The parking lot was half empty. Most of the members were out on a job in Fort Worth. The cute brunette in the front office waved at Holly through the window. She was going to miss it there.
Hunter stood beside his bike with a helmet in hand. He wore his usual uniform; white T-shirt with his cut over it, jeans that sat low on his hips and black boots. He handed the helmet to her. “This should fit you.”
“Thanks.” She fingered the buckle on the strap and looked up at him. “What happens when I go home?” she asked.
“What do you mean?”
She waved her hand around. “This whole old lady charade to fool the Aryans. How do we keep that up? Or does it not matter now?”
He pulled her against him and tipped her chin up. “It was never a charade for me. What do you think? You want to try being my old lady for real?”
Holly pulled the helmet onto her head. “I think I’d like that.”
* * *
The End
Alyssa Breck
Alyssa Breck is an award winning author of horror/urban fantasy, paranormal, romance and erotic fiction. She grew up reading Stephen King and V.C. Andrews. The Shining changed her life and sparked a love of all things scary, spooky and spine-chilling. Add some romance to that and she found her niche weaving paranormal and erotic romance stories. Alyssa hangs her hat in the South with her family of humans and fur-babies.
For more information:
@AlyssaBreck
alyssa.breck
www.AlyssaBreck.com
Blondie’s Hero
by Lily-Ann Johnson
Mary-Alice Roberts (Blondie) owns one of the busiest Marine Bars on the East Coast. Getting dumped via Text Message is just the start of her problems. She also needs an experienced Bartender who can fill in right away.
Marine Staff Sargent, Jake Peterson is medically retired, and needs a job to keep his mind busy and not live in the past. The Bartending job at Teufel Hundens sounds like the perfect solution.
When Blondie's Ex decides to blame Blondie and Jake for his misfortunes and retaliates against Blondie.
Will Jake be the Hero Blondie needs and save her? Or will revealing his actual wealth and him being the cause of her ex's anger have Blondie doubting not only Jake but their budding love as well?
Chapter One
“Dammit,” Mary-Alice Roberts, Blondie to those who knew her cursed, as the bottle of Gray Goose hit the floor. Inventory day was always a challenge especially after receiving a large order. Standing five feet four inches tall in heels Blondie normally knocked over or dropped, at least, one bottle while restocking and organizing the storage room at Teufel Hundens Bar & Grill. Good thing she was the Owner of the busiest Marine bar on Topsail Island or she would have fired herself a long time ago.
“I really hate being short,” she mumbled to herself as she picked up the broken glass and went to find a mop.
Big Al, her Father's best friend from the Corps & the Cook, shook his head as she grabbed the mop from the Kitchen. “Dropping things again Lil Mary,” he asked with a laugh.
“Hush Big Al, when do I not drop things,” she responded. He was the only person who could call her Lil Mary and get away with it. As her God Father, Big Al had always been in her life and she loved him for stepping in to help when her Father died.
After cleaning up the mess Blondie went to her office which was situated in the back of the bar. It still amazed her that even after five years she could still smell her father’s pipe smoke. A Marine to the core, her Father opened the doors of Teufel Hundens fifteen years ago after he retired from the Marine Corps. Five years ago cancer took her Father just like it took her Mother, in her heart Blondie knew they were together. Now at the age of twenty-eight, she was the sole owner of Teufel Hundens Bar & Grill.
It was days like today that she really missed her father’s no bullshit ways. Dropping the Gray Goose was just one of the things that happened today, her boyfriend of two years James dumped her via text message for not being “classy” enough.
Blondie couldn’t get over that bullshit excuse, shaking her head she thought to herself, Really James, not classy enough what an asshole.
Sure she is five-four, but she figures it is just good genes that blessed her with 36D cup breasts to go with her blonde hair and blue eyes. She was fit, at one hundred and forty-five pound of lean muscle she had a curvy ass and trim waist, it wasn’t her fault she was more Marilynn that Jackie. To top off her shitty day her best friend Nikki and the main bartender was a vacation for another two weeks. Leaving her with nobody to vent to besides Big Al and she didn’t need him kicking James ass… that would leave her without a cook.
Taking a deep breath, she imagined her Father telling her to suck it up get the sand out of her clit and truck on.
You have responsibilities Blondie, girl, he would say, Don’t let some asshole who isn’t worth your time get you down.
“Damn Straight, Blondie said to herself with conviction, “He isn’t worth my time.”
Taking another breath, she sat up straight in her chair, time to get to business. She had a possible new hire coming in for an interview in 30 minutes. With Nikki on vacation and business picking up due to the spring break she needed an experienced bartender yesterday. Hopefully, the person coming in for the interview was experienced and could start today, that would be the best thing to happen to Blondie today.
Staff Sargent Jake Peterson was going to be early according to civilian time, in the Corps if you're on time you're late if you're early you're on time. He didn’t need the job at Teufel Hundens as he just inherited his father’s fortune three months ago and is now a seventy percent majority shareholder in the resort company his family owned. Jake’s father was the President of the company until his death which to the shock of many he left his shares to Jake.
Jake was supposed to take over as President of Peterson Resorts however after having a meeting with the Board, and it was decided that his Uncle Pete would take over as President. Jake would stay on as a board member, and he would receive weekly updates and take part in special projects when needed. If the board or his Uncle needed him they knew to call. Jake was more than glad to hand the company over to his Uncle Pete to run, as he didn’t know anything about business. His Uncle Pete was a good man and even better business man.
It still surprises Jake that the man who belittled his son’s choice of serving in the Marine Corps over graduating from Georgetown with his business degree would leave everything to him upon his death. The truth of the matter is that twelve years in the Marine Corps taught him more about the value of hard work and changed him in ways that Georgetown would never have; Jake knew he was a better man due to the Marine Corps.
After two tours in Iraq and three in Afghanistan, Jake was done, done with war and watching his friends get injured or never come home. He was one of the lucky ones he came home, a little broken on the inside with his brains a bit scrambled and some shrapnel scars. Jake didn’t even notice that he rubbed his hand down his side where scars peppered his side, hip and lower back.
The Doctor had diagnosed him with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and a Mild TBI (traumatic brain injury) that was what surviving a Humvee explosion due to an IED gave him. Dickerson, Shelby, and Rodgers had died during the explosion, Rich “Ham” Hamilton, was the only other one to survive the Humvee explosion, he is now missing part of his right leg from having his leg smashed to bits, and is at the Wounded Warrior Battalion on Camp Lejeune. Besides being the only other survivor, he was Jake’s best-friend since boot camp.
Living on Topsail Island would allow him to be close enough so he could still make his appointments in Jacksonville and be there for Hamilton. He was sort of glad that he had the inheritance because it allowed him to purchase a large beach house he wouldn’t have been able to afford on a Military salary.
Jake knew he would enjoy the serenity the beach and ocean brought him, and if he got the job at Teufel Hundens, it would be close to his ne
w home that was what Jake was hoping for. Getting out of his red Jeep Wrangler he was ready. As he walked up to the main entrance, he was hopeful that he would go back home tonight with a new job, after all he was now officially a Former Marine.
“Hey Lil Mary, there is a Marine out here for the Bartending job” Big Al yelled, “Want me to send him back to ya?”
“Go ahead Al,” Blondie yelled back. He’s early; Blondie thought to herself, that’s a good sign.
Blondie looked up when she heard the knock on the door jam, standing there was one of the sexiest men she ever saw in her life. He stood about six feet two inches tall. His brown hair was sporting a fresh high and tight that screamed Marine. He wore a black t-shirt that was tight to his body showing off his muscles and tucked into a pair of faded blue jeans. As sexy as that was, his eyes were what caught her attention. They were an amazing shade of emerald green with flecks of gold in them. Holy hell! she thought this might turn out to be a good day after all.
“Come in, don’t just stand there in the hall,” she said with a smile, “Take a seat and let’s gets this interview started. First off, my name is Mary-Alice however you may call me Blondie, what’s your name Marine?”
Jake, looked at her with a bit of shock on his face. He was used to being the one in charge, not the other way around; then he gave her half a smile as he sat down in front of her desk and said, “Well, Ms. Blondie, my name is Jake Peterson, and I am gonna be your new bartender.”
Blondie laughed at that, in response she said, “What makes you qualified to work as a bartender at Teufel Hundens, you look more like a bouncer to me, and we got two of those.”
“Well, besides living within walking distance; I know how to pour drinks, keep customers, and the ladies happy,” Jake said with a wink. “I also tend to be pretty damn squared away, and I will always show up on time.”
Well, damn he got her there; she does need a dependable bartender with Nikki away, and Jane only works days.
Blondie looked at Jake and said,” Ok Marine, here’s the deal… My regular bartender is on vacation for another two weeks; I need a full-time bartender starting tonight. I can pay ten dollars an hour, and you split the tips you get with whoever is working behind the bar with you. The schedule is 4 PM to 2 AM Tuesday through Saturday. Sunday and Monday we are closed, if you need a day off let me know at least twenty-four hours ahead of time unless it is an emergency if it is an emergency call ASAP.”
“I will be working bar with you until Nikki gets back before you ask; I don’t want half your tips you can keep them. When Nikki returns, then you gotta share them with her. So what do you say Marine, you wanna fill out the paperwork and start working tonight.”
Jake, didn’t know what hit him, this pint-sized sass machine just broke it down barney style and left him wanting more. “Well, Ms. Blondie,” Jake said extending his hand, “I think you got yourself a new bartender.”
Blondie gave his hand a shake noticing how big his hands were, wondering how the rough texture of them would feel as he slid them up her body.
Giving herself a mental shake she said, “Here is your paperwork, go home fill them out and bring them with you when you come back later this afternoon. What you’re wearing is more than fine we don’t have a dress code at Teufel Hundens. Marine t-shirts are always welcome, just nothing too graphic as we don’t want to scare away the tourists. If you are hungry ask Big Al for something to eat, we feed our own here. See ya at 1600 Jake, welcome to the family.”
Jake stood up and left Blondie’s Office shaking his head, that was easier than he thought, he couldn’t wait to tell Hamilton about his new job and the pint-sized beauty who was going to be his boss.
How was he going to get though two weeks of working with her, not only is she his boss but more than likely she had someone to go home too, he didn’t see a ring but that doesn’t mean she is available.
Looking at his watch, Jake saw he had enough time to get to Lejeune and check on Hamilton and hopefully convince him to move in with him, fill out the paper work for Blondie and get back in time for work.
“Hey Marine,” Big Al yelled at him, “Did ya eat yet?”
“Yes before I came for my interview” Jake told him, “Ms. Blondie said I could get something, but I’m good.”
“Well, if you starve it’s your fault, what’s your name by the way?” Al asked.
“I’m Jake Peterson, Sir,” Jake replied.
“Ain’t no Sir’s at Teufel Hundens, boy just hard working Marines, I’m Big Al by the way,” Al said with a huge smile.
“Nice to meet you Big Al, I will see you 1600 got some running to do before work.”
“See ya then Semper Fi Marine,” Big Al replied as he got back to cooking.
Blondie could hear Al and Jake talking in the kitchen as she sat at her desk trying to do paperwork. Needless to say, her mind kept wandering back to a certain Marine with emerald green eyes, what the hell was she thinking, how was she going to work next to that man for the next two weeks without jumping him.
Sure she just got dumped by the James the asshole, she should have known something was up with him as they hadn’t had sex in six months, he canceled multiple dates due to late meetings and out of town business trips, good thing she didn’t agree to live with him.
She should have listened to Nikki and Lady Jane when they told her he was a scumbag but no, Little Mary-Alice thought a nice business man would be safer on her heart than any Military guy would been.
The sad part of it all is James had been a constant in her life even though the spark wasn’t there; she is more pissed then heartbroken that he broke up with her via text then in person. That was it; Blondie thought; lack of sex was messing with her head.
It was time for her to take a shower and get dressed for work; thankfully the beach house where she lived was right next door to Teufel Hundens.
“Hey Al,” Blondie called out as she stopped by the kitchen. “I am going home to shower and get ready for tonight, just letting you know.
“No problem Little Mary, I got it handled. You go get ready. I was gonna make chicken salad sandwiches and fresh kettle chips for dinner you want some?”
“That sounds great Uncle Al; if you have any of that blueberry cheesecake left can I have a piece also?”
“You know I always save you a piece honey, see ya in a few,” Al said as he got back to prepping food for the night”
As Blondie walked next door, she unlocked the front and took the stairs to the 3rd floor. There was an elevator in the hallway which went to each floor but she figured the stairs gave her a little bit of exercise.
Blondie always thought it was efficient that her place was located next door Teufel Hundens. She sold her parents’ home a few years after her father died and bought the house next to Teufel Hundens which was originally set up for apartments.
She had the first floor turned in to a common area for entertaining and parties which she shared with Big Al. Big Al lived in the second floor apartment ever since she bought the place and that will never change. He was actually really happy that she asked him to live in the apartment below her; He said made his job as Godfather that much easier as he could keep tabs on her and knew she was safe.
The third floor was hers. Besides her huge master bedroom and bath, she had a guest room with guest bath, an open kitchen and large living room, she loved her apartment, it was just what she needed not too big, not to small.
She took a deep breath as the smell of lilacs hit her when she opened the door to her apartment, calming her. Blondie loved the smell and buying candles and air fresheners in bulk at Yankee Candle every few months ensured her house smelled like lilacs year round.
She kicked off her shoes and heading towards her bathroom stopping to grab towels from the linen closet and continued on down the hall. Entering the bathroom, she turned the shower on, making sure it was the right temperature as she stripped her clothes off and entered the shower.
Blondie loved her s
hower it was large enough to fit at least three people and had a bench seat built in. She grabbed the body wash and loofa and started to wash her body. Her mind drifted back to Jake, God that man was sexy as sin, and she imagined his rough hands washing her body, taking his time making sure the suds got everything clean.
Blondie dropped the loofa and started using her hands to rub her breasts, pulling on her pierced nipples, tweaking them as she thought of Jake. She slowly brought one hand down in between her legs touching her pussy. Leaning back against the bench she spread her legs apart more as she used one hand to finger herself thinking about rough hands and emerald eyes. She felt her orgasm build as she fingered her pussy, twisting her nipple causing just the right amount of pleasure pain she started to cum.
“God Yes,” she said as she came, thinking of her new bartender. Getting up from the shower bench, she finished washing her hair and rinsed the rest of the body wash off and got out of the shower.
Blondie reached for the towels, wrapping her hair in one and the other around her body, as she walked to her bedroom to get ready. Twenty minutes later she was ready her long blond hair in a ponytail, makeup on, wearing a pair of blue jeans that showed off her curves, black calf boots and a v neck top that showed her girls off. She locked the door to her apartment. She went back down the stairs, locked the front door and was crossing the parking lot on her way back to work. There was a chicken salad sandwich, kettle chips and a yummy piece of blueberry cheesecake calling her name.
Chapter Two
Jake made it to Lejeune; it felt different going on base now, as he was medically retired and not an active duty Marine. He had to talk to Hamilton, things were going well, and he wanted his best friend by his side, he thought it would be great for the both of them; he headed to the wounded warrior barracks hoping his buddy had a good day.
Field Stripped: 15 Steamy Military Romances Page 53
