The Cowboy Seal's Jingle Bell Baby
A BABY FOR CHRISTMAS?Tiffany Lawson promised herself that she would never, ever give her heart to a man again. Now she’s a pregnant former rodeo queen and ex-debutante struggling to support her mother and grandmother. She's already picked out the perfect adoptive parents, but cowboy Navy SEAL Rowdy Jones isn't letting anyone take his child.Rowdy loves the rush that comes from being a Navy SEAL, but finding out he's about to become a dad? That trumps everything. While he and Tiffany shared only one night, Rowdy's determined to do right by her and their baby. His next mission—to win Tiffany and keep his son—might be his toughest yet…
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A BABY FOR CHRISTMAS?
Tiffany Lawson promised herself that she would never, ever give her heart to a man again. Now sheâs a pregnant former rodeo queen and ex-debutante struggling to support her mother and grandmother. Sheâs already picked out the perfect adoptive parents, but cowboy Navy SEAL Rowdy Jones isnât letting anyone take his child.
Rowdy loves the rush that comes from being a Navy SEAL, but finding out heâs about to become a dad? That trumps everything. While he and Tiffany shared only one night, Rowdyâs determined to do right by her and their baby. His next missionâto win Tiffany and keep his sonâmight be his toughest yetâ¦
How many times had he proposed?
Funny, but accepting Rowdyâs offer of marriage struck Tiffany as a cop-out. They were virtual strangers. Aside from their lone hot night, they had nothing in common. Sure, the baby was half his responsibility, but the last thing she wanted was for him to feel trapped.
Most important, Tiffany deserved more than what would essentially be a marriage of convenience. If she ever married again, it would be forever. Rowdy was sweet, but not exactly a forever kind of guy.
âNeed help?â
She looked up to find him kneeling alongside her.
His face was close enough to hers that with minimum effort, she could have leaned forward to press her lips to his. She could have. And it was an undeniable fact that kissing him would feel beyond amazing. Sublime. But what would that solve? There was no denying their physical chemistry.
But that had nothing to do with the kind of love it took to sustain a forever kind of marriageâ¦
LAURA MARIE ALTOM is a bestselling and award-winning author who has penned nearly fifty books. After college (go, Hogs!), Laura Marie did a brief stint as an interior designer before becoming a stay-at-home mom to boy-girl twins and a bonus son. Always an avid romance reader, she knew it was time to try her hand at writing when she found herself replotting the afternoon soaps.
When not immersed in her next story, Laura plays video games, tackles Mount Laundry and, of course, reads romance!
Laura loves hearing from readers at either PO Box 2074, Tulsa, OK 74101, or by email, [email protected].
Love winning fun stuff? Check out lauramariealtom.com.
When I asked my daughter who this book should be
dedicated to, she smiled and said, âDuhâme and Yeti.â Yetiâs her big, doofus black Lab whoâs so naughty that he actually takes time away from my writing. He doesnât in any way deserve a book dedication, but since heâs so cute, Iâll cave⦠:-)
For Hannah & Yeti
Contents
âTwas the night before Easter...
âHow about letting a cowboy buy you a drink?â Navy SEAL Rowdy Jones slurred his words, but the eveningâs libations bolstered his courage. As such, heâd moseyed over to the gorgeous little hottie whoâd stolen his last rational thought.
She appraised him as if he were a stud sire up for auction.
âWant me to spin around so you get the full force of my magnetic attraction?â he asked with a grin.
In a dive bar filled with boot-wearing, beer-guzzling cowboys, she sipped a martini. Her white dress clung tight enough to have been painted on. She had the face of an angel, with cherry-red lips and a sleek wave of blond hair his fingertips knew would feel silky.
Instead of speaking, she downed more of her drink, then raised her hand, motioning for him to twirl.
More than a little turned on by her silent take-charge demeanor, he raised his longneck beer high, gyrating his ass in time with George Straitâs âAll My Exâs Live in Texas.â
He didnât just want this gal; he had to have herâall of her. Down and dirty and every way in between.
In his thirty-odd years, heâd gotten pretty good at sizing up a manâs or womanâs character. The womanâs exterior screamed iceberg dead ahead. But a sadness in her eyes made him wonder if her carefully applied outer persona was eggshell fragile.
âLike what you see?â he asked on the turn around.
Without a trace of a smile, she nodded.
âWanna get a room?â
She nodded again.
She set her drink on the bar, then held out her hand as if she were a princess and he her loyal subject.
His brain couldnât quite compute the fact that she was taking him up on his offer, but he wasnât complaining. He paid their bar tabs, then led her through the maze of Saturday-night heroes, all striving to outshine one another with their tall tales.
Though the next morning would ring in Easter, their miserable portion of North Dakota hadnât gotten the memo. Earlier that night at the annual rodeo, the temperature had been pleasant enough, but a front mustâve moved in and cold wind whipped his mystery galâs formerly smooth hair into a wild, sexy tangle.
