One Night with a Marine
A SINFUL MARINES NOVEL
Makenna Jameison
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Copyright © 2013, 2019 by Makenna Jameison.
All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.
Table of Contents
About this Book
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Her Sinful Marine Excerpt
Books by Makenna Jameison
About the Author
About this Book
This Marine’s on a mission, and he won’t rest until she’s begging for more...
Amy Mitchell has been trying to move on with her life, regretful of letting “the one” get away. She’s determined to forget about men and focus on her students and the art gallery she dreams of opening someday.
The last thing on her mind?
Her hunky neighbor Marine Corps Captain Jason Patterson.
Jason has regrets of his own—and although there’s no turning back to fix the mistakes of his past, he’s determined to do things the right way this time around. Preferably with the brunette bombshell right across the street.
As their paths cross, Amy realizes a little romance may not be a bad thing. But after a heated night in her neighbor’s bed leaves her questioning their chance of a future together, she starts to wonder—will the sparks between them only leave her burned?
One Night with a Marine, a standalone romance, is book one in the Sinful Marines series.
Prologue
The wind whipped colorful leaves through the air, and Amy Mitchell glanced up as she jogged along the wooded trail, watching them swirl around before landing on the path in front of her. Red maple leaves mixed in with shades of yellow and brown, covering part of the ground. In another week, the trees would be bare, leaving the landscape stark for the upcoming winter. But for now, at the peak of the season, she basked in fall’s perfection.
She took a deep breath, inhaling the crisp air, and looked up to the clear blue sky that was peeking through the branches. This time of year always energized her—the hot summer sun had given way to fall, the air was cool and crisp each morning.
And after a day of teaching rambunctious preschoolers?
Nothing was better than a solitary afternoon run on the trails.
Her mind drifted, lost in the rhythm of her movement. There was the art studio she dreamed of opening someday, if she could ever save up the funds. The pies she needed to bake this weekend for the school bake sale on Monday. The preschool classes she taught. The new artwork she would paint to adorn her bedroom walls.
And always in the back of her mind, drifting into her subconscious thoughts when she least wanted it, was her ex.
The guy who couldn’t settle down but got engaged to someone else right after Amy broke up with him. Although she’d known him forever, they’d dated only a few short months before she called it quits.
And the next thing she knew, bam, he was with another woman.
Engaged to someone else.
Occasionally she’d catch him glancing her way if they happened to run into each other when they were out, but she generally avoided him at all costs.
Tried to pretend it didn’t sting that he’d gotten over her so quickly.
That he’d found someone else while she was one hundred percent single.
She sighed, trying to clear him from her mind as she continued to jog through the forest. It was better for both of them if she moved on. Obviously he had.
Moved on. Moved on. Moved on.
Her feet pounded on the trail.
She’d meet someone else. Another man would come along and sweep her off her feet. Kiss her senseless.
But until then?
She pounded out her frustration, picking up her pace slightly as she jogged through the remaining stretch of path toward the parking lot. Perspiration beaded on her forehead, and she pushed herself harder, deciding to sprint back. Cranking up the music, she let the song that was blasting in her earbuds drown out any more thoughts.
There.
Pound. Pound. Pound.
Her feet hit the ground as she ran.
Cool autumn air filled her lungs.
It was like she hadn’t even been thinking of him at all.
Chapter 1
Marine Corps Captain Jason Patterson sauntered across the parking lot at Quantico, nodding as a junior officer saluted him. Rows and rows of cars filled the massive lot, the bright sunlight gleaming off of them. He glanced up at the clear blue sky, adjusting his sunglasses. His shift in schedule this week had thrown him off, but hell if he didn’t love a chance to spend a couple of afternoons off base enjoying the damn perfect autumn weather.
Virginia fall days were a hell of a lot better than the long days he’d spent in Afghanistan, deployed with the Marines.
He shrugged his shoulders, letting some of the tension roll off of him. After years of deployments with the military, he still wasn’t used to a desk job. Sitting in an office all day wasn’t quite what guys like him were made to do, but hell. Training junior officers wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. And moving around all the time from deployment to deployment got old pretty damn quickly. There was nothing wrong with being stationed so close to the nation’s capital if it meant he could stay in one place for a while. Maybe put down some roots. Imagine what life could be like when he eventually left the Corps.
He clicked his key fob, the beep beep of his car alarm resounding across the concrete.
“Hey, Jason!” his buddy Tyler Braxton called out, walking toward him across the lot.
“How was the briefing at the Pentagon?” Jason asked, stopping midstride to wait for his friend.
“Boring as hell. But at least I beat some of the I95/Beltway traffic. I’m still not used to the shit show that’s DC around rush hour.”
Jason chuckled. “I doubt anyone ever gets used to that.”
“You headed out already?”
Jason nodded. “Affirmative. I got here at oh-dark-thirty this morning. Next week I’m back on my regular shift.”
“Well hell, maybe I’ll catch up with you later then. I’ll shoot you a text. Some of us are getting together for a couple of beers.”
“Sounds good,” Jason said. “I’d be up for that. Talk to you then.”
After dropping his gear into the trunk, he climbed into his black sports car, turning the key in the ignition as the engine roared to life.
The shift in his schedule meant traffic wasn’t too bad either, and he pulled into his neighborhood less than thirty minutes after leaving base. Neat little yards lined the welcoming street, and he pulled into his own driveway, already making plans for his run. He climbed out of his car and glanced up as he saw his neighbor pull in across the street, the tires of her silver SUV slightly muddy, with splotches of dirt spread across the lower part of her vehicle.
He thought she was a preschool teacher and wondered where she’d been all afternoon. Maybe they’d taken a field trip somewhere? Did preschoolers even take field trips?
He wasn’t sure but then realized if they had
taken a class trip, they’d most certainly have ridden on a school bus like all the other children did. It wasn’t like she would be chauffeuring them around.
He watched as Amy stepped out of her SUV, wearing those tight, stretchy pants women wore when jogging and a snug tee shirt. A long-sleeved shirt was tied around her waist, and her long, brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail that swung back and forth as she moved.
She ducked back into her SUV and grabbed an arsenal of gear—some type of tote bag, purse, and a black gym bag. She glanced across the street but didn’t seem to even notice him as she shut the door and walked toward her front porch.
Her hips swung as she walked, and he found himself wishing that she didn’t have the shirt around her waist. With the way the rest of her body was trimmed and toned, he was sure she had a tight little backside.
Killer curves never hurt anyone.
She turned slightly, adjusting her bags as she fumbled with her keys, and he caught a glimpse of the swell of her breasts in that snug top.
So goddamn gorgeous.
Not that he needed to be chasing after his neighbor. No matter how attractive she might be.
Her house was identical to the one he was renting across the street, save for the fresh pots of yellow mums on her front porch, pumpkin sitting off to the side, and decorative fall wreath hanging on the front door.
Jason knew his own place could use a welcoming touch, but he’d been traveling so much since moving in at the beginning of the summer he’d barely done more than mow the lawn every so often. He’d at least met most of the neighbors, Amy included, but between long hours at work and weekends away, he’d barely gotten to know any of them.
Yet.
He wouldn’t exactly mind getting up close and personal with her now that she seemed to be single again. The guy she’d been with all summer had disappeared.
Not that he minded.
Jason quietly shut the trunk of his black sports car and stole one last glance across the street. Amy’s house looked warm and inviting, almost cheerful even, compared to his own. He’d barely had time to unpack all his belongings, let alone decorate.
Not that decorating was really his thing anyway, he thought with a chuckle.
He had what he needed and was fine with that.
As he reached out to open the glass storm door, he caught a glimpse of himself in his olive and khaki “Greens”—the uniform he wore to work on base every day.
The women around here didn’t seem to mind the uniform, not that he’d really met any that sent his adrenaline spiking aside from his neighbor. But it sure beat the camo and gear he’d hauled around while deployed in the desert.
Four tours of duty in Afghanistan, and it felt great to be stationed stateside. Hopefully he wouldn’t be required to leave the good ole U.S. of A. anytime soon, either. Constant deployments were for the younger guys without families. Not that he had anyone waiting for him in his empty house.
Not anymore.
Dropping his keys onto the table after he walked in, he headed into the kitchen. A quick appraisal of the contents of his refrigerator showed he had only milk for his cereal and a six-pack of beer. He knew that his cupboards were equally bare—he’d been gone again last weekend and hadn’t made it to the store yet.
His gaze drifted to his kitchen windows and the house across the street.
He should ask her out sometime.
Make a move before some other guy swooped in and did it before him.
First things first though. After sitting at a desk all day in Quantico, he needed some fresh air. To feel the wind in his face and the solid ground beneath his feet. To let the rhythm of his movement drown out any other thoughts.
Time to get a move on.
Chapter 2
Amy walked into her cozy living room, unceremoniously dumping her bags on the ground. The black duffle bag that landed on the hardwood floor contained her “work” clothes—jeans and a tee shirt with the name of the preschool written on it. Although they were casual, they weren’t exactly something she’d go for a run in.
The tote bag landed on the bold-print area rug she’d painstakingly hunted for. Amy had been thrilled when she’d been able to purchase her own home several years earlier, and she’d spent hours searching online and in all the local stores to find the perfect furniture and accents for her space.
The walls were adorned with her own artwork—bold, modern abstracts in colorful patterns as well as a few more subdued pieces, including one of a graceful ballet dancer. The pieces were large, and took up much of the wall space, but they matched perfectly with the rest of her décor. She’d hung the drapes high above the windows, giving the room a much larger feel, and with the chic accents she’d placed throughout, Amy could almost envision that she was walking into her own personal art gallery.
Someday, she promised herself. Someday.
The spare bedroom/office/art studio was where she painted. The room had a daybed and desk as well as easels and a large storage cabinet for all of her supplies.
A sudden thump sent her jumping in surprise, and she looked over to see colorful construction paper and stencils in the shapes of leaves, pumpkins, and apples spilling from her overfilled tote bag.
She bent down to gather up the supplies when her cell phone began vibrating in her purse. She pulled it out to see three missed calls from her best friend, Melissa. Frowning as she swiped the screen, she quickly answered it.
“You won’t believe it!” Melissa sobbed into the phone.
“What’s wrong? Melissa? Are you okay?”
“He broke up with me!” Melissa shrieked hysterically.
“What?!” The papers Amy was holding slowly fluttered back to the floor. “Are you serious?”
“The wedding is two months away,” Melissa continued. “TWO.”
“What?” Amy repeated, still in shock.
“You heard me right—it’s over.”
“I can’t believe it—that doesn’t even make any sense. Did he say why? Maybe he just has cold feet...,” Amy hedged.
“Cold feet. Right. He said he realized that he’s not ready to settle down. He’s thirty-two for God’s sake! I mean it’s not like we’re college students or something. We’ve been together for three years. THREE years. He proposed to me!”
“What a jerk,” Amy said, sinking down onto the sofa.
Melissa and Michael had seemed like the perfect couple. They had been practically inseparable when they first began dating. Michael was a Marine stationed nearby in Quantico, Virginia. He’d frequently driven up to their neighboring town to see Melissa, and although Amy knew it was hard on both of them during his year-long deployment to Afghanistan, she thought they’d been happily planning their wedding—or at least Melissa had been happily planning it.
“It’s unbelievable. Un-FREAK-ing believable. I mean, I just talked to his mom the other day about floral arrangements. Floral arrangements! She had some great ideas, actually,” Melissa interjected, sniffling. “But now this? After everything we’ve been through, it’s just OVER?”
“What happened?”
“We were supposed to meet with the caterer today—to finalize the menu, go over the head count. Anyway, Michael came over to my place to pick me up. He’s been working the late shift down at Quantico, so I hadn’t seen him since Sunday. It’s not a big deal though—I’ve gotten used to his crazy schedule. Anyway, as soon as he got here, I knew something was wrong. His face was all stiff and serious, his body language was off—he didn’t even kiss me hello!”
“So, I take it you never made it to the caterer?”
“Nope. He gave me the whole, ‘Sit down, we need to talk,’ thing.”
“Let me guess. ‘It’s not you, it’s me?’”
“Exactly. I mean, I get that it was hard when he was gone last year. I get it—I was living it. But he came back, we readjusted, and everything’s been great. We’ve been planning the wedding, looking at houses, making plans for the future....”
“You’re not pregnant are you?”
“Of course not!”
“All right, calm down. I just wondered if something completely freaked him out.”
“Apparently the idea of marriage was enough to do that all on its own. He said he’s been feeling unsure ever since he’s been back.”
“Wow.”
“Yeah, you’d think he could have mentioned it. We could’ve postponed the wedding or talked about it, not acted like everything was all lovey-dovey and perfect as we planned it and continued our march to the altar.”
“Maybe he didn’t know,” Amy said gently. “I mean, let’s try to look at this in a different light. At least he didn’t literally leave you at the altar. Wouldn’t that have been a million times worse?”
She heard Melissa sigh on the other end of the line.
“Want to come over? I just got back from a run. I’ll jump in the shower, and by the time you get here we can have leftover lasagna and a bottle of red.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“At least come over for a little while. I’m sure you could use a distraction right now.”
“Could I ever. I’ve been trying to call you all afternoon.”
“Sorry. I left my cell phone in the car when I was jogging.”
“In the car?”
“Yeah, I went for a jog on the hiking trail.”
“Well, you should bring your phone,” Melissa sniffed. “What if you get attacked by a bear or something?”
“A bear?” Amy asked, trying not to smile. “In the middle of broad daylight?”
“You never know. Anyway, I wondered where you had disappeared off to.” She sniffled again, and Amy was relieved that although Melissa was still upset, she wasn’t sobbing as she had been when she first called. “I’ll head over in a few minutes. See you in thirty?”
“Sounds perfect. See you then.”
***
“Men really suck,” Melissa muttered an hour later, pouring herself a second glass of wine. She set the bottle back down on the kitchen table, which Amy had already set for dinner. “I mean first, Ben dumps you—” Melissa continued.
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