In Deep (Book Two): In Deep, #2

By Layla Valentine and Holly Rayner

Pregnant with two of his babies,
She must tell no one,
Or risk everything falling apart…

HIM:

Three years ago I went deep undercover.
My mission? To rescue her from a life that was a lie.
She, pure, sweet, innocent,
Me, the battle-hardened Navy SEAL.
We lost touch after the FBI took over,
But now she's back in my sights.
I couldn't resist picking up where we'd left off.
How would I know that one night could change my life in two very beautiful, but accidental ways?

HER:

Three years ago he saved me…
After a chance meeting, we reunited for just one hot night,
Before reality came rushing back to bite us.
Six weeks later I find out I'm pregnant,
But if news gets out the consequences could be dire.
How is my SEAL savior going to react,
When he finds out he's got twins on the way?

This is the second book in the In Deep series.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Layla Valentine
• Release date: Mar 22, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201188481

Book preview

IN DEEP

Book Two

LAYLA VALENTINE

HOLLY RAYNER

Copyright © 2022 by Layla Valentine

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

CONTENTS

1. Tammy

2. Tammy

3. Tammy

4. Tammy

5. Tammy

6. Tammy

7. Kyle

8. Kyle

9. Kyle

10. Tammy

CHAPTER 1

TAMMY

For the first time in a long time, today has been long, stressful, and unpleasant.

I worried when Connor didn’t show up for yoga in the morning. I suppose I shouldn’t take it for granted, but he’s been coming every day for a month now, and I sort of thought we had a standing appointment. I would have at least expected him to let me know if he wasn’t planning to come.

Instead, I got all set up in my usual spot, expecting him to take the patch of grass beside me, then spent the entire session alone. I know some of the others were shooting me curious looks, too, wondering where he was and if we’d broken up.

As if we were ever even together!

But we kind of were together, weren’t we? There was something there. I didn’t just think we had this understanding about yoga because I’m needy or crazy. We’ve been spending all our free time together!

When I saw him working on the dorm, I understood better why he had missed yoga. But I stood on the hill and watched him for a while, waiting for him to acknowledge me with a wave or something, and he never even looked up. Was he ignoring me? Or did he just not see me? I wish I could ask him what was going on, but it’s such a needy question, and he doesn’t owe me an answer.

He’s not your boyfriend, I remind myself. He’s not your anything.

He should be. The little voice in the back of my head won’t shut up. We have a connection. We have chemistry. There’s definitely some kind of attraction there. Why is he spending so much time with you, unless he wants something? Don’t be naive, Tammy.

I feel like I’m losing my mind.

At dinner, before he can take a seat, I spot him walking into the Commons with a small group of people.

Connor! I call, throwing caution and dignity to the wind.

He looks up.

He sees me.

He gives me a curt nod and turns back to the group surrounding him.

What the hell?

Wounded, I watch as they claim seats at one of the tables and begin passing dishes of food around. Connor doesn’t look back in my direction at all. I don’t know how I can interpret this as anything but him avoiding me. There isn’t even room for me to join their group—they’re packed in too tightly between other people, almost as if they deliberately wanted to avoid leaving a seat to spare.

Humiliated, I find an empty space at the end of a table and eat my dinner alone. I don’t want to talk to anybody else. Everyone on the ranch has seen me with Connor over the last few weeks. Everyone will want to know why we’re not together now. And I don’t have the answer. For whatever reason, I’ve been rejected with no explanation whatsoever.

I’m walking back to the dormitory, thinking I’ll just go to bed early and be alone with my thoughts, when he finds me. His hand encircles my wrist gently and pulls me into his space.

Tammy, he says, quietly.

I pull away. What?

You’re angry.

I’m not angry. I’m not going to give him the satisfaction.

You are, I can tell, he says, his eyebrows knitting together. Will you let me explain?

Explain what? You don’t owe me anything.

He shakes his head. Please. Let’s just talk.

I don’t want to talk to him. I don’t want to be vulnerable in front of him, to let him see how hurt I was that he ignored me all day. But I can already feel curiosity getting the best of me. What does he have to say now, that will explain a whole day of non-communication? As hurt as I am, I do want to hear the explanation.

I follow him up the side of Eastern Hill, which usually pretty deserted in the evenings—there are better places on the ranch from which to watch the sun go down. I assume we’re heading this way for the sake of privacy and that we’re going to stop at the top of the hill to talk, but to my surprise, he keeps walking.

Where are you going? I ask, hurrying to keep pace with him.

Let’s get a little farther away, he says, and his voice is low. I don’t want to be overheard.

I’m starting to feel really anxious. What could he have to say to me that’s such a secret? I assumed he was coming up here to engage in some form of breaking up with me. And it could still be that, but what would be the big deal about being overheard, except that it would be a blow to my dignity? He can’t be that concerned about the preservation of my pride, can he?

He’s leading us into the woods.

We’re not supposed to go in there, I say, pulling up short. The woods form a ring around the clearing where the ranch is set up, and they’re considered part of the outside world, even though they’re still miles from civilization. Connor, standing amid the trees, is now on the other side of a line I’m not supposed to cross. This is officially a big deal.

No one will know, he says. Just for a few minutes, Tammy. Please.

I can’t believe I’m doing this.

Slowly, I walk forward, into the forest, and follow Connor until we’re concealed behind a thick tree that must be at least a hundred years old.

If we’re caught, I say, we could be expelled.

We won’t be caught, he assures me. "Nobody