by Michelle Kee
"And I thought my sisters could shop." Grant said.
"You got sisters? How many?" Krista asked with a smile, eager to learn more about the men Ethan called his team.
"Three younger. There's Britney who's a nurse, Casey is in her last year at Ol' Miss and my baby sister Annie, who just started at Ol' Miss." Grant answered with an adoring and proud-big-brother tone.
"Sounds like you guys are close." Jerry commented, cupping his chin in one hand and smiling as well.
Grant nodded. "I love them and would happily dismember anyone who threatened them. Of course before I joined the Marines I made sure they could also defend themselves."
"They're lucky to have you Grant." Krista stated, laying a hand on his arm.
She had instantly felt a connection to Grant Whitney. Maybe it was because he reminded her a lot of her older brothers Jax and Hayden. God she missed them, she missed all her brothers. Jax was up in Dallas, Hayden down in Houston and Danny, well, all Danny could tell them was that he was somewhere in Florida. A sad sigh escaped her. She felt Grant cover her hand with his.
"You okay there?" He asked.
"Yeah, just hearing you talk about your sisters has me thinking about my brothers." Krista replied with a nonchalant shrug.
"Ethan told me you had three brothers and that one is a DEA agent?" Grant pushed gently
"That would be the baby, Danny." Jerry spoke up. "Krista's brothers are great. Jax is a hot shot criminal prosecutor up in Dallas. Nick says he's making quite a name for himself up there. Hayden went into corporate law and working for some big business down in Houston."
"Then we have Danny. He's deep cover and all we know is that he's in Florida somewhere. I was able to talk to him about two weeks ago. But he doesn't know what's going on now. We all agreed he doesn't need to know until he's finished with his current assignment." Krista stated, unable to fully hide the worry she felt for her baby brother.
Before another word was spoken, Krista's phone went off. She rolled her eyes but answered. "Hi Jax."
"That's all I get? Hi Jax? When did dad start getting letters too?"
"Who told you?" She groaned dropping her forehead into the palm of her hand.
"Dad did, or rather, he sent me and Hayden an email. I tried calling but it went to voicemail." Jax answered, his teeth grinding over the line.
Krista giggled at the tone of her oldest brother. "He's in court this morning Jax. But according to dad, the letters started a month ago."
"What is he doing for your protection? Have the Feds been notified?"
"Yes. Cain and Jimmy know. As for what's been done? Dad went to, are you ready for this? He went to Ethan."
There was a pause and what sounded like to her, as her brother dropping into his chair. "Ethan? As in Ooh rah, jarhead Marine, your former boyfriend Ethan?"
Krista laughed hard at that. "Yes, the very same. You know he opened Blackout Security two years ago. Dad figured they would be a good choice. Plus, my research has pointed to that same conclusion. So far, they've replaced my security system with one of theirs and are planning on sending at least two of their guys with me and Jerry to New York. You and Hayden would love the new system by the way. Danny would probably cream himself at all that fancy tech shit."
Jax grunted. "Well, if Dad thinks it's for the best, then they must be." He cleared his throat. "You okay? I mean, with all this added stress."
"I'm good Jax. My latest book is ready to go. These next couple of weeks are just a prelude to the big launch in October. After the letters started coming weekly, Jerry and I agreed to host the release party here in Austin. I should have the final details by the end of the week."
"Good, good. Well, I gotta get going. You take care of yourself baby sister. Keep me posted. Oh, you might want to call Hayden. He was in some big merger meeting so I only got a text. "
"Great, Hayden's gonna be more of a worrywart than you." Krista snorted.
***
Ethan sat at his desk at Blackout reading over the final report from one of his other teams on a security detail. Liking what he read, he pulled up the casefile and began typing up the final notes and information for the client. Though a necessary evil, Ethan still hated this part about being the boss man. The dammed paperwork that was involved. He had just hit print and save when a knocked interrupted his mental grumbling about paperwork.
"Yeah?"
Grant walked in and sat a Starbucks coffee in front of Ethan. "Thought I'd bring ya something."
"Thanks. So, how was shopping?" Ethan asked with a teasing grin.
Grant groaned. "That Krista would put my girls to shame. Jerry was just as bad."
Ethan laughed. "Oh I remember how she was as a kid. Somehow she always managed to con me, Jax and usually Danny into taking her shopping. How Hayden always managed to escape bellboy duty still eludes me. Anyway, all she had to do was smile, bat her eyes and beg and we were done."
"She had you pussy whipped back then huh?" Grant smirked.
"Screw you." Ethan grumbled.
"Well, shopping was uneventful. She did get a call from her older brother Jax. Seems last night Counselor Jameson sent an email to him and Hayden filling them on his letters. Sounded like big brother was a bit pissed. When Krista told him you were involved he appeared to calm down." Grant reported.
Ethan nodded as he sipped his coffee. "Not surprising, Jackson Jameson was always the most protective of her three brothers. Hell, it came to a fist fight in their backyard when he found out me and Krista were dating. Krista had been the one to break it up."
Grant's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "How'd she do that?"
Ethan rubbed his jaw as if remembering. "Well, Jax and I had just stood up after we tried to body slam each other. I was getting ready to walk away; he was getting ready to throw another punch. Next thing we know, Krista is between us, spitting mad. She faced Jax, called him a jackass then knocked him on his ass with a left hook. She spun on me called me the same and dropped me with a right."
Grant stared at him in shock before doubling over in laughter. Ethan rolled his eyes and flipped off his weapons tech. Finally, the other man stopped laughing, but his lips still twitched. "She...um...she actually laid you out?"
"What the hell was I supposed to do? Hit her back? Yeah right. But Jax and I should have seen it coming. We, plus Hayden and Danny taught her to fight. When she was little she insisted on following us everywhere. When we realized we couldn't shake her, we taught her to be one of the guys. Plus, I suspect Nick helped a bit there too." Ethan nodded.
"She's a unique woman I will say that. She looks like some fussy pampered princess. Then she opens her mouth and she sounds like one of the guys. On the drive back to her place she called her other brother, the one in Houston. Whew, the words that flew out of her mouth would make most sailors blush." Grant whistled.
"Don't I know it. At any given point growing up, me or one of her brothers have been on the receiving end of that sharp tongue of hers. Yet in front of Debbie and Nick she was all sugar and spice." Ethan snorted.
"Any ideas on New York? We only have three weeks till she and Jerry leave." Grant inquired changing the subject.
Ethan sighed and rose to his feet to move to his window. "No."
Grant studied his boss and friend. "You're still hung up on her."
Ethan's head snapped up as he spun around to face his weapons tech. "What?"
"Krista. You're still hung up on her."
"That's bullshit Grant."
"Yeah? Okay then, since you can't decide on New York, I will. Me and Tony will go."
Ethan's fists clenched, he could literally feel his temple throbbing. "No."
Grant smiled knowingly. "Then what about Lance and Gage? Hmm?" When Ethan only growled again, Grant shook his head and chuckled. "Jesus Blackstone, you've got it bad."
Ethan couldn't argue that. He stomped back to his desk and dropped back into his chair, leaning his head back and closing his eyes on a heavy sigh. "I thought she
was out of my system. If I hadn't joined the Marines..."
"Ethan, listen to me." Grant said. Ethan opened his eyes and looked at his friend. "Women like Krista, they're a rare breed buddy. They are tough as nails yet soft as a flower once you get past their tough exterior. I can see that she gets to you. If I can, so can the other guys."
"I don't mess with clients Grant. We can't afford to mix our dicks with business." Ethan pointed out.
"In that we agree. Yet this case with Krista Jameson isn't like our usual cases. You two have history that was left unfinished when you shipped out. I may not be an old man like you," that earned Grant the double bird. "Yeah, yeah you love me anyway. You and her aren't kids anymore. You're keeping her at a distance and that may not be wise my friend."
"What are you suggesting?" Ethan glared. “That I just pick back up where she and I left off twelve years ago? I’m not that boy Grant.”
" I get that and I think she does too. As for what I’m suggesting? You and her talk. If you can't think straight on this where she's concerned it could cost you and her. Tell me boss, could you pay that price if it came to that?" Grant delivered.
***
Krista sat across from her best friends since kindergarten at The County Line on the Hill. After returning home she had reconnected with Tiffany Kenerly, Jennifer Hill, Crystal Clawson, Mindy Salter, Connie Keller, Jenna Prescott, Tina Heckt, Jenny Messina and Shauna Tuma. Whenever the ten of them were together it always led to fun, laughter and a whole lot of shenanigans. Hence the reason they were all seated at one of the large rooms in the back and plenty of wine flowing.
“I swear guys, Ethan Blackstone has become even more of a pain in the ass than ever.” Krista grumbled before taking a long swig of her sweet red.
Tiffany snorted. “Honey, that man has always been a pain in the ass.”
“True, but back in the day he was a fine pain in the ass. Hell, he’s still fine. I bumped into him a few months after he came home and I thought, ‘holy hell he’s even hotter than ever.” Jennifer laughed.
The rest of the ladies joined in. “What happened between you two last night that had you calling for this emergency dinner anyway?” Mindy spoke up.
Mindy was a thin brunette with a rack that Krista had always envied in high school. Hell all her friends had been the type of girl she had wished she was. Tiffany had been the cheerleader, Connie, Jennifer, Jenny, and Jenna were the dance team girls. Mindy was the star athlete in volleyball, and track. Crystal had been an athletic manager and volleyball star. Krista had shied away from sports in favor of being the band geek. Her height back then making her feel awkward.
“Well, like the idiot that I am when Blackstone’s concerned, I called him. I still can’t believe I did that. Anyway, he says he wants to see me. We go to Kirby Lane. Everything’s going all kosher and shit then, I don’t know. We’re flirting and god, the looks that man was giving me…” she trailed off.
Jenny cupped her chin and leaned a little closer. “Does he still have those sexy as sin eyes? The kind that promise a good time?”
“Oh yeah.” Krista grinned stupidly. “Then right in the middle of the panty melting flirting things shifted. Suddenly, he’s telling me he’s not the Ethan I remember and that he wasn’t sure he could even be gentle anymore.”
“Oh dear lord! He said that?” Crystal exclaimed.
“Yep.” Krista nodded.
“I’d love to see how NOT gentle that man is.” Connie grinned, her eyebrows wiggling.
“I’m right there with ya sister.” Shauna added. “That man was smokin’ hot back in school and he’s only gotten better over the years.”
“Ain’t that the freaking truth. I was there at Blackout’s ribbon cutting for the newspaper and I think I had a mini orgasm right then and there when I saw him and his four friends. Whoo.” Jenna grinned fanning herself
This started a whole new round of loud laughter from the friends. “Those four Marine friends of his are some fine looking men. Oh if only I wasn’t married.” Jenny sighed.
“Hell Jenny, we’re all the old married mommies here. Kris is the only single one so we have to live vicariously through her.” Tina teased draping an arm around Krista.
“You are such a bitch Tina.” Krista laughed. “But I love ya anyway.”
“Of course you do.” Tina winked.
“Anyway, so back to you and Ethan. He says he’s not gentle, blah, blah, then what?” Tiffany said, getting back to the conversation.
“Right. So I tell him that I know he’s not the same. Then he pulls this whole, trying to be noble line toward dad and me. How when we were kids he was naive and shit and didn’t know any other way to be but sweet and gentle. How he has never messed around with a client. He’s saying that screwing my brains out is mild compared to the thoughts he was thinking. I just told him when he actually wanted to talk about those thoughts he knew where to reach me and I left.” Krista explained, getting all worked up yet again over the ordeal.
She looked around the table at her friends, her best friends, her sisters. All of them straight at her with wide eyes. Shifting a bit under the scrutiny, she grabbed her wine glass and gulped down the last bit before grabbing the bottle for a refill. Good think she wasn’t driving.
“Wow.” Tiffany gaped.
“And Ethan just sat there?” Jennifer asked.
“Pretty much. I mean he did follow me home after. But just because I’m a client and he had to make sure I got home.”
“I can’t believe I’m saying this, since he always seemed so smart back then, but Ethan Blackstone has got to be one of the biggest idiots in Austin right now.” Connie added.
“Right? I mean, what red blooded man is gonna turn down a blatant invitation of sex from an Amazon beauty like Kris?” Mindy exclaimed.
“Maybe he was trying to protect her.” Jenna stated.
“From what? Yeah she’s got a sicko after her, but this is Ethan we’re talking about.” Crystal argued.
Jenna sighed. “Yeah, yeah. What I mean is, what if he’s protecting you from him?”
Krista sat back in her chair. “What? Why would he protect me from him Jenna? He would never hurt me, hell he’d never hurt ANY woman.”
“I think I get what Jenna is saying.” Shauna said. “What if Ethan is into that whole BDSM stuff? You know, whips and chains and shit.”
“Mmmmm, I’d like to be tied up by him.” Jennifer giggled.
“I think that’s all of us at this table, Jennifer.” Krista agreed with an eye roll. “But maybe you do have a point Shauna. So what should I do then? Jerry said to let him make the next move.”
Jenny leaned across from Krista’s other side, opposite Tina. “And he’s right.”
“Yes, let Ethan decide what to do.” Tina nodded. “You told him in no uncertain terms what you want. Now he has to decide if he wants the same thing.”
“Look honey, you and Ethan have always had this sizzling chemistry. It’s off the charts. Now you two are being thrown back together after what, nearly a decade? You said yourself, you haven’t seen him since that Christmas after he joined special forces. Just be patient.” Tiffany replied.
Krista looked at each of her friends. These wonderful, smart and beautiful women had been at her side for over thirty years. Had been her shoulders to cry one, her listeners when she bitched. And tonight they just proved how no matter what they would always be there to help her.
“Thank you. You guys have no idea how much,” She broke off and swallowed the lump that suddenly appeared in her throat. “How much I love you guys and have missed you. You all have been there for me no matter what and no matter where I was. I don’t think there’s a woman alive who could ask for a better group of friends.”
A chores of awe’s, and don’t make me cry’s when up around the table. And just like that, Krista pushed all thoughts of Ethan Blackstone from her mind and instead focused on her friends and getting reacquainted with their lives and families.
Chap
ter 6
Krista worried the small red glass pendent around her neck as she shifted in the chair. Today she had three interviews with three different reports. At the moment she was sitting at interview number two with the Austin Chronicle. That morning Ethan had pulled up at her house. After she climbed into the cab of his truck, they headed for Jerry’s apartment. During the whole drive the insufferable man had said nothing. Not a single, you look good, kiss my ass, nothing. Krista was brought out of her fuming thoughts when the reporter walked over.
