Bernie ran for the door. Sloane held on. She wasn’t going anywhere without him.
Connor’s attention stayed on Reed. “Put your hands on your head and come with us. Surrender. It will go better for you if you do it voluntarily.”
“Go be with Bernie.” Connor’s eyes brushed over her for a second. “I’ll come out in a minute.”
Sloane suddenly had a quick thought that Reed might commit suicide. He looked that defeated.
“Don’t do anything you’ll regret, Reed. We have a saying in the SEALs, ‘the only easy day was yesterday.’ Just take it a day at a time. You can do this.”
Reed closed his eyes. “It’s a relief to have lost it all. I can finally stop juggling a hundred balls at once, stealing, cheating.” Tears streamed down his face. He put his hands on his head.
“I need to frisk you, Reed. They’ll want to know you’re truly unarmed.”
He nodded.
Connor’s arms tightened around Sloane briefly. “It’ll be all right,” he murmured against her ear. She released him.
He searched Reed just as a policeman would, running his hands over his limbs and body. From the way he did it, it wasn’t his first time.
They walked next to Reed until they reached the door. Several guns were pointed at the doorway. Sloane gripped Connor’s waist tighter, her heart in her throat.
“I’ve searched him,” Connor said. “He’s not armed, and he wants to surrender.”
Connor tugged her out the door and moved aside, out into the reception area, away from the action as at least three men shouted for Reed to lie facedown on the floor. He quickly complied.
Sloane burrowed against Connor as tightly as she could. His arms were tight around her, his hand smoothing her hair over and over. The relief was almost numbing.
Once Reed was handcuffed, they hustled him out and down the stairs. One of the policemen broke away from others still milling about and approached them. His jaw worked, and he looked as though he’d like to take a swing at Connor. “I ought to arrest you for interfering with police business.”
“I really hope you don’t, sir. I only have a week left of leave, and I’d rather spend it with Sloane than in a jail cell. I’m about two months away from retirement from the Navy, and it might screw things up with my discharge, too.”
The officer chewed on that a moment. “What the hell do you do for the Navy, Chief?” he asked.
“I’m a SEAL, sir.”
“Well, hell.” He shook his head and stomped off.
Connor looked down at her. “Do you think he’ll come back and slap cuffs on me?”
“If he does, you have your lawyer right here.”
He cupped her face in his hands, and his tender look had her eyes stinging. “I love you, Sloane.”
Tears streamed down her face again. “I love you, too.”
He brushed at the tears with his thumbs. “I want to build a family with you. I never thought I’d say that again. After Livy… But I’m saying it.”
“Oh, Connor.” She stretched up to kiss him. “It might be sooner than you’re prepared for.”
He tilted his head, looking confused. “What do you mean?”
She pulled the pregnancy test out of her bra and handed it to him.
He stared at the plus sign for several moments, then flashed a wry grin. “You said it would be a million-to-one shot.” He laughed. “I’ve had a few of those during my SEAL career, but never one like this.”
“What I said was true. My fallopian tubes were scarred by an infection when I was fourteen. My appendix burst, and I was in the hospital for a week. They told me I’d never be able to get pregnant without medical help.”
He kissed her. “A miracle.” His eyes were dark with emotion. “Our miracle.”
Her chest felt as if her heart had swelled too big to fit properly. “Bernie says you have super-swimmers.”
He laughed. “We haven’t done anything slowly, have we?”
She shook her head. “No. I think I fell in love with you during our first date, our first kiss, Connor.”
“You nearly brought me to my knees with that first kiss. If we keep this up, we may be in for a wild ride, Sloane.” He rested his forehead against hers.
“You promised me an adventure.”
He smiled. “Instead of just two weeks, we’ll have a lifetime.”
Which was more than fine with her.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT TERESA REASOR
Website:www.teresareasor.com
Teresa Reasor’s Amazon Author Page
MILITARY ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
BREAKING FREE (Book 1 of the SEAL Team Heartbreakers)
BREAKING THROUGH (Book 2 of the SEAL Team Heartbreakers)
BREAKING AWAY (Book 3 of the SEAL Team Heartbreakers)
BREAKING TIES (A SEAL Team Heartbreakers Novella)
BUILDING TIES (Book 4 of the SEAL Team Heartbreakers)
BREAKING BOUNDARIES (Book 5 of the SEAL Team Heartbreakers)
BREAKING OUT (BOOK 6 of the SEAL Team Heartbreakers)
BREAKING POINT (A SEAL Team Heartbreakers Novella)
BREAKING HEARTS (Book 7 of the SEAL Team Heartbreakers)
SEALS IN PARADISE SERIES
HOT SEALS, RUSTY NAIL
PARANORMAL ROMANCE
TIMELESS
DEEP WITHIN THE SHADOWS (Book 1 of the Superstition Series)
DEEP WITHIN THE STONE (Book 2 of the Superstition Series)
WHISPER IN MY EAR
HAVE WAND, WILL TRAVEL (Book 1)
HAVE WAND, WILL TRAVEL: ONCE BITTEN, TWICE SHY (Book 2)
HAVE WAND, WILL TRAVEL: ADVENTURES OF A WITCHY WALLFLOWER (Book 3)
HISTORICAL ROMANCE
CAPTIVE HEARTS
HIGHLAND MOONLIGHT
TO CAPTURE A HIGHLANDER’S HEART: THE TRILOGY
The Highland Moonlight Spinoff Trilogy in parts
TO CAPTURE A HIGHLANDER’S HEART: THE BEGINNING
TO CAPTURE A HIGHLANDER’S HEART: THE COURTSHIP
TO CAPTURE A HIGHLANDER’S HEART: THE WEDDING NIGHT
SHORT STORIES
AN AUTOMATED DEATH: A STEAMPUNK SHORT STORY
CAUGHT IN THE ACT: A HUMOROUS SHORT STORY
CHILDREN’S BOOK
WILLY C. SPARKS, THE DRAGON WHO LOST HIS FIRE
Other SEALs in Paradise Books
Hot SEAL, Salty Dog by Elle James
Hot SEAL, S*x on the Beach by Delilah Devlin
Hot SEAL, Dirty Martini by Cat Johnson
Hot SEAL, Bourbon Neat by Parker Kincade
Hot SEAL, Red Wine by Becca Jameson
Hot SEAL, Cold Beer by Cynthia D’Alba
Hot SEAL, Rusty Nail by Teresa Reasor
Hot SEAL, Black Coffee by Cynthia D’Alba
Hot SEAL, Single Malt by Kris Michaels
Hot SEAL, Rusty Nail (SEALs In Paradise ) Page 17
