Her SEAL Rescuer Read online

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales, is entirely coincidental.

  RELAY PUBLISHING EDITION, SEPTEMBER 2019

  Copyright © 2019 Relay Publishing Ltd.

  All rights reserved. Published in the United Kingdom by Relay Publishing. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Katie Knight is a pen name created by Relay Publishing for co-authored Romance projects. Relay Publishing works with incredible teams of writers and editors to collaboratively create the very best stories for our readers.

  Cover Design by Mayhem Cover Creations

  www.relaypub.com

  Blurb

  Benjamin Steele just wanted to go on a well-earned vacation in Alaska. But instead he finds himself on a flight with Megan Foster, the one woman he’d ever loved. When their plane goes down in a fiery crash, Benjamin finds himself acting as protector to Megan and her little charge, Logan. Making matters worse, he quickly realizes someone is out there trying to kill one of them. The Navy SEAL wasn’t looking for romance, but it’s hard not to think about such things when Megan is near him. As they work together to escape danger, Ben feels unwanted stirrings in a heart he’d nearly forgotten he had.

  As Logan’s nanny, Megan knows two things—she needs to get Logan safely back to his parents, and Ben is the best bet she has. Though he’d left her heartbroken years before, she trusts that he can protect them both. What she doesn’t realize is that Ben is a different man than the one who abandoned her, and it’s impossible to ignore the chemistry burning between them. As the danger increases and those hunting them draw ever closer, she’s finding it more difficult to resist his quiet strength. But will he still be around to protect her when they’re safe? Or will old habits kick in and leave her heartbroken once again?

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Epilogue

  End of Her SEAL Rescuer

  Thank You!

  About Katie

  About Leslie

  Sneak Peek: The SEAL’s Christmas Baby

  Also by Katie

  One

  Benjamin Steele rolled his shoulders and tried to relax as he paced the airport gate. His upcoming flight from Anchorage to Fairbanks had him on edge. Flying didn't bother him as long as he was the person in the cockpit, the one making the decisions. Something about putting his life in a complete stranger’s hands, even for the brief flight to his buddy’s place for a much-needed fishing vacation, just didn’t sit well.

  He checked his watch and paced back and forth in front of the floor to ceiling windows that showcased the sprawling Alaska Range, a fortress of snowy peaks and unforgiving terrain. Land that was beautiful but also deadly if you ventured into the wilderness unprepared. Of course, as a Navy SEAL, he prided himself on being prepared for any danger that might come his way. He was great in a crisis—but terrible at sitting around with nothing to do. He pressed his fingers to the back of his neck, kneading the dull ache pulsing under his skin.

  He needed to chill and focus on the destination—not the journey to get there. A screech and little footsteps pounded down the hall, and he turned just as a freckled-faced toddler slammed into his leg.

  The boy looked up, flashed a shy, gap-toothed grin, and whispered “Sowwy.”

  Ben sighed and looked around for the parent. There was only a handful of people at the gate: an elderly couple passing the time with a book apiece, a teenager bopping to the beat from a pair of bright red headphones, and a businessman with a briefcase at his feet and a cellphone to his ear. No one seemed in the least bit concerned for a missing child. Ben released a pent-up breath and crouched down to eye level. He wasn’t good with kids. Only one of his teammates had children, and on the rare occasion he visited the house, he never could seem to engage with them.

  He released a pent-up breath, still scanning the crowd for a caregiver. "Where's your mom, kid?"

  “I dunno.” He shrugged his shoulders, not seeming bothered in the least. An impish grin was still plastered to his face. That, at least, was a relief. Ben had no clue what he’d do if the kid started bawling. Instead, the boy seemed much more interested in examining Ben. “What’s dis?”

  Ben froze as the kid stepped closer and touched his face. “You have a boo-boo.” The boy poked his tiny finger at an old shrapnel scar that snaked down his chin. “Don’t be sad. I have superhero Band-aids.” He smiled brightly, as though he was quite pleased with himself for thinking of the idea.

  “Ah…It feels fine, but thanks. Let’s find whoever lost you.” He started to rise, then sank back down when the boy’s lip quivered.

  “Lost?” His voice trembled and he glanced around with frantic eyes. When he turned back to look at Ben, his chin wobbled, and a fat tear escaped the corner of his eye. Damn it. Ben shouldn’t have said the word—it was like he’d broken some kind of spell and abruptly forced the kid realize his parents weren’t around.

  The boy bit his bottom lip, shoulders shaking. “Meggy. Meggy!” he wailed.

  Ben scanned the area, waiting to see if someone rushed forward at the sound of the cries…but no one came. Great. Just what the needed—a toddler on the verge of an apocalyptic meltdown with no caregiver in sight. “Whoa, whoa. Just calm down a sec. We’ll figure this out and find your…Meggy.” Whoever the hell that was. Maybe it was some weird way of saying Mama?

  Some of the tension in the back of his neck dissipated when he saw a young woman sprinting through the gate, directly toward them, arms piled with luggage. There was something familiar about the long legs and slender build, the way she moved with natural grace despite the awkward amount of baggage she held. With each step the woman took, though, his chest constricted more, sealing off his breath with a painful gasp of recognition. She seemed utterly unaware of who he was as she fell to her knees in front of the boy.

  “Oh, thank goodness. Logan, you know better than to leave my side.” She cupped the kid’s chubby cheeks and kissed his forehead a few times in quick succession. “Are you okay?”

  The boy nodded solemnly and tucked himself against her side. Then, Megan Foster’s hazel eyes connected with his for the first time in eight years. In an instant, shock and recognition swept over her face, and her eyes widened.

  Eyes that he’d gotten lost in the moment he’d met her at the University of California where he’d been studying on a Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps scholarship.

  Eyes that would fill with passion when he kissed the sensitive skin at the nape of her neck or settled between her thighs.

  Eyes that had darkened with hurt and a clear sense of betrayal the last time he’d seen her—the time he’d left her behind.

  The woman standing in front of him once had the power to steal his heart. That was why he'd done what any self-preserving
man would—run like hell. His skin prickled as he recalled the day he'd realized how serious their relationship had grown. She’d suggested moving in together—had talked about what their future might be. He’d panicked, and had immediately applied for the SEAL program to escape their relationship.

  And yet despite everything he’d done to separate himself from her, picturing her lovely face was what had gotten him through the hellish training that had molded him into the powerful force he'd become.

  He’d left her, the one woman he’d ever loved, because life had taught him at an early age that the people you cared about would disappear when the going got tough, or when a better opportunity presented itself. The only way to protect yourself was to leave first, before you got too attached. And that was exactly what he’d done.

  “Ben…” Her voice was a little breathless. Was it from the frantic run, or was her pulse pounding as his was over the impromptu reunion? “What are you doing here?”

  He raked his hand through his hair. It had gotten a bit too long over the last few missions. “I have a week of leave, and I’m meeting up with a buddy at his family’s fishing retreat.”

  “I’m hungry, Meggy,” The toddler softly demanded.

  "Okay, honey. Let's get ourselves to the gate and then we'll find you a snack." She brushed the hair away from his forehead and stood up, preparing to leave with the boy—with her son. He didn’t know why the kid called her by her first name instead of Mama, but the love between her and the child was clear. This was her family—the family Ben couldn’t have given her. The family she’d created with someone else. She didn't wear a ring, but that didn't mean anything nowadays. The kid alone was proof that there was someone in her life. No one seemed to be coming to join the pair, but maybe the guy was in the bathroom, or maybe Megan and her son were flying to meet her husband.

  There was a pang in Ben's heart. She'd wanted to build a life with him, and he'd walked away. A heaviness settled over his limbs, but he schooled his expression. He had no right to be jealous of the man who had claimed her. No reason to imagine the boy she tenderly nurtured might've been his if things had gone differently. "I promised him a bagel and cream cheese—his kryptonite." Megan offered Ben a shy smile, and his heart responded with a dull thud. He rubbed his chest and tried to tell himself it was nothing but heartburn from too much coffee that morning. It wasn’t—couldn’t be—anything else. Maybe he had loved her once, but love didn’t last. It made you vulnerable and then shattered your soul when the person you cared for inevitably left.

  “Well, let me help you then.” He should let them walk away, turn and go to his own gate, and forget he ever ran into Megan. Something compelled him to reach for the mini Paw Patrol suitcase though, and the realization that he wanted to be in her presence just a little bit longer was a swift kick to his solar plexus. Guilt over how he’d left, and the desire to know everything she’d done with her life in the time since, had him picking up the carry-on that would barely come under the size limitations, then a bulging black suitcase. He easily threw the carry-on duffle over his shoulder and took the other luggage with his left hand. He’d walk them to their gate, ensure they were settled, and then move on. Even though he had no right to feel the ugly jealously that was currently swarming inside his chest, he didn’t want to meet the lucky bastard who got to hold her close at night. Not when he could keenly recall how perfectly she’d fit against him.

  "I wouldn't want to stand between a kid and his favorite snack." There was hesitation in her eyes.

  “Are you waiting on anyone?” God, that sounded pathetic—but relief crashed over him when she shook her head. He didn’t want to be awkwardly introduced to her significant other.

  Maybe her boyfriend or husband was in the picture, but it was becoming increasingly unlikely that he was travelling with them. She certainly didn’t seem to give his question a second thought as she hoisted the boy up and started to follow Ben. Had she met someone in college after he’d left? Fallen in love with a coworker when she entered the workforce? Whoever she was with better treat her right and recognize how special she was. This guy needed to treat her better than Ben had. Even if it was for the best, he still regretted leaving her the way he did.

  “I can carry that stuff, Ben. Really, I do it all the time.”

  “Let me give your arms a rest, then. Besides, they already look pretty full to me,” he said nodding toward the kid. He didn’t like what her words alluded to—that maybe Logan’s father wasn’t very helpful. Didn’t matter that Megan was strong and capable, a man should never let a woman shoulder all the load without trying to help. He clenched his jaw and easily maneuvered them through a small crowd, purposely walking between Megan and the other travelers to shield her and the child from being touched or bumped. The least he could do was help them to their gate. The way he’d walked away from her eight years ago still left an empty hole in his gut, and he’d never forget the devastation in her eyes when he told her he not only wasn’t ready to move in with her, but he’d enlisted to get away. She’d deserved better.

  “What gate are you headed to?”

  “B7.” She tossed her hair away from her face in one fluid motion. He’d always had a fascination with her hair; it was neither blonde nor brown but waves of dark gold that fell down her shoulders and down her back. “Flight seventy-fifty to Fairbanks.”

  “No kidding," he mused. Part of him was thrilled to find out she was on the same flight as him. The other part wished they'd never bumped into one another because old, uncomfortable feelings were twisting and tangling in his stomach, making him wish for things that were even more impossible now than they’d been almost a decade ago. "That's where I'm going, too.”

  “This is so weird. Such a strange coincidence,” she laughed it off, but her eyes spoke to deeper emotions going on inside.

  Fate. The word popped into his mind, and he shook it away. This wasn't the time to be going all spiritual and shit. It was merely a fluke meeting that would end with them parting ways at the airport in Fairbanks. When they finally made it to their gate, Megan took Logan up to a donut shop close by to get him his bagel, while he offered to stay with her bags. Even from the waiting area, the air was rich with the scent of freshly ground beans and an undertone of cinnamon and flour. She returned, carrying two Styrofoam cups, as Logan trotted alongside her. Ben tried not to focus on the soft sway of her hips, but it was damn near impossible.

  She wore dark jeans that hugged her body and tall leather boots that stopped at her knees. The olive-green sweater might’ve been plain on someone else, but it brought out the kaleidoscope of color flecked in her eyes. Megan had always been a T-shirt and jeans kind of girl, but she looked anything but simple. Her beauty was one that didn’t need adornments or flashy garments—she could steal any man’s breath all on her own.

  Megan held one of the drinks out to him and shifted her weight to her left hip. “A thank you for helping me lug all the bags.” She placed her own down on a table nestled between the seats and opened the brown paper bag.

  Logan’s eyes lit up as Megan spread a thick layer of cream cheese over the bagel and passed it to him. The delight on the kid’s face as he sank his teeth in actually made Ben chuckle. After the tension of back-to-back missions over the past few months, it was nice to laugh.

  "You didn't have to," he protested as he lifted the coffee to his lips and eyed her over the rim. "But I could use it." One sip of the espresso, steamed milk, and toasted hazelnut brought him back to senior year when they'd grab a drink and muffins almost every day before heading to class. After all this time, she’d remembered his favorite drink. Or at least, the drink that used to be his favorite. He hadn’t had a hazelnut macchiato since he’d left California. The taste was brewed with so many bittersweet memories, some that he couldn’t face. Anyway, they never tasted as good when she wasn’t by his side.

  They exchanged a glance, the air around them thickening with unspoken disappointments. What would have happened if h
e’d taken a chance on their relationship and moved into an apartment with her? Maybe they would have been happy. But probably not.

  Megan busied herself by keeping Logan entertained, and Ben scrolled blindly through his phone, trying to keep his eyes from wandering over to her. She was so beautiful. It was one of the things that had initially drawn him to her, but it was more than her physical appearance that was attractive. She was determined and sweet. Nurturing, but bold and resolute. The click of heels sounded to his left, and he glanced over his shoulder. A flight attendant was crossing the small waiting area and stopped in front of them.

  “Good morning.” The woman was older—maybe late forties—and had her dark hair drawn away from her face in a professional bun of some sort. “Are you waiting for flight seven-fifty to Fairbanks?”

  “Yes.” He sat up a little straighter and Megan nodded.

  "Wonderful. The pilot has arrived, and we're ready to begin boarding." The flight attendant smiled and gestured for them to follow. Megan stood, lifting Logan on her hip, and reached for the bags just as Ben did. His skin brushed against hers, and goosebumps shot up his arm. They’d always had crazy chemistry, and it appeared it hadn’t been dampened with time. Megan removed her hand from the suitcase, and he took charge, collecting the luggage. He walked behind her, appreciating the feminine curve of her hips and backside.

  "It's going to be a quiet flight,” the attendant told them. “It’s a small plane and we had some last-minute cancellations, so you're the only three traveling today. You'll have your pick of thirty-seven seats," the woman said with a laugh and began scanning their boarding passes.