That didn't set any better with Riley than the implied threat from his commanding officer. "So you intended to run off and have my child without telling me?"
"I… didn't have a clue as to how to find you," she argued.
"Your father didn't seem to have much of a problem."
She looked away as though she wanted to avoid an argument. "I didn't know if you wanted me to contact you."
She sure the hell had a low opinion of him. It rankled Riley that Miss High-and-Mighty would make those kinds of assumptions about him.
"Next time don't assume anything," he barked. "Ask!"
"I apologize – "
"That's another thing. Quit apologizing." He held both hands to his head, hoping the applied pressure to his scalp would help him think.
"Are you always this difficult to talk to?" she asked. He was pleased to hear a little mettle in her voice. It told him he hadn't been wrong about her. This woman had plenty of spirit. It also assured him her health wasn't as bad as he suspected.
"I am when I've been backed into a corner," Riley stormed.
She stood and reached for her coat. "Then let me assure you I'm not the one forcing you into a marriage you obviously don't want."
"You're right. It isn't you. It's the United States Navy."
"The Navy? I… don't understand."
"I don't expect you to," Riley barked. "It's either do right by you or kiss a promotion I've been working toward for the last several years goodbye." Lieutenant Commander Kyle had implied as much in a few short words.
"Oh, dear. I had no idea."
"Obviously not." He rammed all ten fingers through his hair, then dropped his hands to his sides. "My career could be on the line with this one, sweetheart."
That was an exaggeration, but in some ways Riley felt it could be true.
Hannah grimaced at the derogatory way in which he'd used the term of affection. "But surely if I spoke to them… if I were to explain…"
Riley laughed shortly. "Not a chance. Your father made sure of that."
"I didn't know."
"The way I see it," he said with thick agitation, "I don't have a hell of a lot of choice but to go ahead and marry you."
Hannah's head snapped up at that. "You…can't seriously be considering going through with a wedding."
"I've never been more serious in my life."