by Marie Harte
With a sigh, she grabbed her coffee and returned to her desk. After seeking out one of the sergeants to fix another problem in record time, she hotfooted it to the colonel’s office.
And her aggravating day went from bad to worse.
Chapter Two
As if thinking about him when she shouldn’t wasn’t bad enough, now Genevieve had to work on a project with him?
As she drove home after her worst day at work since arriving in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, she realized she recognized the SUV in front of her. The dark blue vehicle belonged to the man burrowing under her skin like a tick. Major Cava drove over the speed limit all the way…home?
He parked next door to her, and she pulled into her driveway blocked from his view by her house. She parked the car and sat, pondering the implications of her knowledge. Naked guy jerking off next door. Brad Cava lived next door. God, let him have a roommate. Please.
Before she could fully fathom how bad it would be to have him living so close, he pulled open her door. “Were you following me?”
She stepped out of her car and had to push his chest to get him to move back. Again, unfortunate that he smelled like sex and temptation. And now she knew his chest felt like iron. So not helping her tone down her attraction. “I happen to live here.”
He blinked down at her. “You do?”
“Yes. I do.”
His eyes narrowed. “When did you move in?”
She prayed her cheeks didn’t look as hot as they felt. “Yesterday.”
“Yeah? I didn’t see any lights.” Great, now his cheeks looked pink.
“The electricity was powered back on today. Made it hard to move around last night, so I slept downstairs on my couch.” Oh yeah, totally not anywhere near that upstairs window watching you pleasure your fine self.
He seemed to relax, and then he grimaced. “You’re my new neighbor?”
Insulted by his reaction, she glared at him. “If I’d known you lived next door, you can bet I’d have passed on the lease.”
“You can’t be any worse than the last guys, I suppose.” He sighed. “Just keep the noise down and have your boyfriends park in your driveway, not in front of my house.”
“Why? Does your roommate need the extra space?” Please say yes so I know I wasn’t ogling you yesterday…
“Nope. It’s just me.”
“Terrific.” Oh hell. Her lust skyrocketed, and her ability to be distant around the man threatened to crash and burn, big time. She could still envision him holding that massive cock, taking himself…
“You okay?”
“Fine.” She coughed to clear her throat and realized he stood way too close. “Mind giving me some room?”
“What?” He stared into her eyes, and she hated that she had to keep jerking her gaze from his mouth. “Oh. Sorry.” He stepped back then followed her when she walked up her porch steps to the house.
“Something I can do for you?” She turned and arched a brow.
“I’m thirsty.”
She just stared at him.
He huffed. “Damn it. You’re in the South now. You have to be neighborly. It’s code.”
“Code for what?” Aggravating?
“Just invite me in for a sweet tea and we’ll be fast friends, I’m sure.”
“Sweet tea. Right.” Not wanting to fight with him, especially since he stood intoxicatingly close, she hurried inside and made a beeline for the fridge. “How about a lemonade?”
“That’ll do.” He glanced around, and she looked with him. In the light of day, the place looked cramped. She hadn’t had a chance to put her bed together or do anything but stack things out of sight, really. And some of those boxes were heavy.
“Do you have anyone to help you unpack?”
She bit her lip, wishing she could say yes. “I, um, no. I was going to hire Mr. Norris’s kids to help me move stuff. He has two high school boys he offered to help.”
“Is Norris in the blue house?”
Two doors down on the other side of her, away from him. “Yes. He’s a nice older man and has a terrific garden in the back.”
“Uh-huh.”
The pitiful look he shot her put her on the defensive. “What?”
“I think it’s a little sad you don’t have any friends to help you move, that’s all.”
“Sad?” Incensed, she poured a lemonade—like a good hostess—and shoved the glass into his hand. While he drank, she poked him in his hard, muscular chest. “For your information, Major Cava, I have plenty of friends. Just because I choose to be professional at work doesn’t mean I’m friendless.”
“Oh?”
She fumed. “Yeah, oh.”
“Name one.” He smirked at her.
“One what?”
“One friend.”
She came up blank then said the first thing that popped into her mind. “Maria’s a friend. Olivia too.”
“Who?”
“Two very nice women who work at the coffee shop in town.” Swansboro was small enough that mentioning the coffee shop didn’t cause confusion.
“Is that so?”
Knowing him, he’d probably slept with both women. Now she felt she had to make a point. “Yes. Good friends.”
“So they’ll be helping you settle in, then.”
“If I asked. But I hate to be a bother.”
“You going to lift that all by yourself?” He pointed to several large boxes she’d forgotten to tell the movers to place upstairs.
Not to mention her bed in pieces and the heavy mattress in her bedroom leaning against the wall.
“If I have to.”
He shook his head and gave her a thorough onceover that left her breathless—annoyed.
“What?” she snapped.
“Typical redhead. Stubborn.”
“Excuse me,” she said, her voice icy. “Redheads aren’t exactly known for being stubborn. We have tempers.” She poked him in the same spot as before.
His eyes burned. “Honey, you touch me again, I’m going to think you’re inviting me to something else.”
“Like what?” She crossed her arms over her chest so she wouldn’t be tempted to stroke that sexy chest.
He leaned closer, and his gaze flickered to her mouth before settling on her eyes. “Like maybe you want to give me a return show. Something similar to the one I gave you last night.”
She gaped like a dying fish, her cheeks hot enough to catch fire.
“Yeah, I thought so.” His slow smile did nothing to ease her discomfort. “I’ll be putting another one on tonight. Stick around and be entertained.”
The bastard finished his lemonade, staring at her all the while. He set the glass on the counter, turned, and left. Over his shoulder he added, “You need any help with those big boxes, let me know.”
Once he was out of sight, she sagged against the counter. Talk about having no kind of poker face whatsoever. She should have pretended she had no idea what he was talking about. But nooo. Genevieve had to stand there staring at him, guilty as charged.
“Great. Now I’m a hapless voyeur.” Yet every fiber in her being insisted she not miss tonight’s entertainment. She shivered, shook off her fascination with the man—or at least tried to put him to the back of her mind—and checked her watch. She had another hour before the coffee shop closed. With any luck, she’d catch Maria or Olivia behind the counter.
She entered the shop to see Maria manning the place. Not too many others sat around drinking. Genevieve had spotted a bunch outside, staring at the waterway not obscured by the large buildings down the street.
“Hey, lady. What can I get you?” Maria asked, a twinkle in her eye. She came to Genevieve’s chest, looked like a pixie, and had the most sincere smile. Like a bundle of caffeinated joy. Genevieve had liked her at their first introduction.
“I need a favor and a latte.” She plopped down a few dollars for a cup of coffee, even thoug
h she didn’t need another buzz to fry her already jumpy nerves.
“Hit me.” Maria fixed her a drink—Genevieve’s usual—then winked. “What can I do for you?”
Genevieve slumped. “It’s kind of embarrassing.”
“Sounds right up my alley then.” Maria stepped around the counter and led Genevieve to a side table, where they both sat. “What’s up?”
“I’ve been here since March, but I’ve been working so hard I don’t know too many people.”
“Small towns can be tough,” Maria agreed. “And small military towns are impossible if you’re not military or born there.”
“Yeah. I’m a civilian contractor, not military. I work with a lot of Marines, but I felt awkward about asking any of the guys for help.”
“Afraid that help might come with a few strings?”
Genevieve nodded.
“You’re not married. No boyfriend?” Maria asked.
“No. I’m happily single. I’m also nothing but professional at work and want to keep it that way. Problem is I don’t know anyone I could ask to help me move a few things at home. I just relocated from the temporary apartment I had in Jacksonville to a house up the street. The rest of my relatives live in Maryland, so it’s just me here. And there are a few boxes and pieces of furniture too big to handle on my own.”
“Good call on leaving Jacksonville. We’re much closer to the beach here in Swansboro.” Maria smiled. “So you want help moving some stuff?”
Genevieve nodded. “I know it’s an imposition. I feel stupid even asking. I don’t know you all that well. I was going to hire my neighbor’s kids to help me, but this idiot I was talking to made me feel kind of pathetic for not having friends to help.”
“Yeah, you are.”
“Thanks,” she grumbled, and Maria laughed. “You and Olivia have been so nice. I was hoping we could be great friends.”
“By bonding over moving your heavy furniture?”
Genevieve groaned and planted her forehead on the table. “Sounds horrible, doesn’t it?” How much more awkward could things get?
“Well, well. I see you do know Maria.”
That voice. Swearing to herself, Genevieve raised her head off the table to see a familiar smirk.
“Brad!” Maria stood and hugged the man.
“You know Genevieve?” he asked.
Genevieve hadn’t been aware he even knew her first name, considering just about everyone at work called her St. James, with or without the Ms.
“Actually, Olivia and I are helping our friend unpack this weekend.” Maria looked to Genevieve. “Right?”
Wanting to kiss the woman, even if she’d had the poor taste to sleep with Brad Cava, Genevieve smiled. “Yeah.”
“Well, that’s great,” Brad agreed. “We can celebrate with dinner at my place.” He paused then took Maria’s seat. “Right next door.”
Maria stared from Brad to her. “Are you serious? You moved next door to him?”
“Um, yes?”
Maria laughed. “That’s perfect.” She gave Brad a sly grin. “Hey, if you’re not busy, you should help your poor neighbor out too.”
“I tried. She rejected me.”
Maria beamed at her. “I knew I liked you.”
A hulking brute of a man looking just like Brad walked in the shop and moved to Maria. He hugged her off her feet until she squeaked then planted a hot and heavy kiss on her.
“Meet my husband,” Maria said on a gasp.
The man turned, and Genevieve read his nametag. Another Cava, this one also a Marine Corps major, one who wore a wedding ring.
Brad smirked. “Mike’s my brother. Maria’s my sister-in-law. Small world, eh?”
Genevieve gripped her coffee like a lifeline. “Small world.”
Olivia took that moment to enter the main area from the back. “Oh hey, guys. Nice to see you here.”
Taking a long look at Olivia then the guys, Genevieve guessed, “Don’t tell me. You’re all related, right?”
“My brothers.” Olivia gave Mike and Brad a hug. “Are they bothering you? Want me to send them outside?” she teased.
Genevieve wanted to say yes, and by the wicked look on Brad’s face, he wanted her to as well. “No. Just surprised Brad never mentioned it before.” In a sweet tone, she added, “We work together.”
Mike frowned as he studied her. Then that frown turned into a huge grin. “I bet you’re the tech geek.”
“Systems engineer, but yes, to the uneducated layman”—she looked at Brad—“tech geek fits.”
“Ah.” Mike’s mirth had her dying to know what Brad had said about her, especially because Brad wasn’t smiling anymore.
“Shut up, Mike,” he growled.
“What did I say?”
Maria cut them off by explaining they’d be helping move some of Genevieve’s things the next morning. Not that Genevieve had given her any instructions about the move. The petite blonde issued orders like a general, roping everyone in to help.
“Will nine work?” Maria asked.
“Uh, sure. But you don’t have to—”
“Settling in definitely requires girlfriend help.” Maria nodded. Olivia smiled.
“Okay. It’s not much. Just a few boxes and one or two pieces of furniture. I swear I’ll buy you guys dinner for helping me.”
“No problem,” Mike said. “Any friend of Maria’s is a friend of mine. I mean, you’re practically family, working with my little brother and living right next door to him and all.” He tried rubbing Brad’s head.
“Asshole.” Brad smacked him away.
Olivia scowled at him. “Nice language. Genevieve, I’ll bring my husband too. We’ll have you set up in no time.”
Genevieve felt overwhelmed. “Wow. That’s…great.” Time to head back to the house and make sure to put away any unmentionables. Especially the ones with batteries. “You guys don’t have to go to too much trouble. I’m pretty sure with all the help we’ll be done in an hour, if that.”
“Good.” Brad stood when she did.
When had she taken to thinking about him as Brad and not that conceited ass?
He put a hand on the small of her back. “I’ll walk you home.”
She couldn’t refuse, not with everyone watching them. “Um, thanks.” She left after tossing her coffee cup.
“That’s the family. Nice, hmm?” He grinned as they walked up the street toward home. Her home.
His home.
Oh man.
“You set me up before,” she accused.
“Me? No way. You’re the one who dragged Maria and Olivia into your circle of friends. God help you.”
She had to laugh at that.
“Oh my gosh. A smile. I think my heart might give out.” He clutched his chest, and she rolled her eyes.
“Just when I was beginning to not dislike you so much.”
“And there, the love words. I wasn’t expecting them so soon in our relationship.”
“Ha ha.” She looked at him as she stepped onto her porch. Observing his charming side was dangerous. Now she could understand why so many people liked him. Danger signals flashed from his darkening eyes.
He grabbed her arm to stop her from entering her house. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. The comedy’s only the first part of my routine.” His grip gentled, and he ran his fingers down her arm to tickle the back of her hand. “My special performance will be later tonight. Ten o’clock—don’t miss it.” His gaze swept over her body and lingered on her breasts. Her damn bra and thin cotton shirt were no match for the effect his devastating grin had on her nipples.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” That was what she should have said the first time he’d mentioned his “performance”. She also might have been more effective in her denial if she hadn’t sounded so out of breath.
“Up to you. Curtains open or closed, it’s your call.” He blew her a kiss, laughed, and
left her there, staring after him as he disappeared down the street, no doubt going back to the coffee shop to see his siblings.
Chapter Three
Brad couldn’t believe the turn his attitude had taken. Watching Genevieve interact with his family and seeing her smile had erased any notion she might be annoying. He couldn’t get her sexy grin out of his mind, though he kept trying to tell himself she was a pain in the ass. To know she’d watched him, seen him stroking off—that blush had about killed him—only added fuel to the fire. He was so ready to fuck her. Fuck her and forget her, his heart reminded him. As if he needed more heartache at work.
Facing Marcy had been bad enough. They’d been broken up for nearly six months. After two dates and lackluster sex where she tried too hard, he’d known they wouldn’t suit. Since he’d had no intention of using her or hurting her, he’d broken things gently before they could really get started. But those first few weeks after they ended, she’d watched him with sad puppy eyes.
For months he’d done well to avoid her, only speaking to her when necessary and always with a professional detachment and politeness. They’d eventually eased into a familiar camaraderie, and he’d heard she’d started dating some supply guy in Lima Company not long ago. Knowing she’d moved on had eased his mind. That and they hadn’t dealt with each other in weeks.
But when he’d asked about his trouble ticket today, he’d gotten the weird vibe that maybe Marcy had held on to it so he’d have to talk to her again. Not a good situation, so he’d handled it then assigned one of his corporals to deal with any follow-up issues.
After his disastrous dates with Marcy, he’d made sure to learn from his mistakes. He’d avoid his sexy new neighbor like the plague. She worked near him, though not for him. No chain of command concerns. Yet they worked closely enough that should their as yet undefined relationship go wrong, he’d be feeling the sting for a long time to come. Unfortunately, Brad’s ability to reason seemed to have vanished, his sexual needs taking precedence over his common sense.
He wanted to think he was better than that, but he wanted Genevieve with an ache that grew worse every day.
