The Navy SEAL's Bride
Too much armor to let anyone close...
Ex-navy SEAL Tom Cartwright is struggling to return to civilian life. His little niece is his only ray of sunshine and he agrees to be the “show” in her school show-and-tell.
Teacher Caitlin Rose knows all about past disappointments—once, she danced in the spotlight but now she shows others how to. She’s learned the hard way to rely only on herself. Yet as soon as Tom looks at her with those big brown eyes, she’s done for....
Can Caitlin crack the walls around this soldier’s battle-worn heart?
Heroes Come Home
A love worth fighting for
They live extraordinary lives on the frontline, but back home they’re ordinary men looking for love and family.
Soraya Lane’s stories will have you crying for all the
right
reasons, so tissues at the ready as our heroes come back to their loved ones
—old and new!
SOLDIER ON HER DOORSTEP
THE ARMY RANGER’S RETURN
BACK IN THE SOLDIER’S ARMS
THE NAVY SEAL’S BRIDE
These books are all available now as ebooks from Harlequin.com.
Dear Reader,
I’ve always been fascinated with navy SEALs. Their discipline, dedication and mental strength make them perfect hero inspiration. And when you meet Tom Cartwright, I’m sure you’ll agree! He has all those attributes and more, although with a traumatic accident having ended his career, he’s also deeply troubled.
Finding an equally inspiring woman to complement Tom was no easy task. However, as soon as Caitlin Rose appeared on the page, I knew she was the one. Caitlin is an upbeat woman who hasn’t let her past hold her back—except when it comes to love.
I hope you enjoy reading about my gorgeous navy SEAL as much as I enjoyed writing about him, and if you’ve read my previous book,
Back in the Soldier’s Arms,
you’re in for a nice surprise. Tom made brief appearances as the hero’s brother in that story, and I was so excited to be able to give Tom his own book! It’s with a very heavy heart that I say goodbye to the Cartwright brothers.
Don’t forget to visit me at my website,
www.sorayalane.com
, for more information about upcoming and past releases, and for behind the scenes sneak peeks of your favorite characters.
Enjoy!
Soraya
Soraya Lane
The Navy SEAL’s Bride
Writing romance for Harlequin Books is truly a dream come true for
Soraya Lane.
An avid book reader and writer since her childhood, Soraya describes becoming a published author as “the best job in the world,” and hopes to be writing heartwarming, emotional romances for many years to come.
Soraya lives with her own real-life hero on a small farm in New Zealand, surrounded by animals and with an office overlooking a field where their horses graze.
For more information about Soraya and her upcoming releases, visit Soraya on her website,
www.sorayalane.com
, her blog,
www.sorayalane.blogspot.com
, or follow her at
www.facebook.com/SorayaLaneAuthor
.
Books by Soraya Lane
BACK IN THE SOLDIER’S ARMS
RODEO DADDY
THE ARMY RANGER’S RETURN
SOLDIER ON HER DOORSTEP
Other titles by this author available in ebook format.
This book is dedicated to two very special women. Firstly, my mom, for looking after my young son so I can write every day. Your love and support are invaluable, and I can’t imagine how I’d ever find time to write without you! This book is also for Natalie, who is the most amazing friend. Where would I be without our daily chats? You are a talented author, a wonderful mother and the most inspiring friend. Thank you both for being such an incredible support team.
Contents
CHAPTER ONE
T
OM
Cartwright sat slumped, his head bracketed by his palms. The hallway was oddly familiar, took him back years to when he was a schoolkid. All the times he’d sat outside the principal’s office, trying to figure how to talk himself out of trouble.
He stifled a low groan.
The principal’s office might be better than a room full of six-year-olds. How he’d been talked into doing this…
“Uncle Tommy?” Gabby’s sweet, pure voice pulled him from his thoughts. She was standing in the doorway only a few feet away. She skipped over to him and tugged on his arm, her tiny hand dwarfed by his biceps. “Come on.”
That’s how.
Tom dropped a kiss to his niece’s head before dragging his feet out from beneath him and standing. She didn’t even reach his waist, but she slung her arm around him anyway.
“You look sad.” Innocent eyes locked on his, looking up, and he did his best to convince her with a smile.
“Are you sure you want me to do this?”
Gabby rolled her eyes. “You’re
way
more exciting than Mom and Dad. I’ve told the others
all
about you.”
Tom found her hand and followed her to the classroom. He tried not to laugh. If only she understood what she was saying. “Gabby, your mom’s a retired soldier and your dad was a Navy helicopter pilot. They’re hardly boring.”
She dismissed him, shrugging as only a kid could.
And just like that, after years of staying quiet about his career, of so fiercely protecting his identity, not wanting to put those he loved at risk, he was about to address a roomful of kids. To tell them a little about what he did, or what he used to do, all because a girl no taller than his hip had insisted he had to.
But he no longer had to keep his career close to his heart. He was free to talk about some of what he’d once done.
He leaned forward to open the door, waiting for Gabby to walk through before doing the same. Tom swallowed as he surveyed the room, looked at all the little kids sitting on the mat, waiting, fidgeting.
“What do we say?”
Tom turned his body to see where the voice was coming from.
Oh.
He sure hadn’t expected the woman standing behind her desk, the smile on her face so open and wide he was sure she must be directing it at someone else. Not at him.
“Good morning, Mr. Cartwright,” the children sang out.
Gabby still held his hand, squeezing it as though she was trying to wring water from it.
They all sat looking back at him, cross-legged on the mat, curiosity plain on their faces.
“Ah…good morning,” he said, prising his gaze from the woman before glancing at the class again.
She didn’t make it easy though, his eyes, as if with a mind of their own, being drawn back in her direction. The teacher’s hair was drawn up into a swishy-looking ponytail, almost-black locks with a slight curl at the very end. Blue-green eyes seemed to smile at him, wide and happy.
Tom looked away. He wasn’t used to being distracted, to finding his attention so easily diverted.
“Thanks for joining us, Mr. Cartwright,” she said, her voice low and filled with warmth. “Gabriella’s told us a lot about you and what you do.”
Now it was he who fidgeted. Not because of the woman crossing the room toward him, but because it went against all his instincts to talk about his work. He tried to settle his rapidly racing heartbeat. Gabby was only six. How much could she even know about what he’d done?
“You must be Gabby’s teacher,” Tom asked, even though the answer was obvious, needing to say something before she thought he was mute.
There went the megawatt smile again.
“Miss Rose,” she said before closing the distance between them and touching her hand to his forearm, leaning in ever so. “Or Caitlin, just not to the class.” Her voice had dropped to a whisper, barely audible, as if she was letting him in on a tightly held secret.
Tom fought the urge not to take a step back, was conscious of all the little faces turned their way. He wasn’t used to someone being in his space, had been trained to keep a distance in most situations. Had craved this kind of contact for so long that he’d forgotten what it felt like.
All the same, he was pleased that she was Miss Rose and not Mrs.
“Tom, please,” he said, forcing a smile and wishing it had come naturally. “Mr. Cartwright reminds me of my father.”
And that was not something he liked to be reminded of.
“Well, Gabriella, I think it’s time you introduced your uncle to the class.”
Gabby beamed up at Tom as he touched his open palm to her hair, before scurrying off and standing tall and proud before her classmates.
“I did my project about my Uncle Tom because he’s so interesting,” she began. Tom nodded when she looked at him, as if needing his support. “He works for the United States Navy, but he doesn’t go away anymore because now he teaches new…” Gabby’s face flushed. She paused, clearly stuck.
A warm, soft breath touched close to Tom’s cheek.
He jumped as it was followed by a gentle squeeze of his arm, words whispered near his ear. “I think she needs some help up there.”
He thrust his hands in his pockets and crossed the room in four strides, wanting to rescue his niece from embarrassment but needing to put space between him and the pretty teacher, too. He’d spent too many years almost exclusively in the company of men to deal with that kind of sensory overload. She looked too good, smelled too good…hell, she even sounded too good for his liking!
“Recruits,” he said, smiling at the children, pushing any thoughts of women aside. “I teach new recruits.”
Gabby leaned into him and he let his arm fall around her. It didn’t matter what happened, what
had
happened, she grounded him. Made everything right, showed him what was important. Made him realize that he had to suck up his pain and push past what was holding him back. What had stolen his career from him.
Made him want to stay strong.
“So,” said Gabby, confidence returned, “Uncle Tom was a Navy SEAL, like as in a seal in the ocean!” She giggled and the other little people did the same. “But really it means…”