One to Protect (One to Hold 3)

Yeah, we’re pretty much busted, but Franklin pretends not to notice.

“Look, here they are.” He grabs a box off the shelf right in front of Elaine and then turns, heading back up the hall to the front of the store.

We duck and laugh, stealing another kiss before following him.

“Tell Melissa ‘Congratulations from Frank,’ okay?” He rings up the bag of blue flowers, blue mini presents, and little blue balloons, and just before he hits Total, I grab two “It’s a Boy” cigars from a rack by the register.

“These, also.”

He nods and adds them to the bag, and in less than five minutes, we’re back at the Charger. I unlock Elaine’s door and hold it. She starts to get in but instead steps up on the doorframe, putting her slightly taller than me.

“What are you doing?” I laugh, but she wraps one arm around my shoulders. The other hand holds my face.

“Don’t you ever leave me again, Patrick Knight.” Her lips just brush mine, and dammit if this woman doesn’t know how to get me going. “I get too sad. And a little loopy.”

I toss the bag in behind her and grab her around the waist, pulling her even closer. “Baby, I hope I never have to leave you again.”

She kisses me hard before dropping onto the car seat. “I guess that’ll have to do. Now hurry up, or they’ll think we’re not coming back.”

“Hmm… Mel’s mom’s there. We could take a detour past the beach.”

“Don’t you want cake?”

My eyes travel from her face down to her gorgeous legs in my car. “I’d much rather have you.”

She reaches up, and I lean in for another kiss. “What did I do before I met you?”

“From what I’ve heard, you almost died of boredom.”

“Patrick!” She pushes me back, and I laugh. “Come on!”

Back at the condo, Derek and I leave the ladies inside eating cake, planning showers, and talking nursery themes to step out on the back porch and smoke our stogies.

I can’t resist. “So. Another little Alexander Marine on the way.”

He shakes his head and looks down at the cherry. “Maybe he’ll take after Melissa.”

“You mean by being as stubborn as you are?” I inhale, holding the smoke in my mouth before letting it go. “Watch out USMC.”

He takes another brief pull. “These aren’t too bad.”

“They’re not too good either.”

A short laugh is all I get, and I know he’s not okay. From the deflection of a little military son to the shadow covering his smiles all night, I know what’s bothering him. I’ve known it since the night we sat at that little table in the Four Seasons drinking the adrenaline away. As horny as I’d been for Elaine, I’d actually insisted we come back early for him. I’ve seen it before, guys forgetting why we’re doing what we do. He needed to see Melissa.

Rolling the cigar in my fingers, I have an idea. “I’m headed down to Raleigh tomorrow. I need to pay Toni, and I’d planned to give her that other money as well, be sure she’s okay.”

He still doesn’t respond, so I continue. “Heck, if she forgets Baltimore as easily as she forgot the number she pulled on me, we’re fine. Want to ride along?”

That catches his attention. “Sure. What time you leaving?”

“Nine?”

He nods. “I’ll be ready.”

We’re quiet again, watching the trees and smoking. I know he’s not one to open up, but I’ll give it a shot.

“You did the right thing.”