“Had you called them?” A sinking feeling hit William’s gut. A gas explosion was a good way to blow up a house without anyone suspecting foul play. It could easily be mistaken for an accident. The threat against the toddlers suddenly became very real. Someone wanted their deaths to look unintentional, like the restaurant fire that took their parents.
“No,” Cora said, “they said they needed access to the basement to check the meter and test a line. What are you doing?”
“Calling the gas company to see if they sent someone here today.”
She paled, turned away to check on the kids, who were sitting on the ground pulling up tufts of grass and flinging them at each other.
William called Alert Security, explained his concern, and waited while they patched him through to the gas company. He demanded to speak to a supervisor and in a matter of three minutes he had his answer.
“So?” Cora came toward him when he shoved his phone back in his pocket, leaving the girls ten feet away. She kept her voice low, not wanting them to overhear. “Please tell me you found out it was nothing.”
“I found out that someone was trying to blow up the house. The gas company didn’t send anyone. If you’d lit the stove…”
Her eyes widened and she swayed. Instinctively, his arms went around her, supporting her. “Oh, my God,” she whispered into his shoulder. “I could have killed all of us.”
“You didn’t know, Cora,” he said to comfort her, kicking himself for telling her so bluntly. This wasn’t a mission with his SEAL team. In protecting this household, he’d need the skills he’d obtained in the service, but he had to remember he was dealing with civilians here. He took his eyes off the pretty woman leaning against him to take in the three little girls, knowing that it was going to take all his training to keep them safe.
“What do we do?” Cora lifted her head but didn’t step away. This close, her blue eyes made his brain scramble, but one thought came through clearly. He had to protect her. That task started now.
“The gas company is sending someone to investigate,” he explained as he smoothed his hand down her back, feeling the warmth of her skin through the thin t-shirt. “Fortunately, they had some technicians in the area, so they’ll arrive within five minutes. I need some information from you, Cora. Are you okay to answer some questions?”
“Yes, of course,” she straightened, seeming to pull herself together. “What do you need to know?”
“What kind of security is on the property? I saw a keypad near the front door.” But he’d also noticed how she’d open the door for him without checking who was outside.
“Private security monitors for break-ins, fire, that sort of thing.”
“Do you keep the system armed?” Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a white van with the gas company’s logo pull up by the garage.
“Only at night or when we’re away.”
“During the day?” He waved to the uniformed guy exiting the van, gesturing him to the doors that still stood open from their exit.
“No. We’re in and out so much. The kids love to play in the yard and tree house. I guess that’ll change.”
“They’ll still be able to play outside, but we’ll have to take precautions.” The gas company man entered the house. “What about cameras?”
“None,” she admitted.
That didn’t add up with what William knew of the parents. “The Lawrences were tech gurus, weren’t they?”
“Yes, that’s where they made their fortune, but they liked their home to be a haven from that world.” She’d followed his train of thought. He liked that. They could be a team if she would allow it. “They never conducted business here. When they were home, everything centered on the girls.”
William could respect that, but it hadn’t been a wise choice and it surprised him. “I’m adding security cameras. Today,” he said as the gas company technician came from the house and strode toward them.
“I guess that’s best.” Cora’s face was still tense, but she no longer seemed wobbly.
“There’s a leak,” the gas company man confirmed as he reached them. “House is full of gas.”
“Where’s the leak?” William asked.
“In the basement. I’m not an investigator, but it looks like someone recently tampered with one of the lines down there.”
Cora sucked in a sharp breath next to William.
“I want it fixed asap,” William said.
The man nodded. “I already called for another unit to help. You can’t enter the house until it’s repaired, and we’ve pushed the gas out with fans.”
“Understood,” William said before the technician headed for his van.
“What are we going to do with them?” Cora turned to the girls who were now flat on their backs looking up at the clouds. He was grateful they weren’t bored or whiny…but he had a feeling it was only a matter of time. It wasn’t like there had been a chance for Cora to grab any toys or games to keep them entertained. Plus, they were probably still hungry.
“Let’s take them out for lunch.” He knew of a good place not far from there where he’d eaten before.
“Right, good idea,” Cora seemed relieved, “and thanks. I…”
“It’s why I’m here,” William said, noting the one positive from this situation was that Cora had shown she would trust him to do his job.
Five
Cora slowly backed out of the nursery, closing the door softly behind her. All three girls were finally asleep. She tucked a crayon as a makeshift bookmark in the book she’d been reading as a bedtime story, placed it on the table, and leaned against the wall for a minute, enjoying the peace. The day had left her feeling a little shell-shocked—or maybe that was from the man who’d taken them to lunch before spending the rest of the afternoon and evening setting up cameras all over the house, inside and out.
Nearly every inch of space was under surveillance. She’d only objected once when William suggested he mount a camera in her bedroom. She couldn’t see why that was necessary, and his argument that someone could climb the trellis outside her window and enter the house through her room wasn’t strong enough to allow her privacy to be invaded like that. After snarkily telling him to put a camera on the trellis, she’d turned her back on him and walked away.
And now she felt guilty about that and her reaction when he’d saved their lives earlier. A situation that was entirely her fault. She had let someone into the house without questioning it or asking for identification. Maybe she and the girls did need a protector—and William had certainly proven himself that.
Cora needed to apologize to him and express her gratitude now that she had a few minutes away from the responsibility of watching the kids. He would probably be angry with her, but even if he lost his temper, she had to make this right with him.
She listened, trying to locate him in the house, light footsteps sounded overhead. The attic. She recalled that the attic’s entrance was located in the den’s ceiling.
She made her way to the room on the home’s second floor that overlooked the back yard. It was a cozy room with a fireplace, bookshelves, and a comfortable couch. She often spent her evenings there reading since it felt homey and was close enough to hear the kids if they awakened.
The door stood open, so she walked straight in and stopped cold.
Oh, geez! William hung suspended by his hands from the square hole in the ceiling. He was shirtless, wearing only low-riding jeans. And he was… amazing. Muscles rippled across his chest and stomach. She’d seen buff men before, but nothing like him. He was beautiful in a way, but also powerful, like a predatory animal. Grace and strength combined. She shivered at the thought, unable to take her eyes from his perfect body.
Except it wasn’t perfect. A long scar curved down his rib cage from just below his right nipple to the taut skin of his abdomen. Directly over his heart, the words Semper Fortis were written in black ink. Always Strong. Yes, she could see that. Her eyes traveled upward to hi
s shoulders and arms where other muscles bulged, holding his weight with ease.
He dropped to the floor, landing on his feet, and met her gaze. And she was suddenly so glad he was there for her and the girls. She felt safe with him in the house, a feeling she didn’t know she’d been lacking in the past month when she’d been on her own with the kids.
“I came to apologize,” she said, finally finding her voice. Heat rose in her cheeks. He had to realize that she’d been ogling him, but his expression stayed serious, not cocky like other men’s might. “What happened today was my fault. I shouldn’t have let that guy in this morning. When I think about what could have happened, I feel sick.” She rubbed a hand across her stomach. “I promise to be more cautious in the future.”
“It must have been difficult being the girls’ sole caregiver,” he said, moving closer to her. “I thought there would be someone else to help.”
“A maid service comes in twice a week, so does a gardener,” she explained, surprised at his concern for her. That wasn’t the reaction she’d expected from him at all. She thought he would list all the ways she was at fault or how she was incompetent. Instead, William offered sympathy, and he was right. It had been difficult on her own. “We had a live-in housekeeper, but she retired just before the Bob and Jeanie’s deaths. They’d meant to hire a new one.”
“Could you?” he asked. “Someone to help you with the house at least. It’s a big place.”
“I suppose, but I’ve been reluctant to introduce someone new to the household right now. The girls are doing well considering their parents were here one day and gone the next, but I don’t want to put too much stress on them.”
“And you thought my being here would do that.” There wasn’t the slightest bit of accusation in his tone.
“I did. I’m sorry.” She felt tears swell in her eyes. “And I didn’t think the threat was serious. Not at all. Or I’d never…” Unable to stop the tears, she turned away and would have left the room if strong arms hadn’t come around her for the second time that day stopping her.
He pressed her to the warm, bare skin of his chest as hot tears slid down her face.
“I’m not usually so emotional,” she said, feeling the need to explain herself, but the stress of raising three kids by herself was starting to wear on her. She loved every minute of being with the girls in both good and bad times. It was just a lot for her to do. Her only downtime was late in the evening after bath and bedtime and laundry and…
“It was a hard day.” His hand stroked the nape of her neck, sending pulses of sensation throughout her. It felt amazing, but she still couldn’t set aside her worry.
“What if tomorrow’s not any better?” During the course of the day, her imagination had run wild with scenarios in which the girls could be injured or killed. “What if something happens and I can’t—”
He rested a finger against her lips. “Now that we know there’s a credible threat, we’ll take more precautions in the future.”
We. Maybe she wasn’t in this alone anymore and she could put her faith in him. She wanted to think so, to think they could be partners in a way.
“You don’t know much about me,” he said. “Maybe I should have filled you in on my qualifications.”
As if she would have listened, she thought ruefully. She’d let her gut reaction to him being a military man overrule everything else. With everything he’d done that day, he’d proved her assumptions wrong. “Not your fault.”
“I’m good at anticipating problems and disarming them. I can do that here, too. You care for the girls, and I’ll protect them. And you.”
“That’s good,” she murmured against him, feeling better. She’d seen his preparedness as he’d worked around the house, installing cameras and running cables to a command post he established in the home office on the first floor. But it wasn’t just what he could do, it was who he was as a person. She had to admit that he was far superior to the man she’d expected him to be in Alert Security’s office.
“William,” she began, meeting his gaze. She had no words for her thoughts. She couldn’t ask him to truly be her partner in caring for the triplets, but the thought of having someone to share the load with momentarily took away the overwhelmed feeling she’d been living with.
His dark eyes searched hers. In their depths, she could see his concern and his strength. He lowered his head and his lips touched hers. Her fingers tightened on his shoulders as she pressed into him and let herself be led into the depths of his kiss. She was on the verge of losing herself completely when a sharp cry reached her, ending the kiss abruptly.
“Cora, Cora,” a little voice wailed from down the hall.
“Probably Haley,” Cora said, moving out of his arms a little unsteadily. “I’d better go to her before she wakes the others.”
“Poor kid,” he said. “I’ll be in the basement working out if you need me.”
“I’ve got this.” She moved rapidly toward the nursery door, almost thankful for the disruption. The kiss had been…oh, the kiss had been indescribably good. But it shouldn’t have happened. Cora had her responsibilities to the girls, and he had his as well. They could be partners, in a way, but only in a professional sense.
She reached the nursery, taking one last glance toward where she’d left William. He remained standing in the doorway, watching her—and for the first time in years, she thought that she might want a relationship with a man.
But it couldn’t be this man, despite the power of that kiss. She needed to keep him at a distance, giving them both room to do their jobs.
Six
Several nights later, William awoke suddenly, his senses on high alert. Immediately he checked his phone on the nightstand. No messages. The alarm hadn’t triggered nor had the motion detectors he’d installed outside. Then he heard a child’s soft sobbing from just down the hall. One of the triplets was awake and upset. He listened for Cora to respond to the child, but no sound came through the connecting doors to her bedroom.
Since she’d been exhausted the evening before, he slid from bed noiselessly and reached for a pair of sweat bottoms. Being stealthy was part of being a SEAL, so he had no trouble getting out of his room without waking Cora. He paused a moment at the nursery door, listening. Rustling and sobs came through the door.
Cracking it open, he peeked in. Melody sat up in her crib, still hiccupping with sobs, with a stuffed animal clutched to her. A quick scan of the room told him that the other two continued to sleep soundly.
“It’s okay, little one,” he whispered as he approached the wakeful child. Without hesitation, her arms reached up for him. Some instinct deep in his DNA compelled him to pick her up. Her blue eyes focused on him for a second in a look of utter trust before she stuck her thumb in her mouth and rested her head against him.
He had no training in how to care for a child, but he responded to Melody’s faith in him by rubbing his hand against her back. Unconsciously, he found himself rocking back and forth as he’d seen Cora do when soothing a child.
“Scary dream,” the child murmured.
Should he ask her about it? William had often had bad dreams as a kid, even now he sometimes woke with a sense of helpless terror. It had been a long time since he’d been helpless, but the fear never completely faded.
“I’ve got you. Nothing can hurt you.” It was his job to ensure that, but this was starting to be more than a job to him. He paced the nursery on bare feet, hoping Melody would fall asleep again and somehow, he could lower her back into the crib without waking her.
After several minutes, he realized he should get Cora. She might not be happy with his actions since she considered the girls entirely hers to care for. But Cora had looked exhausted the previous evening, an exhaustion that William had witnessed growing since he came to the house nearly a week ago. He’d noticed that the evenings were even tougher than the days on Cora, leaving her bone-tired by the time the kids were in bed.
Cora did everyth
ing for the girls, not allowing him one bit of responsibility for them, even when he offered. He’d tried again that morning when he’d suggested that she establish a timetable for their care. She’d rebuffed his advice, not in a mean way, but firmly enough that he got the message to back off, explaining that wasn’t the way she wanted to parent.
He thought that was only part of the problem. She didn’t want him to get close to the girls for her own reasons. He couldn’t blame her. She’d accepted a huge responsibility in agreeing to raise the triplets after their parents’ deaths. But she didn’t have to do it completely alone. He could help her by using the skills he’d honed since he was a kid himself.
Routines and schedules were how William had run his life for more than twenty years. Successfully, he felt. But routines were not something Cora seemed willing to embrace. She was always deciding to take an impromptu trip into the yard or to a nearby park. The first trip to a neighborhood park had caught him by surprise and Cora had given him very little time to reconnoiter the layout before she released the kids onto a play structure. Part of him was annoyed that she was hampering his ability to do his job—but he couldn’t stay mad when he saw how every decision she made was driven by the goal to bring joy and comfort into the girls’ lives.
He realized that the bundle in his arms had quieted as he’d swayed and thought. Melody’s breathing was steady. Was she asleep? He stood for a moment holding her before trying to place Melody back in the crib. She straightened her legs, bracing them against the top rail and not allowing him to get her past the crib’s side.
“Back to bed with you,” he said gently, unwilling to force the child.
“No,” Melody declared. “You stay.” Her little fingers tightened around his collar bone.
What could he do? The child might cry if he forced her to let go, which would wake Haley and Paige, and eventually Cora. “I will if you promise to sleep,” he succumbed.
The SEAL’s Unexpected Triplets Page 4
