“Thank you.” I think?
“But really, I don’t get what in God’s name he’d have to do with a girl like you.”
Veronica counted to ten while she rolled the last set of silverware and placed the bundle in the bin. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to finish up my work so I’m ready to go.” Steph didn’t say a word, though Veronica half-expected Steph to trip her as she walked past.
Then it occurred to her—she didn’t have to walk away like a sweet little lady. She had claws too, though they might not be as sharp. Might as well start sharpening them. She turned to see Steph still leaning against the table. No shock there, since she had the work ethic of a snail.
“Maybe Dwayne sees something in me that he doesn’t in you. Like manners and good company. Maybe he wants to be happy instead of dealing with drama.” With that, she turned on her rubber-soled heel and headed out to clear plates from her last table. In the world of set-downs, it wasn’t exactly an Olympic effort. But it felt good. Darn good.
It occurred to her ten minutes later, as she was dumping the last of the ice, that Steph was likely jealous. Of her. Because of Dwayne. Part of her wanted to feel sorry for Stephanie. She didn’t have many female friends, it seemed. Though if this was the way she treated others, it was no wonder. But the other half of her—the half her mother would be horrified to know she had, and therefore she reveled in it that much more—wanted to do a little dance with glee. Dwayne was hers… at least for the moment. He seemed interested in her, surprising as that may be to many others, and she was not about to look a gift horse in the mouth.
***
After a delicious dinner, Veronica and Dwayne claimed KP duty, since Madison and Jeremy had set up the late meal for them. The couple slipped back into Madison’s bedroom and shut the door behind them. Veronica did her best not to stiffen at the reminder. This was part of having roommates, and she needed to grow up and get over it.
After the last dish was in the dishwasher and the counter wiped off, Dwayne walked to the door, hands in his pockets.
“I better head out.”
“Oh, but…” Veronica wrung the towel in her hands, then realized the cliché picture she presented and tossed it back on the counter to follow him. “We could watch a movie here. Madison has a nice selection. I won’t even complain if you pick something with bombs and blood.”
He smiled a little at that, then shook his head. “I need to get back. Thanks though.” He opened the door and she stepped onto their small doorstep leading to the building’s staircase. “No, don’t walk me down. I’m good.”
“Of course I’ll walk you down. You’re—” She couldn’t finish the thought, as Dwayne’s mouth slanted over hers and pressed the sweetest of kisses to her lips. Before he could pull back, she instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck and tugged, bringing him more fully against her. He groaned, nudged her against the wall next to the front door, and kissed her back. Hard. Deliciously hard. They didn’t stop until both were gasping for breath and Veronica felt a little dizzy from lack of oxygen.
“Stay.”
Dwayne dropped his forehead to hers and squeezed one of her hands. “I can’t. I would if I could but… I just can’t. I’ll see you tomorrow night.”
She nodded and waited until his truck drove away before slipping back into the apartment. She turned out the kitchen and living room lights, then headed down the hallway to the bedrooms. But before she turned into her own, she paused, grabbed Madison’s laptop, and scurried in and shut the door.
Hey, she wasn’t going to use it tonight. She was busy with her boyfriend in the other bedroom.
Lucky.
But Veronica had other things she needed to worry about besides mild jealousy issues. Hesitating only a moment, she opened up Google and got to work.
Twenty minutes later, she sat back, wide-eyed and regretting every moment of that Google-fest.
Okay. So, she knew where babies came from. But her sex education had been… nonexistent living with her parents. She barely saw doctors as it was for illnesses or injuries, and none of the missionaries her parents worked with were going to give her the straight truth about anything involving sex, safe or otherwise. It would have been seen as a sort of dirty sin.
As if the real sin wasn’t keeping their daughter as ill-prepared for the real world as physically possible for their own selfish reasons.
It was upsetting, honestly, to know that she was so far behind anyone else in her exact same age group. That people born the decade behind her likely knew more about sex and just things in general than she did, were prepared for more. But logically she had to remember… she hadn’t been given a choice. The Internet was still new to her, along with so many things she was just discovering. And up to now, she hadn’t exactly had a reason to research the subject.
But now that she’d followed the Internet spiderweb from one place to another dealing with all things reproductive—several of which she wished she could now scrub from her brain—she knew it was time to face facts. And it would be embarrassing. But she had to.
She closed the computer and headed back into the hall to plug it in at the desk. Then she knocked softly on Madison’s door. She heard the bed creak—and only winced a little—then Madison’s face appeared in the crack of the door.
“What’s up?”
“I’m sorry.” Right. Now was not the best time for this. “I’ll catch you later.”
Madison paused a moment, then looked over her shoulder. “I’ll be back.”
“Huh?” Jeremy’s voice called out from the dark.
“Girl talk. Make yourself useful and fold something in the laundry basket in the corner.” She slipped out of the door and shut it, muting Jeremy’s grumbling protests. “Into your room.”
Veronica let herself be pushed at the bed until she sat down. Madison, wearing boxers that she could only assume were Jeremy’s, and a large T-shirt, sat beside her, cross-legged. “What’s up? Is Dwayne gone?”
“Yeah, he is.” Thinking back to Madison’s not-so-subtle exit, she smiled. “I’m glad you and Jeremy aren’t avoiding the apartment for my sake anymore. But you didn’t have to slip away so fast after dinner.”
Madison gave her a wink. “Oh yes we did. We had some fun of our own planned. Plus, I wanted to give you two some time. You don’t need a chaperone.”
Veronica cleared her throat. “About that kind of fun…” When Madison cocked her head to one side, she almost lost her nerve. So instead she blurted it out as fast as she could. “HowdoIgetmyselfsomebirthcontrol?”
Madison’s eyes bugged. “Come again?”
Veronica screwed hers tight. “Don’t make me say it again, please?”
“Okay, fine. Well, I guess you’d just head to your regular doctor and ask them. If you don’t have one, there are always basic clinics that you can go to. They usually have pharmacies attached where you can fill the prescription right there in fifteen or twenty minutes.”
She nodded. Though she didn’t have a regular doctor, she knew of a few clinics in the area. She’d driven a fellow server to one after he’d cut his hand and required stitches. “Thanks.”
“Do you want to… uh, talk about… it?”
Madison looked as miserably helpless as Veronica felt. But while she appreciated the effort, she wasn’t a teenager needing parental advice. This was something she’d figure out on her own. She shook her head, thanked her friend, and watched as Madison headed back to her room and her lover.
One more step on the way to becoming an independent adult who had boyfriends and experienced life. The real thing, not a watered down version that was picked out for her. But she had to be smart about it.
***
The only sound signaling the attack was the soft whistle of air. Dwayne came to life, swinging his arm to block the incoming blow. He rolled up, naked, and crouched on the corner of
his bed and willed his eyes to adjust. But the first thing he realized wasn’t from sight. It was the soft feel of the bed’s mattress beneath his feet.
Bed. Not his rack.
The present came to him in a rush of sensations. His teeth were chattering so hard they actually hurt. His skin was covered in sweat, even though the room was cool. And his head pounded out a drumbeat the cast of Stomp would be proud of.
He ran a hand down his face, wiping sweat away and flicking it off. What the hell time was it, anyway? The place where his alarm clock normally sat was empty. A quick search showed the alarm clock—turned to static and on—behind the nightstand, with a good-sized dent in the wall behind it. The sudden sharp pain when he flexed his hand told the rest of the story. As his alarm went off, he’d mistaken the radio static for… something else.
God, this was ridiculous. Why was he acting like this? He hadn’t even been in the thick of combat. Guys who saw way more shit than he ever had came home without a problem. Hell, his first two deployments were way more action-packed and he’d walked away without a hitch.
So why now? And why, period?
He flexed his hand again and walked to the kitchen for an ibuprofen. Hopefully it would work double-time to clear the headache up and dull the pain in his hand. After chasing the pills with a glass of water, he did a quick calculation and realized his sister was probably feeding Suzanna her breakfast. He needed a little innocence, combined with the unconditional love and support of family, to clear the rest of the nightmarish fog out. Taking a chance, he gave her a call.
“Hello?”
She sounded tired, and it broke his heart a little. “Hey, Nat. How are things?”
“Dwayne, hey.” The pleasure in her voice spread, edging out the exhaustion. “What’s up?”
“Just was thinking of you guys, wanted to see how things are going.”
“They’re good.” A loud squeal penetrated through the phone and had Dwayne wincing. “Okay, baby, okay. Cheerios, coming right up.”
He heard the scatter of food hitting the plastic high chair tray and Suzanna’s delighted laugh and clap.
God, that sounded good. Normal sounds, familial sounds, comforting sounds. If things had gone differently, he knew Natalie would be exhausted because she was pregnant, and her husband would be off to work already, making enough to support the family and provide.
But instead, she was dogged out from two jobs and a toddler she handled alone.
“Natalie…” He paused. “I miss you guys.”
“We miss you too. Tell Uncle D how much we miss him.”
Babbling, which might or might not have been English, filled his ear. He grinned and made the appropriate sounds back at her. Damn, his niece was going to be a pistol when she could actually form real sentences.
“She’s so chatty in the mornings.” Natalie again. “I swear, the minute she picks up words I’m in trouble. Okay, honey, here are your eggs. Let mama help you.”
“I won’t keep you; I know you’re always rushed in the mornings.”
“Aw. So soon? I can give you my full attention; she’s preoccupied now with her milk cup. So what else is going on? How’s that girl you were thinking about?”
“Veronica.” He smiled a little at her name. “She’s good. Things are… progressing,” he decided was the best term. “You’d like her.”
“I’ll like her even more if she’s up for babysitting. Bring her with you next time you fly over. I’d love to meet her.”
“Yeah.” The idea held real appeal. “I’ll do that.”
“Bring any help you want. Hell, bring me a man with you.”
“A man?” He blinked. “You want a man?”
His sister laughed. “I’m not dead, I’m just a mom. You were the one who kept telling me to give up on Suzanna’s dad.”
“And you should.” But dating? His little sister? He got a chill just thinking about it.
Dwayne listened for a few more minutes while Natalie talked about Job Number One, which she hoped would earn her a promotion soon that would cancel out the need for Job Number Two. He shared her hope, then sent his love to both and hung up the phone.
The thought of his baby sis dating had done one thing… he wasn’t in a cold sweat from his dream any longer.
Chapter 16
Dwayne grabbed a PowerBar out of the cabinet and a Gatorade to top it off. Breakfast of champions. What he wouldn’t give for Natalie’s breakfast right now. Scrambled eggs, some slobbery Cheerios, and a sweet, gummy face smiling at him from across the table.
Wow, where’d that come from? Time to back up. He tore open the wrapper and tossed the foil in the trash while he chewed the bar.
He was enjoying time with Veronica. She was sweet as can be, smart, funny when she let herself be, and now that she was more comfortable with him, things were starting to get red-hot. Though now that he thought about it, maybe he should slow down in that area. She struck him as a female who hadn’t had much experience in the bedroom. Maybe a few failed attempts as a teen—as most teenage attempts at lovemaking were dismal failures—and it’d scared her off. Maybe some college Joe Schmo Dickhead bungled her first time, treating her badly. She just needed some more time to ease into it.
But he needed time too. Time to get to know her better. He knew almost nothing of her background, nothing of her life outside their group and work. She didn’t like talking about it, or shied away from talking about herself. She was shy, yeah. But eventually they needed to dip into that area.
But there was time for that. Hell, he had another date with her tonight. Dinner, conversation, they’d get it sorted out. He had a feeling things could just hit the right mark with Miss Veronica.
***
“Do you want to come in?” Veronica held the door to her apartment open in invitation.
He wanted. He wanted very much. But when his day began by accidentally smashing his alarm clock against the wall, he wasn’t at all sure about whether coming in was the best option. He’d kept his date, like the chaplain suggested. Let his time with Veronica soothe away the most ragged edges of his fear and worry. But going in just didn’t seem right.
“No, I think—”
“Madison’s not home tonight. She’s working late, then heading to Jeremy’s.”
That was so not what he wanted to hear. But a man had only so much strength, and they’d been dating for way longer than he even imagined being able to hold out. So in the end, he had to believe if she thought the time was right, it was.
“Yeah.” Decision made, he nodded firmly. “Yeah, I’ll come in.”
“Good.” She shut the door behind him and left her bag on the table by the door. “Do you want something to drink? I know we have water, and Madison sometimes has beer in the fridge. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind if you had some.”
Dwayne watched as she twined her fingers together, untwined them, played with the zipper of her jacket. She was nervous. Was it from him? Worries about if he was getting better? Or something else?
He stepped up and covered her fingers with one of his hands. “Veronica.” He paused until she looked up at him. “We can just sit on the couch and watch a movie if you want. We don’t have to do anything.”
As the truth of that sank in, he watched the nerves flow out of her eyes, saw them heat with something new. Something entirely more welcome. Anticipation.
“No, I don’t think I want to watch a movie. I think I want… ”
“What?”
“You.” She breathed it, as if afraid someone could overhear her. But her hesitation was short-lived when she reached up on her toes and kissed him. Not one of their sweet, or even sensual, kisses on her front porch or by his truck. One that told him exactly what she wanted, and that she wasn’t going to wait any longer.
And if she wasn’t going to wait, who was he to try and make her?
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She jolted as he gripped her ass with both hands, then melted against him. And when he hefted her up, she didn’t waste time in wrapping her legs around him. The position was perfect, his erection lying right against her sex, feeling the heat between both their jeans. God, he was already on fire and they were still fully dressed. If he survived this night, it’d be a miracle. Carrying her back, he paused at the end of the hall until she ripped her mouth away long enough to say, “Left.” Then she giggled and said, “No, other left. My left,” when he turned the wrong way.
“Right. Right. Got it.” Using her back to nudge the door open, he shut it again with his foot. Sure, they were alone. But who knew if Madison would be coming back early from wherever she was. That thought should have given him pause, should have made him put the brakes on the whole thing until he could take her back to his place, sans roommate. But he couldn’t stop now. Not with her little throaty sounds and total abandonment to pleasure in his arms. Not with her squeezing her legs around him, only bringing their pelvises more fully together, increasing that amazing friction.
Oh yeah. He was as likely to walk out the door now as he was to dance naked in Times Square on New Year’s Eve.
He toed off his shoes, all while still holding on to her, then let her control drop to the bed. He gave her no time to move, only came down on top and resumed right where they left off.
Kissing had always seemed so seventh grade to him. So unnecessary, now that he knew what else there was to the whole sex thing. But with Veronica, it was like discovering that fun all over again. Maybe because of her enthusiasm, maybe because of her, period. But something was new and bright and exciting with Veronica, every step of the way. And it soothed him even as it excited him.
She ground up into him, panting as she clawed his back to pull his polo from where he tucked it in. “Off. Please.”
“Slow down.” But he let her pull the shirt up and over his head anyway. The pants, though, those were staying on. He couldn’t take any chances and so he was going to keep as many barriers between them for as long as possible. Though her own top seemed a little unnecessary now that his was off. With her hands roaming the skin of his back, sending goose bumps up and down his spine, he lifted her shirt until he found the white, simple cotton bra that held two perfectly proportional breasts. The simplicity of her underwear was more exciting than something designed to rev his blood. And not waiting, he lifted the bottom of the elastic and took one nipple in his mouth.
Officer and the Secret (Semper Fidelis. Always Faithful.) Page 17
