Page 23 of SEAL's Angel
“You say that now, but wait until you taste my French toast.” He waggled his eyebrows and then walked over to the bathroom and opened the door.
Before he went inside, he looked over his shoulder. She was standing there with a bemused look on her face. When her gaze met his, he winked.
Not bothering to wait until the water heated, Jake stood under the freezing spray, hoping to cool his libido. But even the icy water didn’t relieve him of his erection. Jacking off in the shower when there were kids down the hall didn’t sit right with him.
“Down, boy. You’re not seeing any action on this trip.” He’d even suffer through the blue balls if he could have a few more kisses with his angel.
By the time Jake stepped out of the shower, his dick was behaving. How long it would remain that way was a whole other story. After wiping the steam off the mirror, he ran his hands through his hair and looked at his reflection. It seemed like every day he had more gray hair in his temples. The guys teased him, but he didn’t mind. When he was younger, he figured he’d be dead before he hit thirty because of the life he led. But now, he was pushing forty. He could still outrun most of the team and outlift them, too. As long as he could hold his own, he didn’t see the need for anything to change.
Not that age was something he’d dwelled on. It was what a guy did with the time he had that counted. Jake spent his days protecting his country and his team. It didn’t get better than that. Or at least, it hadn’t until he’d met Dawn. For the first time, he wondered what it would be like to have a woman to love, one who loved him back, and a family to protect.
“Fuck it.” Jake grabbed the towel Dawn had left out and dried off. He hadn’t been this unsettled in years, not since he was a child. The calm SEAL team leader was missing. Trying to nail down his feelings for Dawn had him off his game, but the conversation he’d had with his CO two days ago still twisted him into knots.
Captain Tony Knox had pulled him aside when they’d returned from their latest mission and informed him he was getting a promotion. It was the last thing he’d expected to hear. It meant he’d have to take a desk job and stop operating.
Operating was his life, what kept him going, and the Black Eagles were the only family that mattered. Tony said there would be plenty of opportunities to be with the team. But not being with them on missions, making sure they came home alive, that wouldn’t be possible anymore.
Jake had figured he’d have a few more years—at least until he hit forty—before he’d have to deal with moving on. Tony said they’d keep it quiet for a bit to give him time to inform the team. It was a clusterfuck, and the timing sucked. They hadn’t even been able to take out Azfaar yet. The discussion had him hard. Normally he would have called Dawn to talk about it. She understood him better than anyone else. But then she’d called to tell them about Chase.
A knock on the door pulled him out of his reverie.
“Jake, Mommy says she’s hungry and to stop stalling,” a tiny female voice said.
“Starving, huh? We can’t have that. Tell your mommy I’ll be right out.” He grinned.
Then he pulled on a Navy T-shirt and a pair of worn jeans. Hearing Cindy’s voice was like a breath of fresh air, everything pure and innocent in the world.
It was good for him to be away from Norfolk. Now that Chase was no longer in danger, maybe he could convince Dawn to spend some alone time with him before he had to head back. Maybe talk about the future and have a little time to explore their feelings.
* * *
“Mommy, Jake said he’s coming,” Cindy yelled. Not that Dawn hadn’t heard her barreling down the stairs before skidding to a stop in the kitchen.
“Thank you, peanut. Do you want something to drink while we wait for Jake to make us breakfast?”
“Can I have chocolate milk?” Cindy pulled out a chair and sat at the table with Wilbrr hugged close to her side.
“How about regular milk?”
“Please?” The little girl knew just how to get to her. Hell, both the kids did. But after thinking she might have lost Chase forever, maybe a little chocolate milk at breakfast wasn’t the worst thing.
“Okay, but just for today.” Dawn grabbed the milk carton out of the refrigerator and poured a glass, then stirred in some chocolate syrup. She’d just put it down in front of Cindy when Jake appeared in the doorway.
“I hear someone’s starving to death?” Jake asked with a grin.
“Yup, Mommy is. I even heard her tummy talk.”
Ugh. Kids, you never knew what they’d say next.“I’m not that hungry. But you promised amazing French toast. It’s not fair to keep me waiting.”
Dawn couldn’t keep her eyes off him. Last night, her focus had been on Chase. But now, holy cow. The man had muscles on top of muscles, and the way the cotton fabric of his T-shirt stretched tight across his shoulders and biceps was enough to make a woman drool.
“You’re right. I apologize to the women of the house for making you wait.” He bowed, and Cindy giggled.
“You’re silly, Jake.”
“I am? I think you’re the first person to say that to me.” Jake smiled at her daughter.
Dawn’s heart squeezed as she watched them from over the lip of her coffee mug. Cindy and Jake had gotten along immediately after they first met, and all their phone conversations and video chats had brought them closer.
