Baby, It's You (Uncharted SEALs Book 5) by Delilah Devlin Page A

his elbow.
    “Your usual, Mr. Vance?”
    “Yes, hon. Bring us a round.”
    Carter sat and placed his cowboy hat on the seat beside him. He studied his father’s features. His cheeks still held a little color, and his gaze was sharp. He guessed he shouldn’t worry too much he was going to keel over any second.
    “Now it’s just us,” his father said, pausing to take a short breath. “How come you haven’t done it?”
    “Done it?” he said, his back stiffening, because he could only imagine one thing his father might be asking.
    “Melanie. How come?”
    Still not sure his dad knew about their sleeping arrangements, he narrowed his eyes. “How come what ?”
    His dad looked toward the ceiling. “She’s a pretty girl. Comes right to your bed. How come you haven’t done it?”
    Carter blew out a breath that billowed his cheeks. “Who the hell’s spying on Melanie?”
    “Tilda says her bed hasn’t been touched. And she’s found her panties in your room. But nothin’ on the sheets.”
    Carter felt heat rise in his cheeks. “That old b—”
    “I asked her to keep an eye out. Don’t blame her. You gonna answer my question?”
    “It’s none of your business. Certainly none of hers.”
    “Like hell, it’s not.” His dad wheezed on his next breath. “I need to know your intentions… Girl’s under my roof…”
    The waitress returned with their beers, and the men went silent. As soon as she moved away, Lee gave him a deep frown.
    Carter glared back. “All right. I’ll tell you. I won’t make love to her. Not until I’m sure what my intentions are.”
    “But you’ll sleep with her, let her fall in love with you.”
    “She came to me. Does every night. She’s the one who wants to keep it all about sex.”
    His father’s eyes widened, and then his grin showed every one of his pearly dentures. “She’s already in love with you, boy… She’s just bein’ stubborn….” He took a deeper breath. “I’ll tell you what you gotta do…”
    “I don’t need advice.”
    “Son, you need a manual,” Lee muttered. “With pictures. A set of damn operating instructions.”
    His dad waved a hand at Lee. “You’re young. She’s young. You can figure it out,” he said with a snort.
    Carter rolled his eyes. “I know what to do, Dad.”
    “Huh. So what’s the problem?”
    “I don’t want to hurt her again.”
    Lee nodded. “Told you somethin’ happened at the wedding.”
    “Then don’t,” his father said.
    “It’s not that simple.”
    “You love her?”
    It was on the tip of his tongue to say he wasn’t sure, but he realized, in that moment, that he already knew. His shoulders slumped. “Yeah.”
    His father’s lips curved. “Then go after her.”
    Carter raked a hand through his hair. “She doesn’t want me to leave. And I don’t think I can stay. Not all the time. I like what I do. I’ve spent years getting good at it.”
    Lee leaned forward. “Your friend Mac said his company’s headquartered in Dallas.”
    “That’s not an ocean away,” his father said nodding.
    “But I could be gone weeks at a time.”
    “And home weeks at a time,” Lee said, a brow arching.
    “Sounds like excuses,” his dad muttered.
    “She doesn’t want me walking into danger.”
    His father scowled. “With your bum knee, you won’t be on any front line.”
    Carter frowned at his father. “Doesn’t mean I’ll be safe. Even if I’m stuck at Bagram in a hangar, there’s no guarantee we won’t be hit.”
    “There are no guarantees in life, son.”
    He was surprised his father echoed the same thing he’d said to Melanie.
    “I want you settled. I want to know Melanie’s taken care of.”
    “I can’t run a ranch if I’m gone half the time.”
    “Then hire a foreman… Lee can teach him the ropes…. Much as he hates that side of the business.”
    Lee nodded. “I’ll leave the hirin’ to you.”
    Carter sat back in his seat, amused the old men had double-teamed to take him down. “You