The General's Desire: San Diego Social Scene Book 2

by Tess Summers

  ****

  Ron

  Brenna was standing at the kitchen island, cooking and humming, when Ron walked up from the beach, wet from his quick plunge into the ocean to cool down. Zona was excited from their run and trying to get him to play fetch again.

  He loved that goofy dog. She seemed to still be growing into her body and hadn’t gotten used to her long legs. Yet, for still being so young, she obeyed his commands really well. Hell, she listened better than half of the new recruits.

  This morning, Brenna was showered and dressed, and it looked like she had makeup on because her bruise was barely noticeable.

  “Hey beautiful, do you have plans today?” he asked from the doorway as he grabbed a towel from the rack on the patio and briskly rubbed it over his body before stepping inside.

  “No, I just felt like getting up and around. Are you hungry?”

  He stopped on the other side of the island, watching her stir what looked like pancake batter.

  “I am. Let me hop in the shower, and I’ll be back down. I think I better head home later, I’m sure the mail is piled up and the poor cat is probably starving.”

  “You have a cat?!”

  He shot her a look that said she should know better.

  “Brenna, I go overseas for months at a time, of course I don’t have a cat. I was teasing you.”

  “Oh,” she replied with pink cheeks.

  He came around the island with a smirk and rubbed between her legs. “I only want one pussy in my life.”

  Shaking her head, she returned his smirk. “You’re incorrigible!”

  He kissed her softly on the mouth and caressed her hips while whispering, “Maybe you can redeem me.”

  She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him back. “Maybe.”

  With his eyes twinkling and his face inches from hers, he gave her a wink. “I think you should at least try. You owe it to your country.”

  She played along. “Well, I am a good patriot. If it’s for my country...”

  The corner of the right side of his mouth lifted. “Mmm, you are definitely a good…” he paused as he kissed her neck. “Patriot. The best patriot I’ve ever known, as a matter of fact.”

  He gently began to tug on her bottom lip with his mouth.

  She pressed her body against his. “Well how can I not be? You’re such an amazing… Marine.”

  Their kiss got more intense, and his tongue slipped between her lips. She began grinding against him harder, and he knew she could feel how aroused she was making him.

  Pulling away, he groaned, “You keep kissing me like that darlin’ and I won’t be going anywhere but back upstairs to bed.”

  With a devilish smile, she retorted, “Would that be so bad?”

  “Not in the least. It’s a shame you’ve already showered.”

  “Mmm, that is a shame. But it is lucky for you because I’m going to make you a nice breakfast while you take yours. Do you like pancakes? Eggs? Sausage?”

  He grinned. “Well, yes, I normally like all of those things, but yesterday…”

  “I already told you! I was having an off day! I’m going to redeem myself this morning. I promise.”

  She did redeem herself. Breakfast was delicious, and he felt a little melancholy helping her clean up; he was going to be leaving soon.

  As he loaded the last dish into the dishwasher, she asked him, “Can I talk you into having dinner tonight with me and my sister? I’m making lasagna.”

  Dinner with her again tonight? Fuck yeah, she could talk him into that. She could pretty much talk him into giving her a kidney at this point.

  “Sounds great. What time?”

  “I was thinking about six-thirty, but you can come any time before that you want. The lasagna takes a while to bake.”

  “I’ll bring the wine and dessert.”

  That made leaving her right now a helluva lot easier. Knowing he was going to be back with her in less than six hours put a spring in his step, but he still wasn’t going to pass up a chance to give her a proper farewell kiss.

  They stood in her foyer for at least ten minutes as they said their goodbyes. Every time he made it a step closer to the door, one of them would go in for “just one more kiss.”

  He smiled the whole drive home, and when he looked into the rearview mirror and saw her lipstick on his face, he didn’t wipe it off. He considered it a badge of honor. Better than any medal he’d ever received, that was for damn sure.

  Ron spent his afternoon putzing around the house and thinking about Brenna. They’d been pretty spoiled with the amount of time he was able to spend with her. How will she react when he’s gone for a whole month? Not only will he be gone, but there are times when it will be impossible for him to even communicate. Then what?

  He couldn’t tell how much maintenance she was going to need from him, but he knew she definitely deserved whatever amount she required. He’d just have to make sure to pamper and spoil her when he was home–hopefully that would make up for his absences.

  Fuck, he prayed that was enough.

  Because he was a goner when it came to her.

  Chapter Twenty One

  Brenna

  The doorbell rang and Zona raced to the door. Cassie had just left to go to the store for Brenna, borrowing her sports car in the process, of course. In the middle of layering lasagna noodles, she yelled from the kitchen, “Come in!”

  Zona gave her welcoming howl–the one she reserved for the people she loved and Brenna couldn’t help but smile, thinking Ron had come back early. So when it was Luke who walked through the kitchen doorway, she jerked her head in surprise. She wondered if his ears were burning from her earlier conversation with Cassie.

  “Hey! What are you doing here?”

  “Sorry to come over without calling. I’m out running errands and realized I took Zona’s leash home by accident the other night so I thought I’d drop it off.”

  “You didn’t have to make a special trip, but that was very sweet of you. You’re all dressed up.” This seemed like the perfect time to subtly ask if he was seeing someone. “Got a hot date?”

  Luke grinned and shook his head. “No, meeting some friends from work at the bar later. I’m not going home before going out, so I got ready before I left.”

  “Well, you look very handsome. Women are going to be fighting over you.”

  He shrugged but kept his grin. “I hope not. I don’t wanna have to arrest anyone tonight.”

  He looked around. “Is Cassie here? I saw her car out front.”

  “She just ran to the store for me.”

  Zona was whining at his feet, so he bent down to pet her.

  “Does she need to go out?” he asked when the pup kept whining.

  “She might. Would you mind? My hands are a little dirty right now.”

  Luke took Zona out without leashing her up. No one ever leashed Zona, she was such a good girl and stayed close.

  That’s odd. So how did he end up with Zona’s lead? And isn’t it a coincidence that my sister’s car is parked out front when he decides to stop by?

  He and the dog walked back inside just as Brenna was putting the dish in the oven.

  “My mom used to make lasagna every Sunday when I was growing up,” Luke said as he slid onto a barstool.

  “Do you want to stay for dinner? It’s just me, Ron and Cassie so there’s plenty.”

  He shifted in his seat at the sound of her sister’s name. “Cassie’s staying?”

  Brenna turned around to hide her grin. “Yeah. She should be back pretty soon.” Glancing at the clock, she added, “Actually, I’m kind of surprised she’s not yet.”

  And as if on cue, the door from the garage opened, and her baby sister yelled out in her best Ricky Ricardo impersonation, “Lucy, I’m home!” Zona sprinted to the door. The lab mix was in heaven; all of her favorite people were there at the same time. Zona started sprinting laps through the house, she was excited and needed to burn off energy. She zoomed past C
assie and almost knocked her out at the knees.

  “Goddammit, Zona!” Cassie yelled while grabbing the doorjamb to keep from falling.

  Luke was up and helping her sister before Brenna could bat an eye.

  “Oh, hey. When did you get here?” The younger girl took the hand he was offering.

  “I just stopped by to drop off Zona’s leash. I took it home by accident.”

  Brenna gave a small smirk. Sure you did. By ‘accident.’

  “I invited him to stay for dinner, but he never answered me,” Brenna teased.

  Luke turned his attention to Brenna. “I’m sorry. I’d love to stay.”

  Zona sprinted by yet again, and Luke knelt down to grab her collar and calm her down.

  Cassie gave her older sister an excited smile with raised eyebrows.

  “Wow, I didn’t notice earlier, but your face looks good,” she said as she passed Brenna on her way to the refrigerator. Opening it, she called with her head inside the door, “Now can I have some wine?”

  “Yeah, no more errands for you. It’s on the shelf to your right. Pour me a glass too, will you? Luke? Wine? Beer? Water? Soda?”

  “I’ll have a beer.”

  The doorbell rang, and once again Zona bound to the door.

  Brenna quickly washed her hands and dried them on her apron while walking toward the front door. Zona must have seen Ron through the side windows because she was barking excitedly, urging her owner to answer the door and let him in.

  I know the feeling, girl.

  Brenna opened the door with a smile and without a word, Ron kissed her at the threshold before stepping inside.

  He was holding wine and a pink box that came from the bakery when he walked in, and broke out into a big grin when he saw her eyeing it.

  “Is that what I think it is?” she asked in a hopeful voice.

  He winked and said, “I told you I was going to keep these in stock.” After kissing her again, he looked her up and down, and smirked. “Nice apron.” Moving closer to her ear, he lowered his voice to murmur, “I wouldn’t mind coming home to you in nothing but that and a pair of heels.”

  “Oh, I’d have to have pearls on, too,” she said over her shoulder as she turned toward the kitchen.

  He threw his head back and laughed, then followed her.

  Cassie pounced on Ron the second he walked in the room, kissing his cheek and taking the wine and dessert from him. He nodded his head at Luke sitting at the island.

  “I wondered whose car that was in the driveway. No Jeep tonight?”

  “Nah, not tonight. It’s supposed to get cold later.”

  They had a terrific dinner, and Brenna couldn’t help but notice the electricity in the air between Cass and Luke. The dishes were loaded in the dishwasher, and they all were sitting at the table, laughing and drinking while waiting before having dessert, when Ron’s phone started ringing.

  He looked down at the screen and grimaced. Brenna recognized the ring tone–it was the same one she’d heard on New Year’s Eve, when he was being called away right just as things had started to heat up between them.

  “I apologize. I have to take this,” he said as he stood up from the table and walked toward the patio.

  Why can’t he answer the damn phone in front of me?

  She just smiled at Cassie and Luke, trying not to convey that she was bothered. She was a master at that–she had done it for so many years with Danny. Except her sister knew her too well and eyed her suspiciously.

  She needed to get away from Cassie’s stare of truth, so she emptied the contents of her glass and got up from the table, asking, “Anybody want more wine?” not waiting for a reply.

  With the phone still to his ear, Ron peeked his head in the door. “Hey Bren? Do you own the property between the house and the water?”

  What an odd question.

  “Yes… why?”

  He ignored her and just said, “Thanks,” then stepped back out on the patio.

  Brenna and Cassie exchanged, what the hell? looks. Luke said nothing while he observed the two women.

  Ron came back inside to where Brenna was pouring another glass of wine. She knew what was coming next.

  He came over and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and murmured against her hair, “Darlin’, I have to go.”

  The corners of her mouth turned down as she set the bottle on the counter next to her glass, but she nodded her head and sighed. “I figured.”

  He turned her around, pinning her between him and the counter, and she rubbed his arms while offering a weak smile. “Do you have time for dessert or do you have to leave right now?”

  He was studying her face carefully. “I do, actually, have time. They’re going to come get me. Is it okay if I leave my truck here?”

  Brenna stood on her tiptoes and kissed his jawline. “Of course.”

  He smiled and stroked her back. “Thanks. I need to grab a few things out of it; I’ll be right back.”

  Cassie walked into the kitchen and pulled the cake Ron had brought from the refrigerator.

  “Alright, what’s so special about this cake?” she asked, lifting the lid on the pink box.

  Brenna set a stack of small plates on the counter and offered her sister a knife and cake server. She had a handful of dessert spoons in her fist and a faraway look when she smiled and said, “It’s from the same bakery as Travis and Ava’s wedding cake. Ron and I shared a slice at their reception and I practically ate the whole thing.”

  Her sister giggled. “Yeah, it’s chocolate, I can definitely see you doing that.”

  “See her doing what?” Ron asked as he came through the door with a military duffle bag.

  Brenna shook her head, “Eating the whole piece of cake that I was supposed to be sharing with you.”

  He walked over to the patio door and set the bag down, chuckling. “I gladly gave up my half. I got more enjoyment watching you than I ever would have from actually eating it. Why do you think I brought more over tonight? I couldn’t wait to see you have more.”

  She remembered he had said at the wedding that watching her eat it turned him on.

  “I’ll be sure to save a piece for when you get back,” she purred.

  The two exchanged a look at the memory, and Ron went over, took her by the hand, and pulled her into the hallway. As soon as they were around the corner in the darkened corridor, he was holding her tight against him and planted his mouth on hers, grabbing a handful of her hair in the process. She eagerly parted her lips as his tongue began looking for hers. When he pushed her against the wall and ground his clothed cock against her pussy, all she could think was, do we have time for a quickie?

  She got her answer when he pulled away from her.

  “We need to stop before I take you upstairs and have my way with you. And get court marshalled because I refuse to get out of your bed and go to work.”

  With her chest heaving, she nodded her head in agreement. He put his forehead against hers.

  “Darlin’, I hate having to leave you. I’m not sure when I’ll be back.”

  She touched his cheek with her hand and caressed it up and down. “It’s okay. I understand the government needs my boyfriend.”

  As soon as she said the words, she was mortified that they had come out of her mouth.

  My boyfriend? Oh my God, can the earth just swallow me up, please? How the fuck do I recover from this?

  She didn’t want him freaking out that she was calling him her boyfriend after less than a week of dating.

  Who does that?

  Only needy, clingy women, that’s who. She did not want him to consider her that.

  “I mean– not my boyfriend. I meant, just my–friend who…”

  He cut her off by leaning down and kissing her gently.

  “Believe me, I’d much rather be here with my girlfriend,” he said with a tender smile, his lips inches from hers.

  His mouth had enveloped hers again when Cassie’s voice inter
rupted from the other room. “Hey lovebirds, are you going to have some of this cake, or should we start without you?”

  They broke the kiss laughing and Brenna called out, “We’ll be right there!”

  His lips found hers one more time before they went back to the table.

  Ron held her chair out, then sat down.

  “I apologize for being rude,” he directed his attention to the younger girl who was plating their desserts. With a twinkle in his eye, he continued, “I didn’t think you’d appreciate watching me kiss your sister goodbye.”

  Cassie rolled her eyes as she approached the table, but smiled at Brenna when she set their cake slices in front of them. “Thanks for sparing me.”

  Ron grinned and grabbed Brenna’s hand. Looking at Brenna, he brought her knuckles to his mouth and murmured, “Anything for my girlfriend’s sister.”

  Brenna felt her cheeks flush when she noticed Cassie’s eyes go wide, but Brenna didn’t say anything, just smiled back at Ron.

  Suddenly, she heard what sounded like a helicopter hovering over her house. What the hell is going on?

  “My ride’s here,” Ron said as he stood up.

  Brenna stood up with him. “Your ride is a helicopter? They’re picking you up in a helicopter?”

  He winked at her. “They’re kind of in a hurry to get me back on base.”

  She walked him to the doorway, where she stared at him with her eyebrows raised, lips pursed, and slightly shook her head in disbelief. “Um, you’re kind of a big deal?”

  It was more of a question than a statement. He had said those same words to her just yesterday, except, it appeared he was really the one who was the big deal.

  One side of his mouth lifted yet he didn’t say anything, just leaned down to try and kiss her one last time, but she pulled her head back.

  Furrowing her brow, she asked, “Shouldn’t that be something a girl knows about her boyfriend?”

  She was only half joking that she was upset. But part of her was upset. How did she not know this about him?

  He picked up his bag with one hand and grabbed her tight around the waist with the other, yanking her into him.

  “Stay inside. The wind is going to kick up a lot of sand,” was all he said before kissing her thoroughly on the mouth.