Read Online With Honor by Rhonda Lee Carver - Free Book Online Page B

difficult.”
    “And I haven’t handled difficult before? I’ve fought in Iraq. I’ve served in Afghanistan. This should be a piece of cake.”
    “Serious?” Maybe he was tough enough, but she didn’t have the same certainty. “I meant there’s a lot of obligation–”
    He held up his hand. “Stop right there. Lose that word. You’ve got to stop feeling this way, Jasmine. We’re in this together. Our duty is to the baby, whatever that includes over the next months. We’re both new at this, but how many other people have done just fine being a first-time parent? I bet my mom and dad freaked out before they had us.”
    “Us? You have a brother or sister?” She remembered him saying that he had no family members.
    There was a long hesitation. “My mother had given birth to a stillborn baby before they had me. Then I have a brother too. He’s younger than me. We’re not close right now.”
    “Oh my. That must have been hard for her to lose a child.” She thought of losing her own baby. Tears formed in her eyes.
    He reached over and laid his hand on hers. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. Nothing is going to happen to the baby. I promise.”
    All of her doubt and insecurity slipped away. She’d never have guessed Shane could be this committed, and sincere. Fighting an urge to slide across the table and kiss him on the cheek, she took a breath. Co-parents–not intimate partners.
    They shared easy conversation as they ate. When Shane became quiet and stared out the window, the dark planes of his face made her wonder if he was okay. “Is something bothering you?” she asked.
    He blew out a long breath and scrubbed his forehead as if to smooth the worry lines. “You gotta know that I’m a military man through and through. This is who I am. Sensitivity and communication aren’t my strong points.”
    She nodded. Where was this leading? “Yes, I get that.”
    “I want to be a good father, but–”
    “Shane Conner? Is that you?” A woman’s shrill voice rang through the restaurant.
    Jasmine looked at the woman as she wove her way over to the table. The woman’s low-cut shirt showed off melon-sized breasts and tanned skin that accentuated her assets. She carried a beer in hand and had a smile on her red lips, and pointed a finger at Shane. “I thought you were off in the desert again.”
    Shane’s expression remained blank. “No, my orders were changed.”
    “Where have you been hiding, then?” She reached out with a taloned hand and squeezed his arm. “I’ve missed you.” The woman made a sweeping glance toward Jasmine.
    Jasmine sipped her tea, pretending she didn’t notice the familiar touch on Shane’s arm or the questioning look the woman gave her. Jasmine suddenly felt like a third wheel…or maybe a stone wheel. Why wasn’t Shane introducing them? Her discomfort level rose.
    “Well, Shane, who do you have here?” The woman blatantly asked. “Is this what has kept you busy?”
    Shane remained quiet.
    Jasmine reached out a hand. “I’m Jasmine.”
    “I’m Denise.”
    They shook hands and Jasmine put on her best smile. “Nice to meet you, Denise.”
    “I won’t keep you from your dinner.” Denise looked down at Jasmine’s partially eaten burger and wrinkled her nose. “You’ll want to take care of that before the grease thickens. You still have my number, Shane?”
    “No,” he answered without hesitation.
    The woman’s bottom lip puckered in dramatic effort. “I have my card.” Reaching into her zebra print bag, she withdrew a handy business card. She probably went through them like breath mints.
    Jasmine paid close attention to where that business card landed after Miss Big-boobs-bling vanished. Shane crumpled it up and tossed it onto the table. At least he didn’t stick the woman’s number into his pocket. Most men wouldn’t turn Denise down. Her respect for Shane Conner grew at that moment, even if he’d tossed the number for her benefit.
    Back to polishing off her