The Soldier's Wife

by Sirena N. Robinson

  Looking at her watch and realizing it was almost seven, Beckett swore. “Yeah, I gotta go. Thank you for everything!”

  A smile dancing across her face, Beckett raced out the front door toward her car.

  Chapter 7

  Beckett answered the door with her hair wrapped in a towel and her robe cinched tightly across her body. At the sight of her two brothers-in-law, she held open the door and waved them in, rising up onto her tiptoes to kiss Jax on the cheek.

  “I’ve missed you.”

  Grinning down at her, the youngest McKenzie brother stared at her with cornflower blue eyes and wrapped his arms around her in a hug. “I missed you, too. I hear you’ve got a date tonight.”

  Her heart clenched in her chest and she gaped at the two men, staring between Caleb and Jax with fear dancing in her eyes. “What did Murphy tell you?”

  Caleb bent to brush a kiss over her cheek. “Nothing at all. Just that we’re watching the rugrats while the two of you go to dinner and a movie.” He winked at her. “Your secret’s safe with us. We won’t tell anything you don’t want us to.”

  “There’s nothing to tell at the moment, so I’d prefer if you both kept your mouths shut.” Beckett put her hands on her hips. “And what are you doing here so early? I wasn’t supposed to have Harlow and Rhys to you until six.”

  Jax gamely swept his nephew into a headlock as the young boy charged his uncle. “We figured we’d do a kids’ movie and pizza, so we needed them a bit early. Movie starts in thirty, so is it okay if we take them now?”

  Beckett spread her hands. “Be my guest. Please. Take them. Keep them for as long as you’d like.”

  Fifteen minutes later, with the kids loaded with backpacks filled with toys, clothes, and stuffed animals, Beckett shooed all four out the door and glanced at the clock, noticing with glee that she had a full ninety minutes to get ready without two children underfoot.

  Nerves mingling with excitement, she raced up the stairs and bolted into her bedroom, opening her closet and staring at the contents. Chewing on her bottom lip, she perused the contents, pushing hangers from one side of the closet to the other.

  The doorbell interrupted her despair over her wardrobe, and she loped back down the stairs, yanking the door open without looking. Pausing when she saw Savi, she stepped back half a step.

  “Hey.”

  Savi held up a bottle of wine. “I thought I’d bring this over, and you and I would drink it and get to know each other. I’d have called first, but I figured you’d have told me no.”

  Beckett looked over the other woman, taking in her outfit of jeans tucked into boots, a snug blue sweater with a leather jacket, and her hair perfectly sleek and smoothed away from her face in a wave tumbling down her back. Making a split-second decision, she grabbed Savi and yanked her into the house, slamming the door and locking it behind them.

  “I need your help.”

  Savi looked around the room, her gaze settling on Beckett and what Beckett knew was a slightly crazed expression. “Where’s the body? I’ll have to get some different shoes and a shovel, but we’ll get it done.”

  Laughing, Beckett scrubbed her hands over her face. “No bodies, just a date, and I have no clue what to wear.”

  “Oh.” Savi deposited the bottle of wine on the table and rubbed her hands together enthusiastically. “To the closet! This is my forte.” She followed Beckett up the stairs and into her bedroom. “Where are the kids?”

  “They’re with Jax and Caleb for the night for a movie and pizza. Where’s Lyla?”

  “With Jax and Caleb for the night. Apparently for a movie and pizza. They showed up about an hour ago and asked if she could come over.”

  Beckett smiled widely. “They’re good men. Jax isn’t here all the time like the other two, but Caleb and Murphy bend over absolutely backward to help take care of my kids. It’s almost like Harlow and Rhys have three dads.”

  Savi began flipping through the contents of Beckett’s closet. “There are worse things than for a kid to have so many positive role models in their life. They’ve accepted Lyla absolutely. She says they treat her just like the other two.”

  “Of course they do. They wouldn’t know how to do anything else.”

  Looking over her shoulder, Savi studied Beckett. “Who’s your date with?”

  Blushing, Beckett sat on the edge of the bed and covered her face with her hands. “Murphy!”

  Savi squealed and whirled. “Murphy? As in Murphy, Murphy? Oh my God!”

  “I know!” Beckett collapsed back onto the bed. “I’m so bad!”

  Savi kicked off her boots and gamely flopped on the bed next to Beckett. “No, you’re not bad. I think it’s great. I initially thought it was you and Caleb, but I can see how Murphy works. And he’s gorgeous. Kinda cowboy-chic. Those plaid shirts and jeans he fills out just right. I can definitely see the appeal of getting my hands on him.” Rolling onto her side, she looked at Beckett critically. “Did you shave your legs?”

  Nodding, Beckett stared up at the ceiling. “I had them waxed at the salon. Dammit, Savi, I had a fucking Brazilian!”

  “Well, you’re certainly ready for the sex part of the evening.” Savi stood up and went back to the closet. “Do you want to look subtly sexy or in your face, carry-me-to-bed-fuck-the-reservations sexy?” She looked back over her shoulder at Beckett, whose mouth was hanging open. Laughing, she jerked one shoulder in a shrug. “You’ll get used to me. This is just how I am.”

  Resigning herself to it, Beckett answered the original question. “I don’t own a single thing that’s ‘fuck-the-reservations’ sexy. The best I can hope for is subtly sexy. And I’m not going to have sex with Murphy.”

  Savi turned, a dress in one hand and a shirt in the other. “Why in God’s name not? If you don’t want to bang him, there’s no point in going out on the date.”

  “I didn’t say I didn’t want to.” Miserable, Beckett unwound her hair from the towel and aimlessly combed the red strands with her fingers. “This whole thing is weird. I don’t know how to feel about any of it. I’ve got butterflies in my stomach and my heart speeds up. I’m excited and nervous all at the same time. I’d never looked at him that way before, and then suddenly I did. I don’t know why I’m telling you all of this.”

  “Because you need someone to tell and I’m here.” Savi grinned and snagged a ponytail holder from the dresser to bind her hair back. “I’d like for us to be friends at some point, and I’ll take this as a good first step. I’m a good friend. I’m great at girl-talk, I can hold my liquor, and when it comes to secrets, I’m an absolute vault. Plus, I’m a gold-medalist at shopping and a baker by trade, so there’s never any shortage of fattening, calorie-laden goodies when I’m around. Really, I’m the perfect package. You should date me instead of Murphy.”

  Beckett laughed despite herself. “I don’t know you well enough to know if you’re serious or not.”

  “About what part? Being the perfect package or dating me?”

  “Either, really.”

  “I’m not hitting on you, if that’s what you think.” Savi tossed a chiffon sun dress at Beckett. “Try it on. What size are your feet?”

  “Eight, why?”

  “I’m an eight and a half, so they might be a touch loose, but wear my boots. They’re more comfortable than heels and warmer for fall. You can borrow my leather jacket, too. It’ll fit just fine, I think.”

  Beckett picked up the dress and studied it. She’d bought the whimsical floral print on a bit of impulsivity and then buried the purchase in her closet where it had never seen the light of day. The spaghetti straps and scoop neck were more revealing than she normally went for, and the hem floated to mid-thigh, exposing more leg than prudent when chasing two kids around the park.

  “I’ve never even worn that dress.”

  Savi lifted her eyebrows. “Why in the hell not? It’s flirty and young and a little bit fun. Perfect for a date.”

  “I don’t date. At least not un
til now.” Beckett opened her underwear drawer and sighed at the contents. Pulling out a plain nude cotton bra and matching underwear, she turned toward the bathroom, surprised by the look of shock and horror on Savi’s face. “What?”

  “What are those?” Savi pointed at the underwear. “And why are you letting them reside in your underwear drawer?”

  Giggling, Beckett decided she liked the other woman. “Because they’re comfortable and practical.”

  “They’re hideous. My grandmother wouldn’t have worn those. On her death bed.” Savi jerked open the drawer and pawed through the contents, muttering under her breath as she pulled out cotton bra after cotton bra. “This is shameful. You don’t wear pretty underwear for men. You wear it for you. To make you feel good about yourself. We stand a little taller and feel a little better when we know we look good under our clothes.”

  Savi gathered up the contents of the underwear drawer and tossed the entirety of it into the trash can. Brushing her hands off on her jeans, she put them on her hips and moved to the closet, her eyes sharp and critical.

  “You’re lucky you met me, Beckett McKenzie. I’m going to take you shopping and show you what a difference clothes can make to your outlook. Tomorrow Cassie and Alan are taking the kids to church and lunch after. We’ll leave early, get there when the mall opens and be back by mid-afternoon.”

  Beckett started to say no. She thought of her bank account and the weeping it was doing over funding the salon project. She thought of the empty savings account and told herself it was much more responsible to spend her paycheck putting some money back. But then she looked at the open closet, the trash can full of underwear, and thought about the credit cards she never used.

  “Screw it. Let’s do it.”

  Savi grinned. “Great. I’ll pick you up at eight-thirty. Don’t have sex with him tonight.” She pulled on a pair of flip flops from Beckett’s shoe rack. “I don’t want him to think you wear granny panties on a regular basis. It’s best for both of you if he doesn’t see what’s under your dress tonight.”

  ****

  Murphy got out of his truck clutching a bouquet of lilies. More nervous than he’d been since high school, he strode up the steps to Beckett’s door and found himself reaching for the knob. Scolding himself, he pushed the bell and waited until she opened the door.

  “Hey, why didn’t you come in? It was unlocked.” Beckett pushed open the screen to let him in.

  “Didn’t seem like I should, given the circumstances.” Nervous, he thrust the flowers at her. “Lilies are your favorite. So I got you some.”

  Dipping her head to inhale the delicate fragrance, Beckett grinned at him. “They’re lovely. I’ll stick them in some water. Do you want a drink before we go? I keep the beer you, Caleb, and Jax drink in stock.”

  “No, but thanks. We should actually get going. I made reservations for seven and the movie’s at nine if you want to go after dinner.”

  Beckett rummaged under her sink for a vase, pulling out a bright blue one covered in dust. Running it under the faucet to rinse the film off, she filled it with lukewarm water and took the time to cut the stems before arranging the flowers. Placing the vase on the kitchen table, she put her hands on her hips and stood back, studying it.

  “You look really nice, Beck.”

  Tugging at the collar of his shirt, Murphy stared at her, taking in the way the dress floated over her body, both hiding and revealing her curves at the same time. He trailed his eyes down to the eight-inch expanse of leg between the hem of the dress and the top of her brown leather boots. The scoop neck on the dress was lower than she normally wore, and he could see a hint of cleavage above the neckline. Forcing himself not to focus on her chest, he brought his gaze back to her face, enjoying the way her hair tumbled around her shoulders in a cloud of curls. Grateful she hadn’t caked on so much make-up he couldn’t tell what she looked like, he held out a hand.

  “Ready?”

  Beckett cleared her throat as she placed her hand in his. “As I’ll ever be.”

  ****

  By the time they got to the restaurant, both Murphy and Beckett were uncomfortable. Conversation was stilted and awkward, with neither quite sure how to proceed. Beckett debated between ordering what she normally would, or going with the typical first-date salad. Cursing herself for even having the debate, she forced herself to order lasagna.

  Neither of them knew what to do. Each time their hands would brush, one would jump or jerk. Beckett spent more time looking at her plate than at Murphy, and felt nothing other than a wave of relief when the check came and they left the restaurant for the movie theater.

  The movie was marginally better. By the end, Beckett decided there was something to be said for going on a date where no conversation was necessary. More than halfway convinced the entire thing had been a mistake, she remained silent on the drive back to her house. When Murphy pulled up to the curb and hopped out to open the door for her, she offered a half-hearted smile as she stepped out.

  “Do you want to come in for a drink now, or do you need to get home?”

  Murphy glanced at his watch. “It’s midnight. The kids are probably asleep now. I don’t want to wake the whole house when I go in, and Jax’s dog will bark like mad.”

  Beckett fished her keys out of the pocket of her borrowed jacket and unlocked the door. “Come on in. You can sleep in Rhys’s room.”

  She held the door as he followed her in and turned to close and lock it. Bending to unzip and remove her boots, she didn’t notice how her skirt rode up, exposing her thighs almost up to her butt. Shrugging out of the jacket, she hung it on the hook and stretched her arms over her head, causing her hem to pull up again.

  “I’ll get you a beer and pour myself a glass of wine. Thank you for taking me out tonight. I had a nice time.” Oblivious to the predatory look on Murphy’s face, Beckett began crossing the living room toward the kitchen.

  She never made it to the fridge. He caught her hand and swung her around, slamming her into his chest.

  “It was the worst date in the history of dates.” His voice a growl, Murphy gripped her waist tightly in his hands. “I think it can still be salvaged.”

  Beckett didn’t have time to prepare herself for the heat of the kiss. He took her under rapidly, his mouth hard and demanding on hers, as a maelstrom of emotions rose up to encompass her. She yielded willingly, bringing her hands to his shoulders to grip his shirt, holding on as she let the storm take her.

  Murphy swept his tongue into her mouth, his flavor filling her head. She returned the kiss eagerly, her tongue tangling with his and her hands stroking up and down his arms. His movements hesitant and slow, he slid his hands from her waist down to her butt, filling them with her flesh. When she groaned and pressed against him, rising onto her tiptoes to fit her hips against his, a bolt of desire rocketing through her when he tightened his grip, holding her tightly against him, she realized how quickly things could get out of hand, then decided she didn’t care.

  Beckett brought her hands to his chest, pushing his jacket down his arms and tossing it in the general direction of the front closet. Her long, lithe fingers went to work on the buttons on his shirt, sliding each one from its hole before tugging the fabric out of his jeans and shoving it down his arms and off.

  She spread her fingers, enjoying the feel of his skin under her hands. Sliding them over his ribs and around to grip his back, she ran her nails lightly up and down. Murphy groaned and stooped to lift her, going as far as the couch before dropping onto it, Beckett in his lap, with one leg on either side of his hips. He tore his mouth from hers and trailed it down the side of her neck. Sitting back, he locked his eyes onto hers and slid his hands to her back, finding the zipper to her dress and beginning to lower it.

  Beckett’s heart pounded in her chest and she bit her lower lip, swollen as it was from the intensity of their kisses. She felt the hardness of his erection against her, and in that moment wanted nothing more than to continue
down the road they’d turned onto.

  “Don’t.”

  Murphy’s hands stilled on her zipper. “What?”

  “I can’t. Not tonight.” She sighed in relief when he immediately zipped her dress back up. “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t apologize.” Murphy laid his hands at her hips and studied her, his eyes still blurry from desire. “Did I do something wrong?”

  “No.” She dipped her head, embarrassed. “No, you didn’t do anything. I want to. A lot.”

  “Then what’s the problem?”

  “I promised Savi I wouldn’t let you see me in my underwear until I had something sexy on.”

  Murphy barked a laugh. “Beck, you could be wearing chain mail under the dress and I wouldn’t care. I don’t want you because of what you’re wearing. I want you because of who you are.”

  Shifting slightly to the side to give them both a little space, Beckett slid off his lap to sit next to him. “It’s not just that. I thought it was silly when she made me promise, but now we’re here, and I think she’s right. I don’t want to let you look at me until I feel worth being seen.”

  Murphy took her hand in his and held it. “I haven’t been able to keep my eyes off you. I don’t know why in the hell it took so long for this to happen, but now it has, I’m not sure how I ever made it as long as I did without putting my hands on you. You’re gorgeous.”

  She smiled softly. “Murphy, I’ve had two kids. I have stretch marks, a mom pooch that won’t ever go away, and I sag in places a woman my age shouldn’t because not only did I birth two kids after gaining forty pounds each time, I nursed two kids. I want you to understand what you’re going to see under here.”

  “I’m going to see you.” He said it simply, with no inflection. “I don’t care about the rest. I’m just going to see you. That’s it.”

  Beckett forced herself to get up and walk to the kitchen in an effort to stop herself from climbing back on top of Murphy. As she tried to open a beer, she found her hands shaking. Frustrated, she tried again to the same result. Murphy came up behind her and reached out, taking the bottle and opener and setting them aside. Turning her to face him, he took her hand.