Divine

by Cait Jarrod

  He didn’t have time to process what she said before a female’s high-pitched voice blasted his ears like an alarm. “Katrina!” A bitter-faced woman on horseback approached from behind them. Her red hair, the color of Katrina’s, pulled tight into a bun.

  “My mother,” she whispered.

  “Where have you been? You’re all wet. Get to the house and change before anyone sees you.”

  He followed her mother’s finger. The house she pointed at was no house. Three stories, if not more, extended at least the size of a football field. Maybe he exaggerated, but labeling the building huge understated its magnitude.

  Another horse approached from the same direction. A bald-headed man with a mustache sat on top. “Katrina, listen to your mother. This young fellow,” her dad spoke, barely acknowledging Matt, “best be going.”

  “They won’t give you a chance,” she said under her breath. “They don’t think you’re worthy.” Her words drifted with her last comment, as if she said something she shouldn’t have.

  Worthy? To even think in the terms of someone being equal or not never entered his mind. Then he remembered his friends’ comments and grumbled. Her mother observed him as if he was a snake she wanted to kill with a hoe.

  “Mom, Dad, this is Matt Carson. Matt, this is my parents Sissy and Milton Lovett, the biggest snobs this side of the Mason-Dixon line.”

  “You hold your tongue, little lady. Don’t give your mother and I sass in front of anyone, especially strangers.”

  “Matt, you’ll have to excuse my father’s Midwestern accent and style of speaking. He never left the cowboy persona behind. Though, the way he ridicules you’d think so, since belittling goes against a cowboy’s code.” She faced her father and ignored his scowl. “He’s not a stranger to me.”

  He didn’t know what to think. Families didn’t talk this way to one another, and he’d never witnessed anyone being rude to guests.

  “Well, he isn’t our type of people,” her father said.

  He bristled then stepped forward. Katrina placed a hand on his arm, stopping him.

  “What type of people?” she fumed. “A person who watches out for others?”

  As sassy as she was, she wouldn’t stay under their control long. She labeled him a warrior, yet she was the fighter.

  “I fell into the river. He saved me. What better person is there?”

  The protective stance she made against her father was impressive. He would have never back talked his father. Of course, Dad never belittled anyone.

  Mr. Lovett flung a leg over his horse, dropped to the ground, and approached. Matt slipped his hand out of his pocket and offered Mr. Lovett a handshake. “Nice to—”

  “How much do you want, son?” Mr. Lovett pulled his wallet from his back pocket. “For your troubles, how much?”

  He blinked. “What?”

  “A reward. Isn’t that why you saved her?”

  “Shove your money up your ass and treat your daughter with respect!” is what he wanted to say. Instead, he chose the path that would make his dad proud. “I don’t want your money.”

  “New clothes then. Clothes don’t come cheap. I’ll buy you a new suit.”

  Clearly, he didn’t belong here. He faced a gaping Katrina.

  “Remember our spot, Trina,” he whispered, giving her a nickname he hoped she’d love, and with any luck, her mother and father would hate.

  “Check your pocket,” she whispered and brushed a kiss on his cheek.

  Her parents may not like him, but he and Trina would have a friendship despite them. He winked, accepted his jacket, and walked toward home.

  “Don’t be kissing strange boys!” her mother ordered.

  “Damnest thing I’ve ever seen,” Mr. Lovett bellowed. “What person on God’s green earth doesn’t want money?”

  “The good kind,” he heard Trina say.

  An object slapped his thigh from his suit. He ran his hand along the inside of the pocket and tugged out a keychain. The word DIVINE was etched into a metal plate with a squiggly mark under it.

  She possessed everything: a huge house, money, family. Yet a strange feeling overcame him that she’d given him her prize possession. Slipping the keychain into his pants pocket, the unbearable burden that he wouldn’t survive lessened.

  Chapter Two

  Five years later…

  Time flew. The days of skipping rocks across the Potomac River ended. Trina sat on the footbridge, watched the water flow beneath her, and wished time would stand still. She had goals. Her dreams no longer consisted of a garden nursery or petting zoo, but the ambition to be a doctor, like her parents wanted. Their endless chatter on how the career would take her further in life got through to her, and she gave up her childhood idea. “Just a fantasy anyway.”

  Knowing what she wanted out of life not only grounded and excited her, it scared her to death. It meant she’d no longer see her best friend. She ached from the idea of not seeing Matt in a longing, miserable way.

  One week left before she ventured into a new life. Not him. Nope. Tomorrow he left for the Marines. If his parents were alive, would they have given their permission for him to join the military before he turned of legal age, as Travis had? Two months after graduation, he wanted to fight in the war on terror. She didn’t get it. However, she was sure he didn’t understand why she dropped her childhood dreams to go to medical school, yet he accepted it. Typical Matt, he always went with the flow.

  He was her rock, the lone person who truly understood her.

  “Hiya, kiddo.” Matt’s sexy-as-hell timbre reached out, stroking her like a soft caress.

  She wiped the tear sliding down her face. She didn’t want either of them to remember their last night together as the time when she totally lost it and begged him not to go.

  He stepped onto the footbridge, kissed her forehead, and sat beside her. His long legs hung down farther than hers did. He draped his arms over the railing and propped his chin on the bar. “I’m gonna miss this,” he said.

  She hooked an arm around his and leaned her head on his shoulder. “Me, too.”

  Five years ago, almost to the day, they kissed but not since.

  Gorgeous, tan, and muscular, his sweet and caring personality filled her with so much warmth she couldn’t catch her breath. She liked everything about him from his bluish-green eyes to his funny second toe that was longer than the first.

  “Do you think your parents will ever accept me?” he asked, even though he knew the answer.

  Mom and Dad tolerated her seeing Matt. Still, she hated the times when they badgered her with questions and threatened not to pay for college if they ever dated. “I can hope.”

  “Me too,” he said, his tone low and face forward. Unusual for him, he always made eye contact when he talked.

  “Tonight is tough,” she said, meaning it more than she believed possible. “How will I deal with not seeing you?” Moisture filled her eyes. She promised herself she wouldn’t fall apart and do this to him, to her. “I don’t want you to go.”

  “Aw, sweetheart.” He slid an arm around her and tucked her close. At five-three, she snuggled against his six-one frame perfectly. “We knew this day was coming. Neither one of us can renege on our commitments.”

  “What about the one we have to one another?” The words spilled out without a care. They hadn’t discussed their bond.

  “Nothing will change,” he said, his manner as absolute and resolved as it had been since they first met. He controlled his actions and his feelings. Kept a handle on what he wanted, and what he needed to do to get there.

  She wasn’t as strong or as sure. A double-edged sword played devil’s advocate in her mind. She wanted him, the forbidden fruit. Thankfully, he hadn’t complicated matters by pursuing more of a girlfriend-boyfriend relationship. His thoughtful and protective manner opened the door for their friendship to flourish. Wonderful, yet depressing—she wanted a taste, an adult sample of the man he’d become.

&nb
sp; She admired his generosity, humility, and most importantly, his no-nonsense way. Despite her parents’ warnings not to date him, she couldn’t stop from entertaining the idea. Long ago, she accepted she couldn’t have him, not really accepted but endured. Her path in life would take her down a road of money and status. Things Matt didn’t care about. She’d rather have these lovely moments with him, than take a chance he would tire of the ongoing battle against outside forces—her parents—to be together.

  Love existed; she knew it but didn’t expect to experience the big bang love others raved about. Her parents didn’t have it. Her brother hadn’t found it. Although part of her imagined she could have the big bang love with Matt, she wouldn’t take the risk. The unknown wasn’t worth losing her best friend, her right arm. She’d settle for a nice home, a complacent love, and not worry about the amazing, panty-wetting desire her friends gabbed about.

  Yet…

  For the last year when he brushed against her with a hand or a shoulder, her body hummed. She’d resisted the urge to press against his chest and kiss his lips. Instead, she fantasized about arriving at the footbridge pantyless, like tonight when she carried out the silly girl notion. She sucked in a deep breath, shifted to make sure her skirt covered her butt. She’d hate to get a splinter.

  “There’s Trina.” He pointed at a constellation he’d named for her eighteenth birthday two days ago.

  “You’re so sweet. Like I said, I don’t know how I’ll handle not seeing you.” She kept her focus on the night, the stars. Otherwise, the puddle of tears she worried about turning into would become a reality.

  “I’m sweet. That’s me.” He chuckled with no lilt. “We’ll call each other. Message. Hey, we can even video chat. You can send me naked pictures.” He let out a strained laugh.

  She closed her eyes. If certain no one else would see the pictures, she’d carry out his fantasy.

  He shifted and slid his fingertips along her arm. “I’m heading to sniper school.”

  She loved Matt’s drive to save lives. Ever since the day he said he wanted to become a sniper, the idea of him shooting someone worried her. Worse, if he got hurt… She couldn’t think about it. Her stomach twisted and bile rose in her throat. “Let’s not.”

  “Talk about it?”

  Yes, but she wasn’t being fair. He listened to all of her doctor stories. “Don’t you need years of service before you're accepted?” The little she learned about the military had come from Matt regaling stories his father had told.

  “I plan to zip to the end of the requirement list quickly.”

  He’d taken her shooting enough times that she knew he was an ace shot. Thanks to his teachings, she could even hit a target a few hundred yards away.

  “What time do you leave for Aruba tomorrow?”

  Desire begged her to grab him and ask questions later. “At dawn, before the crows caw.”

  “Is Milton still getting after you for sleeping in?”

  “He did this morning. Dad doesn’t understand today was the last time I could possibly sleep late. Vacationing with my family is non-stop activities from dawn to well past dusk. My brother Bradley and I won’t get a chance to do what we want, like sunbathe or shop. As soon as I return, I don’t even have time to unpack before I head to Dartmouth.”

  His gaze lowered to her mouth.

  She stilled. The moment they’d avoided arrived. She wanted to kiss him more than she wanted anything.

  Their lips touched. The fire banking low in her belly came alive. She pressed her breasts into his chest, her nipples hardening to pleasured peaks. Their tongues mingled, slow and steady, as they appreciated and savored each other.

  “You taste so good.” He drew in a sharp breath and smoothed the hair away from her face.

  She shifted to get closer. While she’d arrived pantyless, hoping for intimacy, their kiss caught her by surprise. She didn’t want it to stop. Quite the opposite, she wanted more. She craved to feel his naked body, to feel him buried deep inside, to feel him throbbing when he claimed her. Her body begged, pleaded, and pulsated. “I want you so much it hurts.”

  Pressing his forehead to hers, he released a long drawn out sigh. “I want the same.” He whispered, yet his voice cracked. “But…”

  She inhaled his intoxicating cologne that set him apart from every other man she’d met. Damn, would he throw water on their heated bodies?

  “Is this the wrong thing to do?”

  She touched her lips to his neck, sucked in another Matt-fortified-scent. “I don’t know.”

  The moon cast shadows over the bridge and him. How will she live without seeing him every day? How will she survive not hearing his voice? How will she deal with not knowing if he’s alive or not?

  Right then, the truth to her apprehension came to life. The thing she feared the most. Not wanting to lose their precious relationship wasn’t a lie, yet she held a deeper fear she’d rather keep tucked away. If she made love to Matt, if they closed the last little bit of distance between them, she would lose her soul and never recover. If Matt’s journey ended the same as so many others before him, she didn’t know how she would manage. Military families possessed an amazing strength. Courage she didn’t have.

  This line of thinking, while selfish, kept things real. Making love to him the way she craved, only to lose him, would break her beyond repair. She’d lose focus on college, on herself. She’d worry nonstop. The concern would remain, but it wouldn’t be the same as if she went the next step with him, would it?

  “Want to tell me what you’re thinking?”

  She wouldn’t speak of her reservations. It wasn’t worth the chance of jeopardizing his excitement about the Marines. “I think you’re right, the timing is off. I’m leaving for college. You’re heading to who knows where as soon as you finish boot camp. Four years is a long time apart.”

  He watched her intertwine their fingers. “It is. I’m not gonna lie. Not seeing you will be the hardest thing I’ll ever have to do. It’s pretty high on my shit list.”

  She giggled, but a question haunted her. “Speaking of lists, how ‘bout we put each other on our individual bucket list.”

  “Trina naked against me,” Matt air wrote.

  “Do you think…” She shifted to view him directly. “If we are together, do you think we’ll ruin our friendship?”

  “Sweetheart—”

  She melted.

  “Trust me when I say our relationship will endure anything.”

  How could he be so sure? Still, she refused not to take what this moment offered—a taste of Matt. “You’re driving me insane.”

  “Right back at ya,” he said with a groaning laugh and kissed her.

  His hot lips ignited a hunger. If she didn’t get enough of him, she’d die of starvation.

  She slid her hands into his hair, grasped the strands, and didn’t let go.

  A twig snapped and a scurry sound followed.

  He eased away, surveyed the area briefly before turning his attention back to her. He kissed her nose, nipped her throat, then worked his way to the spot below her ear. Her eyes rolled, and she leaned into him. “Matt,” she moaned.

  “Right here,” he said, his breath hot and seductive. “I got to have you.”

  Lord help her, she threw rationale out the window along with her college education. “Let’s take the chance.”

  “Are you sure?”

  Sure she wanted him, yes. Sure being with him would send her on an emotional tornado for the next four years. “Yes.”

  “Trina.” He sucked in a deep breath and buried his face in her neck. His arms tightened around her, bringing her as close to him as he could. “I’ve been waiting.”

  “You never said anything.”

  He tucked a piece of hair behind her ear before cupping her face. “I didn’t want to rush you.”

  He was too good. The whole deal, every quality she wanted in a man sat beside her. “Then it’s past time we—”

  “Tri
na!” Bradley called out, interrupting them and the passion running between them. If Bradley was here, her parents weren’t far behind. She bolted to her feet.

  Matt groaned. “I’m gonna kill him.”

  “You’ll have to wait in line.” She smoothed out her skirt, fixed her shirt before pushing her disheveled hair out of her face, and eyed the woods.

  Her brother’s sun-streaked hair emerged. “You ready?”

  “Did Dad have you find me?”

  “How’s it going, man?” Matt stood and clasped Bradley’s hand.

  The two men stood next to one another at almost eye level, her brother falling short about an inch.

  “I’m not looking forward to this trip with the folks.” Bradley jutted his chin out toward her. “If it wasn’t for Sis, I wouldn’t be going.” He shoved his hands into his pockets. “How about you? You ready to become a Marine?”

  She loved how the guys had become friendly with one another. Though they didn’t hang out now, she suspected after Bradley got out from under their parents’ iron fist, they’d become good friends. Once Matt told her, “One Lovett child in constant trouble because of me is enough.”

  Matt slipped an arm around her shoulders. “I’m gonna miss home,” he said, squeezing her close.

  Bradley shook his hand. “Return in one piece.”

  “Will do.”

  “I’ll see you at the road,” Bradley said. “Good thing I jumped out of the car before Dad did. Your college tuition would have been nonexistent.”

  She exhaled.

  “Mom and Dad are parked on the shoulder with the flashers on.”

  She withdrew from Matt, as if he had stung her, and stepped to the edge of the footbridge. Immediately, she felt ashamed. In her defense, she’d prepared to go to college for a long time. She needed it, needed the independence. If one of her parents had walked up on them, it would have ruined everything she worked so hard for.

  Now, anger at her parents’ lack of respect overrode her fear. “You’re kidding me!”

  “I wish I were.” Bradley backed off the bridge. “I’ll walk slowly.”