Rekindled, A Christmas Novella

By Marliss Melton

Navy SEAL Alex Morrigan anticipates a joyous reunion with his former girlfriend, Tori Wilde. Even after a two-year break to focus on their careers, she is still the only woman he wants. And now that he’ll be stationed near their home town of Edenton, North Carolina, Alex figures it’s time to rekindle their relationship. What could go wrong?
When Alex drops unexpectedly back into Tori’s life and into her bakery, her feelings rise up like a loaf of fresh gingerbread. True, she’s now almost engaged to the best catch in the county. True, she has a successful business and a plan for her life. And true, she’s never stopped thinking about her first love, Alex. Everything in her life has changed, except her fear of loving a Navy SEAL on active duty. Yet while her practical mind tells her one thing, her fast-beating heart says something else. What if she makes a decision she’ll regret forever?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Marliss Melton
• Release date: Dec 23, 2016
• ISBN: 9781938732195

Marliss Melton

Bestselling Author Marliss Melton uses her Spec Ops and Intelligence communities to pen realistic and heartfelt stories featuring America's elite warriors. The daughter of a U.S. foreign officer, Melton grew up in various overseas countries, and now resides in Williamsburg, Virginia with her husband and family. www.marlissmelton.com

Book preview

Rekindled

A Christmas Novella

Southern SEALs Collection, Book 1

TRISH DAWSON

MARLISS MELTON

A NOTICE TO THE READER/LIMIT OF LIABILITY/DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY:

This book is a work of fiction and is a product of the authors’ imaginations or is used fictitiously. Names, characters, and incidents in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the authors and have no relation whatsoever to anyone, living or dead, bearing the same name or names. All incidents are pure invention from the authors’ imagination. Any resemblance to actual events or businesses or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2016 by Marliss Melton and Trish Dawson

Smashwords Edition

All rights reserved.

James-York Press

Williamsburg, Virginia

Edited by Sydney Jane Baily

Cover Design by Dar Dixon

Print Layout by BB Ebooks

ISBN-10: 1-938732-19-7

ISBN-13: 978-1-938732-19-5

Dedication

For my brother, W.C. Humbert, retired Technical Sergeant of the U.S. Air Force. Thanks for your nineteen years of dedicated service and your lifetime service as the best brother a girl could have. I love you!

—Trish

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

Dedication

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Epilogue

Acknowledgements

Author Bios and Links

Other Books by Marliss Melton

Prologue

In the company of his teammates, Special Operator Alex Morrigan crossed the windy tarmac at the NATO airbase in Incirlik, Turkey, with a spring in his step and a grin on his lean face. The breeze tussling his strawberry blond hair carried the scent of gyros wafting from the town on the other side of the base’s barbed-wire fence. With a deep breath, Alex sealed the exotic fragrance into his memory and then focused on the C-17 Globemaster that would take him and his task unit home.

Being a SEAL had distinct advantages, he mused. In the span of seven years, he’d experienced life in several different countries—Afghanistan, South America, Paraguay, Somalia, and Turkey. True, they weren’t exactly hotbeds for tourism, but he’d loved how different everything was—the food, the people, the customs.

Trotting the globe was the biggest plus to being a SEAL. He’d loved every minute of it, even the violence. Liberating hostages and stealing secrets were thrilling events when you were confident your buddy had your back and your plan was flawless.

Turned out, most of his confidence stemmed from being young and dumb. Watching a teammate lose a limb last August had sobered Alex to the realities of his job. Suddenly, he was all too aware of the dangers lying in wait. His priorities had shifted. After two years of nonstop action, he itched for something far tamer—for home and hearth and everything wholesome and familiar.

Eagerness to see his family again, his mother and brother, lengthened Alex’s stride as he crossed the tarmac. Hell, the last time he’d even seen his hometown of Edenton, North Carolina, was two long years ago, at this same time of year—Christmas. And the memory of moments he’d spent with Tori Wilde kept him grinning like a fool as he lobbed his fifty-pound duffle bag atop the other bags just like it.

Honestly, it was the prospect of reconnecting with Tori that had him bounding up the metal stairs and into the plane. During that last Christmas two years ago, they’d mutually agreed to take a break. Trying to maintain a relationship with so many miles between them had been arduous, if not downright painful. Tori had wanted to focus on finishing culinary school and starting up her own business. She’d claimed it took too much out of her every time he left for her to keep her grades up.

Alex hadn’t wanted to break things off, but he’d had to admit it was only fair that Tori get to experience something of the big bad world, same as he got to do. He could only pray that what she experienced wasn’t too big or too bad and that it didn’t take her away from him forever. Deep down inside, he was certain they belonged together and eventually they’d reunite.

As the last few months had crept by, he’d grown increasingly eager to put their separation behind them. They’d had all the time they needed to become adults, to test the waters of the real world. He ached for her letters, filled with quirky insights and her plans for the future. Lately, in his dreams, he’d been haunted by her smile and her laughter.

The fact that he was about to be stationed in Virginia Beach, just ninety minutes from Edenton, made it all the more reasonable for them to reconnect. He’d had his fun. He hoped she’d had hers. From here on out, they were better off together.

Halfway through the crowded Globemaster, Alex spied an empty seat next to his platoon leader, Sid Woloszynowski. Hey, Wooly. Mind if I sit here?

Aptly nicknamed for his head of white-blond curls—and disliking being called Lieutenant—Wooly kept his eyes on his iPhone. Go ahead.

Dropping into the seat, Alex made himself comfortable and snapped on his seatbelt. The chill in the plane had him fastening the highest button on his BDU jacket then rubbing warmth into his chilled fingers. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Wooly sift through pictures of his girlfriend on a Facebook page.

Sir, you’re on Facebook? He whispered the question since active duty SEALs were discouraged to use social media.

The second lieutenant cut him an admonishing look. ’Course not. This is Brittany’s page. She gave me her login info so I can see her pictures.

Oh. Alex wondered what he would see on Tori’s page, assuming she still did Facebook. Pretty girl, he added, studying Brittany’s pictures and thinking she didn’t hold a candle to Tori, whose russet hair and big brown eyes made Brittany look all washed out by comparison.

Thanks, Wooly said.

Curiosity tickled Alex’s imagination as he wondered whether Tori had changed since he’d last seen her. Maybe she’d gained weight running her own bakery—she could afford a few extra pounds. His inquisitive nature got the better of him. Hey, can I ask you to look someone up?

Wooly sighed and handed him his cell phone. Got a woman back home waiting for you? He raised his fuzzy blond eyebrows inquiringly.

I think so, Alex answered, typing in Tori’s full name into the Facebook search bar. We decided to take a break so she could concentrate on finishing school and opening her own bakery.

Riiight. Wooly drew the word out.

Alex’s heart began to thump as he skimmed the photos of the numerous