Chapter Two
“Whoohooo! Who’s that?” Marlon, Joshua’s friend whistled, then asked.
They were in the living room with two more of his friends, Gary and Cory, sitting on the sofa, the day after his return from duty. They had joined the army together and were home for a short period of time before they had to return to camp. Marlon had gotten up and moved towards the double glass doors overlooking the swimming pool. Joshua moved up behind him and looked across at the pool.
“No way man, that’s my step sister. She’s off limits.”
“Seriously, that’s Reds? She’s all grown up….wow man she’s hot!” his mouth had opened and his eyes threatened to pop out of his head.
Lee-Ann was clad in a red bikini that showed off her long slender legs, toned thighs, every inch of her flat belly, and tapered waist. Her small round breasts were pushing against the triangular shape of the bra cup, while revealing her slight golden tan. She was rubbing sun tan lotion on and Joshua found that his eyes lingered a second longer than they should have. The bright California sun glistened off the surface of the water, and also made her skin glow.
“Why? Does she have a boyfriend?” Gary, who had seemed bored all along, also jumped up from the sofa and joined the ogling.
Cory who had moved quietly to one side was leaning against the glass with a beer in his hand, staring silently out at the pool. He sipped his beer and ignored the others.
Joshua noticed and walked over to him, “Hey, man. Your eyes may fall out!”
Cory averted his eyes and moved back towards the sofa and finished his beer. Joshua’s eyes followed him and watched as he kept glancing back at the pool. He knew that Lee-Ann was now a young woman and would warrant the stares of men, but these were his friends. He didn’t want her getting tangled with any of them. She’d always had boys from her school chasing after her ever since he’d known her, and he felt it was his duty to protect her. One conversation his father had taken with him was vivid in his mind.
Timothy had called him aside one night, “Son, I know Lee-Ann can be difficult, but she’s now a part of the family and I’m depending on you to be there for her.”
“Why me Dad?” he asked, not really caring about babysitting some snot nosed teenager with an attitude.
“She’s going through a rough time. Her father betrayed her, and now her mother has married a strange man with a grown son. She probably doesn’t know where she fits in.”
He’d thought about what his father told him and observed Lee-Ann’s behavior. There was something to be said about what his father told him. Her mother had become increasingly busy with her new life, and Lee-Ann seemed lonely most of the time. He sometimes noticed how her expression would change when her mother and his father were together. Therefore, he tried to be a friend, but she refused, so in the end, he became her protector. That didn’t go down so well either.
“I think somebody likes his sister,” Marlon joked, bringing Joshua back to the present.
“That’s sick, and she isn’t my sister….she doesn’t like to be called my sister,” Joshua said, in a low tone.
“Well, I remember you two never got along. She must still be resenting you. You chased away half of her boyfriends,” Marlon laughed.
“I did no such thing, man. Those wimps were after one thing,” Joshua said seriously.
“You mean you were protecting her chastity?” Gary piped in.
“Yeah, something like that,” Joshua smiled. “Where’s Cory?”
No one noticed when Cory slipped away. All eyes turned towards the pool where he was crouched beside the lounger and talking to Lee-Ann. At first, she seemed uninterested, and then, she looked towards the glass doors. Hers and Joshua’s eyes met for a moment. Then, he saw something change. She immediately smiled at Cory and started talking with him, turning her back towards the house.
Joshua was confused. He knew what he saw. Was Lee-Ann trying to prove something? She seemed bored, or uninterested before she saw him and then her features did a 180 degree. What was up with that? Was it because he told her to stay away from his friends? No, she was trying to get back at him for something he’d done in the past. That’s how her mind worked. If that was the case, then he had nothing to worry about. Cory wouldn’t get anywhere.
They got another round of beer and ordered pizzas. They’d promised themselves that they would indulge even for one day while they were home. The food they ate in their mess hall was dull and tasteless, but it kept them healthy.
Marlon got up to get another beer when Cory returned, “Hey, you sneak. What happened?” Marlon grinned. “Did you get her number?”
Cory took the beer from his hand and walked by him to the sofa. Joshua was also curious to know how Lee-Ann turned him down. He smiled as he pictured her smirking at him and probably calling him a snake. If he knew her at all, Cory must be feeling pretty embarrassed about now.
“Yes, I’m curious. How’d it go?” Joshua leaned back on the seat, waiting to hear what his friend had to report.
“I didn’t get her number,” Cory said quietly.
‘Sorry man, better luck next time,” Marlon patted him on the shoulder and Joshua grinned, feeling pleased with Lee-Ann.
“I got a date!” Cory announced, wiping the smile from all their faces, especially Joshua’s.
“What?” Joshua could not believe it. What was Lee-Ann up to? There was something fishy about this, and he knew he had to get to the bottom of this. “Didn’t you hear me say she’s off limits?” Joshua’s voice took on an icy tone. He walked over to Cory who was sipping on his beer, quite pleased with himself.
“Hey, what’s your problem? Reds is a grown woman. She can decide who she dates…unless you have a thing for her,” Cory stood, facing his friend.
The right hand folded, making a fist. Joshua had no conscious thought of it. He had no idea what triggered his arm to raise, lifting that fist, and clipping the chin of Cory. He could not figure what provoked it. Perhaps, it was the way Cory seemed pleased with himself, or the fact that, as his friend, he totally disregarded his instruction.
Cory’s head tilted back and he lost his footing, crashing into the coffee table, which smashed to pieces. He sat on his ass in stunned silence, shaking his head once, perhaps trying to clear the fog. Joshua stood threateningly over him, waiting for him to get up. Cory raised his eyes after a few minutes, looking at his friend in awe.
“What the fuck was that for, man?” Cory’s voice was somewhat stilted.
“I told you, Lee-Ann is off limits,” Joshua replied calmly.
Cory scrambled to his feet and stood facing Joshua. They glared hotly at each other for a spell, while Marlon and Gary looked on wide eyed.
“And why should I listen to you? Reds can make up her own mind.”
“Her name is Lee-Ann, not Reds. If you knew her any at all, you’d know she hates to be called that.”
“I think perhaps it’s time I get going. Give me a call when you’ve calmed down,” Cory said, retreating. “Come on guys.”
The three of them left Joshua looking down at the broken table, wondering what came over him. He’d always been like that when it came to Lee-Ann. From the moment she walked into his life, she’d been creating mischief. When it wasn’t doodling on his sketches, it was sneaking out to go to parties, especially when she’d been grounded. Now, here he was, a Sergeant First Class in the Army of the United States of America, losing his cool over his step sister, having no idea why.
“What happened?” Barbara walked into the living room and placed her purse on the sofa.
She looked from the broken mess on the floor to her stepson. He silently bent and began picking up pieces of wood. After he was done, he told his stepmother that all was fine, that there was an accident with his friends. He then retreated to the sanctity of his room to brood.
He could not help feeling like an idiot, what they must have thought about his behavior. How would he explain to them that he was only trying to protec
t her? Cory was right about Lee-Ann being a grown woman. She was nineteen, going off to college soon. However, he still felt that he needed to defend her…but from what exactly, he had no idea.
Without a clear solution, he decided to find out from her what the deal with his friend was. He walked across the hall and knocked on her door a couple of times. She had left the poolside before the incident with Cory, so he had no idea if she even knew what happened. After a few knocks, he decided to give up when she pulled the door open, wearing nothing but her bath robe. Her hair was wet and tousled.
“What do you want Josh?” she frowned.
“Why are you always angry Reds?”
“I told you not to call me that!” her voice took on an edge. “What do you want?”
“What’s the deal with you and Cory? You know he’s got a girlfriend, right?”
Lee-Ann glared at him, “I don’t see why that’s any of your business.”
“He’s bad news, Lee-Ann. I’ve known him almost all our lives,” he said quietly.
“As I said, it’s no concern of yours who I see. Now, if you’ll excuse me!” she closed the door, leaving him standing there.
“That went well,” he muttered walking back to his room.
Her behavior didn’t surprise him at all. It’s always been like that. If he told her not to do something, she’d always do the opposite. He never learned. After thinking about the situation for a few minutes, a plan suddenly formed in his mind. Somehow, he knew that Lee-Ann was not interested in Cory. That thing he saw in her eyes at the pool was defiance. She knew he would not like it if she went out with his friends and that’s why she was doing it. If his theory was right, all he had to do was act as if it was alright.
That night over dinner, he made his first move. His father, Timothy, was home and all four sat together for a meal after three years. It felt great and he could see that Barbara was pleased. The only person who was unhappy that he was home was Lee-Ann.
“So Reds, I’m all for you going out with my friend. He’s a good guy, you’ll be fine,” he said, taking a bit of vegetables.
“What? I thought you said he had a girlfriend?”
“Well, he did, but I don’t know…maybe they broke up or something. You’ll be alright. I’m sure he wouldn’t do anything to hurt you.”
“Yeah, right,” she murmured.
After dinner, he called up his friend. If he wanted to get Lee-Ann to break the date, he had to appear as if he was all for it, on both sides. Cory was his friend and he didn’t want lose him, but Lee-Ann was family. She was more important.
“I’m sorry man,” Joshua said into the phone. “I have always been a little overprotective of that girl. She’s my little sister, man.”
Cory laughed, “Yeah, I know man. I’m sorry I went against your wishes, but I really like her.”
“What happened to Karen?” Joshua had to know, in case his plan backfired.
“Well…man…we,” Cory seemed hesitant to answer.
“No worries, just take care of Reds, okay?”
“You mean, I can go out with her?” Cory seemed elated.
“Just do me one favor,” he asked.
“Yeah, anything.”
“Don’t tell Lee-Ann what happened,” Joshua was counting on her not finding out, because if she did, the whole plan would be shot.
“My lips are sealed,” Cory replied.
They chatted for a while longer before hanging up. Joshua was feeling better. Cory was not a bad guy, but he already had a girlfriend, so him dating Lee-Ann was out of the question. He didn’t feel comfortable having his friends around her, so it didn’t matter whether it was Cory, Marlon, or Gary.
Chapter Three
Joshua did a complete U-turn on her. What’s the deal with that? Did he really think she liked Cory? The guy was good looking, but he was a player. She knew that. She’d known them for almost five years. Cory used to slick back his black hair using hair gel. Somehow, he reminded her of “The Fonz” from Happy Days, but he wasn’t as cool. He wasn’t as tall as Joshua, nor was he as muscular.
“Oh God, I’m comparing Fonzie with Josh. I’m losing it,” she groaned. “What am I to do?” Cory was picking her up in a few minutes, and she was not looking forward to it. “What made me do it?”
She thought of faking a headache, then changed her mind. By the time Barbara knocked on her door to tell her that Cory was waiting, she was ready. He said he’d be taking her to dinner and a movie. She wore a beige summer dress that flared at the hem and hugged her hips. The V neckline dipped towards her belly, revealing just a bit of skin and the thin straps hugged her shoulders, leaving her arms bare. The dress had been given to her by her mother and it was the first time she was wearing it. Her hair was caught in a ponytail at her nape, with tiny tendrils falling at her temples. She looked great, but her reservation about this date was showing on her face.
“What’s wrong honey?” Barbara’s face showed her concern when she came into the hallway. “By the way, you look beautiful.”
“Thanks, Mom,” she managed a smile. “Nothing’s wrong.”
“You don’t look so happy, dear,” her mother followed her down the stairs.
“I’m fine mom,” she reassured as they entered the living room.
Cory was there, wearing a baby blue long sleeve shirt, opened at the neck, with dark blue blazer and pants. He looked okay. Joshua was standing by the glass doors, grinning and talking on the phone. He too looked as if he was going out, wearing beige slacks, chocolate blazer, and brown shirt. The top two buttons of his shirt were also opened, and for a moment, he looked like something out of a magazine.
“Wow, you look amazing,” Cory walked up to her, forcing her to take her eyes off Joshua.
A weird feeling settled over her as Joshua continued talking on the phone and did not even glance her way. Cory crooked his arm, offering it to her and she took it, allowing him to lead her out.
“Have a good time,” Barbara said as they headed out the door.
They drove to the restaurant in silence as she was not in a good mood. Cory tried to make small talk, but she told him she wanted to enjoy the silence. She could not get her mind off Joshua and how he ignored her before they left the house. She had wanted him to see her leave with Cory, but he had been busy on the phone. And, where the hell was he going all dressed up?
Cory took her to a Mediterranean restaurant. The food was good, or so she was told, because she ate without tasting it. Nothing tasted good to her, and even though Cory tried his best, she was not in any frame of mind to enjoy herself. When they were finished, she asked him to take her home without going to the movies.
“Is something wrong, Lee-Ann?” He asked as he pulled up in front of the house.
“No. Why?”
“You seemed awfully quiet tonight,” he said.
“Everything’s fine. Thanks for dinner.” She got out of the car and stepped onto the portico.
“How about that movie tomorrow?” Cory came up beside her.
“Maybe, I’ll let you know,” she walked towards the door, but he reached for her arm.
“Have you been toying with me? You were all over me yesterday, and today, you’re giving me the cold shoulder. What’s with the sudden change in attitude?”
She pulled her arm away, “I don’t like being manhandled Cory, and a girl can change her mind, can’t she?”
He dropped his arm and stepped back. “Okay, I get it. Josh told you about Karen, didn’t he?”
“Who’s Karen?” she asked innocently.
“Never mind. See you around Lee-Ann,” he seemed a bit miffed. She watched him stride to his car and pull away, speeding down the driveway.
Leading on Cory was only to get back at Joshua, but she felt bad for what she did. A small part of her thought that Cory deserved it anyway for asking her out when he had a girlfriend. The guy was practically engaged. As she entered the house, she was curious about where Josh was. She was furious with him. For
whatever reason, she had no idea. All she knew was that she wanted to yell at him.
“Back so soon?” Barbara was sitting in the living room with Timothy.
The man was tall, around the same height as Joshua, with brown hair that was greying at the sides. His eyes were pale blue, a stark contrast to his son’s electric blue eyes. He looked up when she entered and his eyes softened when they rested on her.
“You look nice. How was your date?” He asked, a smile on his face.
“It was okay. Is Josh home?”
“No, he’s not back from his date as yet,” her mother informed her.
So, he was out having a great time while she was home feeling crappy, great, just great! She thought. “I’ll be in my room,” she said and headed up the stairs.
Lee-Ann had grown to really like her mother’s husband over the last couple of years. Timothy was an attorney with a gentleness that surprised her. She’d often thought that lawyers were aggressive and dishonest. When she first arrived almost five years ago, she resented him and the rest of the world. All she could see was her own pain, caused by a father who abandoned them for greener pastures. She was rebellious, and took it out on everyone around her. Though she wanted her mother to be happy, she also wanted her all to herself.
The idea of moving to a rich neighborhood with a new father and brother didn’t exactly appeal to her. Seeing her mother grow increasingly close to Timothy made her jealous, and she often felt neglected. She had hated the man, and told him on many occasions that he was not her father. He never seemed angry or upset and always smiled and treated her kindly. That made her angrier.
Then, there was Joshua. The guy who she knew thought she was just a kid. He seemed friendly, but she knew he must have resented her for intruding in his life. Times he could have spent with his friends were spent following her around under the pretense that he was protecting her. She knew he was their watchdog and that pissed her off even more. Her mother and step father didn’t trust her and set Josh to watch over her.
Reminding The SEAL (Navy SEAL Military Romance) Page 14
