by Tawny Weber
“That’s exactly how I feel about your job. You’re extremely well trained, you’re surrounded by an incredible team who are all focused on not only succeeding, but on covering each other while they do.” She lifted both hands as if to say, what else was there? “I’d miss you while you were away, of course. But the rest, I’m fine with it.”
He looked dumbstruck.
“You’re serious? You’re totally comfortable with my being a SEAL?” he asked, not sounding as if he could quite make himself believe her.
“Would you quit if I wasn’t?” She knew it was a mean question, but Lara couldn’t stop herself from asking.
From the look on his face, though, it wasn’t one Dominic wanted to hear. His grimace was pained as he shoved his hands into his pockets. He didn’t physically step away from her, but Lara felt the distance.
“I couldn’t,” he said quietly. “I can’t quit being who I am. I can’t turn my back on what I believe in.”
Lara was pretty sure she’d gotten teary eyed more times since he’d accosted her outside the casino than she had the entire rest of her life. She had to blink fast to keep the tears from falling.
“I’m sorry,” he said quickly, reaching out to lay his hand on her cheek. “I wish I could change that. It’s all I’ve thought about the past month. But I just can’t if I want to live with myself.”
“But that’s just it,” she said, sniffing. “I wouldn’t want you to. But you understand how hard it would be for me to give up my dreams, my goals, for you.”
His eyes narrowed before he closed them and groaned. “You walking out, that wasn’t really about me pushing you into meeting with your brother?”
“Well, a little. You have a habit of running roughshod over choices when you think you’re right.” She wrinkled her nose, knowing that wasn’t going to go away. But somehow, knowing it was because he cared—and dammit, because he was usually right—she figured she could live with it. “But it didn’t feel like you were giving me the support you, yourself, want.”
Looking disgusted with himself, Dominic shook his head.
“I wasn’t. I couldn’t get past the idea of you leaving long enough to see what I was doing, though. And if I had, I was still sure my career would be an issue.”
“It’s not,” she promised.
Lara wanted to dive into his arms. She wanted this to be finished now so they could get to the makeup sex. But as much as she wanted all of that, she wanted this to be a fresh start. That meant clearing up everything.
She grimaced.
“What?” Dominic asked, peering at her face.
“You said you thought I was using you to fill some deep-seated—and apparently deeply hidden—need for family. So I thought I’d better figure out if you were right.”
“I thought you said I was using that as an excuse,” he muttered.
“Oh, I still think that,” she told him. “But I don’t use people, so it bothered me that you thought I would. And I like your family and the experience I’d had with them enough to actually wonder if you were right. So I had to find out.”
“And?”
“And...” Lara’s voice trailed off.
This was hard.
She knew what she wanted. She knew she was strong enough to make it work. But it was still really, really hard to say it out loud.
She’d been on her own, unencumbered by family, for eight years.
They’d been lean years, filled with heartbreak, disillusionment, fear and a hand-to-mouth existence that sometimes still terrified her. But they’d been better than being Lara Banks, daughter of Randall and Ellen, sister to Phillip the perfect.
Now she knew who she was, and she knew what she wanted.
She wanted Dominic.
She took a deep breath, stepping back a little. Not far, just enough that she wasn’t touching him.
She needed a little space for this.
“And I found out that while you have a great family, I do have a family of my own. So as much as I enjoy yours, I don’t need them.”
“Wait, what? You have a family? You mean Banks?” Dominic’s expression was a combination of triumph and irritation. “You and he have been building a bridge? And he never told me? He let me dangle, even when I asked point-blank if he knew how I could find you.”
Arching one brow, Lara waited.
Dominic grimaced.
“Sorry, fine, you were saying what you want.”
He sounded so grumpy she almost smiled.
This was it. Everything she’d thought she wanted in life she’d wanted alone. She’d spent years keeping distance between her and others, terrified to open her heart to rejection.
But she couldn’t have it all unless she took the risk.
And with Dominic, she wanted it all.
“I want you,” she said, keeping it simple.
Then Lara held her breath.
She’d never been so scared.
She’d never cared about anything as much as she did Dominic’s response. She’d survive without him. She was strong enough to know that.
But, dammit, she didn’t want to.
Dominic’s smile settled every fear, though. The ones she’d admitted and the ones she’d been afraid to let surface.
“You got me,” he said, finally pulling her into his arms. “But you should know, I’ve had enough of you walking out. You take me and it’s for good.”
Lara wrapped her hands behind his neck, pulling his head down to brush a soft kiss over his lips.
“Deal,” she whispered.
“I love you,” he said, resting his forehead on hers and looking so deep into her eyes, Lara was sure the declaration was imprinted on her soul. “I love you, and it’s forever.”
She couldn’t stop the tears from falling this time. Not when they were happy tears.
Laughing through them, she kissed him again, sliding her tongue gently over his before pressing whisper-soft kisses against his lips.
She leaned back, both hands on his cheeks. She wet her lips, waiting for the fear. But there wasn’t any.
Because this was right.
“I love you, too,” she said with tremulous smile. “I really love you.”
Forever.
* * * * *
Would you like to read more sexy SEAL stories?
Want to find out if Phillip Banks can
find a woman to love him?
Look for #819 Christmas with a SEAL
by New York Times bestselling Blaze author
Tawny Weber,
available in November 2014.
Keep reading for an excerpt from BEHIND CLOSED DOORS by Debbi Rawlins
The Few. The Proud. The Sexy as Hell!
We hope you enjoyed reading A Seal’s Fantasy by USA TODAY bestselling author
Tawny Weber. Be sure to also check out Tawny Weber’s first four sizzling SEAL books,
A SEAL’s Seduction, A SEAL’s Surrender, A SEAL’s Salvation and A SEAL’s Kiss available now in ebook format!
Harlequin Blaze brings you super-hot military romance, featuring irresistible soldiers from all branches of the armed forces with the Uniformly Hot! miniseries.
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Ten years ago one devastating night changed everything for Austin, Hunter and Alex. Now they must each play their part in the revenge against the one man who ruined it all.
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1
“WELL, YES, MR. JORGENSON,” Bethany Wilson said as she kicked the stupid broken door propped up against the stupid wall. “Of course I’m upset. You gave—” she kicked it again, making sure her voice was modulated at a pleasant pitch “—away—” one more kick, hard enough to crack the center panel “—my lumber.”
Her chin dropped to her chest when the older man went into his long monotone spiel again. Verbatim.
Amazing. Yet he couldn’t remember that she’d placed her order first. The day before Nathan what’s-his-name placed his. Though he was obviously a preferred customer at the local hardware store because he now had possession of her desperately needed order.
“When’s the next shipment due?” she asked, cutting in.
His hesitation either meant bad news or he was miffed at the interruption. Or, more likely, he was distracted by one of his regular customers. Beth didn’t even rank. Having moved to town only three months ago, she’d been relegated so far to the back of the line she might as well be sitting two states over.
“Let’s see,” he drawled in his slow, creaky voice. “I suppose I could get you something by Friday.”
“Friday? As in four days from now?”
“I believe that’s what I just said, young lady.”
“Come on, Mr. Jorgenson. This is the second time I’ve had to wait for materials that you—”
“Keep your britches on, Clyde, I’ll be with you in a minute.” He was obviously holding the receiver away to speak to a customer. Probably wasn’t even listening to her. “Now, what’s that you were saying?”
Beth sighed. What was the point? Complaining wouldn’t get him to move any quicker. Montana was beautiful this far north, but a bit isolated. If the hardware store’s next delivery wasn’t until the end of the week, there was nothing she could do about it. “Fine. Friday. If anything changes, please let me know.”
“You betcha.” His dentures clacked. “Have yourself a fine day.”
Beth calmly disconnected the call, then dropped the phone on her makeshift plywood desk. That was the trouble with cell phones. You couldn’t slam them. Pushing her fingers through her tangled hair, she winced at the tugs on her scalp. God, she used to be so good at getting people to do what she wanted.
Not here, though. Not in Blackfoot Falls.
She could run naked down Main Street and maybe make the headline of the Salina Gazette. Oh, she’d be juicy gossip fodder for weeks and have to suffer indignant glares from the women shopping at the Food Mart. But that would be it. The boardinghouse renovation would still be behind schedule, with workers not showing up, her lumber and other supply orders hijacked...
Maybe she was looking at the getting-naked angle all wrong. Maybe if she streaked through town she’d receive her shipments on time and workers would be lining up. But only if the men liked what they saw. She glanced down at her tummy. She’d been born and raised in Billings, Montana. And since returning to her home state she’d enjoyed homemade comfort food a little too much. In a fair world, stress would be eating away the extra pounds she’d gained. But no...her jeans had gotten tight.
Yep, lumber and drywall might be in short supply, but stress she had in abundance. Between her flaky sister and rebellious niece—for whom she’d moved to Blackfoot Falls—and working like crazy to turn the early-1900s boardinghouse into an inn, she was ready to pop like a damn cork.
At first, reconnecting with her family had been great, everything she’d hoped it would be after receiving the subtle plea for help from her estranged sister. Right before the not-so-subtle SOS text from her fifteen-year-old niece. Beth had been working in Europe at the time but she’d quickly wrapped things up and left her corporate job behind to be the loving aunt who would completely fix things between mother and daughter. Not play referee in a game no one could win.
“Knock, knock.”
She looked up. Rachel McAllister stood in the open doorway. It was for her out-of-town wedding guests that Beth had promised to have the inn up and running by the first of February. No pressure.
“What brings you to the big city?” Beth jumped up to move the blueprints and notebooks off the spare folding chair.
“You don’t have to get up,” Rachel said as she entered the small room that Beth had sectioned off from the original kitchen. “I’m on my way to the market, but I figured I’d see if you had time for coffee.”
“Sure. I have a pretty decent Colombian blend if you want to stay here. I can even make espresso.” Beth gestured to the silver coffee station she’d ordered a day after she arrived and had one sip of Marge’s weak brew. “Or we can hit the diner.”
“Yeah, you like the really strong stuff. You must’ve gotten used to it while working in Europe.”
“I did, but I don’t mind going over to Marge’s either.”
“I wonder if she has any cinnamon rolls left,” Rachel murmured.
“Um, no.”
“You already checked?”
“I bought the last one.” Beth tugged at her snug waistband. “Don’t give me that look. I did you a favor.”
Rachel grinned. “You’re right. I need to fit into the wedding dress I ordered. Let’s stay here.”
Beth watched Rachel survey the stripped walls and the sizable holes left from heavy framed pictures that had hung for decades. She had to be worried about whether the place would be finished in time, but she didn’t ask.
Until Beth had moved to town, she hadn’t known Rachel.
Rachel’s family owned the Sundance ranch, where they raised cattle. Recently they had converted unused space into guest quarters. She’d done a hell of a job cashing in on the popularity of dude ranches. Her success had motivated Beth to buy the boardinghouse and make it into an inn with a bed-and-breakfast feel. As long as her sister and niece lived here, Beth wasn’t going anywhere, but she still needed something to do. Once she jumped the remodeling hurdle and got the place running, managing a small inn would suit her perfectly.
“Help yourself,” she said, gesturing to the coffee and minifridge. “There’s milk and cream. Sugar and sweeteners are in the silver tin.”
“How’s the work coming?” Rachel grabbed a mug. “Did Mike Burnett give you a good bid for the finish carpentry?”
“He’s putting one together now.”
“I heard he’s reasonable, especially considering he’s the best carpenter around.” Rachel fixed her coffee, then sat on the folding chair. “It’s awfully quiet. Anyone working?”
Beth sighed. “The plumber’s supposed to be here after lunch. I’ll believe it when I see him. A lot of guys don’t show up...they don’t even call.”
“It’ll be better after hunting season,” Rachel said. “But you’re from Montana, so you know that.”
“Actually, I’d forgotten how things slowed to a crawl this time of year. I’m glad you said something.” She thought about the two guys who’d sworn they’d report early tomorrow. They’d mentioned something about not having tags, which now made sense. Evidently their names hadn’t been drawn in the lottery designed to restrict the number of hunters for certain types of game.
“You were twenty when you left, right?”
Beth nodded. “It seems like a lifetime ago.” She and Rachel had grown up in the same state, but any similarity ended there. Rachel had had the life Beth had always wanted. A home in the country, horses, a loving family. Definitely not living in a dusty trailer park with no parental supervision to speak of and a sister who was trouble from the word go.
“So
everything else is going okay?”
Beth leaned back with a snort. And then it registered. “Hey...you probably know him....” She straightened. “Nathan—his last name starts with an L...”
“Landers?” Rachel frowned. “Nathan Landers? Sure, what about him?”
“Either Mr. Jorgenson got our orders mixed up or Landers got pushy so Jorgensen decided to give him the lumber I was supposed to have delivered today.”
“Hard to say. I don’t think Nathan’s the type to strong-arm anyone, but I really don’t know him very well. He has a big ranch east of here. I’ve seen his foreman in town, but not Nathan. Since he lost his wife, he mostly keeps to himself.”
A widower? Well, that was just peachy—here she was thinking about driving over to his place to find out just what was going on. It wasn’t as if she planned on being mean, but she didn’t want to come off as badgering some poor old man in mourning. “I swear his name sounds familiar, but I can’t think of any reason it should.”
“I can’t either. Technically he lives in the next county. Though Blackfoot Falls is closer to him than Twin Creeks.”
“You mean he doesn’t even use the hardware store in his own town?”
Rachel laughed. “I’m sure there’s another shipment arriving soon.”
“Not till Friday. And I have two guys who promised me they’d be here tomorrow.” Beth picked up a pen and drummed it on the plywood. “So, in your opinion, would it be worth it for me to have a little chat with Mr. Landers? Is he the reasonable sort?”
Rachel pushed her auburn hair back and narrowed her green eyes thoughtfully. “What did you have in mind?”
“Nothing crazy.” Beth smiled. “Don’t look so worried.”
“Oh, I’m not worried,” Rachel said, and come to think of it, she actually seemed a bit amused. So maybe Beth was the one who should be concerned. “I think it’s worth a shot. He’s probably just storing the lumber for winter jobs to keep his men busy.”
Beth glanced at her watch. If he agreed to let her have the order, she’d have to pick it up herself. Her truck was small, but she could make two trips. And if she waited for Liberty to be done with school, she’d help. Her niece might whine, but too bad. The budding graffiti artist needed the extra money Beth paid her to cover court costs as part of her probation. Beth really hoped that particular bud had been nipped. “I’ll give him a call.”
