Worth Fighting For: A Warrior Fight Club/Big Sky Novella (Kristen Proby Crossover Collection Book 4)

by Laura Kaye

“Good to know,” he said with a chuckle. For a moment, they ate in silence, an odd intimacy between them from sharing the same plate of food. And then Jesse said, “So what’s a girl like you doing at a place like this at midnight all by yourself?”

  Tara laughed. Then realized that he hadn’t been trying to make a joke. “Oh. Oh. You’re serious.” She laughed again. “Uh, what’s a guy like you doing at a place like this at midnight all by yourself?”

  His expression immediately read chagrinned. “Fair point. And I didn’t mean for that to come out as quite that big of an idiot.”

  “That’s good or you’d be relegated to the soggy chips.”

  “That’s hardcore.” He grinned at her. And, man, that grin. It managed to be both sexy and reserved, like he couldn’t quite give in fully to the humor. And that impression was intriguing. Because she knew what it felt like to experience life as if through a filter. You on one side. The rest of the world on the other. And you could never quite get to where everyone else was. Maybe it was like that for everyone who’d died and come back to life.

  Except, nope. She was cutting off that line of thinking right now. Or else she’d end up needing to count backward from five again.

  He took a chip absolutely straining under a load of cheesy, gooey goodness, and Tara arched a skeptical brow that pulled a deep belly laugh from him. She loved the sound of that, too, which made the sarcastic retort she’d been thinking up get stuck in her throat.

  Jesse shrugged with one big shoulder. “All I meant was what are the odds that I’d come in here and meet someone like you?”

  Tara froze with a chip halfway between the plate and her mouth, and her heart kicked up in her chest. Was he teasing her now? Or flirting with her? Or both? “Someone like me?”

  The smile he gave her was genuine. “Yeah, a pretty woman willing to share her nachos with a stranger.”

  Her mouth dropped open. Did he just call her pretty? “I don’t even have any make-up on,” she blurted.

  His gaze ran over her face. “I didn’t notice that.”

  Heat absolutely bloomed over her cheeks, and not a little licked down her spine, too. “Uh.” She swallowed. “I couldn’t sleep.”

  Now his glance was more appraising. “Me neither. Sometimes it helps me to walk when I can’t sleep, which is what led me here.”

  “Me, too,” Tara said, wondering what in the world was happening. Because it was not every day that she met a freaking gorgeous guy who not only complimented her but with whom she had things in common. “Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, he walks into mine.” She blinked, more heat filling her face as she realized she’d actually voiced the line that’d popped into her head. No one ever accused her of being smooth.

  His grin was crooked. “I doubt they have ‘As Time Goes By’ on the jukebox.”

  Casablanca was her favorite movie. Beautifully, devastatingly romantic. “You know Casablanca?”

  “Of course. One of the best movies of all time.”

  “Right? Wow. I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.” She raised her glass, more than a little embarrassed by her own cheesiness but having fun nonetheless.

  Dark eyes intense, he clinked his tumbler against hers. They drank, eyes connected over the rims of their glasses. Butterflies whirled in Tara’s belly, making her feel like she’d just crested the highest hill on a roller coaster.

  Matt arrived with Jesse’s wings. “Can I get y’all anything else?”

  “Need a refill?” Jesse asked, nodding at her nearly empty glass.

  “Yeah, sure,” she said, even though a second was going to make her alarm going off painful come morning. Still, the sweet, fuzzy heat spreading through her blood felt good. And whether that was from the alcohol or her unexpected dinner companion, Tara wanted more of it.

  Nodding, Jesse pushed the plate of wings between them. “Dig in.”

  Grinning, she grabbed a wing. “I love meals made out of just appetizers. You get a little bit of everything.”

  “So you like appetizers, late-night walks, Casablanca, and Murphy’s, where you’re a regular,” Jesse said, taking a few wings for himself. “What else?”

  She chuckled. “I don’t know. I’m not that interesting.”

  He arched a brow, and it communicated disagreement so loud that she had to resist squirming on her stool.

  “Um, I like swimming. And fighting.” His expression went incredulous, and it made her grin and shake her head. “Not like, beating-people-up fighting. I belong to an MMA training club.” She didn’t offer more about it, because she really didn’t want to get into the fact that Warrior Fight Club was for wounded warriors. Because too often she’d met guys who backed off when they found out she was a veteran. Worse, he might ask how she’d been wounded—something he’d be able to see for himself if he got a look at the other side or base of her throat. She was too much enjoying being fun, flirty Tara. For tonight, she didn’t want to be almost-died Tara.

  Jesse scratched his jaw. “How you think that makes you not interesting, I have no idea.”

  She nodded to Matt when he brought her fresh drink, then took a long sip. The rum was sweet and smooth on her tongue. “How about you? Tell me some random things you like.”

  He shrugged and his eyes narrowed as he thought about it. “The Pacific Ocean. The way the mountains come right up to the beach in California.”

  “Is that where you’re from?”

  He gave a head shake as he ate another nacho. “I’ve lived there on and off over the past decade, but I’m originally from Cunningham Falls, Montana.”

  That explained the accent, and it gave her pictures of him on horseback, a cowboy hat on his head. And she did not mind those images one bit. “I’ve never been.”

  His gaze went distant. “I haven’t been back in a long time.”

  “Still have family there?” she asked, immediately regretting the question when his jaw went tight, making her feel like she’d veered into territory he didn’t want to cover.

  “Yeah.”

  The shortness of his answer made it clear she’d read him right, so Tara changed the topic. “What brought you to DC?”

  “A new job.” He took a drink of his whiskey, then stared for a long moment at their reflection in the bar’s mirror. “How ’bout you? DC home for you?”

  The water was always where she’d felt most at home. Right up until a broken cable had sliced through the ocean and nearly garroted her. Other than that, she wasn’t sure. Her dad had been in the navy, so they’d moved around a lot when she’d been a kid, and then her own naval career had meant more of the same. “It has been for the past year. Before that, a little bit of everywhere.”

  Jesse slanted her a grin. “Citizen of the world, then?”

  Omigod, she was never going to survive this sexy man quoting Casablanca to her. Never. A ripple of delighted excitement ran through her belly. “Yeah. Exactly.”

  He gave her a crooked grin and winked. Freaking winked! If Tara hadn’t been sitting on that bar stool, her panties might’ve dropped to her ankles.

  “I hear that,” he said as he raised his glass to her. “To putting down new roots.”

  “Um, I’ll drink to that,” she managed as they clinked. “So what else do you like?”

  “Let’s see,” he continued. “I like anything to do with the water. Swimming, boating, surfing, scuba.” So she’d been right about that swimmer’s physique then. “I used to do a lot of skiing, too. There was great skiing near where I grew up.” Something dark and distant passed over his expression. For just a moment, she was sure of it. But then it was gone as fast as it’d appeared. “Haven’t done much of it in years now, though.”

  She wasn’t touching the Montana topic again, so she sipped her rum and Coke and just enjoyed the unexpected companionship. On the juke box, the song changed, and Tara grinned. “Oh, my God. I danced to this at prom,” she said as an old Journey power ballad played.

  He smirk
ed at her. “What was the guy’s name?”

  Tara snorted. “Curtis Miles. We were just friends. Or so I thought, until he started crooning ‘When You Love a Woman’ in my ear as we danced. Except he changed the you to I. It was super awkward.”

  Jesse chuckled. “Poor guy.”

  “Don’t feel bad for him. He ended up hooking up with one of my friends later that night.”

  “Damn. Sorry.”

  Tara shook her head. “No need. I didn’t mind and the two of them have been married for twelve years and have three kids. They were clearly meant to be.”

  “You believe in that?” He signaled to Matt for a refill of whiskey.

  “What?”

  Jesse slanted her a look. “Meant to be.”

  Twisting her lips, Tara shrugged. “It sure seems to be true for some people.” She thought of her coupled WFC friends. Noah and Kristina had been best friends since childhood and were now together. That sure seemed meant to be. And Billy and Shayna had also known one another since she was a teenager and had been roommates before dating, so that seemed like it might’ve been meant to be, too.

  Jesse’s expression grew thoughtful as he reached for his fresh drink. “Maybe for some people it is.”

  A weighted silence settled between them. It wasn’t uncomfortable, exactly, but the exchange had definitely held up in front of her eyes that there didn’t seem to be a meant to be for her. Or else she wouldn’t be nearly thirty-two with only one long-term relationship under her belt—one that hadn’t survived her injuries and medical discharge from the navy.

  Tara mentally pushed the thoughts away as she wiped her mouth and dropped the napkin on her plate. “The more important question is, do you like dessert?”

  He laughed, and the deep rumble of it made her smile. “I’ve been known to enjoy dessert now and again.”

  Was it just her or did that sound like he was talking about something besides a sugary treat at the end of a meal? “Have you now?”

  He turned on his stool toward her, and his knee pressed against her thigh. “Just what is it you’re tempting me to share with you now?”

  Heat slinked through her blood, the arousing sensation originating from where they touched. “The monster ice cream sundae,” she said, hoping he didn’t pick up on the breathiness suddenly coloring her voice.

  One side of his mouth quirked up. “Define monster.”

  “Three scoops of chocolate and vanilla ice cream. Chocolate and caramel sauces. Chocolate chips, whipped cream, and a cherry. All on top of a warm chocolate chip cookie. I can never order it by myself because it’s too big so you’d be doing me a huge favor.”

  His arched an eyebrow, his expression seriously sexy. “Is that right?”

  “Mmhmm.”

  A crooked smile broke through his smirk. “Okay, then. Sounds great. Consider me tempted, Tara.” The flirtation in his words was mirrored by the amusement playing around his mouth and an intriguing intensity in his eyes.

  She turned toward where Matt stood wiping down menus. “Give us the sundae, please?”

  “You got it,” the bartender said.

  Tara looked back to Jesse. “I hope you think it’s as great as it sounds.”

  His gaze ran over her face again, a slow, purposeful perusal that trailed heat low into her belly. “I’m sure it will be. This has already been one of my best meals in a long damn time.”

  “Murphy’s is fantastic, isn’t it?”

  He nodded. “From what I’ve tried so far, it seems like it is. But I was talking more about the company than the food.”

  The directness of his words nearly stole her breath. “Wow. I, uh, I have to agree,” she managed, smiling even as her head spun with the chemistry zinging between them. She had no idea where it might lead, but the longer they hung out, the more she hoped this meal wouldn’t be the last she saw of this man.

  Chapter 2

  Jesse Anderson wasn’t sure what the hell he was doing, but he was having fun doing it, and that was better than most of how he’d felt lately. So he was rolling with it.

  After sharing appetizers with Tara, they’d polished off their sundae, too. “I’m really glad you didn’t say it was too cold for ice cream,” she said, a soft waterfall of brown waves framing her pretty face as she peered over at him. “I don’t think we could’ve stayed friends if you had.”

  “That would’ve been a damn shame.” He smirked teasingly, thoroughly enjoying their banter, her sense of humor, and the unusual feeling of possibility he felt just being in her presence. When had he last enjoyed someone’s company so much? He couldn’t pinpoint it. Not surprising given he’d spent so much of the last year since he’d left the navy alone. But it all just made him want more of how she was making him feel. “Besides, nobody needs that kind of negativity in their life,” he said, loving the sound of her ready laughter. She was just easy to talk to and be with.

  “Right? I completely agree.” Her blue eyes danced with amusement.

  The bartender gestured to the now-empty dish. “All done here?” When they agreed, he asked, “How do you want to do the check?”

  “I’ll get it,” Jesse said.

  “Give it to me,” Tara said at the same time.

  They looked at each other and laughed.

  “You have to let me get it.” She arched a brow at him. “The nachos were mine anyway. And I talked you into the sundae.”

  Jesse squashed the reflex born of his upbringing to debate it and grasped onto a potential opportunity instead. “My treat next time then?”

  Her eyebrows lifted as if he’d surprised her, and then the sexiest smile brightened her face. “Deal.”

  A warm satisfaction filled his gut, and Jesse held up his hands. “Give it to the lady.” Matt nodded, took Tara’s card, and moved down to the computer terminal. And then Jesse made something crystal clear. “But for the record, you didn’t really need to talk me into anything. I was willing all the way.”

  Pink bloomed over her cheeks, and Jesse found himself enjoying all the different reactions he’d managed to pull out of her over the course of their meal. “Good to know,” she said, tucking a long wave of hair behind her ear. “Excuse me for a minute. Restroom.”

  He nodded and watched her head deeper into the now emptier bar. The knee-high brown boots over a pair of form-fitting jeans that did all kinds of justice to her curves were a killer combination. Not to mention the sway of all those soft waves that tumbled nearly to her waist. Damn, this woman appealed to him on so many levels. Which made him wonder when that next time might be.

  It made him hopeful that DC was going to provide the clean slate he really needed it to be. New place, new job, new…friend. New chance to build a life and a career where he didn’t let people down. All the fucking time.

  His cell buzzed in his pocket, and he retrieved it to find a text from his mom. Hi Jesse – just wanted to let you know I shared your new number with Willa and everyone so don’t be surprised if you get some calls or messages. Let me know how your first day goes tomorrow. Love you, Mom

  Disparate reactions flooded through him. The comfort of being in touch with his mother. The discomfort of just how distant his relationships with his mother and sister were—his fault, of course. And just one more way he’d messed up.

  Footsteps from his right alerted him to Tara’s return, and he looked up from checking his phone to see her coming his way. With curves for days and a soft, sexy smile just for him.

  That was when he noticed it. A deep slash of a scar that ran diagonally down the right side of her throat. Jesus, he couldn’t begin to imagine what had caused something that pronounced. He’d seen enough injuries to know she’d survived something major—and she’d tried to say she wasn’t interesting.

  “Hey,” he said.

  She gave his face an appraising glance, one that told him she’d noticed what had caught his attention. “Hey. Oh, let me not forget this.” She pocketed her credit card and signed the receipt.

&nbs
p; Then they were sliding on coats and making for the door.

  Outside, the air was crisply cold, and he relished the invigorating feeling of it in his lungs. A thin layer of snow crunched underfoot. An occasional car passed by, but mostly it was quiet, peaceful. Tara turned toward him, and all Jesse knew was that, despite needing to be up at oh dark hundred tomorrow for his new job, he wasn’t ready to go back to his hotel. And, truth be told, he wasn’t ready to part from her either.

  She smiled. “So…”

  “Any chance you feel like walking for a while?” he asked, just as the wind gusted, swirling the long ends of her hair around her shoulders. “I get it if it’s too late or too cold.”

  Glancing down, she crushed a ball of snow under her boot. Jesse was sure she was going to turn him down. “No, actually, I’d like that. Walk off some of those nachos.”

  “And the wings.”

  “And the ice cream.”

  He grinned. “Have a preferred direction?”

  She pointed to the left down M Street. “That way takes us past the Naval Yard, or”—she pointed toward the right—“that way would take us down to the waterfront and The Wharf.”

  The last thing he wanted to do tonight was to think about the navy. He’d retired the day he’d gotten his twenty, so it’d been his choice to get out. His choice, also, to parlay a lifetime devoted to combat diving and EOD into a new career in commercial diving. Except there was a little voice in his head that said he’d had no choice at all—not when he’d failed to bring home all his techs. Not when he’d lost eight during the twenty-six-month period before he’d called it quits.

  He had to clear the emotion from his throat. “How about to the waterfront?”

  “Waterfront it is.”

  “You lead and I’ll follow,” he said, enjoying the small smile she gave him. And that she’d agreed to the walk. It made him wonder why she hadn’t been able to sleep, and whether she hadn’t wanted to go home either. It was strange in a good way to think she might understand how he felt.

  Then again, he could be overthinking the whole thing.

  They walked side by side down the wide sidewalk, passing mostly dark restaurants and coffee shops, or bars closing up just like Murphy’s had been. For more than a block, they didn’t talk, but Jesse didn’t think the quiet felt awkward.