Braden chuckled. “A drink, huh? We’ve got pitchers of beers here. I don’t suppose she has a name?”
“Who?” Tyler asked as he climbed into his SUV.
“The woman you’re not taking home with you tonight.”
He chuckled. “I’m taking a night off,” he said, starting the engine. He revved it a couple of times, feeling his SUV rumble beneath him. Hell if he wouldn’t mind off-roading through some of the open space around here. Taking his baby out for a drive over the open land. On a gorgeous night like tonight, he could cut through the field and head down to the lake. Not that that sort of thing was fun alone.
But with a blanket and beautiful woman? A private night under the open sky was damn perfect. He couldn’t exactly drag a woman he’d just met at the bar out there though.
It was too secluded for a woman to agree to go with a man she just met.
And he wasn’t the type to have a serious girlfriend.
Maybe a group of them could head over one weekend. Bring a cooler of beers and some women and enjoy the night air. Briefly, Melissa flashed through his mind, but he brushed that thought aside. Even if she was friends with Jason and Amy, it didn’t mean he’d be taking her along with him.
“Uh-huh,” Braden said, drawing his mind back to the present. “More like you crashed and burned, which isn’t your usual MO. Liam and Grayson are already here. We all know Jason never joins us. Get your ass over here.”
“Yeah, yeah. Don’t get your panties in a twist. I’m on my way.”
Twenty minutes later he was pulling into the pool hall on the outskirts of town. The well-worn florescent sign hung above the front door, and paint was beginning to peel on the exterior of the building. A few guys stood around outside smoking, and he pulled into the lot, gravel crunching beneath his tires.
The bar they usually frequented was in the small town near Quantico—full of plenty of local women eager to meet a Marine. Although the pool hall had a rougher crowd, he and his buddies never ran into trouble.
No one was about to mess with a group of military men.
Pulling into a free space, he crossed the gravel lot, stuffing his keys into his front pocket.
Ironic how he’d just tucked Melissa into her fancy SUV and then headed over here. A woman like that was probably used to being wined and dined. Hadn’t she said her honeymoon was supposed to be in fucking Bora Bora?
Not that he was exactly piss poor or something. He’d saved his hard-earned cash to make a down payment on a house. Had learned the value of a dollar from his working-class parents.
That didn’t mean he and Melissa didn’t come from different worlds though.
Maybe he was comfortable now, but that didn’t mean he didn’t know what it meant to do without. He had a feeling she’d been handed everything on a silver platter her entire life. Maybe she worked hard as a realtor now, but he was willing to bet mommy and daddy had helped pay for her college education.
He’d joined the Marines at eighteen to make something of himself. Just like most of the other guys he knew.
Pulling open the door to the pool hall, he strode inside. Low music thumped over the speakers, conversations carried on around him, and he heard some of the waitresses giggling as a few patrons tried to chat them up. He paid for a couple of rounds of pool and headed off to the back where his buddies were.
They liked the corner table to see what was going on around them. That and years of training in the military had made them constantly aware of their surroundings. They could easily see who was coming and going from there.
Not that he expected to run into trouble.
Sauntering across the room, Braden looked up and chuckled. “About time you showed up,” he said with a grin.
“You fellas missed me?” Tyler said with a smirk. “Or you couldn’t meet any women without me around.” He shrugged out of his leather jacket and grabbed an empty pilsner glass, pouring himself a beer from the full pitcher. An empty one already sat to the side.
“In your dreams, pretty boy,” Braden said. “Liam’s been flirting with the waitresses all night long. Grayson and I need someone who’s actually ready to play pool.”
“Hey now,” Liam said with a laugh, running his hand through his cropped blond hair. His blue eyes glinted with amusement. “How many times have we watched you chase tail, bro?”
“Hoorah,” Grayson said, sauntering up to them. “So, who’s the babe?” he asked Tyler. “You’re late because you were grabbing drinks with a woman?”
“There’s no babe,” he said, a wave of protectiveness washing over him. So what if he did find Melissa hot as hell? He didn’t want his buddies imagining what she looked like. He didn’t want them thinking of her at all.
“I guess not since you’re here with us. What happened to the woman from last night?” Grayson asked. “She get bored of you already?”
“Too clingy. I could hardly get her to leave this morning.”
“Shit, next time go to her place,” Braden said with a chuckle. “Disappear in the middle of the night like any self-respecting Marine.”
“Well that’s classy as fuck,” Tyler said. “I don’t always stay the night, but I do give them a parting gift before I go on my merry way.”
“A parting gift,” Braden snorted.
Tyler leaned back against the pool table, taking a swig of the hoppy brew. “A couple of orgasms never hurt anyone. Leaves them wanting more.”
“So that’s why your name and number’s plastered all over the ladies’ room,” Liam quipped.
“And you would know, asshole,” Tyler said.
“And yet you still went for drinks with a woman and didn’t take her home? Most be true love,” Grayson countered, grabbing his cue.
“Hell, she’s my realtor,” Tyler said, walking over to pick up his own. He set his glass down on the table. “I need a house, not a beautiful woman for the night.”
“What’s the rush?” Liam asked, walking back over to them. “You’ve got a decent apartment.”
“I’ve gotta move out of my apartment. They’re converting them to condos or some shit like that.”
“So buy that,” Braden said. “Problem solved.”
“I’m ready to have a place of my own. I could just do another rental, but I’ve had it with landlords and small one-bedrooms.”
“Think you’ll stick around Virginia long enough to make buying a house worth it?” Braden asked, raising his eyebrows. “I’m only here two years before my next assignment.”
“That’s the plan. I’ve been deployed damn near enough times. After this stint at Quantico is over, I’ll be leaving active duty. Maybe working at the Pentagon. I hate to say it, but a desk job is sounding pretty good right now.”
Grayson shook his head, racking the balls. “I can’t see it, man. You, at a nine-to-five desk job? No fucking way.”
Tyler shrugged. “What the hell are we doing on base now?”
“Temporary duty. Training the young ‘uns.”
Tyler smirked. “Hell, if you want to get deployed again, go for it. I’m just saying I’ve had my fill. When my last two years are up, I’m out.”
Braden walked over, taking a swig of his beer. “All right, boys, enough chit chat. Let’s play some pool.”
Chapter 5
The buzzing of Melissa’s alarm clock woke her out of a restless sleep the next morning, and she fumbled with it, trying to turn off the blaring sound. Smacking it again and accidentally knocking the entire clock to the floor, she finally climbed out of bed and retrieved it, setting it back on the nightstand.
She stretched in her satin chemise, the lace bodice tugging across her full breasts.
It was a pity Michael never got to see all the sexy new lingerie she’d gotten at her bridal shower—the shower held before he’d called off their wedding. Not that she’d want him to see her in it now, she thought, running her hands over the smooth material.
His loss.
It was a pity her ex had turned
out to be a complete and utter asshole. A coward. Maybe he fought bravely for his country and all that, but a lifelong commitment to the woman he supposedly loved?
A marriage and life together?
Apparently, that was out of the question.
Literally the only thing worse would have been if he’d actually left her at the altar. Been too cowardly to let her know ahead of the big day.
But this?
Equally aggravating in her mind. She’d wasted three years with him—dealt with his deployments, the uncertainty of when he’d be back, of if he was safe.
And now? She slept in her sexy little negligees every night. Her best friends had insisted she keep all of the shower gifts, and it would be a crime to let them linger in the bottom of her lingerie drawer. She felt sexy and fierce in it, even if it was for her eyes only.
For the moment.
Briefly she imagined what a man like Tyler would think of it, and just as quickly, she brushed that thought aside.
The lace bodice wrapped around her full breasts, leaving nothing to the imagination, and the chemise was so short it barely covered her bottom. Although it would’ve been exciting to wear it in Bora Bora and see the hungry look in her ex’s eyes, she’d settle for feeling like a vixen in it for now.
Someday Tyler’s hands would drag all over that silky material, running his rough hands over her curves. Sliding it further up her legs, revealing her further to him.
Well not Tyler.
But another man. One who wasn’t obnoxious about discussing the women he slept with and didn’t flirt relentlessly with her, constantly dropping hints and sexual innuendo. She could handle him, certainly.
It didn’t mean a man like him would end up any more committed than her ex.
Flipping her long red hair over her shoulder, she padded across the plush carpet of her bedroom, grabbing her phone from the charger. There were three texts from Becky, and she quickly swiped the screen, her eyes running over the messages.
No updates on Brody.
His commander is hoping they’re hunkered down somewhere.
I’m going to bed. Talk to you tomorrow. xx
Melissa blew out a sigh of relief. Hunkered down? That had to be a good thing. They were just hiding from the enemy. Biding their time. Maybe they were injured or trapped and couldn’t immediately get back to base.
But he’d be okay.
The commander wouldn’t have given Becky false hope, would he?
There was a missed call from the real estate photographer that she was meeting at eleven this morning. She dialed into her voicemail, listening to the message. God, he was kind of annoying to work with. Sometimes it seemed like he called just to hear himself speak.
And she had work to do.
Her phone rang a moment later, and one of her best friend’s names, Beth, flashed across the screen. “Amy just told me about your sister,” she said as soon as Melissa answered. “Is everything okay? Are there any updates?”
Melissa sank back down onto her bed, staring at her hot pink toenail polish. “I don’t know. We’re just waiting to hear any news at this point. It sounds like the commander is hopeful they’re just hunkered down somewhere, hiding, not actually missing.”
“Wow, I’m sorry. But that sounds like it might be good news.”
“Yeah, I hope so,” Melissa said, flouncing back down on her pillows. She blew out a sigh. It had been months since she’d had a man in her bed—and she missed that. She was angry as hell at her ex, but she missed the feel of a man’s arms around her. Of the weight of him atop her.
It was lonely as hell sleeping alone every night.
“Are you coming with us to brunch later?” Beth repeated, drawing her back to the present.
“I can’t today, hun. I’m meeting with the photographer at eleven for my newest listing and then showing some houses this afternoon.”
“Bummer. We’re meeting Amy and Jason at ten.”
“Yeah, I wish I could come. Brunch sounds infinitely preferable to my day.”
“Bad clients?”
Melissa laughed. “Believe it or not, the photographer is more annoying than today’s client. And that’s saying a lot. I’m helping Jason’s friend Tyler find a house.”
“Another Marine?” Beth asked doubtfully.
Melissa laughed. “Don’t worry, I told him all about my asshole of an ex.”
“While you were showing him houses?” Beth asked in disbelief.
“No, over drinks last night,” she said, her gaze falling on the boxes stacked in the corner of her bedroom. Michael had left a few of his things here, and he’d never gotten them back. They were collecting dust in the corner now, and she was ready to haul them to the curb.
To be done with him and his things forever.
“Wait, you had drinks? Like a date?”
“No, not a date,” Melissa said, rolling her eyes. “I met Amy and Jason last night, and he happened to show up. Which reminds me....” She launched into the story of running into Michael in the parking lot.
“Only you,” Beth said with a laugh. “Who else has a hot man come to their rescue when their ex is around? I swear that type of thing never happened to me.”
“You have a fiancé!” Melissa said.
“Now,” Beth corrected. “I mean in the past. If I run into an ex, I’m sweaty and gross from the gym or something.”
“Well, I’d been upset about my sister,” Melissa huffed. “I was leaving because I’d just gotten off the phone with her.”
“Sorry, hun. Are you flying out to California to wait with her?”
“She didn’t want me to,” Melissa said. “I guess we’re just hoping for the best at this point. It’s too early on the west coast for me to call her right now.”
“Listen, I need to get going if I’m going to make it to brunch in time.”
“Me, too. I set my alarm—on a SUNDAY for God’s sake—because I have so much work to do. Search the latest listings, meet the photographer, upload the photos, do a couple of showings this afternoon. My day is killer.”
“Well, you usually get to sleep in Monday mornings when the rest of the working world is heading out the door.”
“Touché. Oddly enough, most people prefer home showings on weekends, not first thing on Monday morning. Gotta give the people what they want.”
Beth laughed. “How good of you to make that sacrifice. Let me know if you hear anything about Becky, all right? And good luck with the showings today. We’ll miss you at brunch.”
“And I’ll miss that Bloody Mary. Thanks, sweetie. I’ll talk to you later.”
Melissa set her phone on the nightstand after ending the call, reluctantly getting out of bed for the second time that morning. A long, hot shower was in order, followed by some super strong coffee.
Chapter 6
Tyler jogged down the road near his apartment, his breath fogging in the brisk air. The cold made him wish he’d bundled up more, and he pushed himself harder, tugging the hood of his sweatshirt tighter around him.
He sure hadn’t felt the cold last night, walking Melissa out to her SUV. Maybe it had been an unseasonably warm evening, but hell. Just the mere sight of her sent him up in flames. His interest flared any time she was near, and his cock immediately stood up and took notice.
Which was inconvenient since he was trying to work with her, not take her to bed.
Not yet anyway.
But hell. Even if he didn’t find a single home he was interested in, it would be worth it just to wind her up. To see her beautiful mouth drop open in surprise before she came up with another witty comeback. To see her gorgeous curves, those full breasts rising and falling. To let his eyes wander over the form-fitting clothes he longed to peel right off her.
And the kicker was he actually needed a new place.
Sure, he could probably crash with one of his buddies from base, but the bottom line was, he had to move out of his apartment. He’d be shit out of luck if he screwed his realtor
and ended up temporarily without a place to live.
Then again, it might actually be worth it just to spend a night with her. To spend some time exploring her gorgeous curves, finding out what drove her wild.
Listening to his name on her lips as he made her come.
He’d slept in worse places while deployed than a friend’s sofa. Being temporarily without a place just might be worth it to spend a night with her.
Not that Melissa had seemed tempted by him in the slightest.
The ex-fiancé of hers did present a bit of a challenge. Maybe she was over him to a certain extent, but she might not be ready to sleep with another man. Especially another Marine.
And wasn’t that just his bad luck?
For a man that had no problem finding a beautiful woman to spend the night with, it figured that he was tempted by the one woman who wasn’t interested in him.
Who he shouldn’t have.
The forbidden fruit and all that.
His phone buzzed with a text, and he pulled it from his running belt as he jogged, glancing down at the screen. He raised his eyebrows as he saw Melissa’s name.
In bed with another woman this morning?
Meet me at noon.
He chuffed out a laugh, shaking his head. If she really thought he was with a woman, why the hell was she texting him? Holding the phone to his mouth, so he could talk while running, he dictated a reply to Melissa.
I’m out running. Alone.
Did you miss me, beautiful?
His phone buzzed with her reply, and his lips quirked.
Who are you running from?
I assume you’re trying to get away from yet another clingy woman.
He held his phone up again.
That’s a negative, gorgeous.
All thoughts of other women have been gone since I met you.
Melissa texted him immediately.
I thought men like you only think with your dicks?
He nearly choked on his laughter.
Why are you thinking of my dick?
Her Sinful Marine Page 4