“Well, technically I dumped Ben; he just got over me really quickly,” Amy interrupted, walking over to pull the lasagna she was reheating from the oven.
“I still don’t know why you broke up with him. But he started dating that other woman like a minute later, so it was practically like he dumped you. Besides, who gets engaged to someone they just met?”
“Great, that makes me feel so much better,” Amy countered, carrying the steaming hot tray over to the table. She grabbed a serving spoon and scooped them each a slice of mouth-watering lasagna. “Things were getting more serious between us, but it’s not like he proposed to me. Then a few weeks after he started dating that other woman? Suddenly he’s out buying wedding rings.”
“Maybe they’ll break up and call off the wedding. It happens I hear,” she added sarcastically.
“I’m sorry, hun,” Amy said.
Melissa flipped her sleek red hair back over her shoulders and sighed. With the splotches of red across her pale, porcelain skin—not to mention puffy eyes—it was quite obvious that she’d spent the afternoon crying.
Amy could tell that she was in a mood to rant and rave, not to have Amy gently disagree with everything she said, attempting to be the voice of reason. Melissa often said that Amy obviously must have the patience of a saint in order to deal with preschoolers all day long.
Melissa was a real estate agent and used to being aggressive to attract new clients and close the deal. She definitely wasn’t used to being around young children, even though she’d looked forward to starting a family one day with her now ex-fiancé.
And she’d spent the last ten minutes—and first glass of wine—complaining, Amy had subtly tried to change the topic and calm her down. Not that her friend didn’t have every right to be upset, but she was hoping to cheer her up even a little bit.
“Well, it should make you feel better! Ben was obviously a jackass if he got over you that quickly. Just like Michael is a complete bastard. Maybe we both dodged a bullet.”
Amy picked up her own glass of wine. “I really don’t get Michael at all,” she said, taking a sip of Shiraz. “Has he tried calling you? Maybe he’ll come to his senses and change his mind.”
“Please. He’s probably out drinking with his Marine buddies tonight, picking up some new girl already—after all, he doesn’t want to be tied down.”
“I thought you said he worked the late shift,” Amy said.
“Well, he’ll be out there this weekend. The guy didn’t even shed a single tear. And there I was, sitting there sobbing on my sofa like some teenager who’d just gotten dumped by her first boyfriend.”
“He did really love you. He asked you to marry him! Maybe he just needs some time? Or got cold feet?”
“Pfffffft,” Melissa said, expressing her distaste in that idea. “Michael had his chance. He had the girl, bought the ring, set the date.... It’s over.”
“So no second chances?”
“We broke up. Finito. Finished. Over.”
Amy eyed the wine bottle and wondered if her friend had poured even more when she wasn’t looking. She didn’t blame her for needing an extra glass or two tonight.
“Anyway. I saw that hottie across the street when I was coming in,” Melissa said abruptly. She let out a long whistle, and Amy laughed in surprise.
“Who? What are you talking about?”
“The Marine that lives across the street from you. I don’t know his name. But I saw him jogging by when I pulled up—bulging biceps, a tattoo peeking out from underneath his sleeve, broad chest, strong legs....” She eyed Amy wickedly.
“You mean Jason? You just broke up with someone!”
“I was just dumped by someone. But I didn’t mean for me. I was thinking more along the lines that you haven’t dated anyone in a while. Sex with the ex is always a mistake, but what about a fling with the hot neighbor instead?”
“Jason? He’s way too old for me. And that’s really weird; I’ve never seen him out jogging before. I go running all the time.” Amy looked puzzled as she contemplated this new piece of information.
“He’s what? Ten years older than us?” Amy’s attention snapped back to her friend. “That is hardly too old. Ten years is nothing. And look at it this way—he’s also got ten more years of experience.”
“Experience?” Amy asked, somehow sensing where Melissa was going with this.
“Experience.”
“Was Michael lacking in that area?”
“Of course not! Michael was amazing in bed. A-MAZE-ing! But I was thinking more for you.”
Amy burst out laughing. “Great. I’ve been upset about Ben getting engaged all this time, and my new lover could very well have been just out my front door.”
“Just across the street. I like your way of thinking,” Melissa said with a grin, spilling some of her wine on the table as she excitedly picked up her glass again.
“I was being sarcastic! And I think it’s time I cut you off,” Amy said, taking the second bottle they’d opened away. She’d had two glasses compared to Melissa’s...four? Five? Who was counting? “Ex-fiancé or not,” she continued, “we still have to get to work in the morning.”
“Oh, I don’t have to be in until ten,” Melissa said carelessly.
“Lucky you. I’ve got a roomful of kids coming at nine—and I have to get there early and be ready for them.”
“All right, whatever. I’ll hang out here and watch some reality TV with you while you do your crafty stuff. That new dating show is on tonight. Maybe I should sign up.”
Amy laughed as she cleared their plates away. Melissa had called her sobbing only several hours ago and was now checking out the men who lived on her street and talking about signing up for a dating show.
She knew Melissa’s newfound cheerfulness was only the wine talking though—her friend would be upset again tomorrow, once the reality of her situation set in, and they’d have to deal with cancelling the wedding. Amy had just picked up her bridesmaid’s dress two weeks ago and wondered if she could return it since it hadn’t been altered yet.
She sighed, wondering what on earth had gotten into Michael. One thing was for certain: their upcoming girl’s weekend away with friends couldn’t get here soon enough.
Chapter 3
Jason opened the front of his mailbox after he finished up his evening run, pulling out a pile of bills and one lonely sports magazine. He glanced at the football player on the cover, jumping midair to catch the ball. Although the guy was in good shape, Jason wondered how he’d fare during their early morning training runs. It was one thing to run around a field holding a football, but could this guy handle running distances in a uniform with full gear? Hauling an eighty-pound rucksack through a one-hundred-degree desert?
That was another beast entirely.
He wiped the sweat from his brow and turned to walk toward his house and grab a quick shower. His whole routine was off this week. He didn’t normally jog around the neighborhood in the evening, preferring instead to train on base.
He’d seen the redhead staring at him as he’d jogged down the street earlier, returning from his run. Was she a friend of Amy’s? Although he’d just gotten a glimpse of her as he ran past, he thought it looked like her face was red from crying.
He guessed the redhead must be a friend or coworker—definitely not a sister. Whereas Amy was brunette, tanned, and toned, the redhead was pale and slightly more curvaceous.
He wondered if Amy had any family close by, if she were even from the area. Jason had grown up a military brat, traveling all over the world. His parents had retired out in California. His brother was also a Marine, currently deployed in the Middle East, and his cousin was an Army Special Forces officer. He barely knew any other lifestyle.
To serve and protect had been ingrained in him since he was a young boy. Since he, his brother, and cousin had all joined the military like his father and uncle, he knew the call to serve ran deep in their family.
Tossing his
mail on the kitchen table, he downed a glass of cold water and then headed upstairs to grab a quick shower before dinner.
His cell phone buzzed with a text, and he grabbed it from his dresser to see a message from Tyler.
Want to grab a beer? A couple of guys are meeting at the bar at 2200.
Jason thumbed a response.
Can’t turn that down. I’ve got an empty fridge here.
Tyler’s response buzzed on his phone.
I’m hoping to find a woman to go along with that beer tonight.
Jason chuckled before heading into the bathroom. He’d been like that once, too—happy to take home a new woman every night. It didn’t necessarily mean he was content to play that game anymore.
Catching a glimpse of himself in the bathroom mirror, he could see the way his biceps bulged in the white tee shirt that he was wearing, the anchor and globe of his Marine Corps tattoo just peeking out from beneath the sleeve.
He was dripping in sweat from his run, but he looked strong and healthy—his blue eyes alert, his skin still slightly tanned from time spent outdoors, his dark brown hair cropped short.
He smirked at the memory of Red watching him. Although he was used to getting attention from women, she wasn’t really his type. Any woman that would stand there on the street ogling him as he jogged by wasn’t someone he was interested in. That was way too obvious.
And probably the exact type of woman who’d be hanging out at the bar tonight.
He seemed to always fall for the more sweet and subtle, girl-next-door type.
The one that was a bit more of a challenge.
Nothing like making a good girl come apart in his arms, he thought with a smirk. Although he certainly wasn’t one of the bad boys on base, he more than knew his way around a woman’s body. Was more than adept at pleasuring a woman.
And hell if he didn’t enjoy it just as much as them.
Stripping off his shirt, he turned on the shower, letting the water heat up.
His cock was already hardening as he thought of his neighbor Amy’s tempting curves. Nope, Red definitely wasn’t anyone he’d be chasing after. Not tonight and not ever.
But her friend Amy?
Another story altogether.
***
Jason sauntered into the bar an hour later, nodding at some of the guys he recognized from base. Hell. One of them had a woman practically draped over him, and the other was chatting it up with two college coeds.
He was getting too damn old for this scene.
Jason walked up to the bar and ordered a beer, his eyes sweeping the room for Tyler. He took a pull from the longneck that the bartender set down in front of him and then did a double-take as the cloying scent of too much perfume suddenly assaulted his senses.
“Are you here alone, sailor?” a scantily clad woman asked as she sidled up to him.
“Little Creek’s a few hours south of here,” Jason said, trying not to roll his eyes as she leaned over to give him an eyeful of her ample cleavage.
Fake tits, bleached hair, and no inhibitions was so not his type.
“Little Creek?”
“It’s a naval base near Virginia Beach stationed with sailors. Quantico is full of Marines.”
“I see,” she purred. “I could use a good, strong Marine to take me home tonight,” she said suggestively, licking her lips. “Are you up to the job?”
Jason tried not to smirk. “I’m sorry, but I’m not interested.”
She pouted as she walked away, and Jason shook his head in disbelief, taking another pull of his beer.
Women like that didn’t care whose bed they ended up in—as long as it was a military man. That might work for the twenty-year-old kids who’d just joined the Corps, but he was long past that stage in life.
“Glad you could make it, man,” Tyler said a moment later, sliding onto the empty barstool beside him, beer already in hand. His eyes followed the blonde woman Jason had just shot down.
“Ten years ago, she would’ve been just my type,” Jason said with a chuckle.
Tyler grinned and took a swig of his beer. “Hell, if you’re not interested in that pretty little thing, I might have to go introduce myself later. She was gorgeous. I sure wouldn’t mind taking her home with me tonight.”
“Hell. Do your thing, man. Been there, done that,” Jason said with a laugh. “Got the ex-wife and kid to prove it.”
Tyler guffawed. “I wish I could say I feel ya, man, but I’ve never been down that road.”
“It was good while it lasted,” Jason admitted. “I’m just not into the love ‘em and leave ‘em stuff anymore.”
“And that’s my specialty,” Tyler chuckled.
“We were all there at one point,” Jason said. “Hell, enjoy it while you can. It was fine once, but I’ve got no intention of going back down that road.”
“I think I just might. Hoorah,” Tyler said, standing up. He clinked his beer bottle against Jason’s, and interest flashed through his eyes as he caught sight of the bleached blonde again. She waggled her fingers at him from across the bar, and Tyler glanced back at Jason. “I’m about to go get lucky. Catch you on the flip side.”
Jason laughed and took a long pull from his bottle as his buddy walked away. After a hell of a long day at work, the last thing he needed was a one-night-stand with a stranger.
Especially a woman who might as well have had “easy” stamped across her forehead. Some guys were after a sure thing, but hell. There was something to be said about the thrill of the chase.
His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he pulled it out to see his ex-wife’s name on the screen. With the time difference between here and the west coast, she was probably just getting off work.
“Hey. Is everything okay?” he asked in a low voice.
“Yeah, everything’s fine. I just wanted to check in with you about Thanksgiving. You’re still taking Brian to your parents’ house, right?”
“That’s the plan. Does that still work? I’ll fly out to California for a few days, spend some time with him and visit my family.”
“That sounds good. I don’t think he remembers that you were coming then, so I just wanted to double check before I told him about it. I never know where the Marine Corps is sending you.”
“You know I never had control over that,” Jason said. “But I’m not deploying anywhere during this stint in Quantico.”
“I understand. I just wanted to check before I told him.”
“Hell. How’d he get so big anyway? Some days it feels like we just brought him home from the hospital.”
Kristin laughed. “He’s four going on fourteen I think. I’d put him on to say hi, but we’re at soccer right now. It’s the last game of the fall season. I just wanted to quick give you a call.”
“Hell. Send me some pictures, all right? I wish I’d gotten to see him play this year.”
“Me too,” Kristin said. “There’s no chance you’ll be moving out to California?”
“Not likely. I’m training some of the Marines here for the next few years. And after that? Who knows. Maybe it’ll be time to leave the Corps.”
“All right. We’ll see you in a few weeks then.”
Jason said goodbye and hung up the phone, taking another pull of his beer as he stood up. He glanced across the bar to see Tyler, his arm slung around the blonde woman from earlier. Tyler tossed some money down on the counter, and the two of them headed out of the bar together.
Jason muttered a curse.
He really was too damn old for this.
Chapter 4
Amy glanced around her classroom the next morning, ready for the little faces that would soon come walking in through the door. When she was a kid it was always her mom who dropped her off at school, but these days moms, dads, grandparents, and even nannies were the norm.
“Hi Chelsea!” she called out to a little blonde girl walking into the classroom, holding on to her dad’s hand.
“Hi Miss Amy,” the little girl s
aid shyly.
“I think she’s coming down with a cold, so please give us a call if we need to come pick her up.”
“Of course,” Amy replied, guiding Chelsea over to a seat. “I’ll keep an eye on her.”
Two more kids came walking in with their parents, one crying as he clung tightly to his mother. The beginning of each class was the hardest until the kids were all seated, the parents gone, and the class had started the day’s activities. Then they could ease into their routine and before she knew it, three hours would have passed by and the parents would return.
Her gaze swept around the room, making sure each child was occupied.
A moment later, her phone began vibrating on her desk, and she hurried over to turn it off. It was unlike her to forget and leave it on, but she’d been distracted this morning as she rushed off to work. Melissa had ended up spending the night, which was for the best given her state the night before. Well, that and the amount of wine that she’d consumed.
They’d had breakfast together, and Melissa had been in no hurry to leave this morning, since it turned out her first showing was pushed back until eleven-thirty. Amy had rushed around trying to get ready as Melissa lounged on the sofa, watching the morning talk shows. Then Amy’s ex-boyfriend had randomly texted her, asking if he could stop by one day to pick up some skiing equipment that he’d left in her basement.
She couldn’t even recall why he’d needed to store it there and wondered where he could be going skiing in November, but she hoped he’d at least come by alone.
Then as she’d been packing up her car, ready to head off to work, her neighbor Jason had called out hello to her from across the street. She’d been so startled she almost dropped the materials she was carrying for school.
Jason wasn’t ever around when she left in the morning, and truth be told, she wasn’t used to neighborly chats with anyone at that hour.
Especially not with the good-looking Marine who lived right across the street.
She glanced at the text from Melissa.
Are you out of coffee?
One Night with a Marine Page 2
