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  Bobbi moped all weekend, waffling between embarrassment that she’d been so willing to sleep with him on their first official date, annoyance that he’d been called away, and sadness that he probably wouldn’t want to see her again after the way she’d behaved when he’d said he had to leave. She hadn’t known what to do, what was expected of her, or how she was supposed to act. Did the wives of these kinds of military men just smile and say goodbye? She’d been a military wife, of course, but Wade had worked the military variation of nine-to-five when he wasn’t deployed, and they’d had lots of time to get ready for deployments; the Force Recon element was completely foreign to her.

  She was still in a bad mood on Monday when she got to work, and was lost in thought when Sara’s mom, Jessyka, came in to drop Sara off.

  “Hey, Bobbi!”

  Bobbi turned and smiled at the pretty brunette. “Hey, Jessyka.”

  “Listen, Sara’s a little off this morning so if you see any signs of a fever or cough, will you shoot me a quick text? So far I don’t see any symptoms, but I thought I’d give you a heads-up.”

  “Of course.”

  “So, are you coming to the cookout?”

  “The what?” Bobbi frowned.

  “Benny said you and Ron are dating so I thought…” Her voice trailed off.

  “One date and it didn’t end well, so he probably won’t be calling when he gets back.”

  “What happened?” Jessyka leaned against the desk, as if ready to chat.

  Bobbi shrugged. “Doesn’t matter.”

  “Okay, if you don’t want to talk about it, I’ll head out, but Benny ran into him last week and he thinks Ron really likes you.”

  “Maybe he did, but after the way I acted when he said he had to go…” She sighed. “Anyway, it was super awkward.”

  “He got the call in the middle of the date?”

  Bobbi flushed. “He got the call in the middle of…something else.”

  “Oh.” Jessyka winced sympathetically. “And he just…stopped?”

  Bobbi’s face was burning. “Well, we weren’t, you know, there yet, but we’d just started making out on the bed.” She didn’t know why she was telling the parent of one of her students this, but Benny was a SEAL, so Jessyka would understand if anyone would.

  “And you were upset.”

  Bobbi nodded miserably.

  “I know it’s not the same when they tell you it can happen and when it actually happens, but—”

  “He talked about going off on missions, but I thought like a day or two, not right that second.”

  “He never explained about that?” Jessyka cocked her head. “Well, that’s on him.”

  “We just, I mean…” Bobbi hung her head. “It was our first official date. So he probably thinks I’m some sort of bimbo anyway.”

  “Why? Because you wanted a handsome man you went out with to make you feel good? Honey, don’t be so hard on yourself. You’re not 15. You’re a grown woman who’s had a rough year after the death of your husband. You’re allowed to want sex.”

  “Ron and I have known each other since high school,” Bobbi said. “I had a crush on him then and now…” She sighed.

  Jessyka snickered. “Now he’s all grown up and you want to lick him… So what’s the problem?”

  “I’m a single mom and his daughter goes to school here. It’s probably best if we don’t start something.”

  “You’re overthinking this. He should’ve given you a heads-up about the way it works with his job, but you’re super new together, and he probably wasn’t thinking. You know how guys are.”

  “Yeah.”

  “At least wait until he gets back and you have a chance to talk before you write him off. He seems like a good guy.”

  “I’ve had a crush on him since high school…”

  “If you’ve waited this long, no reason to give up now.”

  Bobbi chewed her lip thoughtfully. “Maybe you’re right.”

  Chapter 6

  The flight home from Afghanistan was long. Doing two days of reconnaissance on a suspected terrorist’s house had been hot and boring. They’d gotten the information they needed without much fuss, but the flights were tedious. He’d been gone four days, and two of them had essentially been spent on planes. It had also been four long days since he’d seen or spoken to Bobbi, who’d been on his mind a lot. He regretted the way he’d been called away and though it was par for the course for him, she obviously hadn’t known what to do.

  With Bobbi on his mind, part of him resented having to run home and get Sam. Of course, it was already 8:30 in the evening in California, and they wouldn’t land for another hour. Sam would be in bed and Sandy wouldn’t mind if he showed up in the morning to pick her up and take her to school instead of getting her tonight. Which meant he would be able to call Bobbi as soon as they were on the ground. Maybe she’d let him swing by her place so they could talk. Maybe she was already done with him, like lots of other women over the years, but maybe not. Maybe she was as special as he hoped she was, as special as she’d been in high school.

  It was almost ten by the time they landed and he put his gear away. He was hesitant to call her so late, but decided to anyway. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel impatiently, hoping she wasn’t asleep.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey.” He let out a silent sigh of relief that she’d answered.

  “You’re back?”

  “Just landed a little while ago.”

  “Oh, that’s good. I mean, I’m glad you’re home.”

  “I was hoping to see you.”

  “Um…” She hesitated. “I’m already in bed.”

  “I really want to see you, Bobbi.”

  “Well, all right. I guess it’s okay if you stop by for a little while.”

  “See you in ten.” He disconnected before she changed her mind.

  Bobbi freshened up but didn’t get dressed. She slept in loose, stretchy shorts and oversized T-shirts so there was nothing she needed to cover up and she wasn’t worried about him seeing her without makeup. There was so much she didn’t know about his life, especially his career, and after the other night she was even less thrilled with the idea of getting involved with another Marine. Or any military man for that matter. Though she hadn’t loved Wade, he’d been her husband and the father of her child. Losing him had been terrible, and she was just starting to move past it. Ron had appeared like a splash of sunshine in her otherwise overcast life, but his getting called away right on the brink of them becoming intimate felt like a sign. Jessyka, on the other hand, hadn’t thought it was a bad idea, so she was as confused as ever.

  When she heard his knock, she answered with a tentative smile, surprised when he immediately lowered his mouth to hers. She responded automatically, not even thinking about whether or not she should.

  “Welcome home,” she whispered when they separated.

  “Thanks.” He followed her into the living room.

  She sank into the nearest chair, opting to keep a tiny bit of distance between them. If he got too close she might lose control of her hormones and she didn’t want a repeat of the last time they’d almost gotten intimate.

  “So…can you tell me anything about where you were?” she asked slowly, unsure what else to say.

  “Recon mission in Afghanistan. In and out, pretty cut and dried.”

  “Okay.” She met his gaze with a touch of uncertainty.

  “Look, things were pretty awkward when I left the other night, so I wanted to make sure you understood what happened. The way my life—my job—works means I have to go when I get the call. It wasn’t about you at all. I’m pretty sure I was as frustrated and disappointed as you were, so I don’t want you to think I would’ve left you hanging if I’d had any choice.”

  “I know. I don’t know why, but it caught me off guard. I’ve never thrown myself at anyone like that before, so having it cut off in the middle was embarrassing.”

  “Aw, baby, I’
m sorry.” He reached out a hand and waited for her to take it.

  She finally did and let him draw her onto his lap.

  “That wasn’t rejection,” he murmured against her hair. “I want you so bad I can taste it. There isn’t a chance in hell I would’ve stopped if I hadn’t gotten called. Unless you asked me to, of course.”

  “I’ll be better prepared next time,” she murmured, nestling against him.

  “We could try again…”

  “We could.” She wrapped her arms around his neck, warmth spreading through her. No matter what her doubts were, they faded to nothing when he was near. Being in his arms was natural, and felt too good to ignore.

  His lips found hers in the darkness and she sighed against his mouth. His scent was warm and musky, all male, and she lost herself in it easily.

  “Mommy?” Julian’s voice from the hallway made them jump apart.

  “Julian?” Bobbi quickly got to her feet. If he was calling her mommy instead of mom, something was wrong.

  “I don’t feel—” He stopped abruptly and heaved all over the floor.

  “Oh, no!” She ran to her son, quickly ushering him to the bathroom.

  Ron grabbed a roll of paper towels and worked on the mess in the hallway while Bobbi tended to Julian. Once he was cleaned up and resting in bed again, she came out, looking around in confusion.

  “You didn’t have to clean up,” she said quietly.

  “What else was I going to do? Leave it for you?”

  “My house,” she chuckled.

  “No problem.” He leaned down to kiss the top of her head. “You should get some rest.”

  “You too.”

  “Yeah, five o’clock comes early.”

  “Why don’t you sleep here?” she suggested softly. “We’re both adults and I have a feeling I’ll be up with Julian again, so you can crash on the bed.”

  “If I crash on the bed, you’re coming with me,” he said gently. “We don’t have to do anything, but I’ll be damned if I don’t get to hold you.”

  She flushed with pleasure. “That sounds heavenly.”

  “Come on.” He held out his hand and she took it gratefully.

  “Ever been cock-blocked by a kid’s vomit before?” she chortled as they got comfortable.

  He snorted. “Nope. Definitely a first for me.”

  “For me too,” she chuckled. “There wasn’t enough sex in my marriage for any cock-blocking.”

  “If you were my wife, there would be all kinds of sex,” he whispered against her ear. “Kids or no kids, I’d make love to you every chance I got. And every time would be better than the time before.”

  “That sounds wonderful,” she sighed, though her voice was soft and sleep-edged.

  “It will be,” he said as they drifted off.

  The week was long and busy. Bobbi had her hands full dealing with Julian’s stomach flu, and between work and Sam, Ron didn’t have a minute to himself. On Friday, he realized the cookout Benny had invited him to was the following day, and he invited Bobbi and Julian to join him. Since Julian seemed to be on the mend now, she readily accepted the invitation.

  When Ron picked her up on Saturday, his breath caught a little. In white denim shorts that fell just above mid-thigh and a hot pink off-the-shoulder blouse that showed off her beautiful throat and shapely shoulders, Ron could barely keep from touching her. Her hair was in the loose, sexy braid she’d been wearing the first time he’d seen her at the daycare center and now his thoughts were in all kinds of dark, sensual places he wished they weren’t. They had both kids and a long afternoon with a large group of people—sex was nowhere on the agenda—but that wouldn’t stop him from thinking about it.

  “You look gorgeous,” he said under his breath as he brushed his lips across hers.

  “Thank you.” She smiled up at him. “It’s such a beautiful day, it’ll be nice to be outside.”

  “I’d rather be inside,” he teased.

  “Not with both kids,” she laughed.

  “Maybe not.”

  They chatted amiably as he drove to Benny and Jessyka’s house. It wasn’t far and they gathered up the kids and Sam’s diaper bag, heading out back to the party. Ron immediately recognized the members of Benny’s SEAL team and introduced them to Bobbi, who was then introduced to their wives and children. She disappeared into the house to help with the food and Ron gladly accepted a beer as he sank into a chair.

  “You look good with a little one,” Benny said with a grin as Ron bounced Sam on his lap.

  Ron glanced down at his niece. “Being a single parent is a lot harder than I expected, but she’s worth it. Not a chance in hell I’d give her up.”

  “What about the job?” Matthew “Wolf” Steel had been a Navy SEAL for more than ten years and knew better than most how demanding jobs like theirs could be.

  “I don’t know.” Ron sighed, shaking his head. “I never in a million years thought I’d even consider leaving the Marines, but she doesn’t have anyone else and the older she gets, the harder it’s going to be to leave her at the drop of a hat. It’s not like I have a wife at home to take care of her.”

  “What about Bobbi?” Benny asked. “You two seem cozy.”

  “Her husband was Wade Garner.”

  “The one who died in the ‘chute accident?” Wolf frowned.

  Ron nodded. “Understandably, she’s not keen on dating another Marine.”

  “Sometimes you have to show them you’re not going anywhere,” Sam “Mozart” Reed, another of Benny and Wolf’s SEAL team brothers, interjected quietly. “There are no guarantees, but if you show them how you feel, that you’re going to do everything in your power to come home to them, it makes a difference.”

  “We’re not there yet,” Ron muttered. “We went to high school together but we just reconnected a couple of weeks ago and I got called for an op during our first official date without kids.”

  Mozart winced. “Yeah, that’s a drag.”

  “If she’s the right one, she’ll come to terms with it pretty quick.” Wolf took a pull from his beer. “And the girls will get a feel for what she’s thinking today, no doubt about that.”

  Ron groaned. “Great. My life through the wives’ grapevine.”

  “Nothing would get done without it!” Benny laughed.

  “And if there’s a chance you’re getting out,” Wolf said, “that would make all of this moot.”

  “I don’t want to promise her that and then change my mind.” Sam had started to wiggle and Ron put her down.

  “No, you definitely don’t want to do that.” Benny grimaced.

  “In the meantime, who needs another beer?” Wolf got to his feet.

  Chapter 7

  In the big, spacious kitchen, Bobbi was a little overwhelmed listening to this close-knit group of women catching up on their week, their spouses and pretty much every detail of their lives. Tasked with chopping up vegetables to go with a ranch dip Jessyka was making, Bobbi listened to their conversation but gave up trying to keep track. She’d met Wolf’s wife, Caroline, on base a few times, and recognized Alabama Powers because her girls came to the after-school program twice a week, but the others were new to her and their names all ran together.

  “I’m guessing you and Ron made up?” Jessyka asked, interrupting her thoughts.

  Bobbi looked up. “Kind of. I mean, yes, I’m here with him but Julian had the stomach flu all week so we haven’t really been able to talk.”

  “He’s a hottie.” Caroline grinned at her as she passed by with a plate of hamburgers and hot dogs she was taking outside.

  “I wouldn’t kick him out of bed,” Alabama giggled, her cheeks turning pink. “If I were single, that is!”

  They laughed together and Bobbi was grateful the conversation turned to other things. She didn’t have a lot to say about Ron. She liked him. She wanted him. She could picture herself with him. She just couldn’t wrap her head around starting a relationship with another military man. She
respected the hell out of them, and admired the strong women who loved them, but wasn’t sure she could do it again. She hadn’t even loved Wade and his death had gutted her. Losing Ron would be a thousand times harder, and though she tried not to be a pessimist, she’d never been particularly lucky when it came to men.

  “Hey.” Ron’s arms slid around her from behind and she turned, smiling up at him despite her dark thoughts.

  “Hi.”

  “Are you done? Come sit with me. I haven’t spent time with you in nearly two weeks.”

  “Sure.” She wiped her hands and let him lead her out back. A group of older kids were playing on a Slip ‘N Slide while the younger ones like Sam and Sara were in a sandbox. Some of the SEALs were gathered, laughing and talking, while others played with the kids. Bobbi sank onto Ron’s lap when he guided her in that direction and looked into his eyes.

  “Sam is going to have half the sand from the sandbox in her diaper,” he mused.

  Bobbi looked over at where Julian was sliding with the bigger kids. “This is the happiest I’ve seen Julian in over a year.”

  “It’s nice being out like this, isn’t it?”

  “Yeah.” She rested her head on his shoulder.

  “What are you thinking?” he asked softly, stroking her cheek with his knuckle.

  “How easy it would be to get used to this.”

  “Isn’t that a good thing?”

  “Let’s not talk about all that today, okay?” She rested her palm on his hard, flat abdomen and began moving it up and down in a slow, comforting pattern. “I just want to enjoy being together.”