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Daddy In Dress Blues
Cathie Linz
OPERATION: Daddy Boot CampSUBJECT: Three-year-old Blue, the daughter whom–until three days ago–U.S. Marine Curt Blackwell didn't know existed.MISSION: Fatherhood. Bedtime stories. Plaiting hair. Holding hands.COMPLICATIONS: Preschool teacher Jessie Moore. They had a past, but Curt avoided those waters. Unlike Blue's fear of monsters under the bed, a woman's emotions truly spelled danger. And he was growing defenseless against this woman's warmth and beauty….MISSION SUCCESS: Uncertain. Curt would survive–but not necessarily with his heart intact!
Courteous, courageous and commanding—these heroes lay it all on the line for the people they love in more than fifty stories about loyalty, bravery and romance.
A Vow to Love by Sherryl Woods
Serious Risks by Rachel Lee
Who Do You Love? by Maggie Shayne and Marilyn Pappano
Dear Maggie by Brenda Novak
A Randall Returns by Judy Christenberry
Informed Risk by Robyn Carr
Five-Alarm Affair by Marie Ferrarella
The Man from Texas by Rebecca York
Mistaken Identity by Merline Lovelace
Bad Moon Rising by Kathleen Eagle
Moriah’s Mutiny by Elizabeth Bevarly
Have Gown, Need Groom by Rita Herron
Heart of the Tiger by Lindsay McKenna
Landry’s Law by Kelsey Roberts
Love at First Sight by B.J. Daniels
The Sheriff of Shelter Valley by Tara Taylor Quinn
A Match for Celia by Gina Wilkins
That’s Our Baby! by Pamela Browning
Baby, Our Baby! by Patricia Thayer
Special Assignment: Baby by Debra Webb
My Baby, My Love by Dani Sinclair
The Sheriffs Proposal by Karen Rose Smith
The Marriage Conspiracy by Christine Rimmer
The Woman for Dusty Conrad by Tori Carrington
The White Night by Stella Bagwell
Code Name: Prince by Valerie Parv
Same Place, Same Time by C.J. Carmichael
One Last Chance by Justine Davis
By Leaps and Bounds by Jacqueline Diamond
Too Many Brothers by Roz Denny Fox
Secretly Married by Allison Leigh
Strangers When We Meet by Rebecca Winters
Babe in the Woods by Caroline Burnes
Serving Up Trouble by Jill Shalvis
Deputy Daddy by Carla Cassidy
The Major and the Librarian by Nikki Benjamin
A Family Man by Mindy Neff
The President’s Daughter by Annette Broadrick
Return to Tomorrow by Marisa Carroll
Remember My Touch by Gayle Wilson
Return of the Lawman by Lisa Childs
If You Don’t Know by Now by Teresa Southwick
Surprise Inheritance by Charlotte Douglas
Snowbound Bride by Cathy Gillen Thacker
The Good Daughter by Jean Brashear
The Hero’s Son by Amanda Stevens
Secret Witness by Jessica Andersen
On Pins and Needles by Victoria Pade
Daddy in Dress Blues by Cathie Linz
AKA: Marriage by Jule McBride
Pregnant and Protected by Lilian Darcy
Daddy in Dress Blues
Cathie Linz
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
CATHIE LINZ
left her career in a university law library to become a USA TODAY bestselling author of contemporary romances. She is the recipient of a highly coveted Storyteller of the Year Award given by RT Book Reviews and was recently nominated for a Love and Laughter Career Achievement Award for the delightful humor in her books.
Although Cathie loves to travel, she is always glad to get back home to her family, her various cats, her trusty computer and her hidden cache of Oreo cookies!
Acknowledgments
Special thanks to Sergeant Major Robin D. White, USMC, 2nd Battalion, 24th Marines for his assistance with all things U.S. Marine. Semper fi!
And per my marching orders, a very special thanks also to Susan and Jimmie.
This book is dedicated to all the men and women who have so honorably protected their country by serving in the armed forces, including my father—U.S. Army, WWII—and my brother—U.S. Navy, Vietnam War.
Contents
Chapter 1 (#u2e4b2426-45be-54a4-8409-efc347349274)
Chapter 2 (#u9056e1da-3dd8-56b1-a682-15b33c47c083)
Chapter 3 (#u948de5e1-cef0-53e6-ba12-be1ae0e80807)
Chapter 4 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 5 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 6 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 7 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 8 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 9 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 10 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 11 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 12 (#litres_trial_promo)
Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 1
OUT OF ALL THE classrooms in all the preschools in Chicago, he had to walk into hers. Curt Blackwell. Even his name conjured up deep and dark memories.
The years hadn’t been kind to him, Jessica Moore noted. But then kindness and Curt Blackwell had never had much in common.
Twelve years. It had been twelve years since she’d seen him. They dropped away in an instant.
Multiple images hit her as she stared at him with quiet dread. He was a study of contrasts. The rigidity of his cropped dark hair and crisp military attire were at war with the sensual fullness of his mouth and the heated intensity of his brown eyes. He’d always had the ability to consume her with a single glance.
She was surprised by how much he’d changed and yet still remained the same. He’d obviously stayed in the Marine Corps and the dress blue uniform looked good on him. Better than good.
There was a U.S. Marine Reserve Training Facility not far from here. She passed it on her way home every night, but she never dreamed that Curt would end up there. The last she’d heard, he’d been in some hot spot overseas.
Her eyes sought out the little things she remembered about him, like the scar near his right temple—the result of a dispute between him on his motorbike and a tree. The tree had won, he’d once told her. But he wore new scars now, including a fairly recent one that formed a ragged line along his jaw.
Despite the years that had passed, Jessica had recognized him immediately. But she saw no similar recognition on his part, which didn’t surprise her. Curt had a track record of not seeing her. Only a few weeks after sharing the most incredible night of her life with her, he’d acted as if she were invisible.
Thrusting that humiliating memory out of her mind, she focused her attention on the little girl who stood nervously beside him, close enough to touch him but not doing so. Instead the little girl’s hand was clutching the hand of the preschool’s director, Sarah Connolly.
“We’ve got a new student here at the Happy Days Preschool and Day Care center,” Sarah cheerfully announced. “This is Blue Blackwell, she’s three years old, and she’s just moved here from San Diego. And this is Curt, her father.”
Curt’s daughter? In her class? The magnitude of the pain caught Jessica by surprise.
Pull it together, idiot, she fiercely ordered herself. You can’t fall apart. Not here. Not now.
Years of dealing with crises allowed Jessica to make a fairly smooth recovery as she leaned down to the little girl. “Hello, Blue. We’re glad you’ve joined us.”
“Yeah, well, I’ll leave her in your hands,” Curt said uncomfortably, clearly eager to follow Sarah as she left.
Much as she wanted him to disappear, she had Blue’s welfare to think of. The little girl would be terrified if Curt just dumped her off in a strange environment.
“You’ll be joining us too, Mr. Blackwell,” Jessica stated, using her best teacher voice, the one that said I mean business.
Apparently it had little effect on a marine, because he just shrugged off her words and kept heading to the door. “I’ve got to get back to work,” he was saying. Was there an edge of desperation in his voice or was she imagining things?
Jessica had no choice but to put her hand on his arm. By now she was so numb with shock that she didn’t even register the physical contact. All she noticed was that it stopped him. “This will only take a few minutes, but it is necessary and extremely important for your daughter’s comfort.”
“Okay—” he shot an impatient look at his watch “—but I don’t have much time.”
Satisfied that he would stay, Jessica quickly dropped her hand from his arm and returned her attention to Blue. “My name is Jessica, and I’m going to be your teacher.”
The little girl just nodded but didn’t say a word. Blue’s brown hair was tied up into two lopsided pigtails. Her blue jeans and white T-shirt were crisp with newly bought stiffness, and her black patent shoes shone. She wore a beat-up lime-green thin jacket better suited for San Diego than the chilliness of late March in the Midwest. She didn’t appear to have a backpack or any school supplies yet.
