Free SEAL Under Siege (Men of Valor) by Liz Johnson Page B

he next morning Staci rolled over amid sheets that smelled of fresh mountain streams, the covers wrapping her in a cocoon. Snuggling deeper into the warmth, she squinted at the alarm clock sitting on the nightstand, but she couldn’t make out the big red numbers without her glasses. And she couldn’t get to them without dislodging her covers.
    The sun had only just broken the horizon, its rays reaching through the window to greet her. She’d heard Ashley get up to use the restroom twice during the night, but now all was silent in Tristan’s house.
    She wasn’t quite sure when she’d begun thinking of him as Tristan. It was probably during Ashley’s fervent appeal for her to stay. Over and over Ashley had pointed at her big brother and called him by name.
    Now Staci was calling him Tristan and staying under his roof.
    She’d had her chance to get away from the constant reminder of her own inadequacy, to leave before she became attached to Ashley and the baby she carried.
    But she’d given in and stayed. And now it was too late.
    She already adored the waddling woman, whose gentle words and kind smile had prompted Staci to share more about the ordeal than she’d even shared with the PAO at the base. The only person she’d told more to was Tristan. And that was so she could show him the map.
    When he’d rounded the corner into the kitchen the day before, he’d immediately made it clear that she wasn’t going anywhere. This was the safest place for her to be.
    Even if watching a joyfully rotund Ashley navigate the last weeks of her pregnancy made Staci’s chest hurt.
    She rubbed a flat palm across her collarbone, wishing the air would come a little easier.
    But the sure knowledge that she’d never get to have a child of her own ripped at her heart.
    The hardest part was the certainty that no man would ever want to marry her for that very reason.
    Chris had been clear when he broke off their relationship. Silly her, she’d thought he was going to propose.
    I’ve been thinking a lot about us, Stace.
    Me, too. She’d smiled and held out her hand over the linen tablecloth, expecting him to take it. He hadn’t.
    There’s not really a future for us, is there?
    Her mouth had dropped open, a bite of prime rib sticking in her throat as she grabbed for her water glass. She’d gulped as tears flooded her eyes.
    When her glass had rattled back on the table, she’d tried to speak, but the words had lodged somewhere behind her tongue.
    Listen, it’s better to talk about this now, right? Before we got serious.
    Serious? she’d croaked. We’ve been together for more than a year. I moved to San Diego so that we could live in the same city.
    He hadn’t even had the courtesy to apologize for leading her on, but his ears had turned pink and he’d looked away, unable to hold her gaze. I never asked you to. And you weren’t really honest with me about everything back then, were you?
    The flames behind her eyes had flickered to life, setting her temples on fire. I wasn’t honest with you?
    You never told me about—about your situation. You know I want to have a family.
    So do I. There are other options like foster care or adoption.
    When he’d finally swung his stare back to her, his eyes had been hard and cold, and he’d wiped the tip of a cloth napkin across his mouth. I want a family of my own kids.
    There’s surrogacy—we can figure something out. If we love each other there must be a way.
    He’d pulled out his wallet and dug out a couple of bills, shaking his head the whole time.
    Please. Please don’t leave. Don’t throw everything away because of this. Her voice had risen on the last word, desperation filling her.
    She’d been shocked to realize she was nearly begging him to stay. That wasn’t who she was. She was stronger than that. She was strong at twenty-one when the OB/GYN told her that the ovarian tumors would have to be removed, and with them any hope of ever bearing children. She was strong at