Cowboy-Sexy

by Donna Michaels

  Cammie nodded and turned to Finn, her gaze determined. “So does he.”

  Ah hell. Now the Marine’s wife was looking at him. Once again, Finn did what was expected and held out his hand.

  “Ma’am,” he greeted.

  If the woman had any inkling of his dark thoughts she wouldn’t have ignored his outstretched hand and gone straight for a hug.

  “Thank you, Commander, for saving my husband’s life. For giving him the opportunity to come home to me.”

  Sandy stepped back and looked up at him with so much sincerity in her eyes, Finn felt a sharp stab of envy at the grunt and the homecoming he must’ve received from the woman he loved.

  “I know you were hurt, and you sacrificed a lot. Please believe me when I say I am so very grateful. By saving Wade, you also saved our son.” The woman pointed to the infant the corporal was unhooking from a car seat. “If my husband had never come home, we never would’ve had him…or the child I’m carrying.”

  She patted the barely visible swell of her stomach.

  Finn couldn’t help it. His gaze was pulled to Cammie. He caught her blinking back tears before she looked at him with such complete admiration, he knew she felt he’d unknowingly given a gift to the family in front of them.

  He didn’t want to be moved. He wanted to be angry at the man. Why the hell did Cammie have to butt in?

  She stepped forward to peer at the dark-haired child busy touching his father’s smiling face.

  “He’s beautiful,” Cammie said before returning to his side.

  “Can I hold him,” his mother was now asking.

  Her eyes were bright as she held out her hands. The child didn’t hesitate and went right to her.

  “Aren’t you sweet? What’s his name?”

  “Finn.” The young Marine’s proud gaze zeroed in on him. “We named him after you, sir. Like my wife said, if it wasn’t for you, he wouldn’t be here.”

  Emotions shot through Finn with the force of a full clip from his handgun. He swallowed against the onslaught. Their gesture was nice, and he was happy they had some normalcy in their lives. But that didn’t change facts. It was the Marine’s fault they both had obstacles to overcome.

  “Where’s my manners? Come up on the deck,” his mother was saying, walking up the steps, still holding the child. “Today’s Finn’s birthday. We were just about to eat some cake.”

  Damn it! He didn’t want to stay and chat. He didn’t want to make small talk over cake. He wanted…Finn clenched his jaw until it cracked…ah hell, he didn’t know what he wanted anymore.

  “Yes, you haven’t lived until you’ve tasted Rose’s cakes,” Terry boasted as he stepped aside to let the guests go first.

  The corporal and his wife followed his mother up to the table. The urge to turn and march to the stables shot through him fierce, until he watched the Marine’s slightly awkward footing as he climbed the steps. He would never turn his back on a war vet, even if they didn’t see eye to eye.

  Cammie took Finn’s hand and squeezed. He didn’t squeeze back. He was too furious. Too betrayed she hadn’t warned him of this meeting. Then again, she was smart. Had she told him, there was no way he would’ve come.

  “So, Lieutenant Commander Brennan,” Wade began as they all took their seats. “Your fiancée tells me you have some questions about Baghdad.”

  Finn stiffened, his gaze snapping to the traitor. What the hell was wrong with her? Did she really want to see him blow up?

  “Go ahead, Finn,” she urged. “Ask it. You need to hear the truth.”

  He shot to his feet and strode to the confines of the railing before he turned back around. Fine. She wants me to have it out? I’ll have it out. Finn folded his arms. “Yes, Corporal, I do have one question. I’d like to know why you disobeyed my order.”

  The Marine frowned. “Come again, sir?”

  The young man stood and walked over to him, his gait almost normal.

  “We’d already cleared that building. I told you to hold point. Why the hell did you disobey and go back in?”

  It didn’t make sense. If the kid had just stayed put…

  “I didn’t disobey orders, sir. Colonel Adder approached me with new intel. He said there was vital information on the computer inside and ordered me to retrieve it. I’d just finished downloading it to a flashdrive when you pulled my ass out.”

  The colonel had given the grunt an order?

  Finn closed his eyes and thrust a hand through his hair. The Marine hadn’t disobeyed him. His eyes snapped open and he stared at the corporal. “Wait, you mean he sent you in alone?”

  “Yes, you all had your assignments, sir. I was only too happy to help out.”

  My God. All these years he’d had it wrong. The young Marine had been following orders. It had just been a bad command. Cripes.

  Candor swiftly replaced the last of Finn’s aggression. “I owe you an apology, Corporal. Until now, I always thought you’d disobeyed my orders and went in half-cocked like a glory hound.”

  Wade Harrison shook his head. “No, sir. I followed orders and did my duty like a good Marine.”

  Finn couldn’t help but glance at Cammie again. A small smile tugged her lips, and she gave him a quick reassuring nod before he returned his attention back to the man in front of him.

  “I think you should know, sir,” Wade continued, “that the intel we retrieved warned of a surprise insurgent attack in Fallujah. Many servicemen and women, as well as civilian lives were saved because of our sacrifice. It was worth the cost of my leg.” The Marine slapped his prosthetic and frowned. “I’m just sorry it cost you your Naval career. I lose sleep at night wondering about the lives lost because you’re not out there, sir.”

  Finn’s mind no longer traveled that path. He placed both hands on Wade’s shoulders. “Don’t let that trouble you, Corporal. I’ve come to realize things happen for a reason. We have to let go of thoughts like that or they’ll eat us up alive.” He released the man and the two of them walked back to their seats.

  “Very true. We’re lucky, sir. Lucky to be surrounded by family that loves us, and most important, we’re lucky to have the love of a good woman.” Wade touched his wife’s shoulder before he sat down and looked over at Cammie. “Your fiancée must really care about you to have done this for you.”

  Finn looked down into Cammie eyes, noting the adulation was still there. Was it for show or real?

  He sat down and slid his arm around her shoulders. “Like you said, I’m lucky.”

  The warmth in her gaze sent a surge of heat through his body and longing to his heart. Surely, she must care something for him to have set up this meeting and risk their friendship.

  An onslaught of emotions raged inside Finn, the strongest of which was hope. Keep your perspective, he berated, suddenly sick of the lies, wishing everything was real. Her warmth for him. Their engagement.

  Everything.

  Realization washed over Finn with the power of a tsunami. He lowered his gaze. Son-of-a…

  He was in love with Lieutenant Camilla Walker.

  How the hell had that happened? He’d been so careful the past few weeks. It hadn’t been easy, keeping his hands off her, fighting his ferocious need to lose himself in her luscious body, especially knowing she wanted him too.

  But there was no room in their futures for a relationship. That thought alone had helped to keep his distance. He was determined to get back into his unit, and she was training to stay in the Corps. They were traveling similar yet different paths.

  Besides, Cammie had made it very clear she would not get involved with a SEAL ever again. And he couldn’t blame her. She’d been through hell. He refused to ever cause her any pain. And yet, despite their physical restraint and their separate goals, he still fell over the edge in love with the Marine.

  Now what?

  He dug into the cake someone had pushed in front of him and tried to tune back into the conversation.

  “So tell me, Wade,” his
mother was saying with little Finn perched happily on her knee, slapping the table and babbling. “Where are you headed? You said something about a center?”

  “Yes, we’re headed to the Worthington Veteran’s Center. I’m supposed to speak to several of the patients there.”

  “Oh, that’s a good place. Finn spent a lot of time there when he first came home. He could barely move his right leg and had to rely on a cane for a good half of that first year. The center was a big help.” His mother smiled at the baby she bounced on her knee. “He still works with his PT every week. Of course, now it’s a little easier since Clint comes to the ranch. Isn’t that right, Finn?”

  “Yes,” he replied when she finally stopped for air.

  “I’m quite proud of him,” she continued. “He’s made remarkable progress and has even taken to hiking up the mountain with Cammie.”

  Wade leaned forward and locked gazes. “Sir, you should consider going back there to talk to some of the patients. Take it from me, the doctors and physical therapists mean well, but it’s when the vets hear from someone who has gone through the same thing that they start to have hope.”

  Sandy placed a hand over her husband’s and added, “Wade has dedicated his life to helping vets. He plans to visit centers in every state in the continental U.S.”

  The tiny brunette looked at her husband with so much love it emphasized how much Finn was missing.

  “I was given a second chance for a reason,” Wade proclaimed, staring directly at Finn again. “I don’t plan to waste my life or make a mockery of your sacrifice by doing nothing, sir. I make it a point to honor your name every time I recant our story to the vets.”

  Finn inhaled until his lungs were ready to burst. The Marine’s appreciation and determination humbled him. And to think, all these years he’d thought badly of the man.

  “That’s a noble thing to do,” Cammie spoke up next to him. “And I, for one, would like to thank you, Corporal.”

  “No, thank you, ma’am. Thank you for inviting us.”

  “Yes, thank you, Cammie.” Sandy glanced at her watch. “We’ve had a lovely time but, unfortunately, we have to get back on the road.”

  As they all made their way to the driveway, each of them took turns holding the baby, even Finn, before he handed his namesake to Sandy who buckled the boy in his carseat.

  “I have something for you, sir.”

  Wade grabbed a neatly wrapped box off the front seat. “Happy Birthday,” he said, handing him the present.

  Finn was slightly embarrassed as everyone watched him open the lid and remove a medium size shadow box.

  “The SEAL insignia is to honor your branch of the service,” Wade said, then continued to explain each section. “The photo of me and my family is to remind you what your sacrifice has created. The uniform is a piece of the one they had to cut off my body, and the stone is part of the building embedded in my gear. Please accept it in honor of my appreciation of your sacrifice, sir. The world could use more SEALs like you.”

  The man didn’t owe him a damn thing. Finn cleared his throat. “No, corporal, we could use more Marines like you.”

  Even though Finn was not in uniform, it was his honor to stand at attention and saluted the Marine.

  After Wade answered the salute, he pulled Finn into a hug and thanked him again.

  “You’re welcome, but there’s nothing to thank, Corporal. We were both just doing our jobs,” Finn told him, meaning every word.

  When he stepped back, Cammie entwined her fingers with his and squeezed. This time, he squeezed back, trying to convey his gratitude to her for sticking her meddling, controlling, beautiful nose in his business. She was one of a kind, and Brett was right. Finn was going to thank him for sending Cammie.

  He lifted her fingers to his lips and kissed them as the Marine and his family drove away. “Thank you,” he said, wondering, again, if the emotions filling her beautiful brown eyes were real or just for show.

  He needed to be alone to sort things out. He released her and walked back toward the stables, shadow box in hand.

  Brett would be home in a little less than four weeks.

  His physical was the week after his brother’s return.

  And Finn had no idea what to do about his newfound feelings for his fake fiancée.

  ****

  Something inside Cammie had squeezed tight then burst as she had watched Finn salute Wade. The understanding and acceptance the two men now shared were more than she could’ve hoped.

  Afterward, when Finn walked away and left her with his mom and Terry, every part of her wanted to run after him. He had kissed her hand and thanked her, but she didn’t know if the gesture had been for his mother’s benefit or if he’d meant it.

  She was sick to death of the play acting. Even now, as she finished laying hay in the last of the stalls and ran the events over in her mind, Cammie was still unsure of his feelings.

  But, she wasn’t unsure of her own.

  Watching the SEAL open up to the Marine had touched her to her very soul. There was no denying it. She was in love with Lieutenant Commander Finn Brennan.

  He had gone through a milestone today and she wanted—needed to support him. Starting right now. She dropped her pitchfork and rushed through the stables to the foreman’s office.

  “Terry, do you know where Finn is?”

  He sat back in his chair and nodded. “I saw him gear up a little while ago and head toward the mountain. I was a little surprised you weren’t with him.”

  Pain seized her heart. She brushed it aside. “He probably wanted to be alone. But, he’s had enough time.”

  She turned to leave.

  “Wait!”

  She stopped and watched as the foreman unlocked the gun cabinet behind him and drew out a rifle.

  “Here, you can’t go up there without this. Do you know how to use it?”

  She cocked her head and smiled. Had he really asked her that?

  Terry laughed. “Stupid question.”

  She pocketed a handful of bullets, slung the gun over her shoulder, and took off in a sprint toward the mountain. Finn was up there somewhere, alone. Apprehension reared its ugly head and played havoc with her pulse. She had no doubt the man could take care of himself, but hiking alone was not a good idea. Accidents happened to experienced hikers all the time, and if you add mountain lions and bears to the mix, you have a recipe for disaster.

  Cammie increased her pace, doing her best to remain calm. Twenty-seven minutes later, she came upon the clearing with the waterfall and stopped dead. Finn sat on the boulder, gun site trained dead on her.

  “Dammit, Cammie, I nearly shot you!” He lowered the rifle and jumped down. “What are you doing up here?”

  “Looking for you.”

  “Looking for me? Why? Is something wrong?”

  He set his rifle against the rock near his pack, his gaze suddenly anxious.

  “No. I was worried about you. Today was a tough day. I wanted to see if you were okay.”

  He studied her a heart-stopping moment.

  “I’m fine.”

  “So, you don’t hate me?”

  “Of course I don’t hate you.” He leaned back against the rock, scratched his brow with his thumb and cleared his throat. “Thanks to you I see I had Baghdad all wrong. I misjudged the Marine, too. He’d only been doing his job.”

  She placed her gun next to his, then smiled. “I bet that took a lot to admit.”

  “You have no idea.”

  His lop-sided grin rooted her to the spot. They stood there staring at each other for a full minute. Cammie had so much she wanted to say, yet didn’t know where to start. What if she revealed too much? What if he didn’t feel the same? What if she made a fool of herself?

  She twisted around and walked toward the waterfall in order to regroup. Thinking straight when he was close was impossible. He consumed, engulfed. It was a wonderful feeling she wanted desperately to explore.

  But what a
bout him?

  She drew in breath. Should she take the chance? And even if Cowboy-Sexy wanted to act on their mutual attraction, he had a good shot at becoming a Navy SEAL again. Could she handle that? She blew out the breath.

  Yes. He’s worth it.

  Cammie swiveled around and her heart immediately rocked in her chest. Finn was still watching her, his gaze intense but open.

  “Why’d you do it, Cammie?” He leaned against the rock, arms folded across his chest.

  It was crunch time, as her Marine buddies often said before a mission. She squared her shoulders, held his gaze and walked straight to him.

  “Do what, Finn?”

  “Call Wade?”

  She lifted her chin. “I couldn’t stand by and watch you suffer, thinking your unwanted discharge from the Navy was caused over a senseless act. When I tracked Wade down and found out the whole truth, I knew you had to know what really happened.”

  His gaze narrowed a fraction. “So you do care about me.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Cammie blinked at the directness of Finn’s statement. “More than you know, cowboy.”

  She gave him a small smile and watched as hope entered his eyes. This time her heart did a complete summersault. He had feelings for her, too. She lifted a hand to lightly touch his cheek.

  “Despite my efforts to the contrary, I’m falling for you, Navy. Big time. And I’ll be damned if I know what to do about it.”

  He cupped her hand and slid her palm to his lips. “Until today, I thought I was the only one with that problem, but now it doesn’t seem like a problem at all.”

  Her pulse leapt. She stared up into his darkening blue gaze. “No, it sure doesn’t.”

  “What do you think we should do about it, Lieutenant?” His hands found her waist.

  “I have a few ideas, Commander.” She released his face to run her hands up his chest. “They all start with the letter T and end in ‘ake me.’”

  His grip tightened as he sucked in a breath. “Damn, Marine, you don’t pull any punches.”

  She looked up and grinned. “No, sir.”

  He chuckled. “I’ve the feeling I’m in for a few surprises.”