Ranger's Baby Surprise (Special Forces Elite 2)

I shrugged like her turning me down didn’t bother me.

“Well there is always beagles and doughnuts if all else fails,” I said holding up the bag. “Can I come in? Breakfast is my treat.”

I saw her determination waver.

“Mommy,” Emma said from behind her mother. “He has pink doughnuts. Please.”

“Fine,” Julie conceded stepping to the side for the benefit of her daughter finally eating something.

“Just so you know,” she added as I walked into the room, “We don’t normally eat things that are ridiculously sweet or with artificially food coloring. It's not good for her.”

“Savannah,” I said simply.

Julie shrugged.

“She is Em’s Godmother.”

“Yes well, I hope you are sticking to actual medicine for her cold and not that voodoo witchcraft she is no doubt concocting at her farm.”

“What’s voodoo?” Emma asked her mom.

“You can explain that,” Julie said to me, “While I go put something on.”

I watched her figure as she walked away. Her hair was much longer now and left little drips in her wake. It was like breadcrumbs begging me to follow.

Instead, I met the eyes of the little girl still waiting for her answer.

I walked with her over to the table, and she sat down. Taking out the doughnut, I put it on a napkin in front of her.

“You ever saw the Princess and the Frog?” I asked.

Emma nodded her head between enormous bites of doughnut. It must have been true that Julie didn’t give this kid much sugar the way she was wolfing it down.

“Only one time,” she said with a stuffed mouth. “Mommy said it was too scary.”

I rolled my eyes.

“Well, you know that bad guy?”

She nodded again.

“There you go. That’s voodoo.”

“Auntie Savannah does that?” She asked truly terrified.

“No,’ Julie said firmly coming back down the hall.

If she had no interest in me, she sure as hell was going to make a point to flaunt what I couldn’t have.

Julie was wearing the shortest shorts I had ever seen paired with a floral tank top. She was still drying her hair with the towel as she walked our way.

Julie didn’t even give me so much as a glance as she leaned over me and reached into my bag for a bagel. I took the moment to inhale her sweet scent. Every muscle in my body was itching to take her in my arms and sit her on my lap.

Julie didn’t seem as affected by our closeness, and instead sat in an empty chair nibbling on her dry bagel.

“I was just joking,” I finally said to Emma. “I use to know your Auntie before you were born. I like to make fun of her.”

“Did you know Mommy too?” Emma asked looking between the two of us.