Page 4 of SEAL's Providence
“Providence brought pastries from your favorite bakery, Doc.” Tempest grinned.
“You did? Well, hell. You’re part of the family now. Where are they?” Fergus asked, leaning over in his chair to see the picnic table.
“Sorry, no treats for you until after dinner. They’re under lock and key until then. Grace will kill you if you teach Hope bad habits.”
“Damn. You’re just mean. Uncles are supposed to teach inappropriate behavior. I want her to think of me as the fun uncle,” Fergus grumbled.
Quinn smacked him upside the head. “Stop whining, you’re not twelve. I swear, you’re such a sugar freak. How are you not a diabetic? Maybe Providence needs to give you a check-up?”
“No way, not me. I burn it right off. Nope, not ending up in your exam room.” Fergus waggled his brows.
Providence laughed. The butterflies in her belly were finally settling down. Until she heard a sound behind her. She turned and barely missed colliding with a pale blue T-shirt-clad chest.
“Sorry…” Providence’s gaze trailed up the muscular chest, noting the way the shirt clung to his pecs, and continued until she met his gaze.Holy shit balls. Commander Knox was an Adonis.
“Breathe, sweetheart.” Tony leaned toward her so only she would hear his words.
She shivered as his breath caressed the side of her face, and she inhaled his clean, outdoorsy scent. She should object to his use of the endearment, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it.
“Tony, this is one of the new base doctors, Providence Sheridan. Providence, Tony Knox, the Red Falcon Team Commander,” Tempest said.
“Hi.” Providence wanted to kick herself. Where had that breathy voice come from? She sounded like a smitten teenager. Hell no. After years, in a mostly masculine profession, she’d turned into a tough-ass bitch. She had no intention of changing now. Even if in all those years no man had affected her with just one look like the one standing in front of her.
“It’s my pleasure. I’ve heard a lot of good things about you.” Tony reached for her hand.
Providence sucked in a deep breath as their skin touched. A tingle of electricity raised the hairs on her arm as his larger hand surrounded hers.
“Thank you. That’s great.”That’s great? What the hell, Providence? Where is your inner badass?
Tony’s fingers squeezed her hand. He was about to say something when a tiny voice said, “Uncle Tony, I potty now.”
“Oops, yes. C’mon, Hope. We’ll find Mommy or Daddy and they’ll help you go potty,” he said to the adorable blonde-haired child yanking on his hand. “I’ll catch up to you in a bit. First we need to get this one to the bathroom. I look forward to chatting more.”
“I’d like that too.”
Tony smiled, his bright smile stealing her breath. His green eyes crinkled at the edges. “Until later.” Then he walked off with Hope to look for her parents.
Providence missed his presence as soon as he released her hand, but the warmth of his fingers lingered. Warning bells chimed in her head. She needed to stay away from him. Tony Knox was going to be like catnip for her if she let him. Encouraging anything with him would make her life complicated, and she wasn’t sure she was ready for that.
“I’m Harmony and this is my fiancé, Ryder—Ry. Oh, and this is Whiskey.” A short, honey-blonde-haired woman dragged Providence’s attention away from her thoughts.
“Hi, it’s great to meet you both.”
Whiskey nudged her hand. “And you, too. You’re such a pretty dog.”
Providence scratched his head and behind hisears. She loved dogs, but with all her deployments, she’d never been able to own one. “Are you a good boy?”
Whiskey woofed.
“I’m so glad I finally get to meet you. Tempest says you’re amazing.” Harmony stepped forward to give her a hug and tripped over Whiskey’s tail.
Providence braced to catch her, but Ry grabbed her around the waist and kept her upright. “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry. You’ll get used to me. It happens all the time,” she muttered, her cheeks bright red.
“Trust me, you’re not the only one. You don’t want to see me before I get my sea legs on deployments. It’s not a pretty sight.” Providence winked.
Ry nodded his appreciation. “You’re perfect,” he said to Harmony as he held her close to his chest.
“We need a girls' night. It’ll be so much fun. Plus, we won’t have to worry about the guys interfering—it’s the only time we can talk about them.” Harmony batted her eyes at Ry and giggled.
