Scheme of Maneuver: A Career Soldier Military Romance

by Tawdra Kandle

  “Thanks for that.” I glowered at Kade. “Seriously. I was trying to do the right thing, and you throw me under the bus like that? What the fuck?”

  “Hey.” He spread his hands. “All I did was ask a question. You’re the one who made the point of not saying Jacey is hot.” He nodded slowly, his eyes crinkling on the corners. “It’s comforting to me that you’re only interested in her very sexy . . . mind.”

  I could see that I wasn’t going to win this, no matter what I said. “That’s exactly right, Kade. That’s what I see in Jacey. We’re going out tonight, and we’re going to talk philosophy and literature. Matter of fact, some of those kinds of discussions take a long, long time, so don’t worry if Jacey is late getting back to your house. You can go to bed with the perfect assurance that we’re only connecting . . . on a mental level.” I leaned forward and winked.

  Kade’s face darkened. “That’s not cool, Owen. You made a promise to me.”

  “I did, and I’m keeping it.” I pulled my hat out of my pocket and fitted it back onto my head. “I don’t know what you could see wrong in what I just said, unless your mind is in the gutter.”

  Whistling once again, I strode away, snickering to myself. Point Hughes.

  That sense of victory lasted until four-forty-five that afternoon, when Colonel Debbings called me. I was just getting ready to leave my office and head to the barracks to shower and get ready for my date. I answered my phone with trepidation; nothing good ever came of a call just before five in the afternoon.

  “Owen, I need you to head back over to the range. Kade’s got a couple of Max’s platoons over there, and Lieutenant Norman’s wife just went into labor. They need another supervising officer.”

  I stood for a moment, my eyes closing as suspicion and irritation waged for the upper hand. Kade wouldn’t sabotage my night with his sister, would he? I thought of the way he’d looked earlier today. Maybe . . .

  Tamping down the disappointment, I told the colonel I was on my way. And then I paused to text Jacey, explaining that I’d been kept late and would call her when I was leaving. I apologized as well as I could over text, but I was careful not to mention Kade.

  Jacey: Don’t worry—I know how the Army is. I’ll be here, and if you end up being there too late, we can always go out tomorrow night. ☺

  When I arrived at the range, Kade glanced at me with a mix of guilt and regret. “Hey, Owen. Sorry about this. Norman’s wife called just as we got here, and he had to take off.”

  “Yeah, and there was no one else who could step in, huh? I was the only one around. Don’t you find that a little coincidental, considering our conversation earlier today?”

  His eyebrows shot up, and he pressed a hand to his chest. “Dude, I didn’t make the call. The colonel was the one who told me she’d send you down. Apparently, she checked around, and you were the only one not already on duty. Don’t get pissy with me, buddy.”

  I growled under my breath and spent the next two hours standing around, supervising the troops who were qualifying. It was loud and mind-numbingly boring, and my mood wasn’t at all helped by Kade, whose position and expression mirrored my own.

  By the time I could leave, I didn’t even bother saying good-bye. Instead, I hurried straight to my car, dialing my phone as I walked.

  “Jacey, I’m so sorry about tonight,” I began.

  “Hey, seriously, don’t worry.” Her voice was low and warm, and suddenly I couldn’t wait to see her again. “Like I said, I’m used to the Army. Kade’s schedule is never his own.”

  “I know it’s too late for our dinner, but I wondered if I could come pick you up and take you for coffee and dessert? There’s a little diner in town that I know, and the chef there makes killer chocolate chip cookies.”

  “Now you’re speaking my language.” She laughed. “I’ll be waiting.”

  Fifteen minutes later, I pulled up in front of Kade and Leah’s house, hopped out of the car and jogged up the front walk. Jacey opened the door before I could knock, her pretty face lighting up with a smile.

  “Look at you, soldier boy!” She greeted me, standing on tip toe to kiss my cheek. It had been two days since I’d seen her, and all I could think was that I’d somehow forgotten how fucking beautiful she was. Her hair was down around her shoulders, the dark blonde waves curling at the ends. She wore a simple black shirt with a low, round neckline and faded blue jeans that looked as soft as butter.

  “I hope this is okay.” Stepping back, she swept a hand down her front. “I was wearing a dress, but when plans changed, I thought this might be more appropriate.”

  “You look . . . breathtaking.” I pulled her closer, unable to stop myself from kissing her. Her lips were soft and inviting, and they tasted faintly of strawberry. “And perfect.”

  “Isn’t she gorgeous?” Leah rounded the corner, carrying Emma on her hip. The baby looked as though she was freshly bathed, her pale blonde hair damp and curling. She was dressed in one of those one-piece deals that covered her little feet, and even I had to admit she was cute. “And thanks to you being late, I had help giving the princess here her bath, since her grandma went back to California today and her daddy wasn’t home yet, either. Did you two get stuck in the same deal?”

  I bit the inside of my cheek. “Kind of.” I wasn’t going to complain about Kade to his wife and sister. That would’ve been completely uncool. “Is it okay if I take Jacey with me now? I don’t want to leave you shorthanded with the kiddo there.”

  Leah chuckled. “The kiddo here, as you call her, is heading to bed right now. I’m fine. You two go have fun.”

  I didn’t have to be told twice. Taking Jacey’s hand, I led her to the car. “Sorry about my uniform. Once I was done, I didn’t want to waste time changing. I just wanted to get over here and pick you up.” Opening the passenger door, I stepped back to let her climb inside.

  She touched my arm, right where the camouflaged material met my tanned skin. “I don’t mind a bit. You’re a soldier, Owen. It’s part of who you are.” She grinned wickedly. “Plus, you look so freaking hot in those BDUs. It just makes me want to unbutton you and see what’s underneath.”

  What was underneath my uniform pants stiffened even more at her words. “I guess that’s a ringing endorsement. You know, I can wear this every time we’re together, if that’s the reaction I get.”

  Jacey trailed her fingers down to my hand. “Owen, you make anything look damn good. Now get in this car and drive me to the diner. I believe I was promised chocolate chip cookies, and my mouth’s been watering ever since you said that.”

  I sketched a small bow. “Absolutely, mademoiselle. Your wish is my command.”

  * * *

  The diner was quiet and nearly empty, just as I’d hoped. Jacey and I both decided to forego coffee for glasses of ice cold milk to go with the huge chocolate chip cookies we’d ordered.

  “Oh, my God, it’s still warm from the oven.” She closed her eyes and moaned, and I was millimeters away from crawling across the table and laying my body on top of hers, kissing her until neither of us could breathe.

  I cleared my throat. “Jacey, honey, if you keep making sex noises about that cookie, I can’t be responsible for what I might do. You’re making it very hard to keep my mind on anything but getting you naked.”

  She tilted her head, eyes wide and innocent. “Oh, those aren’t my sex noises.” Leaning forward, she dropped her voice to a whisper. “My sex noises are much louder and much more . . .” She dragged the tip of her tongue between her lips. “Explicit.”

  I swallowed hard. “Jacey.”

  She smiled. “Yes?”

  “You’re killing me.”

  Lifting her cookie, she took another bite and chewed slowly. “I’m sorry, Owen. I’ll try to be good now.” Even as she made the promise, I felt the toes of her bare foot rubbing sensuously along the backside of my calf.

  Sighing, I broke off a piece of my own cookie. “Tell me more about why you moved out h
ere to Virginia and what you’d like to do now.”

  “The first part is easy,” she answered, wiping a few crumbs off her lips with the paper napkin. “As I told you the other day, Kade wants Leah to finish her degree, so he asked me if I’d consider moving in with them for a while to help with Emma.”

  “That’s why he asked you. Why did you say yes?”

  She twisted her napkin between her fingers. “I love working with makeup. I enjoyed the artistry of it. And I liked the people who I worked with at first. Then my client list shifted to more upscale women who wanted to look perfect instead of interesting. It was so boring. I began getting restless, and one day I lost it. I told off this lady who kept insisting that I make her look like Emma Stone. I knew right at that moment that I couldn’t do it anymore. I was done. The next day, Kade called to see if I might consider coming out here. The timing couldn’t have been better. I said yes because I’ve never lived anywhere but SoCal. I said yes because I thought I might find more options out here. I said yes because I hoped I’d find my future here.” She shook her head. “That sounds so immature, doesn’t it?”

  “No.” I caught her hands in mine, squeezing gently. “It sounds like a woman who embraces adventure.”

  “The second part is harder. What I want to do next is the question that keeps me up at night. I don’t know. I majored in English, but I never finished college, because my makeup gig took off. I love kids, but I don’t want to teach. I enjoy art, but I’m not talented enough in any particular medium to make that work for me.” She lifted one shoulder. “I’m at a loss. I keep waiting to find the one thing that makes me say, Aha! This is what I’ve been looking for. So far, nothing has.”

  I studied her, watching the play of the artificial lights on her hair and face. “What is it that brings you joy?”

  Jacey caught the corner of her lip between her teeth. “I think . . . whatever I can do to show others the real beauty they possess, regardless of what they see as their faults and flaws . . . that’s what makes my heart sing.” She winked at me. “Well, that and chocolate chip cookies.”

  “There you have it.” I finished the last bite of my cookie. “You need a career that lets you eat cookies every day.”

  “Sign me up.” She took a long drink of her milk. “Okay, that’s enough about me and my quest for the meaning of life. Let’s talk about you for a change. Tell me how you ended up at West Point.”

  For the next hour and a half, we talked about our childhoods, growing up on opposite coasts. We compared our high school years, and Jacey shared with me a glimpse of the pain she’d felt, losing her father when she was fifteen. I told her how I’d chosen West Point because I’d admired the ideals embodied there. We discussed our favorite foods, the television shows we’d binge-watched recently, and the books that had changed our lives.

  When the diner began to close around us, I paid the bill and we left, getting into my car. Jacey turned to me, twisting a lock of her hair around one finger.

  “Thank you for tonight, Owen. I can’t remember when I’ve had more fun.”

  “I don’t think I’ve ever spent this much time talking to a woman,” I admitted. “Or even to any of my friends. You’re easy to be around, Jacey.” I reached out to lace our fingers together. “I wish I could take you somewhere with me so we could be alone and the night didn’t have to end. But my room in the barracks isn’t an option.”

  “And I kind of doubt Kade would be all right with me inviting you into my bedroom at their house,” she sighed.

  “I guess that I’ll have to settle for kissing you good-night here.” I pulled her toward me, feeling a swell of both contentment and longing when she sighed against my neck. “God, you feel good. I could hold you like this forever.”

  She lifted her face. “I’d stay with you forever.”

  My heart thudded against my ribs, and I framed her face with my hands, angling my head as I feathered a kiss over her lips. With a soft touch of my tongue, I persuaded her to open to me, swallowing her groan of pleasure as it washed over me.

  I wished that we had all the time in the world tonight. I wanted to kiss her into oblivion, taking myself along for the ride, too. I wanted to lay her out, sink into her and lose all sense of the rest of world, existing only for the two of us.

  But none of that was an option just now. Tonight, I had to be content with what we had here. Still, I couldn’t help covering one of her full breasts with my hand, kneading it gently, feeling her nipple harden beneath my palm.

  “You’re so beautiful, Jacey. I wish we had someplace to go.”

  “We’ll figure out something.” Her voice was husky as she arched her neck, pushing into my touch. “We have to, because now we know.”

  “What do we know?” I ventured my hand under the neckline of her shirt, slipping my fingers over the silky cup of her bra.

  “We know that we have more than just a spark. We have that something extra, too—the connection that means we want more than just the sexy times. As my mom would say, we’re compatible.”

  I ghosted a kiss over her forehead. “I definitely agree with that assessment. We have the spark and the compatibility. The full package.” My fingers toyed with the stiffened bud of her nipple, and Jacey hummed her encouragement.

  “Since we’re both on the same page, what are we going to do about it?” She sounded more than a little bit breathless as she wriggled closer to my touch.

  “I suggest you have dinner with me Friday night.” I sucked her earlobe between my lips. “And then maybe we could . . . find some place to give this spark room to grow.”

  “I’m all for fanning the flames.” Jacey insinuated her hand between our bodies and cupped my aching dick. I ground my teeth together in exquisite frustration. “But pretty soon I just might self-combust. Your hands on me are making me crazy.”

  I rested my forehead against hers. “I know. But don’t worry. I have some ideas.”

  Chapter Four

  Jacey

  When I was small, I’d looked at Kade as though he’d hung the moon. He was the best big brother in the world; he never ignored me or left me out of his fun, and when his friends were over at our house, he always made sure they treated me well, too. He’d taught me how to surf and shared his love of the sun and sand with me.

  Later, when he was in high school and I’d been in middle school, I’d decided Kade was the biggest pain in the neck ever. Older brothers were highly overrated. He didn’t let me get away with anything, and if there were any boys who even dared to look my way, Kade had a special manner of glowering that sent them scurrying.

  When I was fifteen and our father died, the bottom had dropped out of my world. I was devastated, grief-stricken and terrified about the future. But Kade had swept in, coming home from college to make sure we all three got through those first horrible days together. He’d gone ROTC shortly thereafter, since that meant the Army paid his college bills and eased some of the financial strain left in the wake of our dad’s death.

  In the years since his graduation, I’d missed my brother. We didn’t get to see each other as much as we had when he’d lived in California. Still, we stayed in touch via the phone and the internet, and when I’d accepted his invitation to live with his new little family for a while, I’d been excited that once again, we’d be in the same zip code—but this time as adults who could be real friends.

  However, over the course of the four weeks after I met Owen Hughes, I began to second-guess that excitement, because my big brother Kade was being a royal pain in the ass.

  I’d had the first hint the morning after my chocolate chip cookie date with Owen at the diner. I’d come down to have breakfast the next morning and overheard the tail-end of what sounded like a tongue lashing Leah was giving her husband. I picked up a few words and phrases like duty and unfair and keeping Owen away from Jacey. Although they’d both clammed up once I’d appeared in the kitchen, I’d heard enough to gather that Leah suspected my brother had intentionall
y tried to derail my date by keeping Owen on post longer.

  I couldn’t imagine that she was right about that. How immature that would have been—Kade would never have done anything so underhanded. Not when he’d said he promised me that he wouldn’t interfere in our dating.

  Or would he? As the days went on, it was clear that Kade was waging a silent battle against my relationship with his friend. He’d given us his grudging approval, but I wondered if that had been more to placate Leah and my mother than anything else. He never said anything out loud, but I could tell by the brooding expression on his face whenever I left the house with Owen that all was not well. More than once, he’d asked for extra help with the baby, too, even when he knew full well that I had plans with Owen.

  Now that Leah had begun classes again, though, I felt guilty if I didn’t agree to pitch in with Emma whenever Kade made the request. After all, he was providing me free room and board for this very reason, and I’d have been terribly ungrateful not to do my part. I was always around during the day to watch the baby when Leah was actually at the college or working on her on-line courses, but there were times at night when Kade asked for my assistance. Thus it was that I found myself cancelling or postponing dates more often than not. Sometimes it was only a delay of an hour or two, but twice I ended up missing my time with Owen altogether.

  Once it had dawned on me what was going on, I did what any little sister would do: I fought back the same way. Instead of cancelling with Owen, I invited him over to hang out while I was on Emma duty. I felt a little as if I was a teenager again, watching TV with my boyfriend while we waited for the parents to come home.

  For their part, Kade and Owen were maintaining a chilly but civil relationship. On the surface, it seemed like everything was fine, but I’d noticed a distinct lack of the relaxed humor that marked the friendships between all the commanders in the battalion. They treated each other politely, and that in itself was weird.