“Lindsay?”
There it was. There was a question embedded in the simple saying of her name and the jig was up.
Kendra Givens approached, also out of uniform even though her maternity leave was over and she was back on the job. She pushed a stroller that held a small boy who looked remarkably like his father, Jake—right down to the striking green eyes and long lashes. “Oh my God, you guys! Do you ever know how to keep a secret!”
She went up to Lindsay and gave her a quick hug. “Is this why you decided to hang around a little longer, Matt? When you first got here, we’d all figured you for a bit of a nomad, moving from post to post and spreading all that charm around.”
“Yeah, well, me too. And then I met Lindsay. Figured I’d stay around a while. A good long while.”
“This is so great! I love how we’re all having our kids together. You, me, Ally, Carly…heck, we’ve got our own Mom-and-Tot group in the making.”
Lindsay laughed. “I’m still getting used to the idea, Kendra, slow down.”
Kendra smiled and then squeezed her hand. “What is it about those men in uniform anyway? I look at the picture of Jake in his dress uniform and just melt.”
Lindsay grinned and looked up into Matt’s amused face. “Aw,” she replied, giving him a wink. “You know how it is. It’s not the uniform but the man underneath it. That’s the real attraction.”
Kendra laughed. “Ain’t that the truth. Listen, I’ve gotta go, but congratulations. I’m really happy for you both.”
When she was gone, Matt took Lindsay’s hand in his and gazed down at her with the piercing blue eyes she knew she’d love forever. “Is that the real attraction? And here I thought coming home in uniform was working to my advantage.”
“Oh, honey,” she said, loving how easily they could tease each other. “The real truth? The only thing sexier than a man in uniform is the same man out of it.”
“Really.” He raised an eyebrow.
She stood on tiptoe and whispered in his ear, “Cross my heart. And if you need proof, I’ll show you exactly what I mean later.”
His lips twitched as he tried not to laugh. “I’ll hold you to that, Dr. Swan.”
She met his gaze and gave a short nod. “That,” she declared, “is a promise you can count on.”
About the Author
A busy wife and mother of three (two daughters and the family dog), Donna Alward believes hers is the best job in the world: a combination of stay-at-home mom and romance novelist.
An avid reader since childhood, Donna always made up her own stories. She completed her Arts Degree in English Literature in 1994, but it wasn't until 2001 that she penned her first full-length novel, and found herself hooked on writing romance. In 2006 she sold her first manuscript.
Donna loves being back on the East Coast of Canada after nearly twelve years in Alberta where her Harlequin career began, writing about cowboys and the west. Donna's debut Harlequin Romance, Hired by the Cowboy, was awarded the Booksellers’ Best Award in 2008 for Best Traditional Romance.
Donna loves to hear from readers; you can contact her through her website at www.donnaalward.com, visit her Facebook page, find her on Twitter at @DonnaAlward or through her publishers.
Look for these titles by Donna Alward
Now Available:
The Girl Most Likely
Almost a Family
Sold to the Highest Bidder
Breathe
First Responders
Off The Clock
In The Line of Duty