by KaLyn Cooper
“Ready for a beer?” Chloe smiled from behind the bar. “We also have rum punch, a new favorite of mine.” She lofted a tall glass of thick, reddish-orange liquid.
“Let me taste some of that.” Lisa grabbed it from Chloe’s hand and took a huge gulp. “This shit is awesome. Want to try it?” She held it out to Caroline, who leaned on the bar next to Luke.
“I’ve been drinking those all afternoon,” Caroline answered and then directed her attention to Chloe. “I’ll have another, Madame Bartender.”
“Beer,” Luke said. He wondered just how many of the sweetened rum drinks Caroline had already consumed. He didn’t want her drunk when he took her to his place later.
“With pleasure. We’re getting shit-faced, right?” Chloe confirmed.
“Hell yes.” Lisa drained Chloe’s drink and handed her back an empty glass. “We have to make up for all the alcohol we were denied during our Middle East tour.”
Luke liked these women. They were fun. They worked hard and played harder. They all knew their time in Cancun was temporary, and as the war raged on halfway around the planet, they couldn’t deny the realization that they would be back in the action all too soon.
He hugged Caroline to his body. Yeah. This had to be temporary. Damn it.
Male voices and sloshing water came from the stern. The other men were back. Luke placed a kiss on Caroline’s temple. “I’m going to go help them.”
Half an hour later, Luke watched as Caroline played with Addison. She was such a beautiful child. All that curly, white-blonde hair and those stunning blue eyes that seemed to pop out of her pale white skin. She was so innocently endearing.
Addi had been afraid of him at first, actually, shy of all men, except Jack. But over the past few months, he’d spent a good deal of time with the merging family, and the little girl had warmed up to him.
Caroline and Addison sat facing each other on the bench seat at the side of catamaran. “Okay, say boat in Spanish,” Caroline said.
“Barco.” Addison rolled the r perfectly as she tilted her head with confidence.
“No,” Caroline corrected, “It’s el barco. In Spanish, we use the modifier.” She looked at the child expectantly.
Addi rolled her eyes. “El barco.” She smiled. “My turn.” She made the well-worn doll in her hand leap off her leg then return. “What’s the word for jump?”
“Saltar.” Then in Spanish, Caroline said, “You made the baby jump.”
“I can’t say all that,” Addi protested.
“Sure you can.” Caroline spoke the Spanish words slowly and carefully, enunciating every syllable clearly. Addi repeated the words one-by-one then eventually put the entire sentence together.
Luke couldn’t help but smile. Caroline was so patient with the adorable child. He’d been thinking a lot about family lately, more specifically about children. He’d have one tomorrow if he could be guaranteed she’d be just like Addi.
“Your language skills will come in handy if you stick around here,” Jillian told Caroline. “My Spanish is getting better every day, but you understand the nuances, not just the definitions.”
Caroline gave her a bright smile and challenged Addi with another word. “I grew up in a dual-language home. English is my mother’s second language, and Spanish is my father’s third or fourth. His parents spoke Italian at home. He’s fast at absorbing the colloquialisms. Guess that’s where I get it from.”
“Potty, Mommy,” Addison interrupted as she crossed her little legs and jiggled her cute backside.
Jillian stood and reached for her daughter’s hand. “Sorry. We’ll be right back.” The two disappeared down the short stairs into one of the giant pontoons, headed for the small shipboard bathroom.
Lisa passed by and handed Luke one of the many beers she carried on her way to the other men who were stowing dive gear. Jack gave her a brief nod of thanks before he strode to Jillian and Addison as they emerged from the bathroom.
With a huge smile, he handed her an empty shell the shape and size of an ice cream cone. She beamed as though he’d presented her with a diamond, but she already had one of those. She kissed him as if no one else was on the boat. Love radiated between them.
Damn. To have someone kiss me like that would be…amazing.
Watching Jack fall in love had been a reality check since they were the same age. They’d been in kind of the same place in their lives, over the bed hopping every night yet not really looking for “the one.” Totally immersed in building a profitable business and less concerned with their next lay.
Then Jack tipped over hard and fast. His girls, as he called them, brought balance to his life. He now appeared happier than ever. They were a family and would make it permanent in a few months, as soon as Jillian finished defending her doctorate back stateside.
One night while drinking scotch in the quad at the Girard compound, Jack had shared that they planned to have more kids, as soon as his wedding ring was on Jillian’s finger.
A family. Luke would make sure that when he had a family of his own it would be nothing like the one he’d been born into. He’d love his children and never lay a harsh hand on them. He’d try to be the man Uncle Mark had taught him to be.
Caroline picked up her buzzing phone. The scowl she wore as her thumbs flew over the screen worried Luke.
Beer in hand, he went to her. “What’s wrong?”
She flipped the face of her phone over onto her thigh. “Nothing.”
Remembering she had an ill grandfather, he asked, “Is your grandfather okay?”
She paused a second too long before answering him. “Oh, yes.” She pasted on a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “As far as I know, anyway. No word from Mom today. I’ll call her tonight.”
He nodded toward the phone. “Command? Is everything okay?” His body went still at the next thought. “Were you called back to base?”
She quickly shook her head. “No, thank God.” She ran her hand down his arm and took him by the hand, leading him to a seat. “It’s nothing important in the least.”
Luke sat down beside her and slid his arm behind her along the back of the seat. She smelled of the ocean and sunshine and coconut. He wanted to touch her, but she seemed skittish. Probably the text, but he’d let it go…for now.
Her skin had a rich, red glow. She was getting too much sun. “You need some sun screen.” He grabbed the bottle and flipped the cap. “Your ancestors may have come from this area, but you’ve spent months in the Mediterranean under a winter sun. You can burn, you know.”
He smoothed the lotion over her shoulders, massaging her tight muscles as much as spreading it around. Luke leaned close to her ear and quietly told her, “I want to run this oil over every inch of your body, feel it slide as I caress your breasts, run my hands over that flat belly of yours, and—”
“Keep that up, and I’ll have to jump back into the water to cool off,” she warned. “And I’d drag you in with me.” She turned her face to his and kissed him.
She tasted of sweet fruit and promises as she opened her mouth to his.
“Get a room,” Jeff chided as he and Chloe passed by, hand in hand.
Neither broke the kiss. They just fell deeper and deeper into themselves. His hand slid up her arm and over her shoulder. He wanted to strip her out of that bathing suit and thrust into her tight heat. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he heard Jack talking.
When a tiny hand patted his arm, his brain returned to the boat.
A small voice scolded him. “Mister Luke, Daddy said you should cut that out.”
Jillian’s gasp as the moniker silenced everyone. Addison’s father was dead. His ashes had been scattered on the reef below them.
All eyes turned to the little girl.
Luke’s brain caught up with her words. “What did you say, princess?” His gaze checked Jack and Jillian before returning all his attention to the child who was still tapping his arm.
“Daddy said you should cut th
at out. There are children on board.” She smiled at him. “That would be me.”
“Who…who told you that I should stop kissing Caroline?” Luke caught Jack’s pensive expression.
Addison turned, finger pointed at Jack, her tone accusing Luke of being an idiot. “Daddy,” she insisted.
Tears silently rolled down Jillian’s reddened cheeks, glistening in the afternoon sunshine. She quietly choked out, “Oh, Jack.”
He slid his arms around her, pulling his fiancée’s back against his chest.
With an apologetic sweep of their guests, she explained, “She’s never called him that before.”
Enjoying the center of attention, Addison placed her fists on her tiny hips. “We’re getting married. He’s going to be my daddy, and he sleeps with you, Mommy.” At that, Jillian blushed head to toe, but the little girl didn’t stop there. “He takes care of me, and that’s what daddies do.”
She paused. Her eyes got big, and her chin quivered. She looked at Luke as if she’d done something wrong. On the verge of tears, she shot Jack a look of desperation and regret. In a small voice, she asked, “Can I call you Daddy?”
Jack rushed to Addi and dropped to his knees in front of her. Scooping her into his arms, he buried his face into her curls. “You bet, baby.” His voice sounded rough as he drew in a ragged breath. “Yes, Addi.” He pulled back and kissed her angelic cheeks. “You can call me Daddy any time you want.”
Addi gifted him with a big smile. “Okay.” Crisis averted. She tried to wiggle out of his arms.
“Hey, I want a kiss,” Jack demanded.
With extended lips pursed into a red bow, she loudly smacked her lips to his.
“I love you, princess.”
“Love you too, Daddy.” She dragged out the last word and wiggled her whole body. “Can I have a Popsicle?”
“Sure.” Jack’s smile lit his whole face as he shook his head. Rising to his feet, he extended his hand, and they headed to the onboard kitchen.
Yep. I’d have one tomorrow.
Luke drew Caroline’s back to his chest, thankful she couldn’t read minds. He wrapped his arms over her ribs and dropped a kiss on her temple. This was comfortable—Caroline in his arms, the afternoon sun warming their nearly naked bodies, and a slight breeze cooling their damp skin. Cold beer. Good friends. He could get used to this.
Caroline’s phone buzzed, and she swiped to unlock the screen.
Luke couldn’t help himself. He looked.
It was a text from some guy named Robert.
Missing you so much. I love you.
Luke’s blood ran cold. Who the fuck was Robert? And if he was telling Caroline that he loved her, what the hell was she doing sleeping with him? Had she lied to him? Was she involved with someone else?
He thought he knew Caroline. Maybe he was wrong about her.
“Damn it,” she swore quietly.
“You okay?” He gave her ribs a little squeeze.
“No,” she snapped.
He watched her type back. Leave me alone.
“Is he harassing you?” Luke shifted so Caroline was facing him. “Who is he?”
Chapter Six
Caroline glanced around the big catamaran, looking for someplace she and Luke could talk. People were scattered in couples around the boat, trying for some degree of privacy. Lisa and Craig were on the upper deck settling onto towels, Chloe and Jeff were deep into a conversation at the bow, and Sarah and Terry were talking with Jack and Jillian while Addi played on the floor at the stern.
“Who is he?” The demand in Luke’s voice as he repeated the question was unmistakable.
She didn’t want to talk about Robert, least of all where the men could hear. They’d all been military and would know how badly she’d screwed up. They’d look at her the same way all the men in the squadron did, as though she was nothing more than a whore who’d caused trouble for their buddy.
“No one important.” She tried to school her face when she looked up at him.
Luke must have seen her distress because he stood and grabbed her hand. “Come on.” With barely a nod to Jack, he led her past the kitchen and pulled her into the small office.
Bare counters lined the walls under open windows, which allowed a soft breeze through the tiny room. Luke perched on the edge of the desk in the middle of the room then pulled Caroline into the space between his spread legs.
She didn’t want to have this conversation with anyone, especially Luke. Damn him for reading her text. But, had the roles been reversed, she’d want to know about an ex that was virtually stalking him.
She needed to tell him. Everything.
Then she had to reassure him that she wanted to spend time with him while she was in Cancun, because it was true. She liked Luke on a level she’d never let any other man reach. He could so easily slide back into those depths of her heart, which was raw with the cuts Robert had recently sliced open.
Caroline faced Luke, knowing what had to be said. Clear and concise. There was no sugarcoating what they had done. “Robert and I had an affair on our last tour in the Med. I ended it when I overhead that he was engaged.”
She looked into those fathomless blue eyes of his, trying to read his reaction. She caught what she thought might be a flash of pain before they returned to the trained blankness. In her shame, she glanced away and scanned the emptiness of the office.
“That text sounds like he didn’t want to let you go.” Luke’s voice had a small ring of understanding mixed with pissed-off Alpha male.
“Well, that’s his problem,” she snapped. “He’s in Hawaii right now, and the wedding is this weekend.” Damn it. Her tight voice was riddled with pain.
Luke pulled her into him, his big hand spanning the back of her head, forcing her cheek to his sun-warmed, bare chest. She listened to his strong, even heartbeats. Gently, he rubbed her back the length of her spine. “Were you with him a long time?”
Without looking up, she admitted, “Four months.”
“Fucking bastard.” Luke’s words were barely audible, but she heard them clearly.
And she had to agree. “Yep. He fucked me over too.”
Luke pulled back to look at her. “Command knew?”
Oh, yes. She’d made sure of that. “They found out when I broke it off with him in the middle of the Ward Room.” She smiled at the memory. “I think the slap across the face was their first clue. Or maybe it was when I called him a lying, deceiving son of a bitch. The brass doesn’t like when a Squadron Commander is embarrassed in front of the crew.”
“Shit.” The corners of Luke’s mouth twitched, but his eyes were filled with pride.
“Yes, and that’s exactly what hit the fan.” She shook her head. “But the good ol’ boys’ club took his six, and it all became my fault.” She took a deep breath and ticked the charges off on her fingers. “Conduct Unbecoming an Officer. Fraternization. Sexual Misconduct.” Anger rose from deep inside. “But he didn’t get any of those charges slapped on him. No. He got a handshake and a congratulations from the Wing Commander on his upcoming nuptials. I was threatened with several UCMJ Articles, prison time, or, at the very least, Non-Judicial Punishment.” She didn’t realize she was shaking until Luke pressed her firmly against his body.
“Oh, baby.” He kissed her temple. “I’m so sorry they did that to you.”
She pulled back and looked at him. “And now that motherfucker wants me to forget about all the pain and harassment I took from the captain on down the chain of command and feel sorry for him enough to resume our affair.”
Footsteps thumped overhead on the upper deck. “Sarah. Chloe. With me.” Lisa’s voice was clear as she stood outside the open window. Hands on hips, she glared at them before she stomped toward the closed door.
Caroline knew that look. Trouble was on the way.
Goddamn it. She hadn’t had time to share with her friends that Robert had been texting her.
Bursting through the unlocked door, Lisa bello
wed, “What the hell?”
Chloe and Sarah at her back, they all stared at Caroline.
“Did I hear you say that fuckin’ Robert is texting you?” Incredulity bounced around the small space with Lisa’s words.
Sarah’s jaw dropped open.
“After everything that pin-dick has put you through, he wants you back?” Chloe reiterated.
Caroline huffed. “Yeah, he wants me back…in his bed.” Her smile was a cold as her feelings for her former lover. “Seems his soon-to-be-wife isn’t very responsive between the sheets.”
Lisa’s deep laugh was condemning. “Wait till he brings out the padded cuffs.”
“Or the nipple clamps,” Chloe added with a fiendish smile. “I’d like to be a fly on the wall for that scene.”
Carefully, Caroline slid a glance toward Luke. They had never tested those limits of their trust. She wasn’t sure if she should be ashamed or excited. The dark blue depths of his lidded eyes and increased breathing told her everything she needed to know. He liked the idea of her tied to his bed with toys involved.
“Was that him on the phone earlier while we were tanning on the upper deck?” Sarah asked and pointed to the deck above them.
Caroline gathered her resolve. “Yes, but I told him to leave me alone. Now he’s back to texting me again.” She held up her phone.
Lisa grabbed it from her hand and held it out as her three friends scrolled through his texts. They each glanced up at her from time to time with unmasked concern.
“What a douchebag.” Chloe shook her head in disgust.
“His fiancée needs to know what a cheater she’s getting,” Sarah suggested.
Lisa looked up. A mischievous smile slowly spread across her girl-next-door face. She feverishly started thumbing then pulled out her own buzzing phone.
She handed Caroline back her phone and swiped, typed, and spent a few minutes playing with her smartphone.
“Copy me on that,” Chloe ordered and pulled out her own phone.
“Oh, me too. I’m in,” Sarah said, dashing off to get hers.
“What are you guys doing?” Caroline knew her friends would always have her back, and they could be sadistic bitches. So could she, but she was in enough trouble right now. She’d vowed to keep her head down and just ride out this storm.
