Read Online The SEAL’s Surprise Baby by Amy J. Fetzer - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Amy J. Fetzer
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fools. And I bet they’re regretting the hell out of it right now.”
“I doubt it.”
“I’m not them, Melanie.”
“Oh, Jack, I know that,” she said softly, pulling free. “But if you and I got married, we’d be going in with more than roaming libidos against us.”
“You’re insulting me. I’d never do that stuff to you.”
“You don’t love me. That’s the key here, Jack. I loved those men and was willing to overlook faults to be with them. So, don’t tell me that a marriage will make things just magically work out. I’ve got the experience that says they won’t.”
“Other than the fact that those two men were not good enough for you, those were bad choices.”
“And I’m not about to make another one by marrying for a name change.”
“It’s more than a name,” Jack said, grinding his teeth. He wanted to tell her that he was a bastard, that he needed more than anything to give his daughter his name, but from Melanie’s position that would not have made the can-you-top-this list.
But he knew now that she was protecting herself, her heart. He suddenly recalled the night they’d made their daughter.
Don’t make promises you can’t keep, she’d told him. I’m not… I can’t put my hopes on a man.
She’d been jilted twice already and didn’t trust her feelings enough to put faith in them. In believing there wasn’t a chance for her and Jack beyond a name on a license, she couldn’t get hurt again. It was bad enough she didn’t trust him not to desert her, and even harder to deal with a woman who didn’t think she had the potential to be worthy of a man’s fidelity.
He wanted to pound those two men into dust for doing this to her.
But she was right in a couple of ways. He didn’t love her. He was honest enough with himself to admit that. But what he felt for Melanie was more than just lust and memories of great sex. Even if Juliana wasn’t between them, he’d have hunted Melanie down. He’d have done it to satisfy his ego that she hadn’t forgotten him and to see if the dreams that had plagued him were just that—dreams. At the ratethey were going, she wasn’t going to give him the chance to find out.
And the baby changed everything. Better for him, for Juliana, but for Melanie and him, it had cut short what could have been something special, and Jack didn’t know what to do anymore.
“Melanie?”
She looked up and the tears in her eyes were like gunshots to his heart.
“Honey, talk to me.”
“I can’t screw up your life for a name. Please don’t ask me to. I know it would be better for Juliana, but you and I have to live with the decision and so does she.”
He’d sworn he’d back off and this time he meant to keep the promise. He scooted close, his hand on the baby to keep Melanie near.
“I’m sorry you had it rough with those guys. But just don’t forget that I’m not them.” When Melanie opened her mouth, he pressed two fingers against her lips. “Shh. Don’t say anymore. I can accept how you feel. I don’t have to like it, but I can accept it. For now.”
It was the “for now” that he clung to.
Melanie felt a little sprig of something wild inside her at the knowledge that he wasn’t just giving up. Oh, she was sadistic, she thought, to have the perfect man in front of her and not want him. Well, that wasn’t true. She did want him. She’d missed him terribly the past year, and now that he was here, she was pushing him away and not liking herself for it. But it was the never-knowing factor that helped her keep her distance. Never knowing if he could loveher the way she’d dreamed of, of being cherished and needed, instead of a chain that locked him from his freedom.
Jack could almost see the thoughts churning in her bottle-green eyes. “We can be friends first. No strings.”
Melanie arched a brow and looked pointedly at their daughter.
“Fine, a tiny one.”
“Just consider me a full-time baby-sitter for the next few weeks,
“I doubt it.”
“I’m not them, Melanie.”
“Oh, Jack, I know that,” she said softly, pulling free. “But if you and I got married, we’d be going in with more than roaming libidos against us.”
“You’re insulting me. I’d never do that stuff to you.”
“You don’t love me. That’s the key here, Jack. I loved those men and was willing to overlook faults to be with them. So, don’t tell me that a marriage will make things just magically work out. I’ve got the experience that says they won’t.”
“Other than the fact that those two men were not good enough for you, those were bad choices.”
“And I’m not about to make another one by marrying for a name change.”
“It’s more than a name,” Jack said, grinding his teeth. He wanted to tell her that he was a bastard, that he needed more than anything to give his daughter his name, but from Melanie’s position that would not have made the can-you-top-this list.
But he knew now that she was protecting herself, her heart. He suddenly recalled the night they’d made their daughter.
Don’t make promises you can’t keep, she’d told him. I’m not… I can’t put my hopes on a man.
She’d been jilted twice already and didn’t trust her feelings enough to put faith in them. In believing there wasn’t a chance for her and Jack beyond a name on a license, she couldn’t get hurt again. It was bad enough she didn’t trust him not to desert her, and even harder to deal with a woman who didn’t think she had the potential to be worthy of a man’s fidelity.
He wanted to pound those two men into dust for doing this to her.
But she was right in a couple of ways. He didn’t love her. He was honest enough with himself to admit that. But what he felt for Melanie was more than just lust and memories of great sex. Even if Juliana wasn’t between them, he’d have hunted Melanie down. He’d have done it to satisfy his ego that she hadn’t forgotten him and to see if the dreams that had plagued him were just that—dreams. At the ratethey were going, she wasn’t going to give him the chance to find out.
And the baby changed everything. Better for him, for Juliana, but for Melanie and him, it had cut short what could have been something special, and Jack didn’t know what to do anymore.
“Melanie?”
She looked up and the tears in her eyes were like gunshots to his heart.
“Honey, talk to me.”
“I can’t screw up your life for a name. Please don’t ask me to. I know it would be better for Juliana, but you and I have to live with the decision and so does she.”
He’d sworn he’d back off and this time he meant to keep the promise. He scooted close, his hand on the baby to keep Melanie near.
“I’m sorry you had it rough with those guys. But just don’t forget that I’m not them.” When Melanie opened her mouth, he pressed two fingers against her lips. “Shh. Don’t say anymore. I can accept how you feel. I don’t have to like it, but I can accept it. For now.”
It was the “for now” that he clung to.
Melanie felt a little sprig of something wild inside her at the knowledge that he wasn’t just giving up. Oh, she was sadistic, she thought, to have the perfect man in front of her and not want him. Well, that wasn’t true. She did want him. She’d missed him terribly the past year, and now that he was here, she was pushing him away and not liking herself for it. But it was the never-knowing factor that helped her keep her distance. Never knowing if he could loveher the way she’d dreamed of, of being cherished and needed, instead of a chain that locked him from his freedom.
Jack could almost see the thoughts churning in her bottle-green eyes. “We can be friends first. No strings.”
Melanie arched a brow and looked pointedly at their daughter.
“Fine, a tiny one.”
“Just consider me a full-time baby-sitter for the next few weeks,
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