Free A SEAL's Surrender (Alpha SEALs Book 3) by Makenna Jameison

the wooden nightstand.
    Big meeting this a.m. See you around. -Lexi
    Christopher scanned over the note for the third time, clenching his jaw.  See you around?  That sentiment might sit better with him if it was from an acquaintance he barely knew, not the woman he’d just spent the night making love to.  And it sure as hell didn’t bode well coming from Lexi.  How the hell had she snuck out? He was a goddamned SEAL, trained to be attuned to his surroundings, to be on guard at all times.  Yet somehow the woman he’d slept with had slipped out of the bed they’d shared—out of his arms for fuck’s sake—and simply left?
    Sonofabitch.
    Christopher scrubbed his hand over his face, muttering in disbelief.  That note sure as shit didn’t sound too promising.  It wasn’t exactly covered in little hearts and smiley faces or any of that other flowery stuff woman loved.  Presumably if she was okay with the way the night had ended—with them making love until nearly dawn—she’d have stuck around.  Maybe even been up for a morning tumble between the sheets.
    He stood, the tangled sheets falling to the ground, and snatched his boxer briefs from the floor.  Lexi’s lavender scent was all over his skin, and his cock twitched at the memories of her soft and warm body beneath him.
    He’d chased after her last night wanting to explain everything—to come clean on the reason he’d freaked out on her back in Coronado.  To explain why he’d panicked at the idea of becoming a dad.  Although Lexi knew his own father had left him, she didn’t know the half of the shit he’d dealt with as a kid.  Of his fear of turning out just like his old man.  Christopher had never planned to be a father, and the moment Lexi said she was pregnant, he’d literally frozen in fear.  What were the stages of grief?  Denial, anger, and finally acceptance?
    He’d driven around until dawn all those years ago, finally realizing he’d do whatever it took to protect Lexi and his child.  That he had more honor and integrity in him at age twenty-four than his dad had his entire life.  Christopher would never harm a woman, and he sure as hell would never hurt an innocent child.
    His revelations were too little too late.  Lexi had slammed the door in his face, and until she’d walked into Anchors, it was the last time they’d spoken.  One of her roommates had shown up a week after they’d broken up, telling him the pregnancy scare had been a false alarm.  Oh yeah, and that Lexi was long gone.
    Regret tore through his chest at never going after her.
    He dressed quickly, alone in her empty hotel room.  His shucked on his tee shirt, memories of Lexi desperately clutching it last night churning in his mind.  His eyes swept the room.  Her purse was gone, but her suitcase was propped open on the dresser.  Not that he’d really expected her to run out on the job.  Lexi had been a whip-smart computer sciences students back in California, the only female intern in a group of male computer security trainees.  She’d blasted past those guys, coming out in the top of her classes.  He’d been prouder than hell of her and upset beyond belief that she’d left in the middle of her college career because of him.  Presumably she’d finished her degree somewhere on the East Coast, eventually working her way up the ranks in the Pentagon.
    And now their first encounter after a night of unbridled passion would be at a damn IT security briefing on base?  Hell.  He hadn’t even told her that he’d be there.  She’d go ballistic when she saw him sitting in on the meeting.  There hadn’t exactly been time for a lot of conversation in between making love all night long.  And she sure hadn’t given him a chance to get in a word this morning.
    She’d cut and run, leaving him alone with his regrets.
    He needed a good run to clear his head.  To figure out his game plan.  If he thought she was angry to unexpectedly see him last night at