Soraya Lane - The Navy Seal's Bride

“Gabby?” Caitlin stood behind her desk, leaning towards her young pupil. “You know how I feel about notes being passed in my class.”

She watched confusion cross Gabby’s face as she put the neatly folded piece of paper on her desk. “But it’s for you.”

Caitlin’s eyebrows rose. “For me?”

Gabby giggled and ran back to her seat.

“Ten more minutes to finish your writing,” Caitlin instructed, before sitting back down herself. “Then you can all share your stories with the class.”

She carefully unfolded the paper and looked to the end of the letter as soon as she had it unfolded. Tom . His name was printed neatly, his handwriting bold and uniform, as she imagined he was at work.

For the first time since he’d walked out on her his name made her smile.

Caitlin looked up to make sure all the children were busy before letting her eyes rove back to the start. Her pulse started to race, her body tingling with … anticipation. She’d never been sent a letter by a man before.

Dear Caitlin

Gabby came home with a note in her bag last night and it made me think of you. I’m sorry for the way I behaved. Thank you for a lovely dinner and please don’t think I’m some rude idiot with bad manners. My mum would kill me if she found out .

Meet me Saturday afternoon? I’d like to make it up to you if you don’t mind giving me a second chance. Let’s go hiking. I’ll pick you up around 2 p.m .

Tom

Dear Reader,

I’ve always been fascinated with Navy SEALs. Their discipline, dedication and mental strength makes them perfect hero inspiration, and when you meet Tom Cartwright I’m sure you’ll agree! He has all those attributes and more, although with a traumatic accident having ended his career he’s also deeply troubled.

Finding an equally inspiring woman to complement Tom was no easy task. However, as soon as Caitlin Rose appeared on the page I knew she was the one. Caitlin is an upbeat woman who hasn’t let her past hold her back—except when it comes to love.

I hope you enjoy reading about my gorgeous Navy SEAL as much as I enjoyed writing about him, and if you’ve read my previous book, Back in the Soldier’s Arms , you’re in for a nice surprise. Tom made brief appearances as the hero’s brother in that story, and I was so excited to be able to give Tom his own book! It’s with a very heavy heart that I say goodbye to the Cartwright brothers.

Don’t forget to visit me at my website www.sorayalane.com for more information about upcoming and past releases, and for behind the scenes “sneak peeks” of your favourite characters.

Enjoy!

Soraya

Writing for Mills & Boon ®is truly a dream come true for SORAYA LANE. An avid book reader and writer since her childhood, Soraya describes becoming a published author as “the best job in the world”, and hopes to be writing heartwarming, emotional romances for many years to come.

Soraya lives with her own real-life hero on a small farm in New Zealand, surrounded by animals and with an office overlooking a field where their horses graze.

For more information about Soraya and her upcoming releases visit her at her website, www.sorayalane.com, her blog, www.sorayalane.blogspot.com, or follow her at www.facebook.com/SorayaLaneAuthor

www.millsandboon.co.uk

This book is dedicated to two very special women. Firstly, my mom, for looking after my young son so I can write every day. Your love and support are invaluable, and I can’t imagine how I’d ever find time to write without you! This book is also for Natalie, who is the most amazing friend. Where would I be without our daily chats? You are a talented author, a wonderful mother and the most inspiring friend. Thank you both for being such an incredible support team.

TOM Cartwright sat slumped, his head bracketed by his palms. The hallway was oddly familiar, took him back years to when he was a schoolkid. All the times he’d sat outside the principal’s office, trying to figure how to talk himself out of trouble.

He stifled a low groan.

The principal’s office might be better than a room full of six-year-olds. How he’d been talked into doing this …

“Uncle Tommy?” Gabby’s sweet, pure voice pulled him from his thoughts. She was standing in the doorway only a few feet away. She skipped over to him and tugged on his arm, her tiny hand dwarfed by his biceps. “Come on.”

That’s how .

Tom dropped a kiss to his niece’s head before dragging his feet out from beneath him and standing. She didn’t even reach his waist, but she slung her arm around him anyway.

“You look sad.” Innocent eyes locked on his, looking up, and he did his best to convince her with a smile.

“Are you sure you want me to do this?”

Gabby rolled her eyes. “You’re way more exciting than Mom and Dad. I’ve told the others all about you.”

Tom found her hand and followed her to the classroom. He tried not to laugh. If only she understood what she was saying. “Gabby, your mom’s a retired soldier and your dad was a Navy helicopter pilot. They’re hardly boring.”

She dismissed him, shrugging as only a kid could.

And just like that, after years of staying quiet about his career, of so fiercely protecting his identity, not wanting to put those he loved at risk, he was about to address a roomful of kids. To tell them a little about what he did, or what he used to do, all because a girl no taller than his hip had insisted he had to.

But he no longer had to keep his career close to his heart. He was free to talk about some of what he’d once done .

He leaned forward to open the door, waiting for Gabby to walk through before doing the same. Tom swallowed as he surveyed the room, looked at all the little kids sitting on the mat, waiting, fidgeting.

“What do we say?”

Tom turned his body to see where the voice was coming from.

Oh . He sure hadn’t expected the woman standing behind her desk, the smile on her face so open and wide he was sure she must be directing it at someone else. Not at him.

“Good morning, Mr. Cartwright,” the children sang out.

Gabby still held his hand, squeezing it as though she was trying to wring water from it.

They all sat looking back at him, cross-legged on the mat, curiosity plain on their faces.

“Ah … good morning,” he said, prising his gaze from the woman before glancing at the class again.

She didn’t make it easy though, his eyes, as if with a mind of their own, being drawn back in her direction. The teacher’s hair was drawn up into a swishy-looking ponytail, almost-black locks with a slight curl at the very end. Blue-green eyes seemed to smile at him, wide and happy.

Tom looked away. He wasn’t used to being distracted, to finding his attention so easily diverted.

“Thanks for joining us, Mr. Cartwright,” she said, her voice low and filled with warmth. “Gabriella’s told us a lot about you and what you do.”

Now it was he who fidgeted. Not because of the woman crossing the room toward him, but because it went against all his instincts to talk about his work. He tried to settle his rapidly racing heartbeat. Gabby was only six. How much could she even know about what he’d done?

“You must be Gabby’s teacher,” Tom asked, even though the answer was obvious, needing to say something before she thought he was mute.

There went the megawatt smile again.

“Miss Rose,” she said before closing the distance between them and touching her hand to his forearm, leaning in ever so. “Or Caitlin, just not to the class.” Her voice had dropped to a whisper, barely audible, as if she was letting him in on a tightly held secret.