Free Embattled SEAL by J. M. Madden

as Lowell put something in his mouth. “Mercy said to tell you hi next time I talked to you and that she thanks you for sending her bear back.”
    Damn. Cat must have done that too. She’d been a busy woman the last couple of days.
    “Tell her I appreciated the loan.”
    “I will. Enjoy yourself, buddy. The company can run without you for a while. Get your marriage in order. A few months ago I wouldn’t have understood how important that is, but I do now. If she’s the one for you you need to invest time in her.”
    Harper knew he was right; it was just hard taking a step back. Daring to go out on a limb, he cleared his throat. “I left because of the anxiety and the paranoia. I thought I was going to hurt someone.”
    Silence stretched for several seconds. “But if you leave the good because you’re worried about the bad, the bad wins, right? You have a better chance of getting right in the head if you have the right foundation at home.”
    Harper sighed. Though he had a few years on his boss age-wise the guy had the right of it. “Yeah, I know what you’re saying is sound—it’s just hard. The worries are persistent.”
    “I know, but I also know you’re more persistent. You’re a damn bull. You need to find a way to keep your family together.”
    There was work to be done. Harper hung up feeling more secure in himself and his situation.
    They needed to work on their marriage. Cat was completely right about that. And maybe he just had to have the faith in them to commit to it.
    Next he made a quick call to Gunny.
    “Mr. Preston. How the fuck are you?”
    Harper smirked at the greeting. “Fine, Palmer. But I’m feeling a little exposed. Think you can send me some things?”
    Within a few minutes he had the security of the house mapped out and John promised to overnight him a box of equipment. If he was going to stay here for two weeks he needed to feel more secure.

    Cat braced herself against the counter and dragged in a heavy breath. The man was so damn sexy. He didn’t even have to try very hard to point out how hard up she was. It had been a year and a half since he’d left and she’d felt every day of it.
    Even beat up and bruised he appealed to her. Maybe even more so because she wanted to mother him.
    The man didn’t need a mother though. He needed a wife with direction. And she was definitely that person. Cat was bound and determined to drag him home. Even if home needed to be in Colorado with his new job, she didn’t care as long as they were all together. She could do web design anywhere as long as she had her computer. And the kids would do just about anything to see him and be with him again.
    Dillon worried her. So impressionable right now, she had truly been daddy’s girl. Cat knew that her daughter had taken on part of the guilt of her father leaving, and it couldn’t continue. She had too many other things she needed to be thinking about—boys and grades and what position she wanted to play in softball. The worry in her young, stormy grey eyes so like her father’s had aged her. They’d aged Cat as well because she felt helpless to eradicate those worries.
    As for Tate…well, he kept bouncing along. But he had been asking about his father less and less. That brought the tears at night. In the depths of the silence of the house when no one needed her she let herself cry. That was the only time she allowed herself to weaken.
    Turning back to the stove she stirred the eggs.

Chapter Six

    T hey had a quiet day, each occupied with their own thoughts. It was comforting being around each other. Just knowing that Harper was in the house was a huge present to Cat. Every time she thought about him being down the hallway or on the deck a little thrill went through her belly. Like Christmas was just around the corner. She basked in those warm feelings.
    There was also a taunting thrill of desire. All day they were aware of each other—every little cough or move. At one point Harper stood