A Navy SEAL's Surprise Baby by Laura Marie Altom Page B

frolic—naked.
    That thought sent Calder reaching for another beer.
    “For me anyway, all that’s a crock. I wasted a lot of time doing only what I wanted in life and it cost me—dearly.” She shrugged, “May sound cheesy, but now I get more satisfaction from making other people happy.”
    “Makes sense.” Whoa. Had the mysterious Pandora Moore actually opened up? He almost asked what specifically she’d lost, but then thought better. Interrogation wasn’t his strongest suit, but he knew enough to recognize he’d learn more from carefully listening to her than pressing for answers. Besides, she was a genuinely nice person. Aside from his team members, he hadn’t met all that many.
    “Thank you for my lemon sorbet.” She was back to plucking green peppers. “Once we clean all the drips and put everything back in place, your house will be very pretty.”
    It was on the tip of Calder’s tongue to tell her no house could be as pretty as her, but even though the statement would’ve been true, she deserved more than his old brand of clichéd cheese. “I think so, too. Might also make it more homey for Quinn.”
    She nodded, then rose to put her plate in the dishwasher. She held out her hand for his.
    “Thanks.”
    “No problem.” She stared at him a moment too long. “You must be exhausted.”
    “Trust me, I’ve had worse days.” He joined her in clearing the small dinner mess and putting away what remained of their meal. “Tell me about this club you and Quinn joined.”
    “It’s no big deal.” She leaned against the counter and shrugged. “Just a friendly group helping to keep the park and main entrance areas clean. I really like the woman who leads it. Her name’s Lila. She’s a grandmotherly type. Quinn took an instant liking to her, too.”
    “Nice.” He wiped down the counter. “He doesn’t get to see much of my mom—which reminds me, we’re invited for a long weekend with her and my stepdad at some resort. Interested?”
    “When?” Just like that, her mood turned evasive again. She’d darted her gaze and drew in her lower lip.
    “Third weekend in October.”
    She took a moment to ponder this, then smiled. “Sure.”
    The issue should’ve been no big deal. So why was he back to wondering what she was trying to hide?
    *
    A FTER C ALDER HAD gone to bed and she’d checked on Quinn, Pandora found it impossible to sleep. Her room smelled strongly of paint, but she liked the newness. The scent was faint in Quinn’s room, but she’d cracked his window just in case.
    While pacing her room, she could’ve told herself she couldn’t sleep because of excitement over their upcoming trip, and it would be true. After all, she’d never been on a true vacation—not that this was, since she’d technically be working, but just staying at the resort would be a new thrill.
    She could also claim insomnia over the sheer wonder of her beautiful new room. She couldn’t wait to hit more yard sales and thrift stores, finding just the right pictures and knickknacks. She’d decorate it as if it were her own. Sort of a practice run for when she and Julia finally had their own home.
    The truth behind her inability to close her eyes, though, was a bit more complicated, centered around a certain SEAL whose mere presence raced her pulse.
    Never having been big on small talk, she’d expected their day spent together to be agony, yet he was surprisingly easy to talk to. But maybe that was because he’d done most of the talking. He never ran out of stories and she’d very much enjoyed hearing of his many travels.
    So why, then, had she opened her big fat mouth during dinner? I wasted a lot of time doing only what I wanted and it cost me—dearly.
    Pandora covered her face with her hands.
    Had Calder read anything into her statement? Surely not, or he wouldn’t have invited her to meet his mother and stepdad. She was acting paranoid, but spending time behind bars did that to a person.
    *
    T HE NEXT MORNING