Cinderella and the Major

by VanRooy, Cynthia

  He reflected that he could stop worrying about falling for another woman who had a thing for men in uniform. It had already happened.

  Harmony had fascinated him from the very beginning. He was in awe of her and amused by her in turns. She was smart and silly, practical and unrealistic, self-assured and shy. She was intelligent and clueless, and he loved every aspect.

  The only problem, as far as he could see, was that she loved the fact he was in the military. And he wouldn’t be much longer. What then? Did they even have a future beyond the weekend?

  “Conn?”

  He tipped his chin down. “Hm?”

  The room was in full darkness now, the only light, coming from the streetlights outside. It reflected off her cheeks and lips swollen from his kisses. The sight made him want to kiss them again.

  “How did you know this would be okay?” she asked.

  “This?”

  “You know.” She swept her hand down their bodies.

  A corner of his mouth kicked up. “You’re not the only smart one in this bed.”

  She smiled back. She started to speak, but her stomach growled loudly enough they could both hear it.

  Conn’s smile broadened. “Sounds like you have definitely recovered. You probably need some food in your system. Let’s see what room service has that might go easy on your stomach.”

  He rolled out of bed to use the bathroom and dispose of the condom, wrapped a towel around his waist and headed back into the bedroom. He flipped on the desk lamp and scanned the menu offerings for comfort food. “They’ve got chicken noodle soup. That good?”

  “It’s perfect.”

  After their meal, by mutual consent they headed back to bed and made love again. Conn took heart from the fact that Harmony was behaving like anyone but a woman who intended to end their association when they got back home. With every touch, with every heated glance, she seemed to promise otherwise.

  They eventually slept, Harmony nestled against him. He woke in the pale dawn light peeking through the opening between the draperies they had closed the night before. Conn lay for a few minutes appreciating her closeness and the way her curls tickled his chin. The expanse of the king-sized bed was wasted. The two of them could have fit on the rollaway with room to spare.

  As if sensing his wakefulness, Harmony began to stir. She stretched like a cat, the action dragging the sheet off her breasts, and Conn was instantly hard. Rather than satisfying him, the activities of the night before had only served to whet his appetite. He couldn’t imagine ever getting enough of Harmony.

  She noticed his erection and seemed surprised. “Now? Before breakfast?”

  “I’m up for it. Literally.” His smile challenged her.

  He could see her try to contain her own smile. She wrapped her arms around his neck and stretched up to nip his earlobe. “It seems like a wonderful idea.” Her whisper was warm in his ear and had him going even harder.

  An hour and a half later they were sitting at a table in the hotel restaurant sharing smiles over coffee and eggs benedict. Harmony radiated the glow of a well-loved woman, and Conn was doing his best not to look smug.

  The weekend had been nothing like he had envisioned. It had been so much more. He needed to lock in a future with this woman. “You know, babe, I feel bad that Cinderella didn’t get to go to the ball.”

  Her smile was full of mischief. “There were compensations. And glass slippers always sounded uncomfortable anyway.”

  “Fortunately you don’t have to wear them to attend a Blue Angels show. The offer is still open. It’s next weekend. Want to go?”

  “Oh, I’d love to! What a bargain.” There was that smile again.

  “A bargain?”

  “Two for the price of one. This weekend and the Blue Angels.”

  He laughed and was in the middle of trying to figure out how to convince Harmony there could be a happily-ever-after in their future when she suddenly frowned.

  “Damn.”

  “What is it?”

  “I should have worn my contacts. This was the point of them. That woman headed our way? Jenny Nichols. She was my nemesis in high school. The ring leader. Remember my something-to-prove? Well she was one of the people I wanted to prove it to. Why is she still here? The reunion is over.”

  Conn scanned the slightly overweight brunette approaching their table. “She doesn’t look so scary to me.”

  “Shows what you know,” Harmony muttered.

  “Harmony? That is you, right? I don’t know if you remember me? Jenny Nichols? Although, it’s Schultz now.”

  “Yes, that’s me.” Harmony’s smile was without enthusiasm. “Hi, Jenny. How are you?”

  “I’m good. We’re just in town for the reunion.”

  “We?”

  “My husband Tom. You don’t know him. I met him in college, and we live in Chicago now. Tom’s folks are staying with the kids so we could come. We have a two-year-old daughter and three-year-old son. Our son has learning disabilities, so we can’t leave him with just anyone. Tom’s folks are great with him.”

  Harmony looked a little overwhelmed with the flow of information. When the woman glanced at him curiously, Conn took the opportunity to deflect some of the attention.

  He stood and extended his hand. “Hi. We haven’t met yet.”

  Harmony found her voice. “Oh, sorry. Conn, this is an old classmate, Jenny . . . Schultz, right? Jenny, Conn Talbot.”

  “Hi, Jenny. I’m Harmony’s significant other.” He was aware of Harmony’s surprised expression, but chose to ignore it. He was a big believer in positive thinking. Harmony’s nemesis took his hand in a warm shake.

  “Would you like to join us?” he asked and winced at the kick to his ankle.

  “Thank you, but no. We just finished breakfast. Tom’s waiting for me. We met the Pollacks—you remember Katy Brockenhurst? She and Jake Pollack got married. Anyway, they met us for breakfast before Tom and I have leave to go back to Chicago.”

  Jenny turned to Harmony. “I love the way you’re wearing your hair now. It’s so cute. I’m already getting gray hairs. Makes me feel pretty old. I guess kids will do that to you. Do you and Conn have any children?”

  Before Conn could come up with a reply, Harmony kicked him again. “No,” she said. “We haven’t made that decision yet.”

  “Understandable. I hear from Brittany you’ve been pretty busy. We’re all impressed with how successful you are. Brittany brags on you all the time.”

  “She does?”

  “All the time. She’s so proud of you. We all knew you’d wind up doing something awesome. You have no idea how scared of you I was.” Jenny shook her head at the memory. “You were so smart that I felt dumb just being around you.”

  “I . . . didn’t realize.”

  Jenny laughed. “I should hope not. I felt dumb enough without having you rub it in. Say, why didn’t we see you at the reunion?”

  Harmony appeared at a loss, so Conn stepped into the breach. “After we drove up here Friday, Harmony came down with some kind of twenty-four hour flu. She hated to miss the event, but was just too sick to attend.”

  “What a shame. I hope you’re feeling better now.”

  “Much, thank you.”

  Jenny directed her gaze at Conn. “I hope you took good care of her.”

  A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “The best.” He was amused at the blush that warmed Harmony’s cheeks.

  Jenny glanced at the entrance. “There’s Tom now. I’ve got to go. It was so nice to see you again, Harmony. Best of luck with everything.” She flashed her smile at them both, before hurrying to meet her husband.

  Conn resumed his seat and picked up his coffee.

  Harmony stared after her, a stunned expression on her face. “She’s just an ordinary person.”

  “I believe someone very wise said words to that affect recently.”

  “All these years.” Her voice echoed disbelief. “In my mind she was so much more.
Bigger, badder. She represented everything that had been wrong with my high school experience. Did you hear her mention her learning-disabled son?”

  “Yeah. Tough break.”

  “She’s just trying to get through life like the rest of us.” Disbelief still colored Harmony’s tone. “Probably always has been.” She was quiet a moment. “I think it’s a good thing I couldn’t make the reunion.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “It would have been an older version of high school. Same cliques, same posturing. I would have been posturing, too. It wouldn’t have been genuine, and I think I wouldn’t have liked myself for it. This way was better. Thank you, Conn, for coming with me.”

  “You’re welcome.” He paused, considering his next words. “You didn’t introduce me as Major Talbot.”

  Harmony was immediately contrite. “I’m sorry. Did you want me to?”

  “Doesn’t matter to me, but I thought the whole point of my being here was that Major Talbot was supposed to make you look good—more impressive. Did you decide I wasn’t that impressive after all?” His smile teased her.

  “Not at all. I think you’re very impressive. In a number of ways.” Her own smile teased him back. “To tell you the truth, I didn’t introduce you as Major Talbot because I simply forgot.”

  Had she really just said that? “Are you telling me you forgot because it’s not important to you that I’m a Marine?”

  She frowned. “Is this a trick question? Of course it’s important to me. It’s part of who you are.”

  He was suddenly impatient with the circular conversation. “We need to talk somewhere else. Are you through eating?”

  She looked confused and little wonder. He was confused himself. “I guess so.”

  He tossed some bills on the table and ushered her out of the restaurant. “Upstairs. I don’t want to be interrupted by another one of your wayward classmates.”

  In the elevator, Harmony kept sending him curious glances, but he was busy mentally going over his arguments. Back in their room, Harmony turned to him.

  “Okay. What is so important that we needed privacy?” Her gaze strayed to the unmade bed and sharpened with interest.

  He was not above using the heat that simmered between them, but taking Harmony back to bed wasn’t his priority at the moment.

  He took her face in his hands. “Harmony, you must know by now how much I care about you.” He gathered his courage and laid it all on the line. “I love you.”

  Her eyes widened. “Really?”

  He smiled at the wonder on her face. “Really. The question is how do you feel about me?”

  She stared into his eyes as though searching for the truth of his words. She must have seen it, because a smile that started in her eyes grew to light her whole face.

  “Like I just won the lottery. Like I’m the luckiest woman on the planet.”

  He felt as though his heart had just expanded. “Now it’s my turn to say ‘really?’”

  “Absolutely.” Her words held the conviction of a vow.

  He needed to be sure she had no illusions about what she was getting into.

  “You said it was important to you that I was a Marine. You do realize that I won’t be one for much longer?”

  “It’s only important to me because it’s important to you. I love you, Conn, whatever you are. What you care about, I care about. Marine or not, you’ll still be Prince Charming to me.”

  “I think I just got a promotion.”

  He lowered his mouth to hers to seal the deal.

  * * *

  Dear Reader,

  Thank you so much for taking the time to read Cinderella and the Major. If you enjoyed reading this book, I would be so grateful if you posted a review about it on Amazon or another book website. Getting reviews is a thrill for me, and I look forward to reading what you think. Thank you. Semper Fi!

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