Ranger's Baby Surprise (Special Forces Elite 2)

Suddenly my chest felt heavy. If Jake Crane wasn’t the definition of unavailable I didn’t know what man was.

“Oh. All right.” I threw everything back in the box and tossed the manuals on top. “I think I’ll do this another time.”

“You sure? I can take it to the burn pile for you.”

“I can’t burn my brother’s things.” My voice flashed with anger and I didn’t care. How could he even suggest it? Th

e fury had surfaced before I could even think about controlling it.

“Sorry. Sorry.” He put his hands in the air. “I think I’ll just get back to the roof. I’ve got to get the bricks up before it rains again.”

And before I could apologize he was gone.

“Damn it,” I whispered.

11

Olivia

Another week passed and I decided I couldn’t take it anymore.

Jake would walk in a room and my body would light up like a Christmas tree. He’d walk out and I felt the disappointment wash over me.

There was a moment, sitting on the floor in Elliot’s room when I thought he was going to kiss me, but he didn’t. He hadn’t touched me again. It was all I could think about. It was all I wanted. All I needed.

I had to put a stop to it. Now.

I sat across from him at the kitchen table.

I watched his expression as he took a bite. I wanted to see that grin. The one that said he loved the way it tasted on his tongue. The one that said he was happy with what I had made for him.

The corners of his mouth turned. “God, this is good.” He heaped more pasta on his fork.

“I’m glad you like it.” I couldn’t put up sheetrock, but I could cook. I smiled at him over my wine glass.

“What do you call it?”

“It’s one of my special dishes,” I teased. I wasn’t about to tell him I had spent the entire afternoon whipping up a cream sauce that would seduce him. I had to use the skills I had.

“So are you going to tell me the big secret you’ve been keeping?” He eyed me.

“S-secret?”

Oh God, he knew I had a massive crush on him. He knew I was finding him in my dreams every night. He knew when I looked at him all I could think about was what his mouth would feel like on mine. He knew I wanted him.

“There is definitely something you’re not telling me.” He paused. “No one can just cook like this.”

I let out a deep breath. “Oh, my cooking. Right.” I didn’t know whether to be relieved or annoyed that he had guessed the wrong secret.

“I used to own a restaurant in Seattle.”

“You did? Well I guess that explains a lot. Why haven’t you mentioned it?”

“Because it burned to the ground. I don’t have it anymore.”

His eyes widened. The gold flecks intense. “What happened?”

I shrugged my shoulders. “They ruled it an electrical malfunction in the breaker box. I lost the entire building.” I reached for the wine.