The SEAL's Surprise Son (The Admiral's Seals, #1) - Leslie North Page 0,9
her body language wasn’t giving anything away. He was a master at reading people, predicting their next move, but he had no idea about hers in this instance.
“Then you have to believe that I tried to contact the father of my child. When you didn’t reply, I wasn’t going to beg you to be part of his life. That would only lead to disappointment for Austin. I couldn’t put a child through that.”
“I didn’t know, Carolyn. I swear. My unit was completely cut off from any contact. I know you don’t want to hear about that, but it’s the truth.”
She looked down at her hands, one clasped in the other. She no longer wore the engagement ring he’d given her, but he was as connected to her as any man is to a woman. They shared a child. That had to count for something.
She huffed out a sigh. “I believe you.”
His racing heart slowed only slightly. Her acceptance of that fact was just the beginning. He wanted to know his son, be part of his life. “Okay, so…where do we go from here, since I’m out of the service and home now?”
She gave him a sharp glance, meeting his eyes for a moment before looking away. Had she not expected him to want contact with his son, or was she unwilling to share the boy?
“I think it’s best if we take it slow. You can come over and spend time with him. Get to know him. He’s a great kid, Zach.”
“He’d have to be, with us as his parents.” He got a ghost of a smile in response, making him remember the good things between them.
“You can’t tell him you’re his daddy, though, not yet,” she warned. “I have to see you’re in this for the long haul. If you give me any reason to doubt your commitment to him, you’re out. I won’t let him be hurt.”
That should have angered him, but it didn’t. Now that he knew about Austin, he’d make his son the center of his universe. He wanted to rush upstairs and see him again, but she probably wouldn’t let him. Instead, he looked at a picture on the coffee table from what must have been Austin’s first birthday. The boy sat in a high chair and smashed a little cake with his fist, smiling gleefully. Zach vowed to never miss another celebration or holiday with his son.
“Will you be all right for the night?” he asked, wanting to care for Austin and her but knowing she wouldn’t want his protection.
“We’ll be fine,” she assured him, but she was pale—which wasn’t a surprise considering the day she’d had.
“I could stick around,” he suggested. He saw her back stiffen.
“Not necessary.” Her tone was clipped. “I have a security system. You can take my car back to the store. Charlotte or my mom will pick us up in the morning.”
“I don’t want to leave you without a vehicle.” His head filled with scenario after scenario in which she’d need a car in the night. What if she had to escape the house quickly or Austin became ill and had to go to the emergency room? “Can I come back tomorrow?” He hated asking permission to visit his own son, but he was at Carolyn’s mercy when it came to that.
“That’s fine. I’ll text you and let you know when we’re home.” She stood as she answered, signaling it was time for him to leave.
“I’ll do that.” At the door, he wanted to hold her, have some contact with the woman he’d loved and with whom he had a child, but she kept her arms crossed over her chest as if to ward him off. “Good night.”
Outside, the heat of the day had passed, but Zach was still riled up inside. As he walked to the corner, he called a buddy for a ride back to the store to retrieve his car. An hour later, Zach pulled up across the street and a little ways down at a spot that gave him a perfect vantage point of Carolyn’s house.
Whether she liked it or not, he protected his own, which meant his son and his son’s mother. He settled in for the night. He’d never struggled to keep alert while on a mission. That night, his mind churned with thoughts, making it easy to keep his eyes open and his focus sharp. Periodically, he slipped between her property and the neighbors’ to check the back of her house. It remained