Page 7 of Winter Surprise (Seasoned SEALs #4)

Eve’s bare feet were silent as she followed Dylan to the bottom of the stairway.

He signaled for her to go up as he covered her back.

She quietly opened the door to the baby’s room, lit by a frog nightlight on the far side.

The blackout drapes were drawn so there was no way for her to look out the window to see what was happening. Guarding Ian was her responsibility.

Her pistol had been her friend on each deployment, especially when she was on the secret base close to the mountains in Afghanistan.

She’d slept with her weapon. Their base had been little more than ten tents and a helicopter pad.

Several groups had attacked, day or night.

Like casualties, the time didn’t matter.

She heard voices downstairs but with the door closed, she couldn’t tell if they were friend or enemy. She would hold her position until Dylan came up and relieved her.

Needing to hear what was said, she slid to the door and cracked it open. She heard footsteps on the stairs but knew they weren’t Dylan’s. Calmly she slid into the darkest shadow in the room.

The door opened slowly.

Eve raised her pistol releasing a slow breath. She aimed the gun and sighted her target who was only ten feet away still in the shadow of the hall.

Voices rose from downstairs, then Dylan’s rushing footsteps echoed in the stairwell.

“Eve,” he shouted. “Don’t shoot my mom.”

A small-framed woman in her early fifties stepped into the baby’s bedroom with huge gold-green eyes.

Dylan pushed the woman behind him and strode to Eve’s side. She immediately clicked the safety on her gun and lowered it to her side.

Whispering, he made the introductions. “Mom, this is Eve Sanders. Eve, this is my mom, Beth Chaney.”

Switching the gun to her left hand, Eve pinned it to her bare thigh as she stepped forward to shake his mother’s hand. As soon as she let go, Beth clapped her hands together and laughed.

“I can’t wait to tell my grandchildren this Christmas story.” Her voice was a little loud and Ian rustled in his bed.

Arms wide, Dylan herded everyone out of the room and down the steps where they were met by a distinguished man who instantly took his wife into his arms.

“You’re shaking, sweetheart. What happened?”

“I’m not shaking, I’m laughing. Although I’ve never had a gun pointed at me before.” Beth tried to explain.

“What?” The man said in outrage, glaring at Eve.

“Calm down, Dad. Like I told you outside, we thought you were burglars. You just didn’t see my gun.” He then stood beside Eve. “Dad, I’d like you to meet Eve Sanders. Eve, this is my dad, Peter Chaney.”

She hadn’t allowed the gun to move from her thigh even as she walked down the stairs. Thankfully, Dylan’s T-shirt hit her midthigh. Even so, she felt quite naked as she had nothing on underneath.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir. If you’ll both excuse me, I’ll just go get dressed.

” Without waiting for their permission, she hurried down the hall and into the master bedroom.

As she started to peel off his shirt, she was overwhelmed by her scent of sweat and sex.

And more sweaty sex. She didn’t think Dylan would care if she took a shower.

The least she could do was smell good as she wished them Merry Christmas while leaving.

Ten minutes later, dressed in clean clothes and smelling like her body gel, she grabbed her bag. Her gun secured back in its holster, she headed for the door.

Dylan grabbed her before she made it there. “Where do you think you’re going?” He pulled her to him, holding her tight against his body. Lowering his head, he whispered in her ear. “We’ve only gotten started.”

“Your parents made it here for Christmas.” She tried to interject joy into her statement. “You spend Christmas with your parents like you planned. I’ll be here in Coronado for another two weeks. We can see each other after they leave.” She tried to step out of his embrace, but he wouldn’t allow it.

“No. I already told Mom and Dad you were my girlfriend, as though that wasn’t obvious enough to them when they found you here, dressed in nothing but my T-shirt in the middle of the night.

” He lowered his face to hers and gently kissed her.

“After the night we’ve just had, you’d better know that you are my girlfriend. We’re exclusive.”

“That goes both ways, you know.” She allowed the warning in her voice.

“Stay. Please.” He started to kiss his way down her throat. “Besides, there’s a Christmas gift for you under that tree.”

“You shouldn’t have done that. We barely know each other.” But she had gotten him a gift also. And something for the baby.

His low chuckle rumbled. “I beg to differ; we know each other quite well.”

She gave him a light smack on his biceps.

He grabbed her earlobe with his teeth. “And I want to continue to get to know you even better.” He took her hand and turned toward his bedroom.

She refused to move. “Where are your parents?” She felt weird staying in the house with them.

“Upstairs in the guestroom. They were soaked just walking from the taxi to the house. Then Mom decided they shouldn’t wake me and Ian up by ringing the doorbell, so they searched the yard for the extra key in the pouring rain.

” He grinned. “I don’t have a hidden key outside, by the way.

Every burglar knows that trick. Back to my parents, Dad can’t sleep on airplanes so they’re going to try to catch a few hours before Ian wakes up.

He’ll be starved so we’ll do breakfast before we open gifts.

” Dylan picked up her bag and grabbed her hand.

“They’re looking forward to spending time on the beach before they have to catch the redeye home tonight. ”

Eve looked at her watch. It was barely four o’clock in the morning and she was very tired. They hadn’t slept much. Besides, she wanted to be there when they opened gifts in the morning.

“Time to open the presents,” Dylan announced after he put away the last remnants of the outstanding breakfast his mother had made, and Eve had just dried the last pan and put it away.

Without words, they’d silently agreed to allow his parents to entertain Ian while they cleaned the kitchen.

She loved the connection she’d made with him, as though they’d been together for years.

Eve also loved that he took her hand as they walked into the living room.

Just as they had settled down on the couch, the doorbell rang. Dylan popped up. “I have no idea who that could be.”

“Merry Christmas.” The woman flipped back her rain-soaked hood and shook the water off her slicker. In her mid-forties, she stepped into the house as though she owned the place. Right behind her was a tall man with salt-and-pepper hair.

Eve immediately recognized the couple, Captain and Mrs. Hubbard.

“We heard you were here all by yourself and couldn’t stand the thought of you being alone for your first Christmas with Ian.” Genevieve Hubbard gave Dylan a hug.

“Who told you?” Dylan asked accusingly. Then he rolled his eyes. “Forget I asked. We spent the day yesterday at the beach with Marta and Vice Admiral Maddox.”

“That woman knows everything if it deals with the SEALs, personal life or professional. I’m going to miss her.

But I’m actually glad she called. The fact that the rain never stopped from the moment our plane landed in Puerto Vallarta helped make the decision to come home very easy.

The resort was definitely designed for sunshine.

We had to walk everywhere on these wooden bridges and muddy pathways.

” Captain Hubbard patted Dylan on the back.

Whispering loudly, he added, “I don’t think Viv wanted to miss Ian’s first Christmas. ”

Dylan’s parents stood to greet the Hubbards.

“You made it!” Genevieve exclaimed as she moved to Beth while Pete and Evan shook hands in greeting.

“We got in only a few hours ago and unfortunately, we have to leave around midnight tonight.” The two women hugged. They shared a secret smile. “We needed to be here today too.”

Eve stood and walked to Dylan, who immediately pulled her to his side.

“You look very familiar,” Captain Hubbard said as he examined her face.

“Lieutenant Sanders.” Genevieve stepped past him and gave her a huge tight hug. “Our Guardian Angel.” She looked at Dylan’s arm around her and then a slow smile crossed her face. “Yes. I like this.”

She turned her attention to her husband. “Evan, you remember Lieutenant Sanders from the neonatal center at the hospital. She was one of Ian’s nurses…the important one.”

To her surprise, the captain pulled her into a bear hug. “I can’t thank you enough for everything you did for us. Thank you for giving us our grandson…and taking good care of Kylie.” She was surprised when the man’s voice cracked with emotion.

“Sir, I was just doing my job,” Eve said when she stepped back and Dylan put his arm around her shoulders.

“No, you weren’t,” he corrected. “You were doing the right thing.”

“So…” Genevieve pointed her finger back and forth between Eve and Dylan.

She looked up at him.

“It’s new,” he admitted to everyone, then dropped a kiss on her lips. “But it’s special for me.” His eyes turned that unique shade of jade.

Holding his gaze, she admitted to herself and everyone else listening, “Very special.”

His kiss said everything the words didn’t. It seemed to last until she felt little hands and knees at her feet. Using their legs, Ian pulled himself to a standing position and held his arms up. Dylan immediately scooped his baby into his arms and placed him between the two of them.

“How about we all have a seat and watch this little guy open his presents before he gets too tired and cranky.” Dylan moved to the tree and Eve quickly took down the fence. Holding Ian securely, Dylan allowed the baby to pick his first present.

“Darn it,” Genevieve complained, “I should have gotten that on video. Dylan, do it again,” she ordered as both women produced cell phones and positioned themselves to see everything.

The remaining morning was filled with family love, something Eve had missed for years. The two sets of grandparents shared the baby’s attention. Their late lunch ended in perfect timing as the rain had stopped, replaced by beautiful California sunshine.

“Looks like it’s filling up over there,” Pete announced, staring out toward the beach. “We need to go claim our spot.”

“We’ll meet you over there in a little while,” Genevieve said as she took Evan by the hand.

“I’ll have to go dig out our bathing suits, which we never got to use in Mexico.

” When she hugged Eve goodbye, she whispered, “You three are wonderful together. I’ve come to love Dylan like the son-in-law he’ll never be.

Lately, I’ve prayed he’d find someone special.

You’ve been special to us since the night Ian was born. I’m so glad you found each other.”

Eve gripped the woman even tighter. “I fell in love with Ian that night and every hour I spend with Dylan I fall a little bit more for him. But I haven’t told him that yet.”

“Don’t wait too long.” Tears filled Genevieve’s eyes as they separated. “Life can be shorter than we expect.”

Eve couldn’t speak over the huge lump in her throat. She simply nodded.