Changed by His Son's Smile by Robin Gianna Read Free Book Online

be okay. His mood lifted, became downright buoyant, and he tugged at one of the crazy blonde curls that had escaped from her ponytail.
    Last night when he’d kissed her, she hadn’t been able to hide that she still wanted him the way he wanted her. She’d come round. Marry him. He’d find a good job for her in the States where he could work sometimes, too, and Drew would be safe.
    Yeah, it was a good plan. He knew he could make it happen.
    He tugged another curl.
    “You know, you’re like a second-grader sometimes,” she said, pulling her head away with a frown. “Next, you’ll be putting a frog down my shirt.”
    “No. A lizard.” He folded her soft hand into his. “Let’s find Drew.”

CHAPTER FOUR
    “T HIS LOOKS LIKE a good lizard spot.” Chase maneuvered the Land Rover off the dusty road and around some scrub towards a grouping of rocks.
    “I can’t believe you’re really planning on catching one,” Dani said, shaking her head. “I know you have quick reflexes, but I think even you are a little slower than a lizard. And if you do catch one, it’ll probably bite you.”
    “Watch and learn.” He grinned at Dani but the smile she gave in return was very half-hearted, and shadows touched the blue of her eyes. He stuffed down his impatience to tell Drew and get it over with so she’d relax and see what a great dad he was going to be. So she’d get over her illogical attitude and say yes to marrying him.
    Chase stopped the vehicle by the rocks, which would hopefully prove to be a good hiding place for the reptiles. Not that the primary reason for coming out this afternoon was really about lizards. But he wanted Drew to like him and remembered how much fun he’d had searching for lizards and various other creatures with his own dad and brother.
    “Spud packed an old blanket we can use as a sort of tablecloth on the rock,” Chase said. He turned to the child sitting in the car seat in the back. Every time he looked at the boy the wonder and worry over having a child slammed him in the chest all over again. “How about a snack, Drew? Then we’ll go hunting.”
    “I’ll get the picnic bag Spud put together for us,” Dani said.
    He watched Dani slide from the front seat, enjoying the view of her perfect, sexy behind in her khaki shorts. Her lean, toned legs. She opened the back door and unlatched their son from his car seat.
    His son. Such a crazy word to think. To have rolling from his lips when he’d been alone and tried out how it would feel to say it. My son. But none of it was as strange as how normal it felt to look at the child and know Drew was his. To feel the strong tug of emotion that pulled at his heart for the sweet-faced boy he barely knew.
    If Drew wouldn’t have balked at it, Chase would’ve taken his son from the seat himself and carried him to stand tall on the biggest rock where they planned to enjoy a picnic before going lizard hunting. Now that he knew about Drew, it felt oddly natural to be a father, and that itself seemed more than surprising.
    During his run this morning, he’d found himself thinking of all the things he wanted to do with Drew. All the things he’d loved as a kid. All the things his own father had shared with him, taught him. Except so many of those things stemmed from having lived in other places and cultures around the world. He’d have to figure out which of those things they’d be able to do together in the States, where Drew belonged.
    While he’d never been particularly comfortable in the U.S., he was more than willing to work there part of the year to spend time with his child and his wife. Seeing them every day while he was there would make it worthwhile. And with global communications being what they were these days, it would be easy to stay in touch, even close, when he worked missions.
    He knew in his bones it would work out fine for everyone. His family.
    Chase grabbed the blanket from the back of the car, along with a wooden box he’d