by Lori Leger
“Gah. She’s just using me for tickets.” He dropped his head in utter dejection.
“I warned you I take my Tiger football seriously. I know you didn’t plan on my pain in the butt brother to run interference, though. Do you regret the offer, yet?”
He gave her a smile. “Not even a little.”
Mitch took a long chug from his beer, keeping watch over Sarah and her new ‘friend’, that asshole Collins. He didn’t want to have to tell her about his little underage piece of ass the other night, but if he had to, he would.
“Hey Marine. Want to dance?”
“Absolutely, Detective,” he told the buxom red head as he grabbed her by the waist and swung her onto the dance floor. Melanie Finley was one friend of his sister’s he highly approved of.
“This is some party, isn’t it?” She looped her arms casually around his neck as they swayed to the slow country rhythm of Hunter Hayes singing his latest ballad.
“Sure is.” He glanced over to where his sister pulled Collins out on the dance floor. Fingers gripping his chin had him looking down into the gorgeous eyes of his dance partner.
“You need to butt out of that, Marine. Your sister can take care of herself,” Melanie scolded.
“He’s no good for her, Mel. I wasn’t here to protect her from Troy, but I can damn sure stop her from getting hurt by that SOB.”
“Why do you dislike him so much? He seems like a decent enough guy. Tiffany and Red have both known him for years, and they say he’s changed a lot for the better lately.”
Mitch caught himself looking in their direction again and shook his head as his sister laid her head on Tanner’s chest. “I don’t trust him.”
“It’s not your problem. They’re friends for now, and after that, whatever’s meant to be, will be, whether you approve or not. I do know if you keep up this attitude, you’re going to be the one to hurt her. Now shut up and pay attention to me or I’ll find someone else to dance with. I’ve been told I’m passably good on my feet, and decent to look at.”
He laughed at the innocent smile she gave him and wrapped his arms tighter around her waist. “You are beautiful, both to dance with and to look at, and I apologize. My attention is all yours.”
The next song was a rousing crowd pleaser by Toby Keith. Along with everyone else, Mitch raised his voice to Red Solo Cup, his arm draped over Melanie’s shoulder. After that, Tiffany pulled him out for a Cajun Two Step Mamou by Richard LeBouef. He danced with his sister to Storm Warning by Hunter Hayes then he switched off with Tanner to get Mel back.
“Hello beautiful,” he said, swinging her into his arms for a slow one. “Where’ve you been?”
She beamed at him. “Oh, here and there. I had an interesting talk with Tanner.”
“Oh yeah? What’d he have to say?”
“Like I’d tell you,” she said, with a secretive giggle.
He gave a snort then cocked his head to hear the song better. “I know this song. Is this a remake?”
“Uh huh, I believe someone requested it.” She batted her eyelashes innocently. “Who would have thought Sarah Smile could sound so good in a country version?”
“You requested it?” he asked, stealing a glance at Sarah and Tanner, who were getting entirely too cozy on the dance floor.
“I was on my way to make a request, and Tanner said she liked this song. So, I requested it while I was up there.” She jerked her head toward the DJ’s set up on a flatbed. “Having your own in-house DJ is definitely a perk of owning a club.”
“I gotta admit this is a damned cool party.” He gazed down his nose at her. “So what song did you request?”
“Patience is a virtue, Marine. Now shut up and dance.”
Turned out he didn’t have to be patient for long. As soon as the song ended, the D.J. pulled out his wireless mic to make an announcement.
“This is a very special request for the guest of honor of this shin-dig. Here’s another home-grown Louisiana boy, Trace Adkins singing ‘Semper Fi’, his own tribute to the United States Marine Corps.”
Even though the two of them started out dancing to the slow ballad, they finished it singing along with the crowd that had gathered around them.
Mitch swallowed the lump in his throat as everyone erupted in hoots and cheering, interspersed with several loud whistles. His gaze found Sarah smiling through her tears. As she approached he wrapped her in a bear hug.
“I love you, big brother. I’m so proud of you,” she said. “But I just want you safe, dammit.”
“Likewise, and that also goes for the part about wanting you safe. Thanks for putting this together for me, Sis. This means a lot to me.”
“All I did was show up. Red did it all.”
Mitch gave her a hug before finding the McAllisters. “Hey, Red, I want to thank you for this, man. This is the best time I’ve had in years.”
“Glad to do it, Mitch. It’s Marines like you putting their lives on the line every day that we should all be thankful for. All we ask in return is that you come home safe and sound.”
“Absolutely,” Tiffany agreed with her husband. “I don’t think Sarah could take it if she lost her big brother.”
His gaze found Sarah again, talking to Tanner. “I’ll try my damnedest.”
Mitch leaned against one of two bar areas, hoping to catch sight of the girl who’d served him a drink the last time he’d been in this place. He leaned over the bar to get the bartender’s attention. “Hey, is Meagan coming in?”
“Nah, she’s not working tonight. I’m subbing for her.” The guy looked around the room and shook his head. “It’s too bad, too. With the crowd we got here tonight the tips are gonna be good. I know she could use the cash right now.”
Mitch sat back, sipping his beer quietly, curious about her co-worker’s comment. He swiveled in the stool to observe the crowd, and immediately caught sight of Detective Melanie Finley. She entered the club with a group of people, some of whom he recognized from the party. Gone were her capris and sandals, replaced by curve hugging jeans and cowboy boots. Her sparkly halter-top shimmered with refracted light from the party ball.
The entire group approached, and like steel to a magnet, Mitchell’s gaze moved immediately to her significant cleavage. Her copper-colored curls, loosely gathered and in some type of clasp, left the delectable creamy expanse of her neck exposed to every wandering male eye in the building.
He approached, touching her shoulder to get her attention. He suppressed a gasp of pleasure as she spun towards him, the motion causing her bronze-colored earrings to swing enticingly from her delicate lobes.
“Damn, but you clean up nicely, Detective Finley!”
She stood back to look him over and nodded. “I gotta say, Master Sergeant Hebert, so do you.”
Already pleasantly buzzed from his third beer of the evening, he could barely pull his gaze away from her eyes, made up to accentuate their already natural beauty. He extended his hand. “Do me the honor?”
She smiled as she took his hand and let him swing her onto the dance floor to a country waltz.
Tanner caught sight of the couple on the dance floor and his heart skipped. Not over the sight of Mel, whom, at any other time in his life he’d be drooling over. This time it was in anticipation of seeing the one woman who would have accompanied her.
He scanned the group, nearly groaning aloud as his eyes found their target. Sarah, in tight jeans that belied the fact that she’d given birth to twins less than a year ago. Strappy heels, by far sexier than the sandals she’d worn earlier that day, gave her a little more height than usual. The real killer was the barely there, clingy, sleeveless top overlaid with some kind of stretchy black lace. Her hair, in all its glory of golden brown waves, was loose and flowing over her shoulders. He found himself nodding in approval at the entire package.
The thing that kicked his heart into overdrive was her instantaneous reaction to seeing him. The lift of brow, coupled with the slight opening of her mouth
was a huge turn on. The sight of her, rubbing the palms of her hands on her jeaned thighs, told him her level of anticipation matched his own. He swallowed, approaching her slowly.
“Hey there.” She smiled, and he swore he could feel the beat of her heart, thumping rhythmically to his own.
“Hey yourself,” he said before allowing his gaze to encompass the whole of her. “Damn …”
“What?” She tugged self-consciously at the hem of her shirt.
“Damn, but you look good. I didn’t know whether to expect you here tonight. You said you weren’t sure.”
“I didn’t want to ask Leah and Daniel to watch the twins for me after everything they did for the party today. But the girls were down for the night when I left the house and Leah practically shoved me out of there.” She smiled, her eyes softening at the mention of her benefactors. “I don’t know what I’d have done without those two. The entire clan has taken us in—treated us like family. I owe them so much.”
He’d heard her say this often enough, but knew she totally meant it. “They are a very generous family. If I was a father and someone had treated my daughter as badly as I treated Tiffany, I don’t know if I’d be as forgiving.” Her gaze turned curious, and he decided he didn’t have a damn thing to lose by coming clean. “Hell, Red broke my nose for coming on to his younger sister, Annie, while I was engaged to Tiffany. Of course, I had no idea he was in love with her at the time, or I may have put up a fight. The point is the entire family forgave me for being such an ass.”
Her hand flew up to cover her mouth and he thought he’d finally managed to shock her into seeing him for the asshole he really was. “I’m sorry, I guess I should have told you all this before, huh?” He shoved his hands into his pockets. “I’m afraid I’d be hard-pressed to find favorable character references from anyone who really knows me.”
She lowered her hand, revealing the smile she’d been attempting to hide. “Did you really think I wasn’t aware of your less than perfect past?”
“I didn’t know, but I figured I’d just as soon be the one to tell—”
“Tanner!”
He stopped and looked down at her upturned face. “What?”
“Will you ever stop trying to scare me off?”
“I’m n—”
“Yes. You are.” She huffed, her flush revealing her exasperation. “For some reason, you continue to act as though you don’t deserve to have anyone care about you.”
“I’m just trying to be honest.”
She sighed, struggling to find the right words to break through his impenetrable wall of self-loathing and unworthiness. “You know, Tanner. If you’d only choose to forgive yourself, maybe one of these days you could be happy.”
He stared at her, speechless, until the unanswered ringing of his cell phone drove her to nudge him.
“Are you gonna answer that?”
Her words finally seemed to jolt him into action. He fished the phone from his pocket and answered it. “Hello?” he said, putting one finger in his ear to block out the background noise of the bar.
His expression grew panicked as she shamelessly eavesdropped on his phone conversation. Obviously, it was his mother on the phone, and from the sound of it, she was hysterical and terrified by something that had happened with his father. By the time he hung up, she knew Tanner’s next stop was Houston.
“It’s your father isn’t it? What happened?” She didn’t bother with small talk.
“His nurse is afraid he’s had a small stroke, a TIA, we call them. It’s a Transient Ische…”
“I know what a TIA is, and you need to go.” She grabbed his hand, pulling him along behind her toward the exit. She pushed through the door and turned to him. “I’ll tell everyone what’s going on, but you be careful. Don’t you dare do anything stupid on your way up there like run a light and get in a wreck or something. Call me when you get there! Do you have my number?”
“I have Red’s but not yours. I can call the LeBlanc’s.”
“My number is 337-555-9104. Don’t just stand there. Put it in your phone.”
“God, you’re a pushy little thing, aren’t you?”
“Only when I need to be, now go. And don’t forget to call me to let me know what’s going on.”
“Yes ma’am.” Tanner ducked his head and spun around toward his car. He took off at a brisk walk, tucking his phone into his pocket again telling himself not to look back. If he did, he knew he’d find her standing there, watching him leave. She’d see him and that would have made him seem all the more desperate.
Halfway to his car, he heard the quick clip of footsteps coming from behind. Sarah called out his name, and he turned a second before she threw herself at him. He wrapped her in his arms, lifting her easily off the ground. She blew his mind then, planted a kiss on him that exploded with pent up passion and emotion. He kissed her back, so thankful for the contact, unaware until that moment of how badly he’d wanted it—needed it from her, and only her. He eased back, intending to release her, but instead tightened his grip around her waist. Finally he let go, allowing her to slide down until her feet touched the asphalt parking lot.
He kissed her again and released her with a guttural groan.
“I know, right?” she gasped. “I have butterflies so bad, I feel like throwing up.”
“That can’t be good.” He grinned, despite his nagging conscience.
She waved off his comment. “You know what I mean, that nervous, queasy fluttering in my stomach.”
He touched his forehead to hers and smiled. “Yeah, I do know the feeling. But Sarah …” She kissed him again and he breathed in the deliciousness of her, allowing it to fill his mind, his soul, hoping it would carry him throughout the trip to Houston. Houston … and the hospital. The wheels of his mind started to turn. Texas, his parents … they turned faster, spinning out of control … his upbringing … his womanizing past. Suddenly, he was back where he’d started, a full awareness of how unworthy he was. He gave her one last hug, before pushing her gently away. “I’ll call you to let you know how he’s doing.”
“Don’t forget?”
He turned away, willing her not to say anything else, yet wanting her to. “I won’t forget, Sarah.”
“Collins, is that you, Stud?”
Tanner cringed at the familiar voice, knowing damned well that Sarah’s opinion of him was about to take a drastic nose-dive. He turned, hoping to shut the man up before he spoke.
Bill Parker walked towards him with two gorgeous, statuesque blondes, one on each arm. “You’re just the son of a bitch I was looking for! It seems we’ve got a smorgasbord on our hands tonight, buddy. This is Norin and Marin, identical twin babes, here for one week only from the Netherlands.” He paused to give Sarah a quick glance, and then rushed ahead. “Dude, please tell me you can get a couple of days off!”
Tanner put out his hands and dropped them in frustration. “Parker, what the hell, man?”
“Come on buddy, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I mean, look at this! Isn’t this the one cliché that’s every man’s fantasy?”
Tanner spoke through a clenched jaw. “Hey, man, don’t you see I’m talking to a lady here?” By the time Tanner turned to apologize to Sarah, she’d already made it back to the club. He winced as she yanked the door open, and disappeared inside.
Tanner’s Lexus climbed the Lake Coburn Bridge at a steady pace, turning the decorative iron pistol detailing on the bridge rail into a blur. His mind reeled at the catastrophe of Parker and his lousy timing. He slapped his steering wheel angrily. He’d be shocked if Sarah ever spoke to him again. How in hell had he gone from the best kiss of his life to this colossal screw-up in less than a minute? Easy. Scandinavian twins and an asshole of an ex-buddy.
He caught his reflection in the rearview mirror, and it suddenly hit him. This was the best thing that could have happened for Sarah’s sake. He was fooling himself if he thought he could do anything but break her heart.
By the time Tanner arrived in Houston, he was determined to stay away from her. Even if nobody gave a damn about him, there was definitely some divine intervention going on to protect Sarah.
And no way in hell could he blame anyone or anything in this world for trying to keep her from being hurt.
Chapter 10
Mitch stirred in the bed, conscious of the subtle, yet absolute change in the room before the click of the door told him that Melanie was gone. He cracked his lids at the sliver of sunlight peeking through the curtained hotel room. He swallowed, trying to rid himself of the awful taste in his mouth—beer, bourbon, and flaming shots of something called a Bull Ball Buster.
He sat up, forcing his eyes to focus, saw the note left on the pillow. Classic. He opened it:
Hey Marine—it was fun. The bill is settled, check out is at 11:00. I set your watch alarm. Next time you’re in, look me up. Keep your head down! ~ Mel
“Son. Of. A. Bitch … ” Left in a hotel room with a lousy note.
If he didn’t know better, he’d think she was a guy. He let his head fall back on the pillow, remembering the night’s activities. Soft skin, tiny waist, those delicious D cups, and luscious curved hips. No trace of masculinity in that particular detective.
One text.
Dad’s fine. No TIA. Adverse reaction to pain medication. Parker was a jerk. Sorry.
One lousy text.
Sarah muttered a low curse under her breath. He’d sent that around noon, the next day. Since then, nothing. She’d hoped for a phone call. She was desperate for the sound of his voice, especially after the kiss. Oh God, that kiss.
She couldn’t deny that Parker’s arrival with the two Scandinavian goddesses had embarrassed the hell out of her. Right after the incident, she thought, surely, he’d call to apologize for his friend’s rudeness and explain the situation. Not that it needed much explanation. The guy was obviously accustomed to including Tanner in that kind of thing. From what she’d heard about that other Tanner, there wasn’t a doubt in her mind he’d have jumped on it a few months ago. She told herself this Tanner wouldn’t have put off going to see his father to spend the night with either of two beautiful blonde bombshells.
