Mission For Love (Love By Design Book 6)

by M. C. Cerny

  He clutched his chest. “I’m wounded, and hurt by that. But I’m learning so much about you.”

  I leaned in, “I value my privacy. I’m in my third year of teaching and up for tenure. I take my job seriously and I don’t date. My girls have a shot at the regional championship and nothing is going to distract me from getting them there.”

  He hummed frowning. “Noted.”

  “I am sorry. Maybe after the winter quarter before spring sports start up again.” It was a weak offer and we both knew it, of course David had no issues calling me out on it.

  “I know I might be rusty in the actual dating department,” He air quoted, “but do guys typically hang around for months like that?”

  “I don’t know, I haven’t had one yet take the challenge.”

  We both eyed each other up when he spoke again. “Well, boot camp almost killed me, so I don’t see how this will be different.”

  His voice sounded resigned and encouraging him under false pretenses had not been my plan at all.

  “You say that like this is happening, and it’s not.”

  He shrugged. “Okay.”

  “Okay?” I asked.

  “I’ll keep pretending to not be a creepy IT dude who has access to all your information at my fingertips respecting that pearl clutching privacy you demand, and you can pretend that this isn’t happening.”

  David Easton was out of his mind or he’d been hit too hard with a football as a kid, but either way, I found his persistence endearing. I somehow knew he wasn’t going to look up my personal information because if what he said was true about his IT skills then it didn’t matter anyway. I felt safe with him on Saturday after crazy sex and that hadn’t change today on the field, or now at dinner.

  “Okay.” I drawled unsure of how we got to this place in the conversation when the waitress came over with two milk shakes. One vanilla and one chocolate.

  David smirked. “I didn’t want to presume anything, but nobody says no to a milkshake unless their looney tunes.”

  He made a fair point.

  11

  David

  It was called a tactical retreat. Kiara had drawn the battle lines in the sand and I was merely responding to the limits she gave me. I spent the next two weeks at school with one eye on my computer monitor and the other on the football team. We played several games winning most of them and continued to practice with the girls running the track.

  It was torture.

  And as fall deepened with the turning of the leaves, so did the weather and the need for sweatshirts, pants, and scarves covering her body as well as mine. I couldn’t really flex my gym muscles unless I was demonstrating a play and by that time the girls had wrapped up their practice and were long gone.

  Coach Calloway was slated to return from his administrative leave and I had been asked to stay on as assistant coach. It was a pretty sweet deal delegating less responsibility so I could shift that one eye of mine in Kiara’s general direction when possible. It was amazing to work in the same building and not run into her once in a single day. I was beginning to think that she arranged to not be in my crosshairs. We both were on the schedule to monitor lunch, but never the same period. We both headed out to the fields for practice after school, but never the same place, and the two fleeting glances I had gotten of her, she wasn’t even facing me.

  Kiara knew how to avoid dating like a pro, and my itch to scan the faculty directory even casually was making me nuts. It’s not like she’d ever know because I wouldn’t do anything with the information, but still. It was about building that trust and respect between us.

  What I felt for her was deeper and elemental, no matter how fleeting the time we spent together that night. I needed her when I swore I didn’t need anyone. Vulnerable wasn’t a place I thought I had within me after the military had pushed it so far down inside of me that when I did feel it, it became this ugly unacceptable thing that charged forth uncontrolled. I still had my anger issues, but for the most part those were in check, and since it wasn’t firework season, I didn’t have my PTSD to knock me down.

  Since we won last night’s football game by a huge margin, the boys got out of Saturday morning practice. I heard from a little bird who happened to work in the library that Kiara was running the 5k event that my brother organized with the pub as a major sponsor. The Easton Pub Crawl was a big event in town and Andy provided the craft beer at the finish line along with a catered lunch for the runners. To say I was excited to catch a glimpse of her was an understatement.

  I was also excited that the bakery up the street was providing apple spice doughnuts and cookies. I made sure to pop over and say hello so the owner Carmen would save me some. I wasn’t running the event this year so I could enjoy being a spectator for a change. Some of the football players and the cross country runners were participating and we had a healthy student competition going as well.

  “Hey, bro I need a favor.” I turned grimacing to find Andy moving timing equipment and a runners mat from the back of a van.

  “Please don’t say timing, please don’t say timing.” I repeated knowing exactly what he was going to say. I had the perfect spot to watch the finish of the race and I didn’t want to miss Kiara by having to do this task.

  “Can you managing the timing? Please?”

  “Ah come on.” I said. It was hard to say no to my brother, but I was allowed to complain if I wanted too.

  “You’ll still see her.” Remi nudged me as she carried out a box with medals which I lifted from her arms. “Thanks big guy.” She smiled and went back inside for another.

  “You owe me, Andrew.” I grumbled and finished setting up.

  At least we lined up a massage therapist for after the race

  I spent the better part of the morning tweaking equipment and taking silly heavy boxes from Remi. That girl was bound to trip over her short legs if she wasn’t careful. We hired her to work in the bar not donate her Saturday mornings too, but she was insistent on helping, and like my brother, she was hard to say no too.

  It didn’t take me long to figure out what might have caught her wandering eye and ever so helpful hands. I growled at Evan who happened to be directing traffic for the race. He was a good cop even if I wanted to punch him in the eye for ogling Remi.

  The race started and I finally got to see Kiara.

  “Fancy seeing you here.” Kiara strode up to the starting area. She wore running shorts in a neon pink that made her legs look lean and long. Her prosthetic was covered in a matching pink compression sock up to her knee. A tank with pink and blue stripes covered her pert breasts and I was jealous of technical fabric hugging her so tightly. I had a thought that sport bras were equally terrible for women who wore them and the men who wanted to take them off. No front zipper business for Kiara, just straight up spandex that hugged her lean curves. Thank god for sweatpants, that’s all I’m saying.

  “Good morning, Kiara and good luck. I see some swift competition out there.” I gave her the genial head nod wishing I’d spoken to her more than the vague passing and dinner over two weeks ago.

  “My girls are here in lieu of practice.” She smiled stretching in front of me like it was totally natural.

  Things that weren’t natural…the size of my dick in that moment.

  “Always on duty coach.”

  “Actually, I was wondering if you might want to get that brunch afterwards.”

  “Well, now I’m surprised.” I leaned back against the sketchy looking timing van and crossed my arms over my chest.

  “I mean, we don’t have you to if you don’t want to.” She said and it really did feel like the biggest tease.

  “So you haven’t been avoiding me on purpose.”

  Kiara laughed out loud drawing the attention of several people.

  “Sadly no. I’ve been genuinely busy.”

  “Okay, well. You go out there and win this race and I’ll be waiting here for you.” I pointed to my feet like a bratty kid. “Fr
ee beer and doughnuts. I might even spring for some appetizers inside.”

  “Nice, Easton. Might as well find yourself some crow while you’re at it.” Kiara turned around and I was blessed to watch her saunter off toward the starting line. She got right up in the front which I thought was kind of ballsy and hot. Thank goodness the gun start for the race didn’t do more than ruffle me. It would have been mortifying to duck under the creeper van. I guessed fireworks would be my next big challenge.

  I understood why she wanted me to find some crow.

  This girl could run.

  She didn’t win overall, but she kicked ass in her age group winning that. I would have known this if I bothered to look up the past years’ race results, but I was trying to hone in my alleged stalker skills, plus having been away on tours kept me out of the loop. Kiara had won the last five years in her age group and then a few before that as a teen.

  I wondered what crow actually tasted like.

  I pushed my way through the crowd and grabbed one of the medals walking up to her smiling and heavy breathing face.

  “I kind of want to kiss you against that creeper van over there.” Our eyes darted to the van and Kiara chuckled.

  “Yeah, I don’t think so. Besides we have our students here and that might get weird.” She patted my chest with her palm and I don’t think she realized she did that until I trapped her hand underneath mine keeping it on my chest. Her hand contracted and nails pressed against my t-shirt covered heart.

  “Weird for who?” I pressed taking a step closer into her personal space. “Newsflash, we are adults.” I took the medal and placed it over her head letting my hands linger around her neck.

  “Picture for the paper?” We both turned and I tugged Kiara in next to me as Lia Faust snapped the shot.

  “Hey girl, is Whit around?” I asked the adorable purple haired girlfriend of another one of my best guy friends.

  “That man of mine is working today. Maybe I can convince him to come to town for drinks tonight.”

  “Have him text me.” I said.

  “Will do, I have to jet before these people run off on me, no pun intended.” She waved jogging off to take more candid shots of the post-race action.

  “She looks like she’s fifteen.” Kiara said kindly, her eyes following Lia’s path through the crowd. Her face was covered by the lens and I saw her grab a shot of Evan directing traffic. He’d love that one, the swaggering meathead.

  “We call her Jailbait as a joke, but Whit hates it. Maybe you’ll get to meet all of them soon. It’s rare we can get together anymore. Probably going to need a wedding or something.”

  “I know that feeling, but I’m hungry, and I think you promised me food.” She poked my side gently and I squeezed her back hugging her underneath my arm despite the curious stares of a few football players who earned a dirty look from me. I’d have them run until they dropped on Monday if they gave her any grief.

  “I certainly did. Follow me.” Without a second thought I took her hand and led her inside Easton’s Pub that was crowded with runners and thirsty people waiting to sample Andy’s small batch of Marathon Mountain, a light IPA compared to his other seasonal favorite, the darker Witches Tit.

  “This place is packed.” My girl shouted and I agreed.

  “Let me have Pedro get us some drinks and food. We can go upstairs out of the crowd if that’s better.”

  Before I get an answer, a couple who wasn’t paying attention bumped into Kiara hard sending her into my arms.

  “Shit.” She cursed.

  “Hey guys watch it.” I scolded them and made room for her to come with me. I’d protect her like a personal bodyguard if needed. Andy’s beer was good, but it wasn’t screaming fangirl good, and I made a note to have him name the next beer something ridiculous like that.

  I noticed Kiara was limping and I didn’t like that.

  “You good?” I asked.

  “A little off balance, but yeah.” She stayed close to me and I grabbed our personal order from Pedro and took her up the back hall to the stairwell up to the second floor apartments.

  “Huh, how drunk was I last time?” She chuckled and I gave her look shaking my head.

  “Maybe not drunk enough.” I snarked back.

  We got up to my apartment and I had her reach in my pocket for my keys. A completely uncalculated move on my part, but I still got side eye for it. Oh well.

  I brought everything over to the kitchen island and barstools. Pedro had out done himself. We had fresh margaritas because why not, and a selection of hot food and bakery goods from outside.

  “What’s this drink?” She asked and I sampled it laughing.

  “I do believe Pedro made us his famous Prickly Pear Cactus margarita.”

  Her defined eyebrows arched and lips twitched. “And that’s funny because?”

  “Only because this pub keeps no secrets. I think he was making fun of you for turning me down.” I stuffed food in my mouth before I could get myself into more trouble because I seemed to be exceptionally good at that.

  “Nice. I have a drink now.” She rolled her eyes and I noticed the tiny gold flecks in the mahogany depths. Kiara sipped the drink slowly wincing from the bite of tequila. We mock toasted each other after downing half because why would we do anything in any semblance of order. I already had her in my bed, but I’d yet to take her on a real date or even kiss her just because.

  Well, that was ending right now.

  I leaned in close and tugged on the medal around Kiara’s neck drawing her into my lap.

  “What are you doing, David.”

  I grabbed her hips and boosted her legs around my waist mindful of keeping her steady. She leaned into my chest but arched her back to look at me.

  “I’m contemplating whether or not you’ll let me kiss the shit out of you, but I don’t really want to ask for permission.”

  Her nose scrunched and her eyes twinkled with those golden flecks like fireflies on a summer night. “Then you might want to start with forgiveness.”

  She grabbed onto my t-shirt and pulled closer. I wrapped my arms around her and touched my lips to hers. I tasted the salt from the rim of the glass and the tart sweetness. I sucked gently on her top lips and she opened her mouth undermine. She nipped and pulled on my bottom lip and the sting sent electric straight to my cock. My schoolteacher had a naughty side I wanted to draw out as much as possible if she let me. I’d start with this kiss and see where it went.

  Her hands anchored on my shoulders and I picked her up linking my hands under her firm butt. I felt her muscles clench and I slow walked us over to my sofa parking my ass on it giving her the top position. I would have moved to the bed for comfort, but I didn’t want her thinking that I was only in it for the sex. I wasn’t. Sure it crossed my mind. I was a dude and a healthy one with an appetite for her pussy, but I wasn’t an asshole. I really did want to get to know her, date her, see where this crazy thing would take us.

  “Am I forgiven yet?” I rasped against her neck letting my scruff abrade her skin as I kissed and sucked lightly. I wasn’t about to leave her with hickeys, though the idea was tempting and perhaps I’d try it in a less obvious place.

  Kiara moaned, “Not by a long shot.”

  12

  Kiara

  Brunch with David turned into a kissing, dry humping fest until my cellphone rang. My family had impeccable timing in the form of my sister getting engaged. Kelsey’s on again, off again chief of staff finally ponied up a ring and I was expected to be at the house tonight for dinner. So much for meeting David’s friends and easing myself into this. Had I really expected him to wait around until spring for a date? Of course not, but I needed time to process how I was going to meet all my commitments and balance a romantic interest.

  David had the grace to not pout when I asked him for a rain check. The question now was when and not if. Unfortunately our weekday schedules didn’t mesh and my girls cross country team had a heavy week of practice befor
e we tapered off before a big meet in Albany. Tired didn’t begin to cover it, so a week went by and when the fall lake effect rains came my leg began to throb and my joints reminded me what being a dedicated athlete felt like. Going to PT regularly was easier during the summer and off season months, but with school underway I hadn’t made the time I should have to stay on top of things.

  Phantom pains radiated up my leg and back down again as if the limb was still there. It was a challenge to deal with on a good day, but on a day like today, there was no telling how it would affect my mood. I sat in my car giving myself a pep talk until I heard the gentle rapping on my car window.

  Chase Calloway.

  I pressed the button and rolled my window down smiling at my friend. We met here a few years during our outpatient time. Easy to talk to and good looking which didn’t hurt made Chase someone I adored.

  “Hey PT buddy.” Chase opened my door for me and held it open as I got out of the car a little less steady today than normally. His arm reached out, but he didn’t grab for me, instead he waited for me to grab him because I couldn’t staunch my independence even a little bit with someone I trusted.

  I gritted through the strain of muscles stretching to stand up.

  “Busy week?” He asked with a smirk.

  “Not the kind you’re thinking pervert.”

  Chase chuckled muttering, “Damn stubborn girl.” He reached inside the car for my gym bag and slung it over his shoulder ignoring any protest I might have made.

  “Thanks.” I leaned into him and we walked together toward the entrance. “I didn’t know you were today, it’s not our usual training day.”

  “I happened to see you from the weight room and couldn’t figure out why you were hanging out inside your car. Usually you’re already inside waiting to kick my ass.”

  I’d been coming here to continue my strength training since my partial amputation. Chase joined our PT group after his knee surgery and stayed on. We considered each other training partners and while Chase had no desire to run a 5k race, I couldn’t get rid of the need I felt to have the wind on my skin as I pushed myself over the road toward a finish line banner. Running was as much a part of me as breathing.