Code Name: Nina's Choice (Warrior's Challenge)

by Natasza Waters

  “She already peed on the carpet twice. Thane is so impressed.” Kayla chuckled.

  “Adam’s got his father’s appetite.”

  Kayla nodded. “Yeah, but thank God he doesn’t suck as hard.”

  “T.M.I.,” he said, raising a hand laughing.

  Ghost sat down next to Kayla, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. He watched his son with pure adoration and love. A slow grin crossed her features. “He’s a miracle.” Ghost glanced up at Mace. “I’d wrapped my heart in a hundred pounds of chain and tossed it into the Pacific long ago. Kayla came into my life with all guns blazing. I wouldn’t change a second of it. None of it.” Ghost’s gaze swept to Kayla’s and there was no doubt he would be in love with her forever.

  Kayla shook her head. “You’re such a sap.”

  A big, toothy grin broke out on his face. “Yeah, I am, and proud of it.”

  Kayla shifted. Adam, having lost his food source, mouthed his displeasure.

  Ghost palmed his son’s head. “Don’t worry buddy, I feel the same way.”

  “Funny.” She offered Adam the other breast which quieted him down. “So what happened last night? Are you going to share or do I have to do my own recon?”

  Mace lay back against the couch and stared up at the ceiling. “Good, I think.”

  “You think,” Ghost drawled.

  “Cayson called at the crack of dawn. I know what he’s doing. It’s a setup. Nina wouldn’t let him take Gabbs alone.”

  “I think you’re right, Mace,” Kayla agreed, “but Nina will set him straight. Patience is one of your best attributes.”

  “Did you ask her to marry you?” Ghost asked.

  “What?” Kayla blinked.

  Mace gave Ghost a thanks-a-lot-buddy look.

  “You’re popping the question?”

  “Before you go running to the phone, the answer is no.”

  “Why not?” Ghost asked. Adam finished feeding, and he placed a cloth over his shoulder, gently took his son and rubbed him on the back.

  Mace lost his train of thought watching Ghost. Here was a warrior who killed men with his bare hands and never twitched an eyelash. A cold emptiness in his steel-blue eyes could strip a man of his soul, but he burped his son with a tender paw that covered the baby’s back, and looked ecstatic when Adam brought up a mouthful of milk on him.

  “Why not?” Ghost repeated and lifted his son above his head, getting a huge smile from him.

  “I think Nina has enough to worry about right now. Until things settle down, it’s operation status quo.”

  “All right, but Thane and I are heading to Hawaii next week for a house-hunting trip. I want reports daily,” Kayla ordered.

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Gabbs appeared in front of them with a trailing Kelsey and Lexi. “Lexi didn’t have to go and we’re hungry, Uncle Thane.”

  “Breakfast is…”

  They all watched Lexi squat and pee on the carpet next to the Admiral’s foot. All eyes shifted to Ghost. He took in a deep breath and plastered a tight, but patient expression on his face. “I’ll get the paper towels.”

  Kayla choked back a laugh, and nodded. “You do that, sweetheart.”

  The Admiral was a natural-born killer, reduced to mopping up puppy pee. When his and Kayla’s eyes locked they roared with laughter. Ghost trudged to the kitchen, grumbling.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Nina waited on the porch with Gabbs, and watched as Wade parked on the tiny, broken driveway that led to her home. She’d have to redo that at some point in time. Her savings account would be taking a thrashing for the next few years.

  “He’s here,” Mace said, closing the door behind him.

  She was glad he stayed to see them off. Wade would get the picture. She wasn’t part of getting to know Gabbs.

  Wade wandered up in a tight black T-shirt and stonewashed jeans. A broad leather belt wrapped around a fit waist, and his dark, almost blue hair glistened under the sun.

  “Petty Officer Callahan.” Wade reached out a hand.

  Using his rank? Mace was a SEAL, and an honorable man. Just because Wade was a lieutenant didn’t make him more impressive to her.

  “You can call me Mace.”

  “If we’re off the base, I suppose you can call me Wade. And you,” he knelt down in front of Gabbs. “You get to call me Dad, and I can’t wait to get to the zoo. How about you?” A warm smile radiated from him.

  Gabbs nodded. “I brought juice and some things to eat so you don’t have to buy us lunch.”

  “Aw, baby. I want to buy you lunch. Where’s your favorite place to eat?”

  “Skippers,” she said with a big, beaming smile.

  “Okay, Skippers it is. We’ll go there first and then head to the zoo.”

  Mace remained in neutral territory until Gabbs started to run for the car. “Hey, Little Red,” he called.

  Gabbs whirled around, and ran back throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him. “Bye, Mace. I wish ya didn’t have to work. I want you to come.”

  “I’ll be here when ya get back, okay?”

  “’Kay.”

  Nina stepped closer, and wrapped an arm around her big hunk of a SEAL. “Hey, hotstuff. I’ll miss you.”

  “I hope so.” His eyes stroked a deep gaze into hers. “I’ll see ya when ya get back, babe.” Mace gave her a swat on her rear end as she sauntered to the car. She’d donned her mom garb for the all-day affair. No makeup, hair in a ponytail, and a loose T-shirt and jeans with running shoes. The message couldn’t be any more clear: I don’t want to impress you.

  When Nina shut the car door, Wade leaned over as if he was going to kiss her and she jerked back. A wicked smile pinched his lips. “I was going to say, you look beautiful as always.”

  She straightened then pulled the seatbelt across her shoulder. “Thank you, Wade. Put your seatbelt on, Gabbs.”

  “Mommy is pretty,” Gabbs added.

  “She is, and we made a beautiful little girl.” Wade put the car in reverse. Mace stood on the porch watching them, and Wade shot a dark look in his direction.

  “I am?” Gabbs squealed.

  Nina laughed. “Of course you are, Gabbs.”

  “How come you and daddy aren’t together?”

  Didn’t take long for that question to come bursting forth.

  She opened her mouth to answer when Wade said, “It was my fault, Gabbs. Being in the Navy I travel a lot. Your mom wanted the best for you, and staying in Canada with your grandparents meant you’d be safe. With me, you would have had to move around. That’s not much fun.”

  Huh, not bad. They glanced at each other and he winked. She couldn’t figure out if he was trying to earn points or if she had too many walls up. He knew Mace and her were tight. She nodded her appreciation. She’d cut him some slack unless he started to pull on the other end of the line to draw her in.

  They parked in the busy Skippers Restaurant lot. “I always have shrimp,” Gabbs announced as they got out of the car. “It’s my favorite.”

  “Mine too,” Wade said.

  Nina eyed him. “Is it really?” she asked.

  He gave her a handsome turn of his jaw. “Like father, like daughter.” He put his hand on the small of her back, and held the door open for them.

  Amongst the cacophony of little voices and the hum of the restaurant, Nina heard Kelsey. “Gabbs, Gabbs.” She ran over with Marg close behind.

  “Hey.” Marg hugged her and then looked back over her shoulder. Lieutenant Cobbs stepped through the crowd and joined them.

  “I guess you weren’t introduced properly last time. Marg, Pat, this is Wade Cayson, Gabriella’s father.”

  Wade took a surveying look at Pat. “Lieutenant Wade Cayson. You’re in the Navy too?”

  Why did he always have to push his rank in everyone’s face? They were off the base.

  Ghost had a nerve-pinching look, and since he and Lieutenant Cobbs were the best of friends it seemed to have rubbed off over th
e years. Or maybe it had been the other way around. Cobbs had silver-gray eyes, and it felt like a wolf sizing you up for dinner when he gazed at you. “Navy SEALs, Wade.” The message transmitted by Cobbs was I don’t have to play name that rank.

  The girls had already jumped into their own world and played a game while dangling their feet over the edge of the bench. “Why don’t we get a bigger table?” Lieutenant Cobbs suggested. He didn’t wait for an answer, simply turned and made it happen.

  Wade didn’t look as comfortable with the idea as she was. “They’re good friends, huh?” Wade asked, watching Kelsey and Gabbs.

  “Yeah, it took all of thirty seconds when they met. Now it’s hard to keep them separated. They’re three years apart and Kels looks up to her lofty age,” Marg explained.

  “It seems lots of families are having only one child these days,” Wade commented, and placed an arm around Nina’s waist.

  Holy crap, what the hell should she do? She couldn’t leap out of the way like he was a leper, but this would not do. Marg noticed, and so did Lieutenant Cobbs.

  Marg said, “Actually, we have three children. Our other daughters have finished school.”

  Nina pulled away from Wade and went to the girls. An older couple had come in, which gave her the excuse to move the girls and get them up.

  It was juvenile as hell, but during lunch Nina quickly sat down next to Marg and put Gabbs on the other side of her. She didn’t need any sneaking hands under the table. They enjoyed a long lunch, but Lieutenant Cobbs was still on duty, because every probing question sent in Wade’s direction had a purpose.

  When Kelsey found out they were going to the zoo, Nina jumped on the opportunity and asked them to come. Lieutenant Cobbs answered, saying he owed his family a day, and they would join them. She might just kiss Marg’s husband some day.

  Later at the zoo, everyone stood leaning on the fence at the elephant’s pen. They’d walked the park, but saved the elephants for last, since it was both girls’ favorite. Wade had kept his distance from her, his attention on Gabbs. He’d even carried her on his neck when she began to whine about being tired. At some point Nina was going to have to explain the fine division between earning brownie points and drawing the line.

  The elephants lumbered around their large pen, and swatted their backsides with their tails. Every time one of them curled their long trunks the girls giggled. “It’s been a nice day,” Wade said quietly in her ear. He’d trapped her against the fence with his body, and an arm on either side. Marg and Lieutenant Cobbs were watching the elephants and talking.

  “Wade,” she sighed. “What are you doing?”

  “Talking to the beautiful mother of my girl.”

  “And you can’t talk without pressing your body against mine,” she said with an icy note.

  “Nina, we had something very special for a short time. We made something wonderful together. Why don’t you give me a chance? Wouldn’t it be better if we were a family?” He took a step back and she turned, but that had obviously been the plan because he now had her face to face and locked his arms around her. “If I had known, I never would have walked away. We could have figured it out. I know it’s been a long time, but seeing you, I have the same intense attraction now as I did then. Doesn’t Gabbs deserve us together?”

  “Don’t pull the Gabbs card.” She stepped out of his arms, but not soon enough; both Marg and Lieutenant Cobbs had seen.

  “I had a crappy childhood and—”

  “I don’t know anything about your childhood.”

  “That’s my point,” he said, his dimpled chin and strong jaw moving closer. “Let’s get to know one another.” His gaze flickered across her face.

  “It’s strange for Gabbs to have you in her life because she hasn’t known you for the first eight years. It might be reversed, but that’s the way it is.” Was she making any sense?

  “Nina, I loved every moment of those five days we spent together. I couldn’t wait to get off duty and come to you. I was already falling in love with you.”

  A gust of air escaped her throat. “Really? That ended pretty quickly when you sailed out of town.”

  “I told you why.”

  Nina narrowed her eyes, and her temper began to ramp up. “I know the difference between love and lust, Wade. If you love someone, you don’t ever let them leave you. You met Ghost and Kayla the other day. They just went through hell, but he walked through her smoke and mirrors and never gave up on her. That’s love.”

  Wade surprised her by changing track. “I guess because the Admiral knows Mace he automatically hates me, and although Pat over there hasn’t admitted it, I’m guessing since he’s a SEAL he knows Mace pretty good too. They stick together like a band of hard-assed brothers.”

  “What’s wrong with that?” she said stiffly. “Gabbs and I are part of their family.”

  “You’re not even married to the guy.” His green eyes sparked with agitation. “How am I supposed to get a fair chance in this?”

  “Because they are all honorable men. If you want to be Gabbs’ father then prove it, but I’m not part of the package.”

  “Mommy, Daddy, can we go get some snacks?” Gabbs held her bag upside down. “I shared mine with Kelsey and I’m hungry.”

  “Of course you are, baby.” Wade bent over and picked Gabbs into his arms. “You have legs like your mom and they’re always running.” He leaned his forehead against hers. “I could use some cotton candy.”

  “Me too.” She tossed her arms around his neck, hugging him for the first time. Wade’s eyes darted at her as if to make her guilty because she wasn’t going to just slip on his ring and be a big happy family. She hated that he’d used her weakest point, Gabbs, as a reason to let him in.

  Wade carried Gabbs a few paces ahead with Kelsey babbling happily at both of them. Marg and Lieutenant Cobbs fell in beside Nina as they walked to the concession stand.

  “He’s throwing his gloves down, isn’t he?” the Lieutenant asked.

  Nina shoved her hands in her back pockets and wandered with them along the walkway. “Yes.”

  “And he’s pushing you to be a happy family for Gabbs’ sake.”

  Nina stopped and stared at the lieutenant. “You read lips like Ghost?”

  Lieutenant Cobbs offered a softer look, one he usually only shared with Marg and his girls. “Nina, you have to do what’s right for you as well as Gabbs. If Cayson’s yanking on your guilt, don’t let him.”

  “The problem is I hardly know him. That sounds awful, but it’s the truth.”

  “It’s not awful,” Marg jumped in. “You were brave to raise Gabbs on your own.”

  “But I wasn’t. I had my parents and Kayla. It’s right now the brave part has to kick in. Kayla has Adam and the Admiral, and they’ll be moving to Hawaii with you guys soon. It’s just going to be me.”

  “No,” Lieutenant Cobbs interjected. “It’s Mace and you, not to mention the rest of the squad’s family. They’re not going anywhere.”

  “Mace is going to pass his physicals, and then he’ll be gone all the time.” She didn’t know why she was spilling her fears to them. She should just keep her mouth shut.

  “That I understand,” Marg said, sharing a look with her husband. “But that doesn’t last forever. Mace will eventually find a position that will keep him home. It might be a hard grind for a while, but it’s worth it,” she said, still locked in a look with Lieutenant Cobbs.

  “You two need to get a room,” Nina said, and they both laughed.

  * * * *

  Wade parked the car in the driveway. “Keys, Mom.”

  “I’m coming,” Nina said, unbuckling her seatbelt and wishing like hell Mace’s car was parked in the driveway.

  Wade’s hand covered hers. “Can we talk for a second?”

  “Sure.” She handed Gabbs the keys. “Go wash that cotton candy off your face, little girl.”

  Nina pushed her back to the door and faced Wade, clasping her hands together. T
hey both watched Gabbs unlock the front door and go in, leaving it yawning open of course. There was something about closing doors and cabinets that Nina just couldn’t get through to that kid. She sighed.

  “I’m not the bad guy, Nina.”

  “I know that, but you have to stop coming on to me.”

  “Didn’t anything I say make sense to you?” Wade’s expression saddened. “I grew up never knowing my own father. My mom wasn’t the greatest either. You, on the other hand, are amazing, and I don’t want to be a sperm donor or a monthly check.”

  “I don’t want any money from you, Wade. If that’s what it’s all about, don’t sweat it. Gabbs and I will always be fine. If I need money, I have my parents.”

  “They must be pretty well off.”

  “They are. Dad worked for it, but they’re comfortable.”

  “He’s a neurosurgeon. He’s got to be more than comfortable.”

  “Dad’s family were farmers in the days when cattle still made you wealthy. He was born into money, but he wanted to be his own man, and he did it.”

  “I’m never going to be rich, Nina, but that isn’t the issue here. You are.”

  Ach, when is he going to give it up? “Are you interested in getting me into bed or getting to know your daughter?”

  Wade had a way of looking at a woman that made her delirious. A heavy five o’clock shadow planed his cheeks and jaw. His eyes carried a sensual message promising an experienced hand that knew how to touch a woman. He’d hooked her good once, and that wild, needy gaze landed on her now. “I want both of you. I came undone when you were in my arms. I remember what it I felt like being inside you.”

  Nina swallowed thickly. She did too, but so what? The arm rest on the door bit into her back, but she sure as shit didn’t expect it to open. She yelped, falling backwards. Strong arms caught her. Using her feet, she scrambled to find ground. Mace had her around the waist, set her straight and then leaned into the car. “Have a nice time?” he asked, but the underlining growl in his question wasn’t hard to miss.

  “Perfect day, Petty Officer Callahan,” Wade said. “I’ll call you, Nina.”