“Grace, the food is going to get cold.”
Snapping out of it, I head back to the table with our drinks. Before I know it, he pulls out my chair and guides me to sit at the table. He reaches down and places a small kiss on my cheek which sends an electric pulse through my body. Again, my phone plays that damn J.T. song. I wish Evan would stop flippin’ calling me. For the past week that’s all he’s done. The first time he wanted, in his words, to make sure I was not dead because I seemed to have fallen off the face of the earth. He said the housekeeper at Nate’s would not allow him to come through the gates and was silent on my information. I forgot to tell Nate that he needs to give her a raise.
“Do you need to get that?”
I can tell Jackson is a little curious on why I dismiss the call for the second time. It would be easy just to silence the damn thing, but if Nate calls and I don’t answer, all hell could break loose.
Turning my full attention back to the sexy man that sits before me, I respond, “Again, it’s no one important. Let’s eat.”
As I take the first bite my taste buds explode. The rich, velvety sauce invades my senses so completely I accidently let out a moan of pleasure.
“So, I take it that it meets your standards.”
Wiping my mouth, I decide to take another quick bite before answering him. “Oh my gah, it exceeds them and more. Are you a cook in the Marines?”
The look on his face is priceless. “Sweetheart, do I look like a cook?”
Giggling behind my napkin, I start to choke. Leave it to me to die in front of this gorgeous man. Maybe at least I can get a little mouth to mouth action again.
Jackson immediately crouches down with a glass of water. I’m so embarrassed. Through watery eyes I can see extreme concern on his face. I take a sip of water and with a hoarse voice thank him. Taking another sip, I try to catch my breath. Jackson is still at my side, apprehensive about leaving me. “If you’re not a cook, you must be someone that rescues people.”
Jackson stands up and walks back to take his seat. “I’m a 0326.”
“English, please,” I say, still trying to catch my breath.
“Well, technically I am a drill instructor at this moment, but in the fleet my job is within the infantry field.”
“Really? My stepfather was in the infantry field and I know that could mean different things. You can be assigned to different units.”
“Yeah, well it keeps life entertaining.”
By his sharp quip I get the feeling I’m not going to get much more. Turning his attention back to dinner, he starts rapidly firing questions back to me.
“So you’re a military brat? Are you an only child? Did you grow up on base? Which bases where you guys stationed at? Stepfather? What about your father?”
Trying to contain the spaghetti trying to escape my fork, I say, “Whoa there Mr. Interrogator. Don’t get out the water board too quickly.” I place my fork on my plate and gently wipe the corners of my mouth. “Brat? Do I look like a brat? Only child? Selfish and Proud! Did we live on base? Yes, Lejeune. He deployed all the time so we would have a little more stability. Stepfather? Yes. But he is the one that has earned the title of dad. He was always there when I needed him. Father? It’s complicated, and we’re working on it.”
I can tell from the way he peers at me he is intrigued. Not wanting to get into my daddy issue I change the subject.
“Tell me about your sweet, adorable, furry son, Thor.”
Laughing to himself, “Now he’s a brat. Thor is three years old which is twenty-eight in human years. He acts more like a petulant toddler, throwing tantrums when he doesn’t get his way. Like the day I first met you when he laid down in front of your door and wouldn’t move. That was his way of telling me ‘Give it up dude. I’m going to enjoy this beautiful woman that will rub my belly and feed me cheese like the prince that I am.”
“Well, you sound like you’re annoyed that your dear Prince Thor brought you upon my path.”
Jackson’s face falls a little before he shyly smiles and meets my eyes. “Please don’t ever think that. This time Thor pleasantly surprised me with a sweet gift. Thank goodness this time it was a gorgeous blonde instead of a baby possum.”
My body betrays me and that damn blush climbs up my neck to where I can feel it at the tips of my ears. Talking with him is so easy. I tell him about how I’ll start teaching at a local private girls’ school this fall and that I’m an assistant Cross Country coach at the same school, which helps me know the girls and their parents on a different level. Jackson turns the conversation and asks me my favorite ice cream which, of course, is chocolate peanut butter. He smiles and informs me that his favorite ice cream is rainbow sherbet. We get into a little debate when I tell him that sherbet is not ice cream. I inform him that in the US, sherbet is mostly fruit juice based and can only contain between two and five percent of dairy or eggs. I also explain to him that good quality ice creams are way beyond the five percent dairy requirement and cannot be compared to sherbet.
“Show off,” he says as he smiles and takes another bite.
Speaking with him comes naturally and is rather soothing. When we finish our scrumptious pasta I ask him about dessert. He pulls back from the table and stalks over to the freezer. What does he pull out? Rainbow Sherbet! I start to clear the table and find that he’s comfortable maneuvering in my kitchen. He brings down two bowls and leads me out to the back patio.
“Come on Thor,” he commands as he juggles the bowls and the sherbet. Thor lazily gets up and stretches in a downward facing dog pose. Following Jackson out, Thor takes refuge at my feet when I take my seat.
*
By this time, the sun is starting its journey to a majestic descent. The wind has picked up enough that the air feels a little crisp. My arms break out in a row of goose bumps that make the hairs on my arm stand on end.
“I believe you got a little too much sun today,” Jackson says has he rubs his hand over my right arm, then takes my hand into his.
The electric pulse from his hand to mine has every nerve ending standing at attention. I came to this area to work on me and find out how I fit in this thing called life. I now find myself sitting here with a gorgeous man thinking that I fit perfectly fine in his grasp.
Tragically my phone goes off again. The quizzical look Jackson is giving makes me a little contrite. I don’t want to pull this sumptuous man into the pit of my previous hell. “Jackson, if you will excuse me, I need to take this call,” I say apologetically.
“Grace, it’s okay. It’s starting to get a little chilly. Why don’t you grab a jacket or a sweatshirt so you don’t get cold?”
Walking in the house, I answer my phone.
“My darling Gracie, how have you been?” Evan slyly asks.
“Evan, can you hold on a sec?”
I place my hand over the phone and pop my head back out the door, speaking to Jackson. “Why don’t you light the fire pit? The instructions are on the lift up panel on the side. I promise I won’t be long.”
Taking a deep breath, I ready myself for the challenge on the other line.
“Whatcha need Evan?” I say in a quipped tone.
“Nice to speak with you too, Gracie. Did you just get in?”
“Again Evan, what do you need? I have company that I need to get back to.”
“Oh Gracie, are we enjoying the company of a prospected male love interest? You know, Gracie, that no one can ever love you like I love you,” he says like a slithering snake.
“You’ve got to be kidding me. You’re the one I caught with a human blow up doll around your pathetic dick. Nothing says love like fucking another woman.”
I believe if I took my blood pressure at this moment Jackson would end up calling 911. At this point I find myself pacing back and forth by my front door, not wanting to risk Jackson overhearing this craziness.
“Gracie. You can’t tell me that you, Nate, and the boys didn’t fool around while you were in that big o
le house. We had the perfect set up. I had a little piece of ass on the side and you got your action while you were at home with your best friend. You know I always meant to thank Nate. Your extra practice with him made you one hell of a lay when you were with me. Why don’t you go back out with your new toy? Let me know when you’re ready to stop playing games. I’ll be here stroking myself anxiously waiting to feel your luscious lips sucking me off.”
“You are one fucked up son-of-a-bitch. You know none of what you just said is even remotely true. I was always faithful to you with the thinking that you were the same,” I hiss at him.
“Oh sweet Gracie, I knew you were naive but not this naive. It must be all the daddy issues running around in that cute little brain of yours. You’re always pretending to be someone you’re not, always trying to please everyone. I can honestly say that I enjoyed that part. Just thinking about you pleasing me with your cute, tight-assed body makes me want to get off.”
“Fuck you,” I shout in the phone before throwing it, shattering the crystal vase on my coffee table.
Chapter Eighteen
Jackson
“What the hell?” I roar as I dart into her house.
Grace has her back turned away from me. I notice the broken shards of glass rattling the floor. I stuff the ever curious Thor back outside and close the door. Grace’s shoulders shudder as tears start to cascade down her face. I look down and see that she isn’t wearing any shoes. If she takes a step in any direction she will pierce her feet. Since I’m wearing shoes I walk up to her cautiously, willing her not to move.
“Grace,” I say softly into her ear. “I’m going to pick you up and take you over to the kitchen. There’s glass on the floor and I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”
Grace says nothing as she continues to peer forward. Cautiously I pick her up gingerly and place her down on the tiled floor in the kitchen. I casually walk her over to a dining room chair where I gently deposit her. Still, no movement. There’s no acknowledgement of me by her side. I look around and find a closet that holds her broom and dustpan. I start the process of cleaning up the glass when I hear her softly say something.
“Grace, did you say something?” Standing up, I look over to the empty place where I had placed her. She is now standing with her hands grasped on either side of her sink, looking out the window as if seeking out something.
Grace gently sighs and with a husky breath says, “Jackson, I hate to be rude, but I think we need to call it a night.”
“Grace, whatever –”
“Jackson, please. I need for you to leave.”
“Please let me finish and I’ll be out of here.”
Turning back to me with mournful eyes, “Jackson, you’re too good to be cleaning up my messes.”
Laying the broom and pan back down, I move slowly to where she’s standing. I place my hands upon her hips and bend down so that we’re looking eye to eye. “Grace, today was one of the best days of my life. It would be my honor to help you with any mess that may find its way to you. If you ever need anything, seek me out above all others and I promise I’ll never let you down.”
“Jackson…,” she says with pleading eyes.
Honoring her wish to leave, I bend down, placing a soft kiss in the crook of her neck, and walk out the back door to search for Thor.
*
As I walk a sulking Thor back to our condo I admit that he’s not the only one sulking. I feel as if I’m leaving a part of me back there. Never in such a short time has a woman infiltrated my soul. Hell, I don’t know if I have ever allowed a woman to ever infiltrate my soul.
I saw how my mom struggled with living with my dad. As long as I could remember he traveled non-stop. We found out later that most of the time he was not traveling for business, but to see his girlfriend on the side. My dad would come home and mom would try her best to cater to him. In return he acted like the pompous ass he was and treated her like crap. I saw her withering away every time he would leave then come back and completely ignore her. One day she received a telephone call from a coroner in Bermuda stating he had had a massive heart attack. The coroner informed her that she would need to arrange for transportation of his body. The kicker was that he was supposed to be in D.C. at a tech conference. Mom eventually found out that he’d been taking his twenty-something “friend”, Barbie, with him on business trips and vacations. The very large breasted Barbie bolted before he turned cold.
People always said that I reminded them of my father. Just because we shared the same colored hair and eyes, as well as a small dimple in our left cheek, doesn’t make us anything alike. The day we laid his sorry ass in the ground I promised myself that I would never get married. That’s why my dumb-ass moment with Lane shocked everyone. I guess the tides were turned when she ended up screwing our relationship. After that, I decided that my career was the most important thing and I would never let a piece of tail rule me. I could come and go as I please and not let anyone down. As I think back to Grace, feelings stir within me. I think I may be eating my words again, but know that this time, it would be well worth it.
*
“So, how did it go?” Ben and Adam say in unison.
“You guys are pathetic, living vicariously through my marvelous life when you could be out picking up chicks.”
Adam stands up to unclip Thor from his leash. “Must not be too marvelous. You’re here instead of in her bed.”
Laughing, Ben chimes in, “I told you that girls don’t like the romantic types. They want the stereotypically “ooh-rah” Marine, not the single, thornless pink rose wielding pansy ass.”
“You think you’re so funny don’t you asshat. I would like you both to know that everything was going fine until someone called her. She tried to ignore the multiple calls until it got to be too much. She finally answered it and that’s when all hell broke loose.”
“So, why are you here and not consoling her. Consoling an upset, young maiden is an absolute guarantee that you will get lucky.” Ben goes to the fridge and pulls us out a beer and a soda for Adam. “Let’s go out back and enjoy this evening.”
The sun has finally faded into black and the air now circulating creates a comfortable breeze. Taking a long draw of my beer, I prop my feet up and take a deep breath. “I don’t know who the hell called but it caused her temper to flare and an innocent vase got the brunt of it.”
“Could it be that Nate person she was with at the bar?”
Looking curiously between us Adam asks, “Who’s Nate?”
“She explained to me that Nate is her best friend from college. They moved out here after she graduated so that she could attempt to make a life for herself. She said that her mom and stepfather were always overprotected and she needed to prove that she could make it on her own. He was her buffer when she decided to tell her parents her plans. They didn’t put up a fight knowing that she would be here with Nate. It also appears that she has a father that lives here too. She really didn’t give up much on that story.”
“So, no romantic feelings with this Nate character?” Adam asks.
“Nope. The vibe I get from her is that he’s more like a brother.”
“So what are you guys doing?” Adam retorts.
“I don’t know. I feel like she’s on guard most of the time, but when she lets the wall down, she is everything that I could ever want. She’s feisty and sweet at the same time. When she smiles it illuminates everything surrounding her. She makes me want to be a better person. She makes me want more.”
Ben rakes his hands through the lack of hair he sports. “Holly hell, dude. Do you remember what our schedule is like? Do you think it is fair to pull someone in to this lifestyle right now? You’ve always been totally committed in everything you’ve done. You’ve actually excelled in the Corps because you didn’t have anyone to answer to. You’ve experienced firsthand what happens when the home front grows weary and starts to wander.”
“Ben, I could never compare Grace to Lane. Even
though Lane knew what the lifestyle was, she was always looking for more. It was like she was never satisfied. I was just dumb to think a ring was what she was looking for. Grace seems to be searching for more. I believe that more is someone that will see her for the person she is, not the person they want her to be.”
“But Jackson, you have to admit that this life is hard on a family. When we’re back in the fleet, we will be gone on a rotational basis. Six months is a long time to be gone from your family. Hell, the rotations are not even six months anymore. Try over a year. Are you sure she would even be willing to live this life style?”
“Ben, you and I bring a lot of this on our own by just being in the unit we’re in. I could choose to slow it down and stop volunteering for rotations like I’ve done in the past. For so long, we’ve been living off the adrenaline of jet fuel and the single life. After I get off this hellacious duty, I can choose to do more low speed things.”
Ben looks at me with a pronounced V between his brows. “You? Low Speed?”
“I don’t want to live with you forever. You’re good looking and all but I think we would create ugly ass babies.”
“You’ve known her for less than a weekend,” Ben counters.
“I just can’t explain it. When I look at her, my hearts beats a little faster. Her smile gives me an inner strength that makes me feel as if I can do and face anything as long as she is by my side.”
Tipping his beer towards me, Ben smiles, “What are you doing here? Get your ass over there and let her know that her search is over. We can look after the furry brat.”
Seeking Me To Find You (Finding You Series Book 1) Page 9
