Page 94 of Her Forever SEAL

He held on.

Around them, the barrel room was awash with activity. There would be so much more when the Feds got here. Fine. He didn’t care. He was done.

He pressed his face into Sophia's hair and held his daughter close.

This was his last mission.

31

Mason watched as Kayla peered over her plate of waffles at him and Sophia. “If Mandy’s mom picks me up for the game this morning, you absolutely, for sure, promise, not to be late?”

“Scout’s honor,” Mason said, holding up three fingers.

“Don’t believe them,” Lisa said after she finished chewing. “They always go back to bed on Saturdays after we leave the house.”

Mason didn’t look at Sophia because he always got hard when she blushed and that’s the last thing he needed in front of his two girls.

“You can’t be late. This game is important!” Kayla wailed.

“You’re playing four games,” Mason said. “Two this morning and two this afternoon. It’s a tournament.”

“And they’re all important.”

Mason reached over and placed his hand over his daughter’s. “I know, honey. I promise, we’ll be there.”

Kayla looked up at him with that loving gaze she’d been giving him ever since that awful night in the winery. The look that told him she thought he was her hero.

He’d been really worried about what she would think of him after everything Ibrahim had said about him, and after the knife fight. They had long talks about it, but in the end, Kayla was very clear in her belief that Mason fought on the side of the angels.

Since that was how she felt, he was going to make sure that he and Sophia arrived at her first tournament game on time. Not early, just on time. Because he had plans for his wife this morning. Naked plans.

He heard a horn honk.

“That’s them!” Kayla said quietly. He released her hand. “Good, we’ll be early for Coach’s meeting and warm-up practice.”

She scrambled out of her seat, her cleats clicking on the hardwood floor. Lisa got up and followed her.

Now Mason turned to look at his wife, who was no longer blushing. “What did you have to bribe Lisa with to get her to leave the house so early?”

“She gets to have a slumber party here next week,” Sophia said as she began gathering the dishes off the table.

“Jesus, God. Really?”

“Get used to it, Big Guy. We’re going to be hosting Jack and Beth’s kids until next year to make up for all the babysitting they did for us. At least Conner didn’t have the gumption to ask Kayla to the dance this year. Count your blessings.”

“I’m counting. I’m counting.” Mason muttered as he picked up the remaining dishes and followed her into the kitchen. “You know Beth was happy to do it,”

“I know, and that’s what I love about her. I was so glad to hear that she and Jack weren’t moving to Texas after he retired.”

“I think Lydia would have cut off his balls and had them buried under Lake Shasta.”

Sophia laughed. “Yeah, she wouldn’t have been happy.”

Mason grabbed her around her waist. “What about you, are you happy? A lot of the guys are retiring, but I’m not.”

“You know I’ll support you whatever you decide,” she said.

Mason looked into her blue eyes and saw only truth. “I know, baby. But aren’t you happier that I have a desk job?”