Free Code Name: Nina's Choice (Warrior's Challenge) by Natasza Waters Page B

to
sit, it’s something ,” she said, edging toward the
coffeepot. “Where’s Gabbs, Mom? She hopped out of bed early this morning.” Nina
opened the glass cupboard door and plucked her favorite cup. Her mom was all
class, and abhorr ed the fact there was a DND cup with
big clunky letters and a mega handle ruining her fine china, but she didn’t
toss it.
    “Out
in the driveway.”
    “What?” A shot of fear
gripped her for a second. She was home safe and sound, not in San Diego. Her
mother eyed her the way moms do when they
instinctually smell trouble. Nina had neglected to tell her parents about the
Shark or Kayla’s disappearance for that matter. “What’s she doing?” she asked
quickly to step around her mother’s appraisal.
    “Take a look.” Her mot her grinned and peered out the window.
    Mace had the hood of
her truck up, his head stuck under it. Gabbs sat on the edge with her feet
propped on the engine block babbling away at him. Every once in a while he
would tilt his head, and an enormous grin would cross
that taut jaw she loved to follow with her tongue. A little laugh escaped her.
    “Gabriella really
likes him already,” her mother said, searching her face.
    “Looks
that way.”
    “Do you?”
    “Mom,” she drawled.
    “You brought a Navy
SEAL home to meet us. That must mean something.
You’ve never brought anyone here since Gabriella’s been born.”
    Nina crossed her arms
and toed the tile floor. “No one was worth bringing home.”
    “Nina,” her father
interrupted, saving her from further interrogation.
      “Yes, Dad.”
    “Bring the pot.”
    She grabbed it on a
flyby, crossing to the table and refilled his cup. Sitting down, she reached
for one of her Mom’s favorite bakery muffins. Her mother didn’t cook, but she
had a connection to every culinary food source in the city of V ictoria. Carefully she peeled the paper from the sides and
broke it in half. “What’s up, Dad?”
    “I’ve asked my
assistant to make an appointment for Mace at two o’clock.”
    “That’s great. Thank
you.”
    “We had a chat this
morning.”
    “You
and Mace?” She gulped dow n the muffin, and chased it with some
coffee.
    “I think he’s a little
uncomfortable seeing me, so I’ve asked my partner, Dr. Dorchester to take his
file.”
    “Why would Mace be
uncomfortable about seeing you?”
    “Due to his injury,
and what it’s affecting, I thi nk he’s worried I’m
going to give him the ‘Birds and the Bees’ speech about my daughter during his
consult.”
    “Uh, well, uh-huh.”
She blushed a little. She hadn’t thought of it that
way.
    Her father was a
good-looking man at fifty-eight. His hair had begun t o
gray at the edges, making him even more distinguished. She got her red hair
from her mom, but getting her dad’s brilliant green eyes ended up as a perk. A
few creases had begun to show, making him nobler. He had a respected practice
and worked long hours between the hospital and the
office to see all the clients sent his way.
    “I had that speech
with him this morning.”
    She stopped chewing,
and her eyes darted to him. “You didn’t.”
    “It’s not like you’ve
given me many opportunities. It’s a father’s duty.” A small
smirk lightened his usually somber expression.
    Staring at the ceiling
was better than piercing him with an “I’m-gonna-kill-you” look. “Dad, please
tell me you’re joking.”
    Her mom settled down
beside her. “Afraid not, darling. I have to say Mace took it very well.”
    “Dad,
what the heck? Mace and I are both thirty years old. I have a daughter. Are ya kidding me? I
think we have the pitfalls of sex figured out.”
    “Mace understood,” her
mother interjected.
    “Mom, Mace was being
polite. That’s just downright embarrassing.”
    “Morning,
all.” Dawn sauntered into the kitchen with bare legs and a breast-flaunting nightie.
    “Put some clothes on,
tramp. Mace is outside. You’re not giving him a freebie.”
    “Shut up,