“Aircraft carriers?”
She nodded.
“I served as a SEAL.”
“A SEAL,” she said, her brows popping. “Mom, did you hear that, Jesse was a SEAL. Those guys are like the most awesome warriors around.”
Charlene laughed. “Apparently.”
“Why did you quit?” Mandy asked.
Jesse lifted a shoulder. “Had a run in with a few I.E.D’s.”
Mandy shook her head.
“Explosives.”
“Were you hurt?”
Charlene intervened. “Sweetheart, maybe Jesse doesn’t want to talk about it.”
“Don’t you know,” she asked, surprised. “I mean, you two have worked together for a year haven’t you?”
“It’s all right, Charlene. I lost most of my left leg on my last mission.”
Mandy blinked with surprise and then her gaze traveled down his leg. “You can’t tell. I mean I saw a little bit of a limp, but…you’re super fit.”
“I have a prothestetic leg, but back to you facing your fears…”
“Would you go with me?” Mandy asked, her big blue eyes staring up at him.
“I can be with you until the jump, but the last part will be you finding the strength to take the last step.”
“Are you sure, Mandy?” Charlene asked, more than a little concerned. “Jesse, are you sure it’s safe?”
He winked at her. “Can’t be a hundred percent sure of anything. Some things you just have to take the leap.”
Charlene rolled her eyes and Mandy giggled.
“You’ve got a thing for my mom, don’t you, Jesse?” Mandy asked, trying to hide a grin.
Jesse darted a look at Charlene, but it wasn’t for her acquiescence. He didn’t disengage his gaze when he said, “It’s definitely more than a thing, but your mom is putting up a little bit of resistance to test my intentions.”
“You mean she’s playing hard to get.”
Jesse’s egnimatic smile burst forth. His handsome jaw jutting into a granite edge. The man was far too handsome.
“Oh, I’ve got her already, she just doesn’t know it yet.”
Chapter Seven
Mandy offered a sweet laugh. “That’s pretty awesome, Mom, a real hero has the hots for you.”
Charlene cleared her throat. Jesse’s gaze darted away as if embarrassed or resistant to the term she’d used. “He is a hero, Mandy, but like all real heroes, he doesn’t see it.” Charlene’s heart skipped a beat when Jesse met her gaze. Like the one they’d shared when they first met, filled with surprise and sensual tension, emotion speaking while the mind tried to conceive something that didn’t fall into any analytical format or mathematical equation. The heart had a stronger conviction than practicality could ever argue with.
“If you want to do the jump, I’ll go with you,” Jesse offered.
Rigged up in a harness, Mandy looked scared to death standing on the small platform at the top of the Stratosphere looking over the city of Las Vegas. The wind buffeted their clothes, and Charlene had to shout, “Honey, you can do this.”
Mandy nodded jerkily.
Jesse checked the equipment twice.
“Okay, step out,” the girl running the platform ordered.
“Wait, maybe I can’t do this,” Mandy shouted.
“You’ll have to jump or come in. I’m going to count to three—”
Jesse raised his hand. “Give her a second.” He stepped out onto the platform and looked Mandy in the eyes. “In about thirteen seconds your feet will be on the ground. Your harness and the equipment are all good. Now it’s between you and your fear. Who’s going to concur who. When I had to make my first jump out of an aircraft, I had to convince myself that I had the nerve to complete the task. When your feet are back on terra firma, you’ll have accomplished something you’ll always remember.”
Mandy swallowed deeply and nodded. “I’m still scared shitless, Jesse.”
He laughed and pressed a sweet kiss to her cheek. “So was I, but you’ve got this. Take the step, and once you’ve made it over this hurdle, I’ll take you tadem skydiving.”
“Oh my, God, really?” she squealed. “Seriously?”
He nodded. “We’ll meet you down there.”
Mandy nodded quickly. “Okay. Okay,” she said, and looked out over the horizon.
The platform operator gave the countdown, and when she got to three, Charlene watched her daughter step off the platform. She gripped her chest, probably more terrified watching her daughter fall than Mandy was making the jump.
Jesse was all smiles. “Let’s go get her.”
He took her hand and they hurried to the elevator. When the door closed and gave them privacy, Jesse didn’t hesistate. His mouth came down on hers with a tender kiss and then swept his tongue across her lips. “I’ve got a eleven hundred feet to kiss the hell out of you,” he said, making her knees weak when his palm cupped her breast, and he pressed his hips against her body.
Before she lost her senses, the door opened and they sauntered outside to meet Mandy. She was chattering so fast, Charlene could barely understand her, then Mandy flung her arms around Jesse’s neck.
“Thank you. It was amaaaaazing.”
Jesse’s rogish grin eclipsed his face. “Still want to go skydiving?”
“Yesss,” Mandy said. “I can’t wait to tell the girls back at the dorm what I did today. And about you. And about going skydiving. They’re going to be soooo jealous.”
By the time they dropped Mandy back at the campus, Charlene was ready to go to bed, not man the booth at the conference. She closed her eyes for a minute while he drove them to the enormous convention center.
“Want to get something to drink before we go to work?” he asked.
“Rather find a bed to crawl into. I’m not used to hangovers, sorry to say.”
When they pulled up to the valet parking, she wanted to stay in the car and sleep. “I had fun this morning, Jesse. As much as my stomach wasn’t impressed, I was. You got along really well with Mandy, and I can’t thank you enough for instilling her with enough confidence to face her fears this morning.” She sighed. “I’m so darn tired, I could sleep standing up.”
“Three hours,” he said, and pulled on her hand. “Then we can catch a power nap before tonight.”
“What do you mean tonight? I want to go to bed and wake up next Monday.”
“Nope.”
“What exactly?” she asked as they maneuvered through and around the mass of people coming and going from the entrance.
“I booked two more nights at the hotel once the convention is over. In the meantime, you can move your bags to my room.”
She gripped his arm to stop him. “I have to go home.”
“No, you don’t. You need some pool time. You need me to massage all the tight muscles from your body that I helped put there from the coasters. You need dinner at a premier restaurant. You need me to touch you and remind you that sex isn’t all I want, but when I want it,” he leaned close to whisper in her ear, “I’m going to take it, and make you cum as many times as I want.”
He absolutely loved her responses. Her cheeks always flushed a beautiful shade of red.
“A mini vacation can’t hurt, but you have to realize what we have in Vegas will definitely remain here. A relationship between us and a working relationship will make things complicated.”
She veered off toward a convenience shop, leaving him stunned. He followed and watched her slide the cooler door open.
“Water?” he asked, standing beside her.
“Yes, thanks. I’m thirsty.”
He bought six bottles. “Me too. Think we both need to hydrate. It’s going to be a hot, steamy night.”
“Stop that,” she said, but it came out less convincing than it should have.
As they wandered into the vast auditorium with bodies squeezed together in the aisles, he took the lead and made a path toward the Harrington Corp’s booth. The CEO and executive manager were pres
ent, along with a few people from his team. All eyes watched them approach.
“Afternoon,” Jesse said, nodding. “Ready for a shift change?”
Mr. Harrington, the owner and founder of the company, placed his gaze on Charlene. “We’d like to speak to you in private, Charlie.”
Charlene nodded, and both the CEO and executive officer pulled her aside.
“What’s going on?” he asked Margaret. She worked with Charlene in data analysis. Margaret had a habit of tuning into company gossip. He could see the worried expression on her face. Peter and Tony didn’t look much better.
“It’s Shannon,” Margaret answered, her voice lowered.
“What about her? We’re expecting Mr. Yin this afternoon. She’s ready to pitch.”
“She’s in the hospital,” Margaret said. “And Charlie is about to be fired.”
Chapter Eight
“What?” Jesse dropped the water bottles on the table. “What happened?”
Peter, Tony and Margaret all huddled around him. “She’s blaming Charlie. Shannon said Charlie convinced her to take some drugs. Don’t know what kind, but she overdosed.”
“She called me sounding totally fucked up,” Tony, one of Jesse’s programmers said. “I went to her room and she asked me to call Mr. Harrington and then take her to the hospital. She was totally out of it. When Mr. Harrington arrived, she could barely talk, but said Charlie had given her the drugs and practically forced her to take them. Said it was time to party, and it wouldn’t do her any harm if no one knew.”
“What the fuck? That’s not true.”
“I don’t know, sir, but that’s what she said. I called an ambulance. Shannon’s in emergency now.”
Jesse moved toward Charlene. She looked like she’d just witnessed a murder, shaking her head. He joined their conversation in time to hear Mr. Harrington say, “Charlie, I am completely against drug use of any kind. It hasn’t impacted your work, but Shannon says you use these drugs recreationally. I have zero tolerance for this. You’re fired.”
“Wait a second,” Jesse cut in, seeing Charlene in complete shock. “Mr. Harrington. Charlene does not take drugs.”
“It’s a shock to all of us, but I won’t tolerate it. We’re lucky we got Shannon to the hospital in time.”
“So you’ll be firing her too?” he suggested, anger boiling in his blood. “If Shannon took the drugs, she did it of her own free will.”
“No, she didn’t know what she was doing. She’s an innocent victim in this.”
Mr. Harrington loved Shannon on the team because she brought in sales. Charlene’s contribution had a massive impact on a project, but she did it quietly and never stood in the spotlight for her efforts.
“Sure she is,” Jesse said with disdain. “Did Charlene allegedly force them down her throat, or did Shannon take them herself and blame Charlene for it?”
“What cause would she have to do that?”
He had a good fucking idea, why. “Sir, let me prove Charlene had no part in this.”
Mr. Harrington raised a brow. “You’re intimating Shannon fabricated this story? I doubt she would do that. She nearly died. Charlie, your position is terminated with Harrington Corp. Monday morning you’ll be allowed to take your personal possessions from your desk, and then you’ll be escorted from the premises.”
Charlene found her voice, although tears glazed her eyes. “Mr. Harrington, I’ve never used drugs. Ever. I have two daughters I’m putting through university. I can’t lose my job.”
Mr. Harrington completely ignored what she said. He looked at his watch. “We have to meet Mr. Yin at his hotel. Jesse, you’re with us.”
“No,” he said curtly. “I’m not. I don’t know what’s going on with Shannon, but there’s no way Charlene had anything to do with drugs.”
“Mr. Yin has flown here from Hong Kong to meet with us. It’s your developmental program Mr. Yin has come to see. Your presence is mandatory.”
Charlene had been completely discarded. “I’ll meet with Mr. Yin, but then you’re going to let me prove Charlene’s innocence. You’ve accused her of something she hasn’t done. She keeps her job until I find out what’s going on.”
Mr. Harrington had to weigh the possibility that Jesse would walk, and he was prepared to do that for her. Harrington must have seen it in his eyes.
“Begrudgingly, I have to admit I was surprised by Shannon’s accusation. Charlie has been loyal to my company, but it was Shannon’s request she be fired. I’ll give you one day to prove otherwise. Meet us outside in ten minutes.”
Charlene appeared completely shell shocked.
“It’s going to be okay,” he whispered into her hair. Safe in his arms, the tears rained down her cheeks, and she hid her face against his chest.
“I didn’t do this.” Her tears came harder, and she finally wrapped her arms around his waist and clung to him.
Margaret, Tony and Peter shuffled closer, all looking helpless. “It’s a misunderstanding. Don’t worry,” Jesse reassured his team.
Margaret shook her head. “Bullshit. I hate that bitch, Shannon. She always thinks she can have what she wants. She’s devious, but I don’t understand what she has against Charlie. She’s never done anything to her.”
“It’s my fault and I’m going to fix it,” he said to them. All brows raised at the same time. He cleared his throat and gently lifted Charlene’s chin to look in her eyes. “Shannon knows I’ve fallen in love with somebody very special.”
“Oh, that’s great,” Margaret said. “So she’s going to take it out on Charlie? That’s ridiculous.”
Charlene swallowed and wiped her cheeks. “You’re right. It is.” A few stuttered breaths escaped her mouth.
He shook his head at her. “No mistake, Margaret.” He looked into Charlene’s watery eyes. “I love Charlene, and she’s not taking the fall for this.”
“We all do, Jesse,” Margaret said, not understanding. “I’d like to go to that hospital and give Shannon a piece of my mind. We had to listen to that cow tell us how she was going to get you into her bed for months. With her self-inflated ego and fake boobs, she had it all planned out for this weekend.”
Both he and Charlene stared at Margaret.
“Seriously?” Charlene said, brushing another escaped tear off her cheek.
Margaret’s eyes grew. “You didn’t hear? She had it down to the last detail. She said by the time she left Vegas, she’d be Mrs. Hunter.” Margaret darted a look at Jesse and shrugged. “She’s psycho if you ask me. I’m surprised she hasn’t invited you up to her room yet.”
Charlene’s gaze turned to him and he closed his eyes. She hadn’t asked whether Shannon had made a pass at him in her room. Probably because she didn’t want to hear the answer. He hadn’t offered any information either because he didn’t want to upset her.
“I turned Shannon down this morning. When you and I left, she was standing at the front door.”
Charlene scanned the faces staring at her and then back up at him. “I didn’t see her.”
“That’s because you’re not trained the way I am. I still have a habit of checking every face and their position in a room. When Shannon came onto me, I didn’t tell her who I was seeing when I turned her proposition down. She followed me down to the lobby.”
“The kind of proposition that ends up in bed, no doubt.” Charlene unzipped her purse and pulled out a tissue.
Peter, a young but brilliant programmer, looked at Tony. “I’d be scared shitless if that woman came after me. She’s hot and everything, but I don’t know. She’s kind of ruthless. But why would she blame Charlie? I mean, so what if she saw you guys in the lobby.”
Jesse grinned and gave Peter a nod. “That would be because she saw me kissing Charlene, and if she can read lips, me telling her how much I love her.”
Enormous smiles broke out on Tony and Peter’s faces. Margaret slapped her hand over her mouth. “Get outta here,” she said through her fingers. “You guys, th
at is soooo awesome.”
Charlene forgot about her tears and burned a look into him that only a woman with children has learned to do.
He feigned innocence. “What?”
Charlene shook her head. “Don’t make this worse. I have no job. How will I keep the girls in university? How the hell…did I get myself into all this?”
“Guys, you want to give us a minute?” he asked. They all smiled and backed away.
“I knew Shannon liked you. I just didn’t know how much.”
“I don’t care what she wants. Part of this doesn’t make sense to me, but I’m going to find proof you didn’t do this.”
“How? It’s her word against mine. Mr. Harrington isn’t going to risk losing her. She means too much to the company with her sales record.”
He palmed her cheek so he could gaze straight into her eyes. “There’s always proof. I might have lost my leg and my career with the teams, but I can still solve a mystery and track down the truth.” He kissed her and offered a smile. “Don’t worry. We’ll get to the bottom of this. Go back to the hotel. Rest. We’ll go out for dinner when I get back—”
“I should do something. It’s my life on the line here.”
“Hey, it’s not your life. It’s a job.”
“I won’t have a life if I don’t have a job. Harrington Corp was a dream come true for me. I’ll be blacklisted for this.”
“Let me do the footwork. Even if I only have one,” he joked, attempting to ease her fear.
Charlene nodded. “Jesse…” She paused. “You are so much more than a wounded warrior. It hasn’t slowed you down, and…and you’re the most amazing man I’ve ever met.”
He kissed her cheek. “Remember you said that.” He offered her his keys and the valet ticket. “Take my car. I’ll catch a cab later.”
Jesse walked her to the lobby and winked at her, then joined the executives. He’d get the meeting over with as soon as possible, and then the first place he was going would be the hospital.
Chapter Nine
When Jesse entered her private hospital room, no doubt upgraded by Harrington, he closed the door. Shannon sat in bed, propped up by pillows, reading a magazine and appeared very awake and unaffected by her experience.
Field Stripped: 15 Steamy Military Romances Page 65
