Page 81 of Under Pressure

“Well, I guess so.”

She lunged at him, wrapping her arms around his thick body and their son in the middle. The three of them breathed out, finally together. Leo let out a squeaky giggle as he grabbed onto his daddy’s overgrown scruff with his baby fingers.

“Oh boy,” he shot back at Kendra, shaking his head, “how fucking sorry I am for missing this.”

“Yeah, I’m sorry for not telling you,” Kendra got out through a cracking voice. “I shouldn’t have tried to do this alone…to do everything alone.”

“Together from now on?”

She grinned, kissing Leo’s soft head. “Yes, Daddy.”

He grazed his teeth on his lower lip as he watched her, unable to keep it in.

“Good—I’ve always wanted to get with a hot mommy.”

Sienna lunged forward, her hands outstretched. “But he’s a monster. He even said it himself. He can’t be trusted to be a father, let alone your man!”

Kendra bit her lip, looking back up to Delta.

He turned to Sienna, holding strong. “Last night I learned something. When it comes to the people I love, my protective instincts override my…other instincts.”

And from the corner of his eye, he didn’t miss the wide grin growing across Kendra’s face.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Kendra scooped up the bright green baby maraca that had fallen by Leo’s car seat as they were escorted to a ceremony that she never thought she’d be attending—not in a million years, especially not one that she was almost late for.

Squeezing her baby’s hand, she peered out of the rear window of the luxurious black car that had been sent to get them at the DC airport. They were pulling up to their destination. She smoothed out her black pencil skit—a part of the business suit she’d agonized over. What does one wear to a Medal of Honor ceremony at which the President himself will be presiding?

She tried to press out one final wrinkle in her skirt using her hand, a leftover from a long, delayed flight. That time around, the flight from LA to DC had seemed longer than usual because that was the first time she’d been flying with a baby snuggled up in her lap. Delta had flown ahead.

She’d seen him less than she liked as he prepped for deployment. But she reminded herself that he was committed to the Navy—to their country. And whether he liked it or not, he was a hero to her.

As a side gate to the White House opened, they pulled through the many security checks. Already, the chill of DC was getting to her, though she couldn’t be sure the goosebumps weren’t just nerves. The winter weather was frigid, a far cry from LA at that time of year. She pulled her woolen jacket tighter. She breathed in slowly, calming her worries, reminding herself of Delta’s words as she straightened Leo’s socks and boots.

The car finally reached a set of doors leading into the White House. There were plenty of people around—no one she knew or recognized. As the driver got out of the car, assistants came up to open the door for her and help her remove Leo from his car seat. She opted to hold him in her arms, allowing one assistant to keep the folding stroller on call should she need it. For now, Kendra felt like she needed the security blanket of her son against her chest as she was ushered into a grand hallway.

“Ms. Kendra Larose,” an assistant introduced her to security staff, “the girlfriend of the Medal of Honor recipient.”

As a lanyard was placed around her neck, the assistant leaned in with a clipboard in hand, taking a note.

“Your son— I didn’t get his name?”

“Leo.”

“Mr. Leo—?”

Kendra squeezed him tighter, nodding.

“Leo Valente.”

The assistant scribbled it down and shuffled to the side.

Kendra took in a breath, realizing it had been the first time she’d said his full name to anyone else. It was beautiful and rich and rolled off the tongue.

She heard the assistant introducing them to other officials—as Ms. Larose and Master Valente. She bit her lip, wishing they had the same last name. Not only that, but she wished she wasn’t just there as ‘his girlfriend’. She shook her head, telling herself to calm down. They were together, and that was a start. She was damn proud to be with him, but she was traditional, and it seemed he was anything but.

With their introduction, staff seemed to part like the sea, letting her and Leo move through the hall toward what sounded like a busy conference room where Delta was waiting for her.

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