Special Forces: Operation Alpha: Guarding Suzie (Kindle Worlds Novella)

by Nicole Flockton

  Then another.

  For the first time in hours his lips widened into a genuine smile. “Hey sweetheart, this is your daddy. I’m going to keep you and your mommy safe. Do you hear me. I love you and I love your mom. Now I want you to stay there, all nice and warm, until it’s time for you to meet us.” He leaned forward and kissed her belly through the blankets.

  “You’re going to make a great dad.”

  Ryan closed his eyes for a few seconds savoring the sound of Suzie’s husky, sleep laden voice. The best sound he’d ever heard. He swallowed pushing down the lump of emotion, before sitting up and looking at Suzie. “Hey Roses.” Needing to reassure himself that she definitely was fine he pushed back the chair, giving him more room to touch his lips to hers, careful not to hurt her battered skin. “Can I get you anything?” he asked as he sat down again, clasping her hand in both of his.

  Her own hand drifted down to her stomach. “She really is okay?”

  “Yep, the doctor said there doesn’t appear to be any damage to her but they’re going to keep you on bedrest for a few days to be sure. You’re a fierce Mama, you protected her and kept her safe. You’re going to be an amazing Mom.”

  She smiled at how he changed the words she’d spoken to him about being a good dad. She went to move but winced. “Ouch.”

  Having suffered from fractured ribs himself he was well aware of how the slightest movement could cause shooting pain. “It’s going to take a little while to heal but I promise not to tell silly jokes.”

  “Apart from the first night we met I don’t think you’ve told me one joke.”

  Ryan thought back over their relationship since she walked back into his life, in a room very similar to the one she was in. Suzie was right. He hadn’t told her any lame jokes, as was the norm with him. He should’ve worked out that Suzie was his soulmate. He didn’t have to prove who he was or try to be someone else. He could be himself and not worry about being judged. “Yeah, I haven’t.”

  Silence settled around them. Ryan was waiting for the questions he could tell Suzie wanted to ask. He would wait until she was ready. He wouldn’t force her to relive her ordeal.

  Her fingers squeezed his. “Is Peter still alive?”

  So not the question he thought she’d ask, but then again, perhaps it was. “Yeah, he’s in police custody charged with assault and kidnapping. The police want to question you, but I told Robot to tell the cops they’re not to speak to you until the doctor clears you.”

  She nodded and processed what he told her. “How did you find me?”

  “Tex.”

  “I should’ve known,” she said, a small smile playing across her lips. “If the guy could call me five minutes after I called the cops about my break-in, make sense he’d be able to find me.”

  “The guy is a whizz and I’m really glad he’s on our team. He found your car at your old apartment complex. I thought Jeffrey had finally cracked and had taken you.”

  Suzie licked her lips, and he released his hold on her and grabbed the cup of water resting on the table by the bed. He held the straw to her lips and she took some swallows. “It wasn’t Jeffrey.”

  “I know, but he helped us. He told us that he’d seen you and once I worked out that it could’ve been your ex, I called Tex and he was able to pull a picture up. We showed Jeffrey and he confirmed he was the man he saw you with.” Ryan breathed out, releasing the tension remembering the anxiety filling him while they waited for Tex to get a picture of Peter. But it was all over, and his family was safe. “After that, Tex did what Tex does best and we found you.”

  “Since I left Peter,” she paused. Her mouthing opening and closing a couple of times as if trying to gather her thoughts. “I’ve needed to be independent and in control of my life. When he stuck the knife against my neck all I wanted to do was relinquish control and have you come rescue me. Does that make me weak?” Tears pooled in her eyes. It crushed him to see them.

  “Oh Roses, no it doesn’t make you weak at all. And, even though you may not think it you were in control. You kept yourself safe until we could get to you.”

  “I suppose.” Her eyelids drifted down.

  “Sleep now. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

  “Promise?” she murmured.

  Ryan raised her hand to his lips and brush a soft kiss across her knuckles. “I promise. I love you, Roses.”

  Her lips curved into a smile, the only indication she’d heard what he said to her.

  Suzie woke and winced as she attempted to stretch. The room was darker than it had been the first time she’d woken up.

  “Hey, how are you feeling? Do you need anything?” Ryan’s soft voice filled her with warmth, and the words he’d spoken before she fell asleep floated across her brain.

  Did he really say he loved her?

  With all her heart, she hoped she’d heard him correctly. Her love for him had been what kept her strong while Peter had her. She’d believed that he would find her, and he had.

  “Do you really love me?” she asked, surprising herself with the question.

  With careful movements he climbed on the narrow hospital bed beside her. He cupped her face and looked deeply into her eyes. Her breath caught at the light shining in them. “Aww Suzie, yes I do. I love you with me whole heart. You are my world. If anything had happened to you, I don’t know what I would’ve done.” His voice broke and a single tear trickled out of the side of his eye.

  The sight had her own eyes filling up. Her big, tough Navy SEAL was showing her a side of him she was sure he kept hidden. She wiped away the tear. “I love you too, Ryan.”

  Her heart stuttered as his lips stretched into a wide smile. “Thank God,” he muttered and lowered his lips to caress hers in a soft kiss.

  The lack of room and her sore ribs made it impossible for her to twist fully in his embrace. An embrace she never wanted to ever leave.

  Ryan broke the kiss and smiled at her. “Do you love me enough to marry me?”

  When she’d walked out on Peter, Suzie imagined she’d walk through life alone. But then a group of Navy SEALs marched into her hospital and one captured her heart, with his lame jokes and cheeky smile. She should’ve known she her heart was about to be captured the moment she said yes to his dinner date. “Yes. Yes, Ryan Joker Smith I will marry you. But I’m not going to look like a whale. Our marriage will have to wait until after our daughter enters the world.”

  “Whatever you want.” He rested his forehead against hers. “You’re in total control.”

  Epilogue

  Suzie rubbed her belly wishing baby Smith would hurry up and make her entrance into the world.

  “How many more days?” asked Erin, rubbing her own belly.

  What was it about pregnant women that it was natural to rub circles over their belly? Suzie found herself doing so every chance she got. What she loved more was when Ryan rubbed cocoa butter over her belly at the end of the day.

  “Ten but who’s counting,” Suzie joked.

  “I like your place? But I think you’re insane having a house warming party so close to the baby being born.”

  “Well Ryan wanted to share it with all the guys and,” she blushed as she remembered exactly how her man convinced her to have the party. “I couldn’t say no.”

  Erin laughed out loud. “I know that look. I’m pretty sure I’ve had that cross my face a few times.”

  “You have,” muttered Antonia as she walked into the kitchen. “The hormones flying around this room is disgusting. I have no idea why I moved here. Being surrounded by you lovesick fools is annoying.”

  Erin tapped her friend on the arm. “Who are you trying to fool? You love living here. You just need to find yourself a man. There’s plenty out there?” Erin waved her arm to the display of hunky Navy SEALs all standing around the grill.

  Suzie observed the way Antonia’s eyes arrowed in on Robot who was teaching Ryan the finer points of flipping a steak.

  “I don’t think so,�
�� Antonia said as she turned on her heel and walked out the room.

  Suzie raised her eyebrows at Erin. “Those two just need to go find a room and work things out.”

  “I think they’ve done that on more than one occasion.” Erin mused. Then her face lit up as Carlos waved at her. “I’ve given up trying to work out what’s going on with Robot and Antonia. But they need to figure things out. The tension between the two of them is crazy and makes gatherings like this a little uncomfortable.”

  “Yep,” Suzie looked out the kitchen window just as Ryan was looking at her. She blew him a kiss. God, she loved that man.

  “It’s good to see you both so happy,” Erin commented.

  “Ryan was telling me the guys are giving him a hard time cause he’s always smiling.”

  Erin laughed. “Yeah, Carlos said the same after we got together. Have you met the girl who came with T-Rex?”

  “Briefly when they arrived but then I came in here to sort out the food. Have you talked to her?”

  “Not really, he seems rather protective of her. Carlos met her once before. There’s a story there, but it’s not mine to tell.”

  Suzie nodded. “I’ll make sure I go see her once things settle down.”

  “Sounds good. Carlos is waving to me like a madman, will you be okay if I go see him?”

  Suzie laughed. “Sure, I’ll be fine.”

  After Erin left, she went to the refrigerator and pulled out the salad she’d prepared, almost dropping it when warm arms slid around her waist and a pair of decadent lips nipped at her neck.

  “Hey there, Roses.”

  She replaced the bowl and turned in Ryan’s embrace, looping her arms around his neck. “Hey they, Joker.”

  He smiled as she teased him by calling him by his nickname. She didn’t do it often, but today, with all his teammates around him it seemed the thing to do. His lips descended on hers in a wild and wicked kiss. Even though she was about to pop, one kiss from her man, had desire leaping through her veins. “How soon can we get them to leave?” she asked when Ryan broke the kiss.

  He laughed, a sound she never tired of hearing. “We have to feed them, but after that, I’m all for kicking them out.”

  “Have I told you how much I love you?”

  “Yes, and I love you, too. So much.” At that second their daughter made her presence known by kicking them both. “Yes, sweetheart, I love you, as well.”

  When his lips closed over hers again, Suzie melted in his arms, feeling safe and loved like she never had before. Life didn’t get much better than this.

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  About the Author

  On her very first school report her teacher said ‘Nicole likes to tell her own stories’. Many years later she eventually sat down and wrote her first book.

  Nicole writes sexy contemporary romances, seducing you one kiss at a time as you turn the pages. She enjoys taking two characters and creating unique situations for them.

  Learn more about Nicole Flockton at http://www.nicoleflockton.com.

  authornicole@nicoleflockton.com

  Acknowledgments

  As always thank you to Susan Stoker and her readers for making me feel so welcome in this world. I love revisiting Susan’s characters and weaving them into my stories. It’s so much fun playing in this world

  Thank you to Abigail Owen, my cheerleader, my beta reader and my friend. Doing writing sprints with you is such and fun, and are a main reason my word count has increased.

  To Wren Michaels, I love our coffee mornings – well you drink the coffee! You’ve been with me on this journey since I signed my very first contract and I can’t thank you enough for your friendship and love.

  To Jennifer from More than Words Promotions, your skill with bringing my covers to life is amazing. You took this picture and made him Joker! Having you on my team is a blessing.

  Speaking of teams, I couldn’t do this without the unfailing support of my family. Jason, Skylar and Zane I can’t express how much I love you guys. You’re my world. Thank you all for supporting me as I pursue my dreams.

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