Baby, It's You (Uncharted SEALs Book 5) Read Online Free Page A

of being mustered out against his will.
    But here he stood. Facing down a child who, despite her cherubic features, looked every inch a Vance with her stubborn stance and scowl. Daniel’s child. Not for the first time, he felt regret his brother would never have the chance to know her like this.
    But he was here. Now. And perhaps, ready to take on the challenge.
    Footsteps hurried up the stairs. He glanced beyond Emmy to Melanie as she climbed toward him. Another regret in a lovely package. He’d wronged her as well. “He’s awake. We spoke.”
    “I take it that didn’t go well?” Her gaze was wary.
    He shrugged. “Depends on your definition of well.”
    A frown dug a line between her brows. “Whatever it is between the two of you, you need to get over yourself. You might not love him, but plenty of people inside this house do.”
    A small hand tugged at the leg of his jeans. “You don’t love Gampa?”
    Melanie arched a brow in warning.
    He quickly smoothed his expression, knowing he had to be a little scary-looking to a child when he was angry. “Course I do, Emmy. But your Gampa and I haven’t seen each other in a while.”
    She rocked back and forth on her boot heels. “I ain’t seen Petey Whitehead in a month. I might wanna punch him when I do.”
    “Emmy…” Shaking her head, Melanie blew out a breath. “She spends too much time with Lee and the hands.”
    Carter grunted. “She’s gonna inherit this place. It’s not a bad thing she’s got a bit of a bite.”
    Melanie darted him a glance. “Dinner’s at six. Don’t be late. Tilda won’t like it.”
    He narrowed his gaze. “Do not let her set my plate. She might spit in my food.”
    Melanie shook her head and anger flashed in her green eyes. “Does every word have to be negative or sarcastic?”
    “If ya can’t say somepin’ nice…” came a soft mutter from below.
    Carter guessed he did deserve a lecture from a kid. “I’m sorry, Mel. I’ll do better.”
    She stepped closer and tilted her head to meet his gaze. “This isn’t easy for anyone. We were doing fine. Emmy was happy. Things are about to change…again.”
    Seeing the shimmer of tears in her eyes pitched his stomach to his toes. He didn’t know what to say, because every word that formed in his head would have been another unkind deflection. So, Carter did the only thing he could think of to escape her glossy, leaf-green eyes. He reached out one arm and pulled her against his chest.
    For a moment, she stiffened, but then she gave him her weight, sagging against him. Her hands smoothed around his sides, and fingertips dug gently into his back as she returned the embrace.
    And just as it had happened all those years ago, something settled into place inside Carter’s heart. He felt warmth. Yearning. He felt home.

Chapter Four
    ‡
    D o that again. Just like that… Yes, yes…oh yes…
    Carter awoke with that sultry cry echoing in his mind. By the pale gray light filtering through the curtains, he knew it was just past dawn. The faraway nickering of a horse reminded him where he was.
    His cock was hard. He needed to get up to piss. Only that wasn’t the cause of his hard-on. He’d fallen asleep remembering another time he’d held Melanie Schaeffer close to his body. The only time he’d had the privilege of being inside her. Here in this room. This bed. The last time he’d slept on this mattress.
    He wrapped his fingers around his erection and gave himself a slow stroke.
    Hard to forget something like that. Taking a woman’s virginity. Not that he’d done it deliberately. She’d waited until it was too late to push at his chest and ask him to go slow.
    “It doesn’t hurt,” she said, but she bit her lower lip, and her eyebrows drew together in a fierce wince.
    Stunned, he held himself above her, his arms trembling, not from exertion, but from fighting his own instincts to claim her, to stroke deep inside, because she was hot and slick and so tight he felt every