondered. “Do you really think she’ll retain…? Oh. Ha. Ha.” Levon had turned again while she was talking, and raised the copy of The Cat in the Hat he was reading from. “You knew I was here the whole time.”
“Can’t sneak up on a SEAL, baby.”
Olive scoffed, but had no argument for that truism. She crossed into the room and joined the other two members of her new family on the rug. Their new house in Arlington was much bigger than her house back in Harper’s Forge. Perfect for a future growing family, Levon had said. She reached out and tweaked one of Allie’s tiny little feet. “How is she doing?”
“Snug as a bug in a rug.”
“Well, now that I know she’s so intellectually advanced, maybe I’ll wait to share my news until she’s awake so the both of you can appreciate what it means,” Olive teased.
Levon’s heart nearly stopped at what he thought her words hinted at. “Don’t you dare,” he said. “And don’t make me wrestle you for it. You know I will. I’ll put Allie in her cradle, and I’ll—”
“Okay, okay! Yeesh!” Olive laughed again, but Levon saw the uncontainable excitement lighting her eyes as she withdrew a letter from her pocket. He traded her for Allie, watching his wife draw their daughter into her arms; but the beautiful sight didn’t distract him for long. He unfolded the piece of paper and scanned down the lines of text. For once, every letter seemed to sit still on the page; as if they, too, were holding their breath for him to achieve complete understanding of Olive’s news.
“You got it,” he said with wonder. “In less than two years, you got your Ph.D. from the University of Arlington. Holy shit, Liv, I’m married to…”
“… a doctor.” Olive couldn’t resist making the pronouncement herself. “Well? What do you say to that, Mr. ex-SEAL?”
Levon folded the letter closed. “I say that I’m looking forward to being Mr. Doctor Owen,” he replied.
“I’ll be Doctor Asher,” she corrected him.
“Still not used to that.”
“‘Olive Asher’ is a way cuter name. Makes me sound like a superhero.” Olive pinched Allie’s toes again. “‘Allie Asher’. We sure did make a beautiful kid, Levon.”
“Don’t I know it. I’m the one who gets to look at the two of you every morning when I wake up.” Levon drew his girls into a protective embrace and sighed blissfully. “To think this is my life…”
“To think this is my life,” Olive echoed him. She tucked her head beneath his chin and snuggled in close. “Me: the nerdy girl from science lab, who always had a crush on the guy who was out of her league.”
“And me: the guy too stunned by his cute lab partner to get a smooth word in edgewise. Oh, that reminds me,” Levon continued as he helped Olive lift the sleeping Allie up to her bed. “They’re throwing a surprise party for you tomorrow after school to celebrate.”
“How the hell… heck… do they know already?” Olive really seemed perplexed by this. “You’re the first person I’ve told. I haven’t even told my parents, and they demanded I call them immediately when I got the letter—”
“Because I’m about to let everyone know.” Levon finished tucking their daughter in, then pressed a finger to his lips. “Family, friends, students—present and former. It’s been the plan all along. Everything’s organized, just waiting for the ‘go’ sign. I just have to say the word, and they’ll spring into action. I think a bunch of people from Harper’s Forge are planning to rent a bus.”
“You have such a talent for making others fall in line,” Olive said admiringly. She fluttered her eyelashes, and didn’t appear to know she was doing it. Levon felt a rush of arousal, but decided to keep a lid on it—at least until they were out of the room. “But wait, what am I saying?” Olive shook her head. “I don’t want a surprise party! I… it’ll be totally embarrassing.”
“Of course. That’s why I was kind enough to tell you in advance.” Levon shepherded his lovely wife from the nursery and escorted her back to their room. “But I’d like to give you my present now.” He pulled the wrapped box from the back of their shared closet and brought it out to her.
“Oh, Levon.”
Unwrapped, his wife now saw what he had given her: a microscope. He saw it the moment recognition dawned on her face, and the tears came into her eyes. “It looks just like the one we used to use on projects together.”
“It is the one we used to use on projects together.”
Olive set her gift aside and threw her arms around his neck. “I’ll use it every day!” she exclaimed.
Levon laughed and hugged her back. “I know you will. Doctor.”
“I love you, my very own Soldier of Fortune,” she answered lovingly as she kissed him.
End of Protecting His Pregnant Lover
Southern Soldiers of Fortune Book One
Protecting His Pregnant Lover, October 8, 2020
Protecting His Kidnapped Family, October 15, 2020
Protecting His Beautiful Lover, October 22, 2020
Do you like sexy military men? Please keep reading for exclusive extracts from Protecting His Kidnapped Family and The SEAL’s Surprise Son.
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About Leslie
Leslie North is the USA Today Bestselling pen name
for a critically-acclaimed author of women's contemporary romance and fiction. The anonymity gives her the perfect opportunity to paint with her full artistic palette, especially in the romance and erotic fantasy genres.
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BLURB
Less than a year ago, Serena Carson was a happy socialite, heiress to a candy fortune, and had just had one of the hottest nights ever with Navy SEAL Noah Wild. Now, she’s being held for ransom—which no one is paying—in a remote country in South America. And the one night stand with the hunky SEAL? That steamy night of heaven left her with a beautiful baby girl. Believing her captors are about to make good on the promise to kill her, leaving her child an orphan, Serena plans her escape, only to be rescued by…Noah. Bossy, tough-guy, sexy Noah. Who also is heartbreakingly gentle with his daughter. As the trio make their escape, the attraction that first brought Serena and Noah together flares to life, making Serena wonder if that one night could ever become something more…
Noah is not ready to be a father and certainly not ready to settle down. That’s what he keeps telling himself anyway. Once the three of them are back safe in the U.S., he’s ready to return to solitary life as a hired protector, working for the Southern Soldiers of Fortune. There’s no place in his life for those warm, fuzzy, and completely unfamiliar feelings like love and togetherness. What is it about Serena that makes him crazy with emotions he doesn’t want to feel? All his adult life, Noah has thrived on danger, but nothing for him is as dangerous as what he feels for Serena and his daughter. He believes it would be best for Serena if he just let her leave. What kind of life would she have, married to someone who is more than a little rough around the edges? But what kind of life would he have if he let her go…?
Protecting His Pregnant Lover: Southern Soldiers of Fortune Book One Page 14
