Page 63 of Vaquero
Chapter Twenty-Five
Meg lay on the bed in a darkened private room just off sickbay, with Dominic snuggled under her chin. She loved this little boy so much. True, she loved all her kids, and each was unique in their own sweet way. But Dom was different. Perhaps because he’d always been so fragile, and he’d captured her heart the moment she’d laid eyes on him. For now, he was actually breathing easy. Better yet, his dark brown eyes when he’d first snuggled in with Meg, had been bright with the pure light of childish joy. That alone was worth celebrating.
For the first time, Dominic looked like a boy with a future, instead of a bag of sticks without hope. All because of Corpsman Giacomo’s loving care. Lucas had not only spent the entire night in sickbay monitoring Dom, but he’d given Dom his first teddy bear. Now named Little Luke, the teddy bear’s black button eyes stared out from under Dom’s chin. He hadn’t let go of the toy since Big Luke had put it in Dom’s hands.
And Dom had called Meg Mum again, just before he’d melted his body into hers and dozed off. If Mum wasn’t a heart-meltingly beautiful word, nothing was. With Luke’s permission, she’d been allowed to remove Dom from sickbay and rest here, but only for tonight. He’d have to go back to the sickbay bed first thing in the morning to begin another series of tests.
But tonight, he was all Meg’s. With his cheek still resting on her bicep, she faced her tiny warrior, her eyes glimmering with the storm of emotions welling inside her heart. Of all her children, he’d be the hardest to leave. So she didn’t plan to. Every child deserved a mother, and Julio was right. Her littlest sweetheart had chosen her, so she’d chosen him. She planned to adopt Dom.
The other room Luke had secured for her, with Captain Dooley’s permission, was a private stateroom instead of shared quarters with multiple berths, like the one Marta and Craig now shared with the other children. Meg’s other room was nothing fancy. If anything, it was a bigger version of where she lay now. Utilitarian. Orderly. Designed for the bare minimum. But it would afford her more privacy. She planned to move Dom there as soon as he was strong enough. Thankfully, Luke understood that Dom needed time alone with Meg.
Surprisingly, at the last second, Fernando and Joseph had opted not to leave Brazil. Which made sense, since they were the ones who started the orphanage to begin with. They’d said their goodbyes at the helo. Meg didn’t know where they were now.
The dimmest light slanted through the door she’d left cracked open, leaving just enough light for what she needed to tell Dom. “I’m honored you chose me, sweetheart.” She placed one little kiss in the middle of his forehead. “I promise to be the best Mum ever. You’re my son now, Dominic.”
She realized then she had no idea what his last name was. There had to be a way to find out, but she knew better. The sad truth behind the orphans of Brazil was that too many of the littlest ones had been abandoned before they were old enough to remember their parents or their names. Some, before they were able to talk. Or walk.
The door opened wider behind her then, spilling a bright shaft of hallway light across the foot of the narrow bed. Hurriedly, Meg swiped a hand over her face. Luke didn’t need to witness her breakdown. But when a warm palm settled on her hip, she glanced over her shoulder, ready to bite Charlie’s head off for being his usual proprietary, selfish self. Luke wouldn’t take that kind of liberty, and Charlie had no business touching her like that.
But it was Julio standing over her, his hand cupping her hipbone. Not Luke or Charlie.
“Hey,” he said softly, his gaze dark as he took in the scene. “Looks like your little guy’s doing better now that you’re back.”
She loved Julio’s‘your little guy.’At least, she hoped Dom would soon legally be hers. “He is. He’s not feverish, and Luke removed the IV for tonight. He still needs someone to keep a close watch on him, so I—”
“You want to be that person,” Julio ended for her, his tone soft and even, as if he’d just stated an obvious fact, not the opening volley of an argument like she’d get from Charlie.
Swallowing hard, Meg nodded, not wanting to have to choose between him and Dom. Wanting them both so much that her heart squeezed at the thought of giving either of them up. “I’m going to adopt him as soon as I can.”
Instead of grumping or sighing as if his world had just ended like other guys would have, Julio smiled down at her. “He already calls you Mum. Might as well make it official, but…”
But what? Here it comes. He’s no different than any other guy. He’ll make me choose. He’ll be just like Charlie…Yet even as Meg panicked, her heart told her to settle down. Julio loved the little guy in her arms. She’d witnessed his tender side the second she’d handed Dom into his safekeeping that first day. Julio didn’t have it in him to be cruel to any child.
“But what?” she breathed.
“But where are Marta and Craig tonight? Are they still on board? Who’s watching the other kids?”
That made Meg smile. “Marta and Craig are with everyone else in guest quarters. You should see them, Julio. That place looks like they’ve been having one continual party. Everyone on this ship has been so good to us. Why do you ask?”
He canted his head. “Do you think they’d mind watching Dom tonight, too?”
“Are you leaving?”
He licked his bottom lip. “No, ma’am. But this ship isn’t due back to Naval Station Norfolk for a couple months. We could fly everyone out first thing tomorrow morning, but Dom can’t be moved until he’s stronger. I talked with your friend, and Luke has already made arrangements with the children’s hospital in Norfolk, Virginia, to take Dom until he’s stronger. Luke will arrange for an ambulance to meet you two at the pier whenever you arrive.”
What does that have to do with Marta and Craig watching Dom?“Not you?” Meg could’ve slapped herself for blurting that question. Of course Julio wouldn’t stay long enough to accompany her to any hospital. Black ops guys didn’t hang around, remember?
He shifted his hips. “I’d like to.”
What did that mean? Was he waiting for an invitation? Was that why he wanted Marta and Craig to take care of Dom? She couldn’t ask fast enough, “Then would you stay in Norfolk with us?”
That gentle, sad smile again. “Yes, ma’am,” he said, bowing his head once in affirmation. “I’d be honored to stay with you and Dominic.”
Her heart jumped into her throat at the way his voice had just dropped an octave, from conversational into a panty-melting rumble. Baritone always made her knees weak. Had to be the badass vibes radiating off this guy. Did Julio even know what he was doing to her? Did he care?
“But then you’d leave me?” Why, oh why, did everything out of her mouth sound needy?
Julio lowered his backside to the edge of the bed. Meg eased her arm out from under Dom and shifted upright to make room for him. Dom never budged. Poor boy was tired. Healing was hard work.
