“Oh, you think you’re funny.”
“Not really,” she said. She ran a finger around the edge of the steering wheel.
“Good, because that shit isn’t funny one bit.”
“No, it’s not. I came pretty close to dying. I lost the lower part of one leg and came damn close to losing the other.”
Even though the gesture was far more intimate than our relationship called for, I rested my hand on her thigh. I’m terribly sorry. I can’t imagine going through anything close to that. We face it all the time, but for it to really happen …” I can only shake my head.
“Thank you. I’m much better than at the beginning. I cursed a lot. My physical therapists—whew, did they ever put up with some seriously bad language.”
“Hey, you’re in the military. They should’ve expected it. But looking at you now, you don’t give me that impression, Lee.”
“Yeah, when I knew I’d be coming home, I had to clean up my act. My little brother is very impressionable and that wouldn’t have set a very good example.”
“Little brother?”
“Yeah. His name is Glenn, but I call him Scuttlebutt because he can’t sit still for anything and always has the latest news in town. He’s really an amazing kid and I adore him.”
“How old is he?”
“He’s fourteen and adorable.”
Suddenly, I’m back to being fourteen again and I can hear my asshole of a father screaming at me, throwing a gut punch to me because I didn’t fold a towel perfectly, or maybe it was because the hose in the yard hadn’t been coiled correctly. I carried so many bruises every day from him that I could barely walk and stand up straight.
“Rusty? Earth to Rusty? You with me?”
“Oh, sorry.”
“Where’d you go?”
“Someplace you don’t ever want to be.”
“Why’s that?”
“It’s just a place filled with bad memories. I’m glad your little brother has you as a big sister and friend.”
“Did I tell you he was instrumental in some of the plans for the restaurant?” And then she explained.
“It sounds like your little Scuttlebutt is going to be an entrepreneur someday.”
“I think so.”
After Lee showed me several more places of interest, she drove a short distance out of town and then pulled off the road where there was an old covered bridge.
“Well, look at this.”
“Pretty cool, huh?”
“I’ll say.”
“There’s a really neat creek below with some minuscule rapids where the water dances over the rocks. You can hang out and splash in the water and it’s also fun to fish here too. Do you like to fish?”
“I love it. I think Drummond is a special place.”
“It is. Let’s go.”
She got out of the car and went to the trunk. Inside were a blanket, cooler, and a picnic basket.
“Here’s my surprise. We’re going to picnic on the covered bridge.”
“Nice,” I said. “This is a first for me.” I carried everything but the blanket, but when she had the perfect spot picked, I spread the blanket out for us.
She pulled out a bag that contained plenty of candles, which she set around us and lit. “Just so you know, Jackson put this together. She thinks of everything.”
“Nice. I need to thank her.”
“Yeah, I’m surprised she didn’t sit in your lap earlier today and hug you for flirting with me.”
“Is that a fact?”
“Yes. She thinks I take life far too seriously.”
“The military does that to some people. It makes others far too reckless.”
“Yeah, I can see that. So, tell me about yourself. Why the Seals?”
“It sort of just happened. I was this scrawny kid growing up. Helpless and bullied in school. My old man used me as his punching bag and beat the shit out of me every day. Or if not every day, every other day.”
“Oh, God, Rusty, I’m sorry.”
The sun has set, so it’s too dark now to tell for sure, but somehow I knew her eyes were filled with sorrow for me. But not pity. I didn’t want her pity. And I knew for damn sure she didn’t want mine.
“It’s in the past from a long time ago and the bastard is dead now so …”
“Yeah, but those kinds of scars never go away, and no one should have to endure that kind of crap. I hate that for you.”
“Thank you. But somehow, it made me strong. Strong enough to survive SEAL training.”
“Damn. And I hear that BUD/S is a cruel bitch.”
“You can say that again. I didn’t think I’d ever warm up again.”
“I’ve heard stories.”
“So, yeah, when the call went out, I thought, what the hell. What do I have to lose? And damn if I didn’t make it.”
“But Team Six?”
I shrugged. This is really an off-limits topic for me. “Yeah, well, it’s just a designation. DEVGRU is what I was assigned to. It’s a unit in the military like any other.”
She scoffed. “You might be able to pull that bullshit line on other civilians, but you can’t do that to me. I’ve seen some of your squadrons in action. Or I should say I’ve seen the aftermath of what you guys can do and you are not the average soldier.”
I ran a hand through my hair. “Sure, I’ll give you that. Our training is impeccable, and we are highly specialized. But unlike the rest of the military, we’ve spent months and months doing this. It was intense and swear to God, most of us have near-death experiences doing it.”
“I get that. But take the credit for it.”
“Okay. Now, can we change this touchy subject? This is pretty much an off-limits discussion, you know.”
“Yeah, I do. Sorry.”
“Not a problem. Besides, I’m starving and dying to see what you have in your little box of tricks over there.”
That got a good chuckle out of her and it diverted her attention, so she went about digging into the cooler and presented me with a drink.
“Thank you.” I popped the beer open with the opener she handed me. “That’s the only thing I dislike about these fancy beers. They don’t have the twist off caps.”
“Yeah, but I think they’re cool.”
The candlelight caught her smile and her beauty charmed me. The first thing that came to mind popped out of my mouth. “Were you not constantly hit on when you served?”
“What?”
“I mean, you are so damn beautiful.”
A hand flew to her hair and she smoothed it. “Please don’t.”
“Don’t what? Tell the truth?”
“Yes, no. I don’t know.”
“Then what?”
Her eyes blazed holes through me.
“Wait. Don’t tell me it’s because of your foot?” When she didn’t answer, I plowed on. “If you think for one second just because you’re missing a foot that I’m going to somehow think lesser of you, then you don’t know me very well. But then again, you don’t know me at all. We just met. So, I’m going to do my damnedest to prove to you I’m not that kind of guy. And don’t even think about not letting me because I’m an obstinate motherfucker. Now, are you gonna feed me or let me starve to death here?”
Chapter Twelve
Lee
* * *
The corners of my mouth tugged upward. Him starving was one thing that was never going to happen—not when he was in my company anyway. I scrambled to fix him a plate of the best potato salad a human being could create, and then I added a chicken salad croissant, along with some mixed fruit salad that contained a mixture of watermelon and freshly grated coconut. The plate was so heavy I was afraid the dang thing was going to split in half.
When I handed it to him, I said, “Make sure you keep a hand on the bottom.”
He did and thanked me. Then I made one for myself, only didn’t load it near as full. After his first few bites, he hummed his delight and managed to let me know how
tasty everything was.
“I was going to ask you because you didn’t say anything.”
“I’m having a food orgasm.”
“I didn’t think men had those,” I said.
“Who told you that?”
“No one. I just thought it because men don’t talk about food like women do.”
“You’re not hanging out with the right men.”
“Nice to know.”
He went back to his food and the man didn’t come up for air until his plate was completely empty. “I have more if you want,” I announced.
“Please,” he said, looking like a little kid waiting on candy. I gave him a refill and watched him go to town. The guy could pack it away. It was nice watching someone enjoy their food and not worry about putting on weight. I had to be careful because of my prosthesis. If I gained much weight, the thing might get too tight or it could also be too uncomfortable for me as far as the pressure on the stump.
We both finished at about the same time.
“Can I get you another beer?” I asked.
“How about I get one myself. And do you need anything?”
“No thanks, I’m fine.”
He grabbed another out of the cooler and settled back down. “That was some of the best food I’ve ever had.”
“And what was the best?”
“That meatloaf I had for lunch.”
“Really?”
“Truth. I don’t eat much home cooking, but that was a list topper.”
“You don’t cook then?” I asked.
“A little, if you count frozen dinners and bagged salad. I can do some stuff on the grill.”
“Like what?”
“Ribs.”
“I love ribs.”
“Then I’ll have to cook you some.”
“So, when did you get back to Drummond?”
I tuck the hair back around my ear. “Been back around a month now.”
He surprised me when he grabbed my hand. His was strong and warm, but it was also the hand of a man who did hard work. It was callused and rough, but he held mine with a gentle touch.
“What was it like? Coming home I mean?”
“Weird. Everything was the same, but different.”
His thumb began making circles over my own. “How so?”
I pinched my nose for a second. “It was like the town had been shaded a different hue. After I got hit, I was in a bad place for a while. My shrink had to jerk me around a bit to make me realize I was lucky to be breathing air and not eating dirt. I was hardheaded and unwilling to accept this.” I lifted and pointed to my leg. “Bitterness was my best friend, or so I thought. Until Marianna Perez, my shrink, jerked a knot in my panties. She was tough on me for all the right reasons.”
“And what were those reasons?”
“That day we were on patrol, I was the one who spotted the IED, and thank God I saw it.” I explained what happened. “If I hadn’t suspected it, the entire team would’ve been injured, or worse yet, killed. I prevented some injuries and she helped me realize that. So this”—I held up my prosthesis and knocked on it with my fist—“is a small price to pay for the lives of my fellow soldiers.”
“I hope this doesn’t offend you, and I apologize in advance if it does.”
I was confused by his comment until his two arms wrapped around me and lifted me onto his lap. Then his mouth sought out mine and he kissed me. I had never been kissed so thoroughly before. He wasn’t tentative one bit. This man knew exactly what he wanted and he went right after it. One hand held my hip steady while the other framed my cheek. His tongue licked the seam of my mouth, then pressed through the opening until it met my own. Once there, it mingled with mine, sending all sorts of delicious waves of pleasure dancing down my spine until a wave of butterflies fluttered in my belly.
I breathed his name, winding my arms around his neck, which only had him deepen the kiss. My pulse was racing and I wondered if his was too. When he broke off the kiss, he smiled and buried his hand in my hair.
“Beautiful Lee. I’m sorry if that kiss offended you, but it’s easier to ask forgiveness later than beg for permission. I stole that quote from somewhere and sorry if I don’t remember where, but I like it.” He offered up a sheepish grin and I laughed.
“I’m glad you kissed me and there’s nothing to forgive. I quite liked it.”
“Than that means I’ll have to kiss you some more.”
And he did. I’d never been made to feel like this by a mere kiss, but then Rusty wasn’t a mere man. He seemed special somehow. Honest with integrity. How did I know this? I didn’t really. But I felt it deep down in my heart.
His mouth moved from mine and kissed the corner of my lips. Then it trailed across my cheek to the column of my neck where his tongue tickled me for a bit until his mouth turned sensual once again and his teeth lightly nipped my skin. I was writhing against him, wanting more. It had been ages since I had been with a man. The truth was, I had given up any ideas of ever being with one again. I didn’t think anyone would want a disfigured woman, but Rusty made me forget about that.
As those thoughts flitted through my head, he lifted me over his lap to straddle his hips. Then we were eye to eye as he seated me on top of him. He wanted me. I could feel the steel length of him under his jeans.
“It’s no secret, is it?” he asked, reading my mind.
“That’s sort of hard to hide, no pun intended.”
His body shook as he laughed.
“I didn’t intend to go there.”
“Uh, it’s been a really long time for me, Rusty. And after Afghanistan, I never thought …”
“Never thought what?”
I shrugged.
“Don’t tell me the leg thing again.”
I looked away before I responded. “Most guys don’t want a woman who’s disfigured.”
“Maybe not the shallow ones. And do you know what I say to that?”
“What?”
“I’m glad because that puts me at the front of the line.”
I fake punched him in the shoulder. “You’re crazy.”
“I know. For you.”
“You just met me.”
“You see, my foster sister’s husband once told me that he pretty much knew right at the beginning she was the one for him.”
“So what are you saying?”
He ran his hand through his cropped hair. “I think that’s how I feel about you. And no, I don’t want to run off with you right now or anything, but there’s something about you that just clicks with me. I don’t usually feel like this with women. And I don’t go around saying this kind of stuff to women either. And I’m not trying to fuck you or anything. Christ, I have the shits of the mouth tonight.”
“I think it’s adorable. Go on.”
He picked up a chunk of my hair and twirled it around his finger. “I’m fairly guarded with my words and emotions. My upbringing wasn’t the best as you’ve heard. So I guess my point here is I think perhaps we should explore this thing, whatever it is, between us. If it happens to turn into something huge, which I think it will, then we can decide what to do later. So what’s your opinion?”
“I agree. There’s something about you, Rusty, that clicks with me too. So I’m all in. But I have a question. Where do you live?”
“Virginia Beach, which isn’t too far.”
“Only a little over an hour.”
“And I still am away a lot, so we can visit when I’m home. Maybe you can come and stay with me,” he said.
“Would you want that?”
“No. Not at all. I wouldn’t want to see you or spend any time with you, Lee.” He gave me a smart-ass grin. “The fact is, at some point, I’d want to spend an entire week, or maybe a month in bed with you.”
“Well, we would have to eat. And then you do have to cook me ribs sometime.” I licked my lips.
“The grill is on the deck right off the bedroom. I’ll figure something out. Maybe purchase some su
per long tongs. I could flip them from the bed,” he said, laughing.
“Do you always have an answer for everything?”
“I do now, but I didn’t when I was a kid.”
The creases between his brows are so deep I immediately try to ease them with my fingers. “I’m sorry you have to live like that.”
“So am I, but I don’t have to anymore. And things are looking even better since I have you in my life.”
“I’m gonna call you Speedy.”
“Speedy?” He gave me an odd look.
“Yeah, because you’re a fast mover.”
He waggled his brows and said, “You ain’t seen nothing yet, babe.”
Chapter Thirteen
Rusty
* * *
Her comment about me being a fast mover wasn’t right. I was quite the opposite. But with her, everything was different. She was different. Where my world was dark and murky, filled with storm clouds and doom, she represented brightness and sunshine, joy and laughter. I’d never experienced anything like her before. My life hadn’t offered me much of that until she walked into it. And I was going to make it my goal to win her over. Yeah, I’d only just met her. Yeah, this was fast. Really fast. But I already knew Lee Marston was mine. She was meant for me just as I was for her. Maybe she didn’t know it yet, but she would soon.
After our dinner had ended and we moved from under the covered bridge, we gazed at the sky painted with stars.
“Have you ever felt like this was placed here just to make us feel small somehow?” she asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Look at how vast it is.” She swept her arm across the space before us. “We’re like ants in comparison.”
“I believe God has a great sense of humor.”
“In which way?” she asked.
I picked up her arm and repeated her motion. “That vastness is of such great magnitude, he wants to tease us with it every night with its beauty. Humans have a tendency to believe we are so advanced … to think we have such brilliant technology. But yet look at what’s beyond us … what we don’t know … or can’t touch. God is dangling that carrot in front of us.”
I'll Be Waiting (The Vault Book 2) Page 6
