The Maverick: Men Out of Unifrom Book 3 (Men Out of Uniform)

by Rhonda Russell

  “There are worse things, I’m sure, but I’m just not ready to end this chapter of my life.” He paused and considered Payne thoughtfully. “I admire you, McCann, for having the courage to make a change. You and your friends.” A long sigh leaked out of his lungs. “You stay in the same rut for so long that you lose the nerve to rattle the cart and clear the ditch. I love my job,” he said. “I really do, but it’s because I’ve never learned to do anything else.”

  Guy paused, touched by Garrett’s unexpected confession and resulting praise. He’d always thought that he, Jamie and Payne had let Garrett down when they’d left the military. He’d never realized that the Colonel had actually admired them for having the stones to make a change. Furthermore, he knew this little conversation hadn’t been easy for Garrett and he truly appreciated that he’d taken him into his confidence.

  Guy smiled at Garrett. “There’s no need when you so damned good at what you do, Colonel.”

  His face instantly creased into a broad smile. “Thanks, McCann. So what’s next for you? I assume your security business is doing well?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “What about a personal level?” he asked shrewdly. “Flanagan and Payne certainly haven’t wasted any time finding a woman to keep the home fires burning.”

  An image of Julia leapt instantly to mind, making his chest alternately lighten and tighten. “I’m happy for them,” Guy said, unwilling to answer the question, possibly because he was too terrified of the answer.

  “Ms. Beckam is a wonderful girl. I’ve known her father for years, you know.”

  “She’s fantastic.”

  “You compliment each other. You’d have beautiful children.”

  A chubby-cheeked baby girl with his eyes and Julia’s golden hair materialized in his mind’s eye, causing his breathing to hitch in his suddenly constricting throat.

  Guy laughed nervously and stood. Time to exit. “Sir,” he said with a finality that ended the conversation. “I’m sure I’ll see you around.”

  The Colonel’s eyes twinkled. “As it happens, you’ll see me tomorrow.”

  “I’m sorry?”

  “The wedding, McCann. Payne invited me.”

  Guy nodded. “Right.” Considering it was Garrett’s errand that made Payne and Emma’s paths cross in the first place, it only stood to reason that Garrett would be invited. “Well.”

  “You should take Julia,” Garrett suggested. “I suspect she and my granddaughter would be fast friends.”

  Guy merely smiled at him. “See you tomorrow, sir.”

  “Goodbye, McCann. Thank you.”

  Hand on the door knob, Guy paused. “You’re welcome, sir.”

  And he meant it.

  * * *

  Julia was sitting on the front porch of duplex when Guy drove up. Her heart skipped a beat as she watched slid out of the driver’s seat and sidle up the sidewalk. She didn’t have any idea what he’d asked her to wait for--to say a proper goodbye, she imagined--but was secretly pleased that he had. She’d never gotten the chance--translate hadn’t drummed up the nerve--to address his feelings regarding Danny’s death, but now that they’re time was at an end together, she knew she had to take her chance.

  This was end.

  The end of their story.

  “Thanks for waiting on me,” Guy said, looking curiously nervous.

  She smiled softly at him, her heart melting. “You asked me, didn’t you?” Julia paused. “What did Garrett have to say?”

  Guy dropped heavily into the swing beside her and shot her a wry look. “You mean besides that you and I would have beautiful children?”

  She gasped, stunned. “What?”

  Guy grinned and shook his head. “He fancies himself quite the matchmaker. Remember I told you that Jamie, Guy and I all owed him a favor?”

  Julia nodded.

  “Well, both of them met their significant other’s while fulfilling Garrett’s wishes. Jamie’s married to the Colonel’s granddaughter and Payne, well...Payne is getting married tomorrow, actually.”

  “Tomorrow? Wow,” Julia said, trying to absorb it all.

  “No,” Guy laughed. “Here’s the wow part--the bride doesn’t know she’s getting married yet.”

  Julia gaped. “You’re kidding?”

  “Payne’s got it all arranged. Everything. You’d like him.” He tugged playfully at her hair. “He’s a planner like you.”

  “I’d like any friend of yours,” she said. She batted her lashes at him. “You are an excellent judge of character.”

  Guy smiled. “You keep pretty good company yourself.”

  She felt her mouth slide into a grin. “It’s improving.”

  “Go with me,” he said suddenly, and from the startled expression on his face, quite unexpectedly.

  “What?”

  “To the wedding,” he clarified. He paused and an endearingly nervous expression claimed his usually confident features. “Unless you already have plans tomorrow, that is. I would certainly understand if--“

  “I’d love to,” Julia said, inwardly squealing with joy. She’d go to the moon with him if it meant she’d have one more day.

  Guy grinned and relief tugged at his shoulders. “Good. Wanna follow me home? You could stay at my place. Meet Bear,” he said, pulling a shrug.

  Julia feigned exaggerated delight. “You mean you like me enough to take me home to meet your dog?” She pressed a hand against her chest, pretending to be overcome.

  “Hey,” Guy teased. “I’ll have you know that no woman has ever met The Bear, much less been invited to spend the night at my house.”

  Julia stilled, absorbing the comment and what it meant. “Then I must be special.”

  He chuckled softly and shook his head. “Put your special ass in that car and let’s go.”

  “You wanna give me the address?” Julia asked.

  Having already stored his bags in the truck, Guy paused midway down the walk. “Address?”

  “In case we get separated,” Julia pointed out. Friday traffic in Atlanta was brutal and he’d mentioned that their offices and apartments were housed in midtown.

  “Don’t worry,” he said, shooting her a smile. “I’m not going to leave you.”

  She knew what he meant--that he wasn’t going to leave her behind on the highway--but that didn’t keep her silly heart from doing a cartwheel and a somersault and a dizzy figure-eight.

  He reeled off his cell number and asked for hers. “No worries, okay?”

  Julia nodded. “Not for now.”

  “Now?” Guy said, instantly seizing on their code word for back-bending balls-to-the-wall wild gorilla sex. “Did you say now?”

  She chuckled. God, she was so falling for this man. “You know what I meant.”

  “I like my translation better.” He backtracked and nuzzled her cheek, sending a sparkler of pleasure dancing through her.

  “I’ll just bet you do.”

  “You do, too,” Guy said matter-of-factly. His eyes danced with wicked humor. “I know you want me. Your eyes go all sleepy-looking and your breathing gets shallow and sometimes, if I’m really lucky, I can see your nipples get hard beneath your shirt.”

  She felt a laugh break up in her throat. “That’s nothing compared to what I see get hard in your jeans when you want me,” Julia pointed out.

  He blinked innocently. “Can I help it if you’re a pervert?”

  “Pervert?” she said, feigning outrage. “You didn’t think I was a pervert last night when I was--“

  “Julia,” he said, stopping her from finishing the graphic sentence.

  “What?” she asked innocently.

  Guy shook his head, seemingly at a loss. “I’ve created a monster.” He heaved a long-suffering sigh and absently scratched his chest. “I suppose I’ll simply have to keep you satisfied.”

  “Yes, well, we all make sacrifices,” Julia pointed out wryly.

  “I’ve explained that to you already,” Guy told her. “B
eing with you is not a sacrifice--it’s a pleasure. And it’s all mine.”

  “It’s mine, too,” she murmured softly. “I don’t know if anyone’s ever told you before, but you’re hot.”

  He chuckled, his eyes twinkling. “What am I going to do with you?”

  Take me home and keep me, Julia thought. “That’s what I wonder all the time,” she said instead, giving his comment a completely different meaning.

  “Come on,” he said, nudging her forward. “And you can wonder all the way back to my apartment. And then I’ll show you.”

  Oy. Now that sounded promising, Julia thought.

  * * *

  Atlanta

  “Well, I’ll be damned,” Payne breathed, staring the phone he’d just flipped closed.

  “I hope not, darling,” Emma told him. Bear lay sprawled across her lap, watching the proceedings with a look of sublime boredom. Guy would play hell getting that dog back from his wife, he thought. They’d bonded. So much so that the damned animal was calling the foot of their bed home.

  Jamie frowned, going on alert and Audrey quirked a brow. “What’s going on?” Jamie asked.

  “He’s bringing her back.”

  Jamie gaped. “The therapist?”

  “Julia?” Emma squealed delightedly and she and Audrey shared a look of romantic feminine rapture that made Payne’s head suddenly ache.

  “Yes. He called to warn us of their arrival and has asked that we not leap to conclusions or gawk at her like a sideshow circus attraction.’”

  Emma’s brow furrowed. “Has he ever brought a girl here? To the apartment?”

  Jamie shook his head. “Not that I’m aware of. Payne?”

  “No,” Payne said. “This is definitely a first.”

  Audrey rubbed a hand over her belly and smiled knowingly. “And it’ll be the last, too. Mark my words. My grandfather has got a pretty good track record so far.”

  They certainly couldn’t argue with that. He was two for two so far and if this thing with Guy ended up being the real thing, then they were all going to owe him again.

  Big time.

  Audrey and Jamie had already committed to naming their son after Garrett and while he and Emma had no immediate plans to start a family, he suspected that their child would end up with a similar namesake.

  Of course, Emma was threatening to name their boy Robert E. Lee in honor of the pocket watch that had brought them together, but Payne held out hope that he could change her mind. He admired the Civil War hero as much as the next guy, but if had a son, he was inclined to name it after himself. His middle name, actually--Atticus.

  He hadn’t shared this particular longing with his fiancé yet, but one thing at a time, Payne told himself.

  He should probably tell her about the wedding first.

  CHAPTER 12

  Julia snuggled up next to Guy and waited for her breathing to return to normal, which was difficult when she was still tingling from an intense orgasm. She flung an arm over her forehead and chuckled, savoring the moment of pure happiness.

  They’d arrived back in Atlanta with plenty of time to meet--and ultimately have dinner with--Guy’s friend’s, all of whom she instantly liked. Bear had given her the sniff of approval, going straight for her crotch when she’d walked into Guy’s apartment, then he’d sniffed all over her, evidently following his master’s scent.

  Julia didn’t know what she’d expected Guy’s apartment to be like, but the modern contemporary blended with traditional antiques wasn’t it. Naturally he’d spent the majority of his decorating budget on electronics--a big screen TV, an expensive stereo system as well as the newest entertainment toys. “Playstation?” she’d teased, quirking a brow at him.

  “Don’t knock it til you try it, baby. I’ll take you on in Ultra Mega Smackdown any day.”

  Sweet Lord. Everything about him--even his video games--was ultimately endearing. Now she was a hopeless case when that happened.

  “What are you thinking about?” Guy asked.

  She chuckled. “I thought that was supposed to be my line?”

  “Smart ass.”

  “Do you really want to know?”

  “I wouldn’t have asked otherwise.”

  “I was thinking about you and your games and how I find you completely adorable.”

  He sighed, evidently pleased. “Adorable is nice...but I prefer sexy.”

  Julia rolled closer and pressed a kiss against his naked chest. “We’ve already established that.” She sighed. “I liked your friends,” she said. “They’re great.”

  This time it was his turn to chuckle. “And they liked you, too. Audrey and Emma both made sure to take me aside and sing your praises, though Emma was a bit confused over what you looked like.”

  “What? Why?”

  “She thought you had red hair.”

  “Red hair? But--“ Then it hit her and mortification swiftly followed. “The mug shot,” she breathed. “I knew Payne had seen it, but I didn’t realize he’d passed it around.” Julia rubbed a hand over her face and laughed helplessly. “Quick. Find me a hole.”

  Guy laughed and hauled her up closer against him. “You don’t need a hole, goofball. They thought it was funny.”

  “It was humiliating.” A thought struck. “You have to delete that from your phone.”

  “Okay.”

  He’d agreed too readily, making Julia suspicious. “You don’t mind?”

  “No.” She heard the smile in his voice. “I’ve already emailed it to my computer.”

  She whacked him playfully. “You’re horrible. Have you ever been arrested?” Julia asked. “I think I should have a mug shot of you.”

  “Sorry to disappoint you, but no.”

  “Really?” she asked.

  “You sound surprised,” Guy said, chuckling.

  “Well, you are a bad ass,” she reminded him. “Most bad asses usually end up in jail at one point or another.”

  “This one kept his nose clean.”

  She hummed under her breath, feigning disappointment. “Okay. I’ll simply have to think of something else.”

  Guy’s laugh rumbled next to her ear. “You do that.”

  “Does Emma know about the wedding yet?”

  “Nope.”

  Julia frowned, considering things. “I don’t get it. What possible reason is he giving her to get her into the wedding gown tomorrow?”

  “Pictures,” Guy said, sighing softly.

  “Pictures? Already?”

  “He’s a planner, remember?”

  “Wow,” Julia said, impressed. “He’s really thought of everything, hasn’t he?”

  Guy let go a soft breath. “He’s not called The Specialist for nothing.”

  “The Specialist?”

  “His nickname.”

  “Oh. Did you all have nicknames?”

  He chuckled again, the sound intimate and sexy between them. “Mostly we just called each other bastards.”

  Julia laughed. “Men,” she said. “And guys say women are complicated.”

  A soft sigh stuttered out of Guy’s mouth. “Jamie and I didn’t have a nickname, but I guess Danny did. We always called him Danny Boy. You know, like the song.”

  “I love that song,” Julia said softly.

  “Like Jamie, Danny was Irish so it fit. Both of them had Irish grandmothers.”

  Here was her chance, Julia thought. If she was ever going to have an opening to try and help him see the truth, this was it.

  Still, she hesitated, not altogether certain he wanted to hear her opinion on the subject. Oh, well, Julia thought. There were lots of things that people didn’t necessarily want to hear, but that didn’t change the fact that they needed to hear it.

  “Guy, there’s something I’ve been wanting to talk to you about,” she began.

  “What?”

  “Danny’s death. You know it’s not your fault, don’t you?”

  She felt him tense beside her. “Julia, I know that you’re
only trying to help, but this is something that you don’t know anything about. Please,” he said, his voice hardening. “Leave it.”

  Just as she expected. She released a shaky breath. “Actually, that’s not true. I listened when you told the new team about the mission when Danny was killed.”

  “They got the abbreviated version. Let it go.” His voice rang with a warning she knew she should heed, and yet curiously couldn’t.

  “You said you were ambushed. If you were ambushed, then how could it be your fault?”

  Guy sprang up from the bed. “What the hell are you doing?” he demanded. “I don’t want to talk about this with you. I’m not going to.”

  “You helped me,” she said simply. “I want to help you and I think I can.”

  “Bullshit,” Guy snapped. “If I want your help, then I’ll ask for it. This is none of your damned business. Don’t try to get inside my head and start mucking around with your therapist talk, Julia. It’s insulting.”

  She blinked, taken aback by the attack. “I just--“

  “Just nothing,” he interrupted. “You don’t know, dammit,” he said, striding away from her.

  “I know that if you were ambushed then it couldn’t have been your fault, that it hadn’t been preventable. I know that you’re drowning in your own grief and punishing yourself for something that you didn’t have any control over. And I know that as long as you keep blaming yourself, you’re insulting your friend.”

  He whirled on her. “Insulting my friend?” he asked in a dangerously low voice.

  “His memory,” Julia clarified, terrified that she’d crossed a line, but too far over to stop now.

  She watched Guy go dangerously still and knew that she’d gone too far. “Guy, listen to me. I--“

  “I can see that this was a mistake,” he said. “It’s late. I’ll call you a cab and have your car returned to you tomorrow.”

  What? No! “Guy, please--“

  “I’ll wait in the living room while you get dressed and collect your things.” And without another backward glance, he turned and walked out of the room.

  Out of her life.

  So that was it, then, Julia thought resignedly, her heart breaking. Tears burned the backs of her lids and the ache in her chest threatened to choke the life right out of her, but she refused to cry. This had been inevitable. She’d known that. What was that old saying again? When you’re dumb you’ve got to be tough.