Page 42 of Loved by a SEAL

He pounded his fist on the steering wheel as he maneuvered through the streets of VA Beach. This was why he didn’t get involved with a woman. Not that he and Sarah were involved, but holy hell. He needed his mind in the game. Needed to focus on his men. Now his thoughts were of laying her down on the sofa and tucking the blanket around her gorgeous body.

And good God. That skimpy little outfit she’d been sleeping in barely counted as pajamas. He’d had half a mind to carry her off with him right then—go fucking AWOL. If it hadn’t been those kids sleeping in bed down the hall and the rest of his men counting on him, he damn well might have done just that. Ice was injured. Sarah was crying. Forget his damn rule that he wouldn’t get involved with the sister of one of his men.

He pulled his black SUV into the lot at the hospital, neatly maneuvering into a parking spot, and jogged toward the building. After taking the elevator up to the fourth floor, he demanded to know where the maternity ward was.

“Oh good, you made it!” the nurse behind the front desk exclaimed as her eyes ran over his uniform. “She’s been having contractions all afternoon.”

“I’m not the father. He’s a man on my SEAL team. But I need to find Alison and her friend.”

“Oh my God. Is everything okay?”

“I’m actually looking for the woman Alison is with—Rebecca.”

“Right. Well, I can’t let you back to Alison’s room then without checking with her first, but I’ll go see if Rebecca’s still here.”

Ryan nodded, glancing around the waiting area. The other people were probably waiting on happy news—it was the goddamn maternity ward after all. Births, babies—Jesus Christ. He never expected to be hanging around here. And he needed to get back to Little Creek.

“I’m sorry, you just missed her,” the nurse said apologetically as she walked back. “And Alison’s asleep, but I can let her know that you stopped by.”

“Damn it,” he muttered. “Apologies, ma’am,” he added.

“Would you like to sit here and wait?”

“No thank you,” he said, turning and walking back out.

If Rebecca was on her way home, that meant Sarah would tell her about Patrick’s injuries. He clenched his fists as he rode the elevator back down to the lobby. He should’ve just stayed there after all. Held Sarah while she cried. Stayed on base and focused on the mission.

Hell.

Could anything else go wrong?

---