A Soldier's Promise [The Armstrong Brothers of Cedar Creek 3] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic)

by Rebecca Joyce

  Grabbing the last cooler, he placed it in the bed of his truck, and sighed. “You can do this. She is just a woman. A beautiful, caring, exceptional woman, who deserves better than you can give her.” Hanging his head, Mason kicked his back tire and cursed loudly.

  Jumping into the cab, he quickly started the engine and peeled out of the driveway, thinking he should have just left well enough alone, because no woman would ever want a broken-down ex-soldier with enough baggage to fill a hall closet.

  No matter what he thought or knew he should do, the moment he turned into her drive and saw her little house, he smiled, because he knew she was in there. It was hard to explain how in such a short time, he could feel this strongly for one person. It was definitely unusual to say the least, almost as if she had drugged him with her laughter and smile. He couldn’t get enough of her.

  The lights were still out as he parked his truck. Looking at the clock on his dash, he noticed the time was just after five in the morning. He would have thought they would have been up and ready, waiting on him to get on the road, but not wanting to say anything, he thought it best to keep his mouth shut.

  He wasn’t surprised to find all the windows open and the front door unlocked. Shaking his head, he walked in, heading toward the back bedroom. Some women just did not listen. He would have thought after the skunk incident she would have listened, but apparently not.

  It wasn’t her fault she had the world’s worst luck.

  He knew that some people were prone to instances, but damn, this woman seemed to attract trouble just by breathing! He had thought long and hard last night about everything that had happened to her since he first laid eyes on her, and though each instance brought a smile to his face, he realized that each and every time something happened, poor Annabelle had been on her own. First, it was the skunk, and then while she was cleaning, she stubbed her toe. Later that day, after Sarah left, Annabelle was cooking dinner and sliced her finger. Then to top it all off, when she dropped the knife, she jumped back, hitting the pot of boiling water, which fell on her legs. The poor woman was a walking disaster zone.

  So, thinking that if Annabelle had someone to buffer her innate ability to cause destruction, she could possibly have just one day to smile about without causing an injury. Well that was what he was hoping for at least.

  Mason had already called ahead to the marina and knew everything would be ready when he arrived. The coolers were stocked with plenty of water and food, and his fishing poles would be ready to cast. All he needed now was one beautiful woman who should have caution signs tattooed on her “purty” little ass and one anxious little angler.

  Just thinking of her derrière got his cock throbbing. The last time he had seen that delectable little piece was when he had his hands on them as she rode his cock hard. That was a night he wasn’t soon to forget. Shaking the thought from his mind, he took a deep breath and damn near gagged.

  Skunk.

  Though she had scoured and cleaned the house from top to bottom, that horrible smell still lingered. Remembering seeing her frozen in one spot, too afraid to move, was priceless, yet he couldn’t blame the small critter. She sure did shriek loud enough to ring the bells on the town church!

  Her house still needed work, but not today.

  Today was for fun. He wanted her to forget about everything and just relax. Mainly he wanted to get to know her better, without the chance of interfering family members.

  Leaning against the doorjamb, he smiled.

  There she lay amongst blankets and sheets, clothed in the T-shirt he gave her and a tiny pair of white lacy panties, her body curled around a pillow, her legs hiked up and around it. Her hair, wild and free, was a tangled mess of curls. Her breathing was soft and slow. Her lips puckered, just waiting to be kissed. She was hands-down the most seductive, alluring woman he had ever laid eyes on.

  Quietly walking over to the side of the bed, he knelt down before her, resting his arms on the bed and laying his head down next to her, just watching her as she slept. Instantly, Mason’s world narrowed, to this one single woman. She grounded him, letting him think of nothing, erasing everything, leaving only her.

  Her long, slender legs were intertwined within the sheets, as she shifted in the bed, softly moaning. Her plump red lips puckered as she laid there sleeping, but it was when she went to roll over that Mason held his breath. He watched as she turned, his T-shirt tightening over her curvaceous hips, giving him a magnificent view of her perky ass, and every nerve in his body responded in attention within seconds.

  That had to be a record, he thought. But as he knelt there watching her sleep, he quickly put everything out of his mind and focused on the task at hand, getting buttercup out of bed.

  Mason stood, grabbed a hold of the sheets, and pulled…hard.

  “Rise and shine, buttercup, the fish are waiting,” he ordered rather firmly.

  Annabelle was sleeping peacefully, and was not accustomed to being woken up to the sounds of anyone shouting orders at her. She was accustomed to sounds of bird chirping, the smells of hot coffee, or the soft whispers of her son, but never, not ever, had she been so rudely awakened before. Sitting straight up, she reached for the covers that weren’t there and stared at the large man before her.

  “What the hell!” she shouted.

  “Good morning, buttercup. You have five minutes to get dressed and meet us out at the truck, or we are leaving without you.” Mason grinned, trying desperately not to smile at her blank expression. He watched as she turned and sighed after looking at the alarm clock.

  “It’s five fifteen in the morning!”

  “And we’re running late,” he said, leaving her room, shouting, “Andrew!”

  It took Annabelle another thirty minutes to emerge from her bedroom, but when she did, Mason just stood with Andrew at his side, the both of them shaking their heads. She had come out wearing a silky white short-sleeve blouse, with cream-colored capris and a pair of heels to match. Her hair was meticulously put into a French twist with every hair in its place. Her makeup was flawless, and she smelled like heaven when she walked past him, heading right for the coffeepot.

  “Mom, we’re going fishing.” Andrew groaned, standing next to him. Mason looked down at the boy, who was dressed in a white shirt, overalls, and a smirk. “Maybe she thinks the fish will like her outfit.”

  “I heard that,” she said in a clipped tone and Mason sighed.

  “Coffee is in the truck. Time to go,” he ordered, herding Andrew outside. Standing at the front door, he watched as Annabelle grabbed a very large bag, sunglasses, and her keys.

  Walking as if she were in no hurry, she sauntered past him and whispered, “If you ever wake me like that again, I will cut your balls off and feed them to the fish.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” He grinned, closing her front door.

  Annabelle was tired and cranky, and if she had to drink this sludge one more time, she was going to hurl. What Mason considered coffee was thick enough to seal a hole on a kitchen pipe!

  Setting her mug in its designated spot, she watched the flat land of Texas pass by. Growing up in New York City, she wasn’t used to all this wide open space. This place would be a developer’s dream. Imagining tall buildings, shops and stores, and fancy five-star restaurants, she sighed, realizing she missed the fast pace of the city. She knew moving to Texas was going to take some getting used to, but after the start she was having, she had thought on more than one occasion to pack it all up and head back east. It wasn’t that she wasn’t willing to give it her best effort, she was, but with her car breaking down, her house in chaos, and all the animals, well, she was feeling a little overwhelmed.

  However, the biggest concern was sitting next to her, not saying a damn word. She didn’t know what to think of the large, hulking man. He was handsome, that was for sure, but his quietness concerned her. He barely spoke, and when he did, he barked orders. Yet, for some reason, he seemed more at ease with her son than with her. She would
have thought after the night they spent together, he would be more comfortable with her, but his demeanor was worse. He could barely look at her without blushing, and when he spoke, it was short and simple.

  The drive to Galveston took a little over an hour and a half. By the time they arrived, the sun was shining brightly and the heat was unbearable. She helped Mason with his fishing poles, while he and Andrew gathered the coolers. Letting him lead the way, she walked down the long dock, looking at all the boats, varying in size. Some were simple fishing boats while others were party boats, mixing with yachts and a couple of schooners. Yet, when she watched Mason climb onto a beautiful yacht, she looked around, thinking just maybe he had gotten on the wrong boat.

  When nobody came running and screaming, she stepped aboard and was literally shocked at what she saw.

  This was no boat. This was a house on water!

  “It’s a ’61 Hatteras Motor Yacht. She is fully loaded and sleeps eight comfortably. She has all the amenities and gives a smooth ride. Make yourself comfortable. We’ll be pushing off in a couple of minutes,” Mason softly said, placing a cooler on the floor at her feet.

  “This is your fishing boat?” she asked, still in shock as she surveyed everything. She had seen boats like this in the New York City harbor, but had never been on one. Well, unless she counted the harbor ferry.

  “Yeah, were you expecting something bigger?”

  “No! I mean, this is just…wow, Mason. Honestly, I was expecting one of those speedboats, or a simple fishing dingy thingy, not this. This is great,” she said, turning to him, and once again he blushed.

  “I’m glad you like it,” he whispered, his face getting redder by the second. “I better grab Andrew and get ready to cast off.”

  “Ahoy aboard!”

  “Fuck,” she heard Mason growl, turning away from her. Following him back out onto the deck, she smiled when she saw Sarah Armstrong standing on the dock with her husband and boys in tow.

  “Hey, asshole, get down here and help me. I brought the beer.” The man grinned, then smiled up at her. “Hi, Annabelle. I’m Mark, Mason’s brother.”

  “Hi.” She smiled and looked a Mason, who just shrugged his shoulders, quiet once again and just when he had started to talk. She knew that some men weren’t good with an audience, but these people were his family. He should feel more comfortable around them.

  “Uncle Mason!” a cute little girl in pigtails shouted, running up the dock.

  “You told Rachael?” Mason said accusingly at Sarah, who had the graciousness to look away.

  “Yo, Mase! Stop gabbing with the ladies. This beer is heavy,” Michael shouted, carrying two coolers, followed by young man, and a stunning woman holding a small child. She watched Mason hurry down the platform, heading toward the beautiful woman with a small toddler in her hands. Annabelle smiled as she watched Mason lift the child from her mother, tickling her and giving her raspberries. The little girl’s laughter filled the air, her mother and father laughing with her. Annabelle was amazed at the family unit she was seeing. As an only child of a single parent, she had never been blessed with a brother or sister. She had always wanted one, and envied most of her friends. When she found out she was pregnant with Andrew, and then later married his father, she had such high hopes for having more children, always wanting a big family. But that dream was never going to come true. She had accepted her fate and moved on. Nevertheless, looking at Mason with his family, that longing resurfaced, leaving a hole in her heart she once thought was full.

  * * * *

  With the family loaded and all on board, and after making all the introductions, Mason eased away from the docks and headed out into the Gulf of Mexico. It was going to be a clear day and calm waters, a perfect day for lounging on the open sea, fishing, and spending time with family. Only Mason wished his family could mind their own damn business.

  He wasn’t happy with Sarah, and she knew it, because she was steering clear of him. As for her husband, Mark, well he was fishing with Andrew and regaling him with highlights from his championship game before he retired. Rachael and Sarah were cooking up a storm in the kitchen, as Abby played with Sarah’s boys, Mitchell and Garrett, while little Savannah sat in his lap, wearing her second-mate hat he had bought her a couple of months ago. Out in front of him was Annabelle, sitting in the sun talking with his brother Michael. Whatever his brother was telling her was making her laugh. Mason just prayed it wasn’t anything about him, though he knew more than likely it was.

  When Henry came to sit by her, Mason watched as the young pup put his arm around her, and he actually growled. He was going to rip his brother’s arm out of his sockets before the day was through if he didn’t stop flirting with Annabelle. Of course, he couldn’t blame him. Buttercup was one good-looking woman. Sitting there in the sun, her golden locks glimmered like rays of sunshine as the wind blew her curls everywhere. He was happy when she took down that tight updo she wore. He wanted her relaxed and comfortable around him, even if he was staying away from her.

  “See that pretty lady, Savy? She doesn’t know it yet, but I am going to marry her someday, just as soon as I can manage to say the words.” He leaned down, kissing the top of her head. Savannah giggled, squirming in his lap. Turning off the boat’s engines, he let the yacht drift. Getting to his feet, with Savannah in his arms, he headed out on deck.

  Sitting next to Andrew and Mark, he played with Savannah, never taking his eyes off Annabelle. He could feel her laughter deep in his soul. He would never tire of watching her as she enjoyed herself. He had always wondered if there was someone out in the big wide world for him, and at his age, he figured his time had passed. He had accepted that and moved on, yet when he was least expecting it, she was there.

  He had fallen hard and fast, and though a little scared, he was ready to reach beyond that wall he had built within himself and grab what he thought he never wanted.

  “She’s beautiful, Mason,” Mark said, leaning over, whispering in his ear.

  “That she is, Mark.”

  “You’re not too upset we showed up, are you?”

  “No. I figured you would eventually interfere.”

  “Don’t be too angry with Sarah. She has a big heart, and just wants to see you happy.”

  “I know.”

  “Mikie was telling me that you might need help. If there is anything I can do, you know I’ll be there, right? After what you did for me and Sarah, it would be my pleasure to help my big brother.”

  “Thanks.” Mason grinned. “I just need to figure out how to talk to her. I would like to know more about her, but I can’t seem to get my brain and mouth to work together.”

  “Well, if you could ask her a question, what would you ask?”

  “I don’t know, what her favorite movie is? Something easy like that, you know, to start a conversation. Shit, Mark, I don’t fucking know,” Mason replied, getting agitated once again. He wasn’t angry at his brother. He knew he was only trying to help, but he wanted to do this by himself, and definitely not with an audience.

  “All right.” Mark smiled then yelled, “Hey, Annabelle, what’s your favorite movie?”

  “You know I can kill you with my bare hands, right?” Mason whispered furiously as Mark smiled, slowly moving away. Before Mark could say anything, Michael and Annabelle walked over to them. When she sat next to him, smiling at Savannah, Mason quickly looked up to find his two moron brothers giving him two thumbs up and grinning like idiots.

  “I never did say thank you for inviting Andrew and me. Thank you. We are having a good time,” she said, looking up at him with her soft brown eyes. Mason felt like he was drowning again. His brain stopped working, his mouth dried up, and his heart kicked into overdrive. With her so close, he knew she could hear it, but to make matters worse, he felt his face flush once again, and it had nothing to do with the hot sun beating down on him.

  “My whole life, I lived in the city, which is funny, because New York City is surrounded b
y water on three sides, and would you believe, I have never been out on the water until today. This is amazing to me, so much water, untamed and free. The closest I ever came to nature was walking with Andrew in Central Park. Now, we have experienced skunks and spiders, crickets, and fireflies. I was worried when I accepted the teaching position that it would be a hard adjustment for Andrew, but he seems to like it very much here.”

  “What was it like living in New York?” he asked, and when she grinned at him, he finally took a breath. He did it. He just asked a simple question, without sounding like an idiot.

  “Noisy, congested, always on the move. When they say New York is the city that never sleeps, they are telling you the truth.”

  “Do you miss it?”

  “Sometimes. The quiet nights are the hardest to get used to. When you are used to sirens, car horns, and thousands of other noises to lull you to sleep, the crickets tend to keep you awake. But I’m getting used to it.”

  “What do you miss the most?”

  “The food. Sometimes, Andrew and I would just walk the streets, smelling and tasting all the delicacies that the city offered. We never had to visit other countries to experience what they offered, when we could get it right in the city. If we wanted Thai food, there was an amazing delicatessen two blocks away. Chinese, we would head into Chinatown. Indian food, Kosher, German—it was all within walking distance. If not we hopped on the subway.”

  “Sounds kinda crowded to me.”

  Her laughter was instantaneous. “Yeah it was, very crowded. What about you?”