His Secret Child (Slade Security Team 2)

Jason yawed. “Good. Mom said she was looking for a guy good enough to be my dad. Said the guy had big shoes to fill. You better marry Aunt Bethany—she’s always been second mom.”

“Second mom?” Slade asked.

Jason nodded, eyes sliding shut and staggering a little at Slade’s side. “Y’know, like second breakfast in the Hobbit. Mom never wanted me to see that movie, but Aunt Bethany said it was cool. The dragon was okay.”

“Yeah, dragons are okay,” Slade said. He was pretty sure he hadn’t slain any dragon. No, he was going to end up married to his dragon, lord help him. He grinned. He was looking forward to more fierce battles with her.

Chapter 16

Bethany let herself out the back door of Slade’s beach house and headed down to the sand. When she got there, she sat down in the middle of the sand and let her tears fall. Not sad tears, not like when Tayra had told her about her diagnosis. Not frustrated tears for Jason when he was struggling with his condition. She was just—overwhelmed. The air smelled of salt and kelp. Seagulls were giving their last cries as they circled overhead. The sun painted the sky with flames, and the ocean hushed low waves onto the beach.

She was still sitting in the damp sand when Slade found her. “What are you doing out here?”

She rubbed at her damp cheeks with her fingers. “You don’t have any grass.”

Slade frowned and sat down next to her, his knees pulled up and his shoulder bumping hers. “Okay, I’ll bite. Why do you need grass?”

“So I’m not by myself. So I’m surrounded by all sorts of living things. Plants. Insects. Small animals. I can feel their energy and it helps ground me.”

Slade put an arm over her shoulder. “I’ll call a landscaper. We’ll have a lawn tomorrow.”

She punched his arm. “I’m not looking for you to solve every damn problem I mention. I was just saying.”

“So…no lawn?”

She shook her head. “No, no lawn.” She leaned into him. “Do you want more kids?”

He nodded, shrugged, shook his head. “That one…I don’t know. Okay, maybe. But…hey, we have Jason. Might be good just to settle for one great kid. I don’t know how good I’d be with that whole feeding and changing diapers thing.”

“You? Change a dirty diaper? I’d almost pay money to see that.”

“I can disassemble an AK-47 and re-assemble the same gun in under ten minutes—does that count for being handy? I also haven’t heard you complain about my cooking.”

“I told Maria we wouldn’t mind watching the kids for her. She’s going to bring the three youngest by in the morning so she can make a doctor’s appointment for the older ones. You can see how well you’d do as a daddy. Personally, I think you’ll have them saluting in half an hour.”

He laughed. “Boot camp sergeant. My ambition in life. We should probably get some sleep if that’s happening.”

She stood, reached back, and dusted the sand off of her shorts, stopping when she saw Slade watching her every movement.

“Let’s go back to the house,” he said, his voice a low growl.

Bethany led the way. Moonlight was spilling over the sand as the last sunlight faded from the sky. Slade draped an arm over her shoulder. “So, did you get the same feeling sitting in the sand as when you sit on grass?”

“No. It was different.”

“Different bad or different good?”

Bethany shrugged. “Just different. There were different sounds to pick out. A different feel to the place.” She glanced at him. “I can get used to different.”

Inside, she turned toward him. The smell of his cologne sent a burst of longing through her. She didn’t wait for him to make the first move. She wrapped her arms around his waist and pushed him back slightly. When his back connected with the wall, she grinned and launched herself at him.

She kissed him, slipped her hands up under his T-shirt, reveled in the feel of his skin beneath her hands. When he moved to rid her of her clothing, Bethany helped him by toeing off her shoes. She licked up his neck and then nibbled on his earlobe.

Pulling back, she looked him in the eyes. “I’m still not sure that this is a great idea, but I can’t keep my hands off of you. I need to feel alive, and the best place I can think to do that is in your arms.”

“Does that mean you’re saying yes to my question?” She gave a soft hum and kissed him again. He took her by the shoulders and held her back. “Is that a yes? You’ll marry me?”

“Slade, it’s not good for you to always get your way.”