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  Mike chuckled. “Good thing.” And then he grew serious and gazed at Bay. He wanted her input. “Are you okay with this, Bay?”

  “We’d love to have your blessing, Mike,” she said.

  He rubbed his furrowed brow. “This is a helluva…er…I mean, a heck of a compliment,” he muttered.

  “Do you have any brothers or sisters?” Bay wondered.

  “No, I don’t. I’m an only child.” And then Mike grinned suddenly and hooked his thumb toward Gabe. “Like this badass.” And then he gulped. “I’m sorry, ma’am. I didn’t mean—”

  Bay chuckled. “Mike, I was in the service, too. It’s okay. I know you SEALs speak your own language. I’m fine with it.” She reached out and patted his hand.

  “Well?” Gabe demanded, not giving Mike any quarter. “You okay with this?”

  Mike shook his head in utter disbelief over the honor. “Man, I did not expect this, bro. I really didn’t.” He looked toward Bay’s belly. “Yes, I’d be very honored for your son have my name. Thank you.”

  *

  GABE LAY ON his back, Bay cuddled next to him as much as her belly would allow. He could feel one of the babies kicking against his ribs. “They’re active tonight,” he muttered with a smile, moving his fingers lightly across her shoulder.

  Bay groaned. “Tell me about it. And it’s your son, Michael Floyd, who’s kicking the livin’ daylight out of me. I wish he’d go to sleep so I could.”

  Gabe knew better than to chuckle. “Want to lie on your back? A pillow under your knees?” Bay was getting very uncomfortable carrying twins, and he knew she was losing a lot of sleep she really needed.

  Sighing, Bay said, “That would be so nice, yes. Thank you…”

  Gabe retrieved the extra pillows and eased them beneath her knees. He could see her face lose some of its strain. “Better?”

  “Oh, much.”

  Gabe sat down and faced her, gently moving his hand across her belly. “Maybe my son needs my touch?”

  His hand was so large, his fingers long and square. Gabe touched her so gently, as if afraid to hurt her. “You go ahead and try. Anything to settle that rambunctious son of yours down. Dawn is already asleep over here.” She pointed to the other side of her belly. “Smart girl.”

  “I was a hellion when I was young, too,” Gabe admitted, easing his hand slowly around the swollen curve of her belly beneath the nightgown.

  “What, ADD? ADHD?” she groaned.

  “No, just a real action-oriented kid.” He met her half-closed eyes. “Guess that’s why I joined the SEALs. I like all the physical challenges, the competition and being on the move all the time.”

  “Great.” Bay sighed. “I think your son is getting a head start. He’s probably going to be born equipped with a pair of Nikes on his feet.”

  Gabe chuckled. “When my mother was carrying me, she told me a few years ago that I was kicking her until she was black and blue.”

  Rubbing her face, Bay griped, “Griffin, I swear, this is all your fault!” Her mouth twisted in frustration. “And now I got a baby SEAL on my hands? And I have three months more of this to go?”

  Gabe leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to her belly. “Hey, he’s settling down. Feel it?”

  Bay waited a moment. Sure enough, Michael Floyd wasn’t kicking anymore. She snorted. “I’ll bet Michael recognizes you’re his daddy. And he likes your touch. That’s why he’s settling down now, thank God.”

  Chuckling, Gabe moved up to where Bay was lying and placed one hand beneath her shoulders. He saw the translucence of her radiant skin in the pale wash of moonlight. Soft, mussed curls framed her face. Leaning down, he placed a tender kiss across her mouth. “You just call me when Michael Floyd is misbehaving. I’ll come and rock him to sleep. Fair enough?” Gabe eased back, smiling down at her.

  Lifting her hand, Bay stroked his cheek. “You’re such a softy, Griffin. Thank you, and you can bet I’ll be calling you often. I really need my sleep.”

  “Sweet baby, I’ll be here every step of the way,” he promised, kissing her, lingering across her wet, smiling lips. Bay caught his hand and pressed a kiss to it.

  “I love you, Gabe. We’ve come so far…so far…”

  He lost his smile, moving some curls away from her cheek. “We’ve come that distance together, baby. You never surrendered.”

  And she hadn’t. The trauma was still there, but it usually remained in the background, no longer center stage and trying to control her life as it had earlier. The pregnancy had been healing for her, Gabe realized. Bay was going to have the twins delivered at home with Poppy as her midwife and Dr. Sarah accompanying her. Bay had been born in the other cabin, and she wanted her children born there, too. Gabe agreed, understanding how the deep roots of her Hill family had been a quiet strength to Bay throughout her trauma.

  “Mmm,” Bay whispered, closing her eyes. “Can you lie up against me? That would feel good, and then I can go to sleep.”

  Gabe saw the need in her dark, glistening eyes. Standing, he brought the sheet over her so she wouldn’t have to sit up and do it herself. Easing down beside her, Gabe watched Bay relax. A faint smile crossed her soft lips.

  He slid his arm beneath her slender neck and moved against her warm body. Closing his eyes, Gabe inhaled the jasmine scent of her hair that tickled his nose and brow.

  For the past five months, Bay no longer had weekly nightmares, maybe one a month instead. And no more flashbacks, for which they were both infinitely grateful. Her focus was on the babies she carried within her body and on him. Bay had regained all her lost weight, and he rarely saw the haunted look in her eyes anymore. She was still actively working out the trauma, but life had been good to them, and she was like a blossoming flower, unfolding to the sweetness of the happiness that surrounded them.

  Squeezing her fingers gently, Gabe felt intense love flowing through his heart for her alone. Baylee-Ann Thorn had proven to be a radiant light in the darkness of his wounded heart. She’d healed him with her love. And Gabe silently promised her he would spend the rest of his life returning that love to her and their children. Forever.

  *

  ISBN-13: 9781460334591

  NEVER SURRENDER

  Copyright © 2014 by Nauman Living Trust

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