Soraya Lane - The Navy Seal's Bride

Caitlin waited, not wanting to stare at Tom but finding it difficult to look away. She’d thought he was too similar to her father and her ex because he was military, and because he was physically imposing, but she could see from the look on his face that she’d been wrong. He was different. At least he seemed to be.

Tom didn’t have the hard edge to his profile, the cocky, self-assured aura that she had expected. Maybe when she’d first met him she’d wanted to think he did, but he was so far from that she didn’t know how she could have been so judgmental. When he’d found out that she’d made dinner for them tonight, his face had lit up like hot embers being coaxed back to flame.

The last thing Tom wanted to do was talk about his career, that much was obvious, but he never snapped at Gabby, and seemed to want to shield her from any hurt. “Maybe another night, okay?”

Caitlin could see the pain, see how troubled he was behind those deep, dark eyes. But if he didn’t want to talk she wasn’t going to push him. Because she’d been there herself.

“How do you feel about dessert?”

Tom grinned at her, his face breaking into the most genuine smile she’d seen in a long while. “I think that’s the best question I’ve heard all night.”

“It’s not much, so don’t get too excited. Some ice cream and a chocolate brownie,” she told him, clearing their plates and leaving them in the sink to do later. “And before you ask and make me feel guilty, they’re store-bought brownies. I’m not the world’s best cook.”

Tom laughed. “You could have fooled me. I’d never have known.”

She was pleased he was still at the table. Having him here—it was different. Ever since she’d been single she’d kept home as her private place, only ever inviting girlfriends over. She’d been on dates every now and again, but she’d never let a man collect her or come back to her place, so Tom being in her private space was … not uncomfortable, but something she was going to have to get used to. Slowly. Just like ever learning to trust a man again would be a huge leap of faith for her.

Caitlin ran her wrists under the cold water she had running; she was nervous, jangling like a bunch of jittery wind chimes. He was just a parent. An acquaintance.

Argh. Who was she kidding? He wasn’t a parent and that’s not why she’d asked him in.

She turned off the faucet and served up dessert.

“Can I help?”

Caitlin spun around and pressed a plate into Tom’s hands. “Here we go, this is for Gabby.”

His gaze held hers, eyes questioning, but he took the plate and took it to his niece.

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