“True. Well, let me know if you need a taste-tester for all your baking. I’m going to go lift for a while, but I’m sure I’ll work up an appetite.”
He stepped slightly closer as another shopper brushed past him, and she resisted the urge to move away. Jason was so close, she could feel the heat radiating off him. And she enjoyed the closeness a little more than she wanted to admit.
“I’ll keep you in mind,” she teased.
“Fantastic. I’m going to hit the express lane,” he said, glancing back at the line behind her.
Her gaze fell to the pack of protein bars in his hand.
“That’s it?” she asked with a laugh.
“I’m a simple guy,” he said, the corner of his mouth quirking up in a smile as he backed away. “I’ll see you later.”
Amy waved goodbye, feeling a flush spread over her cheeks, and finished loading her groceries onto the belt.
It was strange that Jason was never usually around on the weekends, yet she’d seen him several times over the past few days. Had they been crossing paths before and she’d just never known it?
She finished checking out and pushed her cart outside, her eyes sweeping around the parking lot. Of course he was already gone. She had an entire cart full of food compared to his one lone purchase.
And she didn’t really need to see him again anyway.
He lived across the street for heaven’s sake.
The memory of those blue eyes gazing down at her and his large frame standing over her sent warmth coursing through her entire body though.
For her being intent on not dating anyone right now, Jason was on her mind an awful lot of the time.
Chapter 8
Jason paused in the middle of hammering his bookshelf together, listening again for what had sounded like the doorbell. Deciding he could use a break anyway, he walked downstairs and was surprised to see a plate of cookies sitting on his front porch. A smile came to his face as he realized that they were from Amy. There was no note—she’d probably assumed she’d find him at home since his car was in the driveway.
Carrying the plate into the kitchen, he popped one into his mouth. Damn they were delicious. And still warm. He polished it off before walking back to the front door.
Jogging across the street, he rang the doorbell at Amy’s house, wondering if he was interrupting her baking session. A blast of warm air and the scent of cookies greeted him as she opened the front door. Her welcoming little home was a far cry from his own. He’d been there for months and was still assembling his furniture.
Amy appeared from behind the front door, wearing jeans and a hot pink tee shirt. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, her cheeks flushed, and her lips a luscious, rosy shade.
“Hi,” she said brightly, a smile coming to her face at the sight of him.
“Sorry I missed you earlier. I was upstairs putting together some furniture. I just wanted to say thank you for the cookies.”
“You’re welcome. Thank you for coming to my rescue last night.”
“Any time,” he said with a grin. He’d just noticed that she had a smudge of flour across one cheek. He reached out, gently brushing it off with his thumb, and watched as a flush came to her face. “You had a little flour there,” he said, his voice gravel.
What was it about this woman that had his mind spinning in circles, anyway?
Women pranced around in far less than she had on, but something about her overall appearance was always sexy as hell.
“Oh,” she said, blushing even more. “I didn’t even glance in the mirror before I ran to the door. My kitchen is a disaster right now.”
“Well, I don’t want to intrude. I just thought I’d run over and thank you in person while I had a chance.”
“Yeah, I’ve still got more baking to do. Apple pies are up next. And after all the cookies I sampled earlier, I think I’ll need to do a lot more running after the bake sale tomorrow,” she added with a laugh.
Jason glanced down at her slender frame with an amused smile. She certainly looked amazing to him, but if experience had taught him anything, it was that complimenting a woman you barely knew about her looks didn’t usually go over that well. Not the type of women that he seemed to like anyway. Amy’s friend Red probably wouldn’t have a problem with anyone lavishing her with compliments—whether she knew them or not.
He raised his eyes back up, perhaps letting them linger a moment too long on her firm, full breasts, but quickly met her eyes once more.
Amy hadn’t seemed to notice, and if she did, wasn’t letting on. “You’ve been around a lot this weekend,” she commented. “I don’t usually run into you.”
“I travel a lot on the weekends,” he explained. He didn’t add that he was often going to see his young son. He knew Amy loved children, being a preschool teacher, but it seemed too soon to overcomplicate things by bringing up Brian and his ex-wife right now. “I’m hoping to change that in the future, though.”
“Oh, okay,” she said, seeming unsure what exactly he meant. And rightfully so, he thought. It wasn’t like him to be purposefully vague.
Jason caught a glimpse of one of Amy’s paintings on the wall, and inspiration suddenly struck. He’d ask her for help buying some artwork. God knew his place needed it. If he were ever going to gain partial custody of Brian, he needed to decorate his house—make it the least bit more lived-in and homey looking. Plus, Brian would need a room. Hell, if he were ever even going to have company over he needed to decorate a little bit.
“I noticed an art gallery in town. What do you think about going with me sometime to pick out some artwork? My walls are totally bare, and I could use some help.”
“Oh, uh, sure,” she said, sounding surprised.
“It’s fine if you don’t have the time,” he reassured her. “I just love the things you painted and thought you might like to help me pick something out.”
“You just caught me off guard,” she said, her cheeks turning slightly pink. His eyes trailed down to her lips. “Sure, I’d love to help you. When do you have in mind?”
“How about one night after work this week?”
He’d get to know Amy a little better, she’d be at ease helping him find the perfect painting for his home, and if that went well, then he’d suggest dinner or drinks another time. A real date. It was tricky with the holidays coming up. He’d be gone a couple of weekends and then again at Thanksgiving. He really wanted to see more of her though.
“Tuesday or Wednesday would be great. The art gallery always displays beautiful pieces from local artists. Of course, the larger stores have mass-produced artwork, if you want something like that instead.”
“I think the art gallery would be perfect. I wouldn’t mind a custom piece or two.”
“Great. Why don’t I give you my cell number, and we can set up a time?”
“Sounds perfect.” He palmed his pockets. “I didn’t bring my phone when I ran over. I’ll give you my number, and you can text me so I have yours.”
“Okay, hang on,” she said with a laugh. “Come in,” she added, walking into her kitchen.
The snug jeans she was wearing hugged her toned ass, and he tried to stifle a groan. She had no damn idea how tempting she was.
A moment later she was back carrying her phone. He gave her his number, and she texted him right away.
“I’ll be in touch,” he said with a grin. “Guess I’ll let you get back to it. Thanks again for the cookies.”
“Sure thing,” she said, walking with him toward the front door. She flushed slightly as he turned around, only inches away from her. He tried to ignore the swell of her breasts as she took a breath, or the way her eyes widened ever-so-slightly as she gazed up at him.
“I’ll talk to you soon,” he said in a low voice. “Bye Amy.”
“Bye,” she repeated softly, closing the door behind him.
He glanced back at the door as he walked down the driveway, but she was already gone. No matter. He wa
s looking forward to the work week more than he had in a long time.
Chapter 9
Wednesday after work, Amy got ready to meet Jason at the art gallery. They’d planned to drive over together, but he’d gotten stuck in bad traffic heading home from Quantico, and since she was working late finishing up some Thanksgiving projects for school, it had been easier to just arrange to meet him.
Amy had barely had time to change as she left the classroom. She’d switched out her school tee shirt for a fluttery, trendy blouse. Her casual shoes got swapped out for a pair of heeled boots. Glancing in the mirror, she swiped on a little bit of lip gloss. She already had a rosy glow to her cheeks thanks to rushing around her classroom all afternoon.
Amy carried her bags out to her SUV and climbed in. There was a chill to the air, which wasn’t unusual for mid-November. She recalled how last Thanksgiving had been unseasonably warm though, with the kids forgoing their jackets on the playground.
Fifteen minutes later she pulled into the parking lot adjacent to a row of shops in town. There was a bakery, which was just closing for the night, a small coffee shop, a used bookstore, and an art gallery. The gallery taught classes to the locals and had a small display area for people to purchase artwork. The coffee shop usually had a piece or two of the art on display as well, and the cross-promotion seemed to work well for the two small businesses.
Amy had always dreamed of owning the art gallery someday. She knew the couple in their mid-sixties that owned it wouldn’t want to forever. It would be heartbreaking to see it close down if they were to retire. She certainly couldn’t swing her mortgage plus rent for the gallery now though. Maybe someday if she saved up enough or managed to make money selling her paintings. Or if she ever rented out a room in her home. She wasn’t too keen on that idea though—Amy enjoyed her privacy and alone time after being in a classroom full of children all day long.
Jason was already standing in the storefront when she walked up. He’d come straight from work and was in his dress uniform. Well, maybe it wasn’t a dress uniform—it wasn’t quite as fancy as what some of the Marines wore when they attended formal events. Melissa’s ex-fiancé Michael, although not exactly her type, had looked incredibly dashing in his dress uniform. Jason looked equally handsome tonight though, his muscular frame accentuated by the cut of his uniform. His dark hair looked shorter than she remembered, but maybe he just looked more “military” now that he was standing before her in uniform.
Amy felt a slight flutter in her stomach as she approached him and wondered how he could have been living across the street from her all this time without her giving him so much as a second glance. Was she really that wrapped up in Ben these past few months? Sadly, she knew the answer was probably yes. When she’d been with Ben, she couldn’t get enough of him, and even after they’d broken up, he’d been on her mind all the time.
It was amazing to finally have someone else she looked forward to seeing. Not that they were “seeing” each other. But the thrill that shot through her as she walked closer told her she wouldn’t mind exactly that.
“Hi Amy, thanks for meeting me,” Jason said warmly. “I’m sorry I wasn’t able to get home in time to pick you up.”
“Oh, it’s no problem,” she said, waving her hand in dismissal of his apology. “I had lots to do at school anyway and stayed late, so this was actually perfect timing.”
“I’m glad it worked out then. Traffic around here is a nightmare. I felt terrible calling to say I couldn’t pick you up.”
“Jason, it’s fine. And trust me, I don’t mind driving anywhere if art is involved.”
Jason laughed, gazing down at her with a twinkle in his blue eyes. “Good to know,” he said smoothly. “Hey, how’d your bake sale go at school the other day?”
“Oh, really well. All my stuff sold out, and we made a ton of money for the preschool. Thanks for remembering.”
“How could I forget? Those cookies were phenomenal.”
“Thanks. The kids are already asking when we can hold another bake sale. I’m pretty sure I won’t be up for that until spring at least. I’ve got enough to do with the holidays coming up.”
Jason laughed. “It sounds a lot more fun than my day. Although I’m not sure what’s worse, training a bunch of fresh-faced Marines or keeping a class full of preschoolers in line.”
“Oh, the preschoolers are definitely more difficult. I could keep a roomful of Marines in line, no problem.”
“You’d certainly hold their attention longer than I could,” he added, his voice growing deep. “You’re a hell of a lot prettier than me.”
“Oh, you’re not so bad,” she teased. “Don’t sell yourself short.”
“My Marines would beg to differ,” he said with a chuckle.
“Let’s see if we can find you something inside,” she said, shivering slightly.
“Lead the way,” he replied, opening up the door and gesturing for her to enter first. “I didn’t mean to keep us standing out in the cold.”
Amy brushed past him as she walked inside, feeling her skin prickle and then go all warm over their closeness. He was so big and masculine, practically towering over her. As she caught a whiff of his cologne, it was all she could do to continue walking. If only she could stop there a moment, breathing in his scent and basking in his warmth. She could feel his eyes burning into her.
Jason stepped in beside her. “Hmmm, I’m not sure this is what I had in mind,” he said with a low chuckle.
They looked around the room together at the pastel watercolors. The gallery frequently changed the theme of the pieces on display. Amy had stopped by several weeks ago, and the place had been filled with landscapes of forests and fall foliage. While that had seemed like it could be a possibility for Jason, the pastels were not at all what she could envision him enjoying.
“Darn it; they changed the display. It looks like they’re featuring the work of an artist from DC right now. I’m surprised they don’t have something more seasonal....” Her voice trailed off as she looked around.
Jason caught her eye and walked closer. “I’ll have to check back another time then. How often do they change their display?”
“I’m not sure. Monthly? We could ask the owners.”
“I definitely had something a little more modern or abstract in mind.”
“Hmmm,” Amy said, nodding absentmindedly.
Jason raised his eyebrows.
“I actually have something you may like. I hardly ever get the time to paint anymore, but I finished this piece over the summer. It’s just sitting in my studio.”
“Studio?”
“Spare bedroom, office, and studio all rolled into one,” she said with a laugh. “Anyway, this piece I finished over the summer is just sitting there. I have so much art that I don’t have the wall space for it. But I’d love for you to have it.”
“I’d love to see it,” Jason said. “Maybe I can stop by on Saturday to take a look?”
“Absolutely. I’d be thrilled if someone was able to enjoy it. I was just kind of playing around with abstract stripes, but it just might suit you. It’s much more bold and modern than this,” she added, gesturing to the pieces in the gallery.
“Yeah, I don’t think I’m really a pastels kind of guy.”
“What size painting were you thinking of getting?”
Jason suddenly glanced down, hands patting his uniform, and Amy wondered what he was looking for. Maybe he’d taken measurements of the different sizes of artwork he needed? Or had a list of ideas?
Nope, he was pulling out his cell phone.
***
Jason’s phone vibrated in his pocket, and he pulled it out, glancing down at the screen. He quickly scanned over the message his CO had just sent. “Damn it, it’s work,” he said with a frown. “I have to head back to base,” he said quietly.
“Oh,” Amy replied, her face falling.
He knew she’d been looking forward to enjoying the paintings in the gallery,
and he’d hoped they’d even grab a drink or coffee afterward. Now their night was over before it had even begun.
“I’m really sorry,” Jason said, holding her gaze. “I got stuck working late trying to wrap this project up, then I got stuck in traffic, and now I have to head back into work again to deal with this issue. This just isn’t my night.”
“I guess not,” she said with a wry smile.
“Trust me, seeing you was the one highlight,” he added with a laugh. “Brief as though it was. I feel terrible.”
“Look, we all have days like that. Just come by this weekend sometime—if you’re around.”
“I’ll be there,” he promised, trying to reassure her. Did she think he was just bailing or something? God, he’d been looking forward to tonight for the past few days.
He glanced out at the darkening sky. “Let me walk you to your car before I go.”
“You go ahead. I know the owners of the gallery, so I’ll just stay and chat with them for a bit as long as I’m here. Good luck with the work stuff.”
“Thanks. And I’m sorry again about this evening, Amy. Unfortunately, this is something out of my control.”
He made sure she met his eyes before he said goodbye and left.
Jason felt horrible that he’d changed their plans not once but twice this evening. First he couldn’t get home to pick her up and then he’d gotten called back to base. Of all the nights for something like this to happen. When was the last time he’d made any sort of plans with a woman? He sure the hell hadn’t since moving here. The one night he had something to look forward to, his commanding officer had needed him ASAP.
Grumbling under his breath, he hurried back down the street.
The wind picked up, and he rubbed his hands together, trying to stay warm. He didn’t even have a coat on, and the weather had turned decidedly colder since the morning. The cold blast of air made it feel more like winter than late fall, and if he didn’t know better, it almost felt like snow would be headed their way soon.
One Night with a Marine Page 6
