Cocky Soldier: A Military Romance (Cocker Brothers of Atlanta Book 6)

by Faleena Hopkins

  Meagan informs me in a voice you’d use for a child, “I need my phone. Listen to me very carefully. Put it down and do not touch it until I get there. Then you will hand it to me and we will never see each other again. Understand?”

  Grabbing a used dishtowel I wipe Aslan’s jaw and gums as I tell her, “No comprende. Could you say that a little slower? I only speak Spanish.”

  “Don’t. Touch. Telefono.” She hangs up.

  I chuckle all the way into my bathroom, grabbing the half-used toothpaste and searching my cabinet for whatever else I can use for this funny joke I just thought up. A back-up bottle of shampoo, a bar of soap and then I’m heading into my bedroom, scanning.

  “You’ll do,” I mutter, adding a worn paperback copy of Game of Thrones to my collection of oddities.

  “Wait, didn’t Mom give me some coasters?” Searching my closet I find the box. They have pictures of Atlanta neighborhood signs, so I choose West Midtown, because it’s where I live.

  Carrying my crazy stash into the living room I shove it all into her purse.

  “That’s pretty good. But I need something else. What else? She’s into food, huh? I think Mom gave me a cake mix, didn’t she?”

  I run to search for it and find it collecting dust. Snatching it off the shelf I laugh all the way back into the living room where I suddenly stop walking.

  When was the last time I laughed?

  Meagan

  Since Mike had to go to work and it’s time for Kevin’s nap, I ignored Cecily’s commands that I stay at her place and rest, and instead called for a Lyft driver to take me to the jerk’s house.

  I only use Lyft, because I found out that in order to be approved as a driver you must get interviewed, someone from the company comes and checks out your vehicle, and they do background checks on you.

  Frankly that last one is reason enough for me to choose them, since I’m a woman. You never know who’s on the other side of a computer filling out an online form to drive us around. Alone.

  When it comes to putting my life in the hands of strangers, call me crazy but I like to be smart and I like to be safe.

  “Just wait here, please. I have to run in and grab something and then my next stop is Buckhead where my boss lives.”

  The Lyft driver reaches down and produces an umbrella. “Use this.”

  “Awww, thank you!” Snapping it open outside the door, I step out in the knee-high black boots and short trench coat I borrowed from Cecily, hastily making my way up the path to Jeremy’s house. It’s just a skeleton of a yard. No attention has been paid to it save for mowing the grass. There are dirt patches where bushes should be. No flowers anywhere. What a pit.

  A deep and low bark comes from within as I close the umbrella and knock. The door swings open and Jeremy leans on the doorframe in a pair of jeans and a white tank top, his hair freshly shampooed. He scans my new outfit from wet boots to dry head, and smirks as he meets my eyes. “Gave yourself an upgrade.”

  Why do I have to be attracted to jerks?

  “Where’s my phone? Did you by any chance get my purse, too? A car is waiting to take me to work.”

  “Your god sent a limo so he could whisk you to his mountain?”

  “Yes. He’s out there waiting for me right now.”

  Jeremy starts to lean out so he can see. I push on his stone-like chest to stop him. “Don’t be so nosy!”

  He glances to my fingers and smirks with mockery, “Now Meagan, not polite to enter a man’s personal space when you’re being rude to him. You’re touching my chest.”

  “So go get my purse and I’ll be on my way.”

  Jeremy gazes at me, mischief in his eyes. To avoid him running out and trying to meet Bryan in the flesh, who is of course not here, I shove the umbrella into Jeremy and push us both into his home as I explode, “Fine! I’ll get it myself. Hold this!” I shut us both safely inside and glance to his dog. “Is he dangerous?”

  “Only when I want him to be.”

  The dog and I eye each other. “Which is not right now, yes?”

  “You’re safe. But don’t move too fast,” Jeremy warns me.

  “I can see the smile in your eyes, but I’m not taking any chances, so… nice doggie.” I carefully pick up my purse. “Is the phone in here?”

  “Yes.”

  “I can tell I’m tired. This feels really heavy. My umbrella, please?”

  He doesn’t give it to me, so I cock an eyebrow. “Stop treating me like a sister.”

  “I don’t have any sisters.”

  “Well, if you had one, this is how you’d treat her. I should know. So stop it. We’re not related and we’re not friends.”

  “We could be.”

  This statement throws me a little. I take a deep breath and give a quick glance around the nearly empty house. “That’s not possible for reasons I’m too nice to tell you. Now give me my umbrella, please. It belongs to my sister or I’d just leave without it.”

  Can’t really tell him it’s the Lyft driver’s, now can I?

  “This umbrella?” He holds it high over his head.

  “I am hoping you will be a gentleman and cut the nonsense.”

  Frowning he hands it over. “I was just having fun.”

  “Well, I wasn’t.”

  “Goodbye Meagan.”

  “Goodbye weirdo.”

  He chuckles and pets his dog’s head, both of them facing me like they’re my goodbye-committee. With my hand on the doorknob, I pause and glance at him from under my eyelashes to admit, “Well, okay, I was having a little fun.”

  Suppressing a smile I stroll out the door, pop the umbrella open and hurry into the rain.

  The driver is not in the line of sight from here, thank God.

  I know Jeremy is watching me.

  I can feel it.

  Confirming my suspicion I hear his deep voice call out from behind me, “We might become friends, Meagan Forrester, age twenty-five, penchant for oral hygiene!”

  Snorting with laughter I call back, “No, we won’t be! I’m not friends with people who snoop through my stuff!”

  I glance over my shoulder, and pause. He’s standing in the downpour, his short dark hair matted to his angular face. The white tank top is transparent now that it’s soaked, plastered to his muscles, his taut nipples straining against it. The jeans are getting wetter by the second.

  So am I.

  He tips his head, but makes no move to go inside where it’s nice and dry.

  Confused, I turn around, blood pumping harder as I hurry to the car. He obviously doesn’t have a penny to his name. I wouldn’t be surprised if he burgled houses to pay the rent. He’s way too devilish to hold a real job or have a boss. None of these are qualities I’m looking for in a man, so why is it so hard to keep walking? I desperately want to turn back around and undress him.

  Climbing into the Lyft I decide it’s just chemistry, and that’s something you can’t control. Choices, you can. I will forget about him. I just need to get away from here as quickly as possible because I’ve begun to throb.

  “Can you back up and go the other way?”

  The driver asks, “Wait, what?”

  “Don’t drive straight. I don’t want to pass in front of his door. You see, my boyfriend and I just broke up and he’s crying out there. It’s embarrassing. For him. For me. For you. Just back up and I’ll tip you extra.”

  “Whatever you say.”

  “Thank you.” Opening up my purse I dig around and frown at a cement coaster that’s not mine, but it’s of West Midtown, where I live. Did Bryan give me this and I didn’t notice?

  Wait, what the fuck is Game of Thrones doing here? Did I put this in my bag before I left? I read this novel years ago. And what the hell is this yellow cake mix? And this half-used toothpaste that’s not my brand, and this soap and shampoo?

  “Oh my God,” I mutter, smiling despite myself. “Jeremy, you’re such a weirdo!”

  The driver meets my eyes in the rearview.
“Your ex make you laugh?”

  “Yes. He’s very strange.”

  “Think you might get back together?”

  Staring out at the rain, I mutter, still smiling at the joke he played. “Nope. I’ll never see him again.”

  Jeremy

  “What time is it?” I ask Aslan with my face squished in the pillow. Meant to take a short nap since I had nothing better to do, but now I feel like shit after the damn nightmare.

  Lifting my head I scan the nearby vicinity for my phone, but of course it’s not here. It’s shoved into my dresser, or a jacket I wore, or some jeans lying in a pile somewhere. And I don’t have a clock in my room so I have no clue how late it is.

  It wasn’t easy to kick the habit of waking up before dawn. This was my time now, not theirs, but I was so trained it was hard to believe I didn’t have to jump to attention for anyone. I could do whatever the fuck I wanted and top of the list was sleep.

  Didn’t know the nightmares would make that goal an empty one.

  It’s dark out, but that doesn’t mean much.

  It’s February. Sun sets early.

  Rolling onto my back I pet my buddy who must have climbed onto the bed when I was out. Maybe I thrashed about and he came to soothe me. Aslan’s good at that. Happy I’m awake, he rests his heavy chin on my chest and stares at me, in no hurry to rise. I took him running three times today so far. He was probably hoping my eyes would stay shut for the rest of the night.

  “You’re off the hook pal. I’ve got somewhere I want to be for once.”

  He lifts his head.

  “Go ahead and stay here. Rest.” I drop my legs over the side of the bed and stand up, stretching before I begin the search for my phone. “Have I spoken to anyone since the car wreck three days ago? Oh right, Jake.”

  Opening the door I glance outside and see it resting on a windowpane right where anyone could have seen it and stolen it. The battery’s gone dead. “Nice,” I mutter, heading inside to plug in the chord and talk to Jake while tethered to an outlet.

  “I thought maybe you changed your mind,” he answers, not so subtly hiding how relieved he is I didn’t disappear.

  “Nah. You home?”

  “Sure am.”

  “I’m on my way in ten. Gotta wash off.”

  “Please do. I don’t want you stinking up my best suit.”

  “Then maybe I’ll skip bathing.”

  He chuckles and mutters, “I’ll see you soon.”

  The shower is hotter than hell on the devil’s birthday. After so many cold, recycled ones in foreign, desolate places, I don’t feel clean unless I fry the skin right off my bones.

  But tonight something’s new. My dick is hard for the first time in too long, so I give it a few strokes and urge it to come to life. Feels good. Doesn’t take a rocket scientist to tell me I’m attracted to that girl Meagan. Her beautiful brown eyes are the first image that pops into my head as I stroke my cock. Takes no time at all for the surge of hunger to rise from my core. I’m rock hard and aroused to the point that I’m gritting my teeth before drowning my head in the stream, blistering heat cascading down my face, chest, abs and everywhere below.

  Those boots she was wearing.

  Oh man, I love a woman in boots.

  Even better if that’s the only thing she’s wearing. Just her, naked in those, asking me, You know who’s a god, Jeremy? You are.

  Oh fuck, yes.

  What man doesn’t want to hear that?

  We’d bend over backwards to make a woman happy if she looked at us like we’re her hero. I know she’s got her mind set on that asshole, Bryan, but is her heart set on him?

  We’ll see.

  I stiffen as my erection expands and pulses my juice into the hot stream. Standing here, reveling in the aftershocks, I palm my cock for a good minute, to enjoy the buzz.

  When Jake answers his front door of the beautiful two-story he and Drew moved into, he predictably tells me to take off my shoes. Some things never change.

  I kick them off and he hugs me.

  I cough and step back, shoving my hands in my jeans pockets. My family, they’re so worried about me. Jake and I were best friends growing up, the two youngest and we’re the only ones who got Mom’s coloring so we look a lot alike, too. But we haven’t quite gotten back to that old friendship we once had. There’s a distance now. He’s cautious of me, doesn’t want to scare me off. I just want him to stop treating me like I’m traumatized. Even though in many ways I am.

  “Where’s my pretty sister-in-law?”

  “Out back with Emma and her new pet turtle. Ethan and the new baby are with them, too. You want to go say hello?”

  “Can I do it another time? I’m in a hurry.”

  He nods and we walk to his room in silence. “How’re you doin’ Jeremy?”

  “Hangin’ in there.”

  Jake glances to me. “You didn’t tell me what you need my suit for.”

  “I know.”

  A rueful smile flashes on him and we go inside. He heads for the closet and I glance around, a little in awe of how dramatically his life changed since we were roommates. I pictured Jake as the last of us to settle down, he was such a player. Justin I never thought would, jaded bastard that he was. And yet they’re both married now. All five of my brothers are happily hitched. It’s nutty.

  I’m the last one, and I can’t imagine going down that path. What do I have to give anyone? I shut my heart down in the Marines. I had to. Everyone has to, even though you believe that one day you’ll be able to be normal again. I thought that once. But then I lost a friend out there who took the last open pieces with him.

  Jake walks out carrying a black suit on a wooden hanger. “So you’re not going to tell me what this is for?”

  “Nah.”

  I see his energy change.

  Time to brace myself.

  “Jeremy —”

  “—Don’t, Jake. Just let it be.”

  I can see his frustration. It’s extreme as he gets in my face. “Why’re you shutting me out?”

  “I’m not,” I shrug.

  “Yeah, you fuckin’ are.”

  “I’m in a hurry. I’m not meaning to shut you out, Jake!”

  “Bullshit!”

  Losing my cool I jab a finger into his chest. “You have to stop treating me like I’m fragile! Asking how I am all the time. It doesn’t help. It only reminds me that I’m different than I was. And I don’t want to go back to who I used to be. I’m proud I served. I’m proud I changed. I just need to find out who I am now that I’m a fuckin’ civilian again, Jake! Give me time. Get off my back!”

  We’re about to come to blows. His eyes darken and he takes a step backwards. “Fine,” he mutters.

  “Fine,” I parrot.

  “If you’re going to borrow this suit you have to tell me why, or no deal.”

  On an exhale I cross my arms. “Jesus, really?”

  “Yes, fuckin’ really! I know you need time, Jeremy, but I miss my best friend. You’re leaving me out of this, everything you’re going through! I know I wasn’t there. I wasn’t in your platoon, I can never know what it was like. But I’m your family, man. I love you. And you’re fuckin’ killing me here. Stop shutting me out! Tell me why you need the suit?”

  Gritting my teeth I ask him, no, I’m almost begging him, “Let me tell you when I return it.”

  “No! Now!”

  “Come on!” I throw my fingers in my hair and pace around holding my head. “Just give me the damn suit.”

  “Why when you return it? How come you want to wait ‘til then to tell me? I don’t get it. Help me understand!”

  Rubbing my face, I think about my options. There are none if I want this, and I don’t know why but I do want it.

  I need that suit.

  I’m not leaving without it, which means I have to confess that I’m a little fuckin’ nervous. Which isn’t like me, and it sure the hell ain’t like him.

  We Cocker Brothers don’t
get nervous.

  I let out a roar and shout, “BECAUSE WHAT IF IT DOESN’T GO WELL!? Huh?!”

  He stares at me, blinking like he’s catching on. “Wait, does this have to do with a girl?”

  I meet his eyes but say nothing.

  Jake’s open mouth spreads into a grin. “Holy shit! You found someone you like?”

  “Not long term. She’s just fun to mess with. That’s it!”

  He strides quickly to me and claps my left shoulder like this is the best news he’s heard since I got back in one piece and surprised him at that family BBQ when Emma was just over a year old and Ethan was on the way. And Sofia. And Ben.

  “Holy shit, Jeremy! Take the suit. You need some shoes?”

  A lopsided smile twists my mouth and I shrug, “Yeah, I guess I could use some.”

  He glances to my combat boots, chuckles and heads into the closet. “You didn’t even think about it did you?” Two seconds later he appears and tosses a pair of shiny black dress shoes at me. “These are my best. If you scuff ‘em, I don’t care! Have fun for fuck’s sake. Please for the love of God have some fun.”

  “Can I change here? I’m in a hurry and you just made me more late.”

  He laughs and uses his middle finger to flip me off, then twists his wrist and points that ‘fuck you’ to the bathroom. Soon I’m walking out in a white button-up and snug suit that fits so well I look like I’m some sort of playboy. “I look good in this.”

  He smirks, “So do I. Bring it back.”

  “Can you tie this for me?”

  He wraps the slender black necktie around my collar, meets my eyes and mutters, “Grandpa Jerald taught me how to do this.”

  “Yeah? He never taught me.”

  “Guess he thought I’d teach it to you. I never got around to it.”

  “Never had the need.”

  Jake comfortably tightens it, pats my chest, and says, “There.” He backs up and inspects me. “Go look at yourself.”

  I smirk, cocking one eyebrow. “I know I make this look good.”

  Jake grins and shakes his head. “Jesus, it’s good to see you again.”

  “You saw me last Friday at Mom and Dad’s.”

  “That wasn’t you. This light in your eyes? This is my brother.”