Romanced by a SEAL: Hot SEALs

by Cat Johnson

  This was it. Showtime.

  Ali smiled at the waiter and thanked him, and then picked up her fork.

  “You can share with me. I certainly can’t eat the whole thing . . . ” Her eyes hit on the ring, stuck artfully in a dollop of whipped cream.

  Wide-eyed, she raised her gaze to Jon. He cleared his throat and swallowed away the dryness.

  “Ali . . .” He noticed she was shaking her head. Not a good sign, but he wasn’t going to give up. “Ali, please. Listen. I know you think I rushed into this but I’ve taken the time to think and there is no question in my mind I want to be with you and only you. Forever—”

  “I’m pregnant.” Her whispered words took a second to permeate his brain.

  Even then he didn’t quite understand them. “What?”

  “I’m pregnant,” she repeated.

  Glancing around to make sure they weren’t the center of attention, he leaned in closer and whispered, “I thought you were taking birth control.”

  “I was. It failed.”

  He drew in a breath as the emotions started to hit. Fear was chief among them. He’d faced ISIS with less trepidation than he felt now at the thought of being a father.

  There was now a tiny life he was completely responsible for. He’d have to raise this child without the benefit of any experience or practice or preparation.

  A turmoil of emotions assaulted him, blurring the fear as other feelings began to surface. He could have a son to carry on his name. Or maybe it would be a pretty little girl who’d call him Daddy.

  There’d be someone to be with Ali, to keep her company, when he was away.

  And someone to love him and remember him long after he was gone from this Earth.

  With tears in his own eyes, he looked up at her as something clicked in his overwhelmed mind. “Is this why you ran away the other night when I proposed?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why? Don’t you want to get married? Especially now.”

  “I do want to marry you. But I don’t want you to marry me just because you have to because of a baby you never asked for or wanted. I’d rather be a single mother than that.”

  Single mother, his ass. That was not going to happen.

  Jon stood and moved around the table. Dropping to his knees in front of her, he grabbed her hands in his. “Who said I don’t want this baby?”

  “You said at Darci’s that the subject of babies wasn’t on the table.”

  He knew that foolish comment was going to come back to haunt him. “I meant I didn’t think it was a discussion we needed to have until after we got married but that doesn’t mean that I don’t want kids. Ali, I want this baby. I want you as my wife. And the ring in your tiramisu proves I wanted to marry you before I knew anything about the baby.”

  Reaching up he plucked the ring from the top of the dessert. It was a less elegant proposal than he would have liked. He had to lick off the whipped cream, but once it was clean he took her left hand.

  “Marry me.” He slid the white gold band with the square cut diamond onto her fourth finger.

  She let him, which he chose to take as a good sign. Now if she’d just give him an answer. Raising his gaze to hers, he waited.

  Tears spilled from her eyes. She was going to have him bawling in the middle of the restaurant too if she didn’t stop.

  Finally, she ended his agony and, after brushing away the tears, nodded. She didn’t actually say the word yes, but that nod was good enough for him. He rose from his knees and pulled her up with him.

  Wrapping his arms around her tight, Jon buried his face in her hair.

  He would have been happy to just quietly hold her until they both got a hold of their emotions, but thanks to the venue he had chosen they were destined to be interrupted.

  As the restaurant exploded with applause from the other diners who’d seen the proposal, the maître de rushed forward with congratulations. A waiter carrying two glasses of champagne followed.

  Ali took a glass but shot Jon a worried glance.

  He smiled. “One sip won’t hurt.”

  As they clinked glasses, his hand shook. He’d be happy to drink hers as well as his own. He needed it.

  A wife and a baby.

  The initial shock was starting to fade as he settled into the new reality. The more he thought about it, the further the fear receded.

  He could do this. They could do this together.

  Reeling her in with one arm, he kissed her hard on the mouth, only pulling away to say, “You’re sleeping at home tonight with me.”

  They could discuss later where they’d live permanently—where they’d raise their child—but tonight there was no way in hell she was sleeping at Darci’s.

  Red-nosed and adorable she nodded. “Okay.”

  CHAPTER 28

  “Vegas?” Jon suggested later that night.

  Ali wrinkled her nose. “I always felt like that was kind of cheesy.”

  “Okay.” Propped on one elbow next to her in their bed, Jon considered other options. “We can have a big church wedding, if you want.”

  She didn’t look any happier with that idea. “That can take so long to plan and schedule. I’m afraid to wait too long. I’m already starting to show a little.”

  He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her belly. It didn’t look all that different to him. “Not really. Well, except for your chest maybe.”

  She screwed up her mouth unhappily. “Thanks.”

  “Believe me, I’m not complaining.” He decided to change the subject before she cried again. These pregnancy hormones were proving to be a formidable adversary. He moved on to his next idea. “Justice of the Peace?”

  Ali lifted one shoulder. “Maybe.”

  He raised a brow. “You’re going to give me a complex here. That’s pretty much all of the suggestions I’ve got to get us hitched. How about this—you and Darci brainstorm. Come up with a plan and I’ll go along with it. Just tell me where to be and when.”

  “Darci has her own wedding to Chris to plan.”

  “Exactly. That’s why she’s the perfect choice to help you. She’s got experience.”

  Ali narrowed her gaze at him. Even though he had thought his own suggestion was pretty brilliant, she didn’t look happy. “You don’t want to be involved?”

  This was going to be an interesting seven or so more months. Jon decided to change tactics. He moved so he was lying on top of her.

  “Of course, I want to be involved. All I want is for you to be happy.” Groaning, he ran his hands down her body. “Well, maybe that’s not all I want.”

  She rolled her eyes. “You always want that lately.”

  “Yup.” He nipped at her ear and then pulled back. “Is that a problem for you?”

  “No.” She smiled.

  “Good.” More than pleased her mood had swung back from the dark side, he decided to take advantage of it.

  Slipping one hand beneath her pajama top, he slid over smooth warm skin on his way toward the lush curve of her breast when she sighed, and not in a good way.

  He moved his hand back to the safe zone as Ali asked, “What are you going to do when I’m huge?”

  He’d already considered that and he couldn’t wait.

  “Get creative.” He ignored that she shook her head at him indulgently as he leaned in to brush a kiss over her throat. “You know you better get over this aversion to being pregnant because we’re not having just this one. I want at least two.”

  “You’re already thinking about number two? Can I please get through this pregnancy before we talk about another?”

  “Doesn’t hurt to talk. Or do other things. You know, to keep in practice.” His gaze swept down her body as he worked one-handed to loosen the tie securing her bottoms. “It’s not like I can get you pregnant again while you already are, right?”

  “Where have you been hiding all this baby lust all these years?”

  Jon shrugged. “I guess I was too busy to think much abou
t it.”

  His own comment reminded him he had to call Zane.

  Things at GAPS were going to have to change. They had plenty of men who worked for them and even more who wanted to. Many of them itching for action and willing to go to some of the worst places on the planet.

  In light of recent events, Jon was finally ready to let them, and without him being there to supervise. It was time he admitted that there was no need for him to be everywhere, doing everything.

  Realizing that and admitting it, not only to himself but also to Zane, was some serious progress for the workaholic control freak he’d always been.

  His partner was going to be shocked by that phone call. And speaking of calls . . .

  “Did you tell Darci yet?” Jon asked.

  “That we’re engaged?”

  “Yeah, that and about the baby.”

  “It’s late. I’ll call her in the morning and tell her we got engaged, but she already knew about the baby. Chris too.”

  “Chris knew?” Jon lifted off his fiancé to stare down at her. “Seriously?”

  Ali cringed. “Yeah. Sorry. He was there when I told Darci.”

  Jon scowled. “Son of a bitch. He didn’t even drop a hint.”

  Ali widened her eyes. “Hey, with all the secrets you two keep for work, the least he could do is keep one for me.”

  “Yeah, I guess.” But Jon was still going to give Chris an earful when he saw him. At least now it made sense why Chris was so invested in them making up.

  “Darci asked me to be her maid of honor. But that was before this.” She gestured to her belly. “I’m going to be a blimp walking down that aisle.”

  “Maybe they’ll wait until after he or she is born.”

  “I don’t know. She was talking about maybe a fall wedding.” Ali sighed. “This was pretty bad timing, huh?”

  Jon shook his head. “Nope. It’s perfect timing.”

  Ali frowned. “Why do you say that?”

  “Because I don’t want to wait even another day to get married. Certainly not until fall like Chris and Darci. Thanks to junior in there, you’re not going to make me wait.” He laid his palm against her belly and grinned, very happy with the turn of events.

  EPILOGUE

  Silhouetted by the glow of the bright autumn sunlight streaming through the arched church window, Ali was enough to take his breath away.

  Jon closed the short distance between them and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “You look beautiful.”

  “You have to say that because I’m carrying your child.”

  “I said it because it’s true.” Standing close, Jon spread his hands, spanning the breadth of his wife’s stomach.

  It seemed to change daily now, expanding as the baby grew. It wouldn’t be long before he met his son or daughter.

  The due date wasn’t for another two weeks but Jon had a hunch she wasn’t going to make it that long. He’d had his theory shot down by all the females in their circle of friends since he was just a man and they thought he couldn’t know about these things, but he trusted his gut. They’d find out soon enough who was right.

  It seemed crazy to think that soon there would be a new little person living in the bedroom-turned-nursery. They’d been waiting for this day for so many months.

  In about twenty minutes, he and Ali would be up on the altar, not as bride and groom, but as Matron of Honor and groomsman.

  Today was Darci and Chris’s day. Jon and Ali had tied the knot with a lot less fanfare months ago in a small quiet ceremony at the Justice of the Peace.

  Jon glanced around them. The wedding guests, both out of town relations and local friends, had already begun filling the small church.

  This thing was happening not a moment too soon, in his opinion. Between the risk of Brody getting recalled before his brother’s wedding and Ali’s ever-growing baby, Jon figured they were on borrowed time as it was.

  “Is Darci ready?” he asked after checking the time on his watch.

  “Yes. The photographer was taking a few shots of her and her mother and father so he said they didn’t need me there. I’m happy to not have to smile for the camera right now. I’ve got the worst indigestion. I don’t know what I could have eaten that didn’t agree with me.” Ali rubbed her stomach.

  Jon studied his wife a bit more closely. “Um, have you been having . . . intestinal issues.”

  She frowned at him. “Not that I would have brought this up here and now but yes, I did have to run to the bathroom before. Why?”

  “Just trying to figure out what you could have eaten.”

  When she fell asleep at night he read her pregnancy books. Having that much information in his head could be a curse such as now when she’d listed her symptoms.

  He wasn’t going to worry her just minutes before her best friend’s wedding. He’d keep an eye on her. They’d get through the ceremony and then, if necessary, they could call the doctor.

  Pulling her as close as he could with her belly between them, Jon wrapped his arms around her, checking his watch behind her back.

  Fifteen minutes and counting.

  Chris came around the corner, Brody and Rick flanking him.

  “There you are. You ready for this?” Chris asked Jon.

  “Me?” Jon laughed. “Yeah. Are you ready?”

  “Never been readier.” Chris grinned.

  Ali touched Jon’s arm. “I’m going to the ladies room and then to check on Darci.”

  He looked her over again and finally nodded. “Okay. See you at the altar.”

  She smiled. “Okay.”

  Jon watched her walk away until she was out of sight.

  When he turned back to the group of men, it was to find Rick pulling a flask partway out of his pocket. “If anyone needs a little liquid courage, let me know.”

  As much as he could use a swig right about now, Jon had a feeling he’d need all his wits about him.

  The preacher came out of the back room and began doing something up on the altar. Brody nudged Chris in the side with his elbow. “Looks like it’s almost show time. Last chance to hightail it out of here.”

  “I’m good, bro. Thanks.”

  Even as Chris laughed, Rick frowned at Brody. “Hey, that’s my sister you’re talking about.”

  “Relax. I’m kidding. Like Chris would ever leave Darci.” Brody scoffed. “I’m surprised he let her spend the night alone last night.”

  Chris didn’t need the stress of these two bickering any more than Jon did today, so it was a good distraction when Zane walked in with his girlfriend Missy on his arm.

  “Look who’s here. Glad you made it.” Jon took a step forward and kissed Missy’s cheek before shaking Zane’s hand.

  “I’m glad we made it too. Traffic from D.C. sucked.”

  “It usually does,” Jon agreed as Zane turned to greet Chris, before moving on to shake Rick and Brody’s hands.

  Missy glanced around the church. “This is quite a crowd.”

  Brody snorted. “Just our family from Alabama took up the first three pews. There are a lot of Cassidy cousins.”

  “And Grandmother, bless her heart, insisted we invite every single one,” Chris added.

  Rick tipped his chin toward the front of the church. “Looks like the preacher is signaling us.”

  Looking excited and not at all nervous, Chris rubbed his hands together. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

  Zane indicated the half empty pew in the back of the church. “We’re gonna grab a seat. Good luck, man.”

  “Thanks.” Chris accepted the handshake and spun toward the front of the church. “Let’s get me married.”

  Along with Brody and Rick, Jon lined up in front of the altar beside Chris while strains of music filled the church. Cameras and cell phones were raised as the guests took pictures of what must be quite a sight. Four men in pristine Navy dress whites—medals, ribbons and tridents included—as per the bride’s request.

  As the minutes ticked down, th
e song changed. A hush fell over the seated crowd.

  Brody’s girlfriend Ashley appeared at the far end of the aisle wearing a dress the same rose color as Ali’s but in a different style. She was followed by Rick’s girlfriend Sierra, wearing yet another version of the same color.

  Jon caught a glimpse of the twin expressions on Brody and Rick’s faces at the sight of their girls and had to wonder how soon it would be before they were all gathered for the next wedding.

  Then it was Jon’s turn to be enraptured as Ali appeared. Donning a smile for the cameras she walked slowly toward him, until a crease appeared in her brow and she faltered just a bit in her stride. She recovered quickly but he hadn’t missed the misstep.

  She reached the end of the aisle, shot Jon a glance and then turned, as did the entire congregation when the song changed one more time.

  Everyone in the church stood, their eyes on the bride and her father. Everyone except for Jon. His focus was on Ali alone.

  He saw her lay one hand on her stomach behind the bouquet she held. He saw her entire body tense as another frown creased her brow. And he saw her hide it all and force a smile when she caught him watching her.

  Taking a deep breath, he steadied himself to get through this ceremony without losing his mind, because if his guess was correct his wife was in labor.

  Luckily it was a short service. Finally, the vows were said, the rings exchanged and the groom had kissed the bride. Then, thank God, Jon could take Ali’s arm as they followed the newlyweds out.

  The moment he got his hand on her, he leaned low. “Are you having pains?”

  “I’m sure it’s nothing. It’s probably that Braxton Hicks I read about.”

  He took that answer as a yes. She was having pain. “We’re calling the doctor.”

  “No, we’re going to stand in the receiving line next to Chris and Darci, then we’re going to take pictures and then we’re going to support them during their first dance.”

  All of that was going to take hours. The procession stepped outside into the warmth of the sun. He was about to pull her to the side so they could discuss the insanity of her wanting to wait when Ali doubled over.