Always for You: Jack (Sergeant Joe's Boys #1)

by Alexis Morgan

  St. John took a step closer to Jack as both detectives went on point. “Are you just guessing or do you have a solid reason to think that?”

  Jack shoved his hands in his hip pockets to keep from making fists, which he was pretty sure the cops might not take well. “A combination of both. For one thing, if it had been a stranger who attacked him, there would’ve been no reason for him not to give you a description of the guy. Even as bad as Ricky was hurt, he’d have to remember something about him even if it was just the color of his shirt or some idea of his size.”

  St. John put his notebook away. “Yeah, that’s what we’re thinking, too.”

  To give himself a minute to gather his thoughts, Jack pulled a bottle of water out of his cooler. He held it up to see if either of the detectives wanted one.

  Daily held out his hand. “Sure, I could use a cold drink.”

  Done playing host, Jack took a big swallow and then started talking again. “I think Ricky had good reason to leave home, and that reason is still out there somewhere. Since he’s never once said a word about his family situation, it’s pretty much a foregone conclusion that it had to have been pretty bad. Kids can forgive a lot when it comes to their parents.”

  “And you would know about that.”

  Since it wasn’t really a question, Jack figured the cops had gone poking around into his background. He wasn’t sure how much access they would have to his files, but it wasn’t like he had any big secrets. His biggest problem with his past was that he had put up with his dad’s shit for so long.

  “Yeah, I am speaking from personal experience. I stuck around until it was almost too late. After that last fight with my dad, I wound up in the hospital in similar condition to how you found Ricky. If CPS hadn’t stepped in when they did, I would have ended up dead, and sooner rather than later.”

  He focused on Joe’s old truck, needing that connection to the man who’d saved not just Jack’s life but his sanity as well. “You probably already know that my dad and his brother both ended up in jail for beating a man half to death. Two weeks later, Dad got a shiv in his gut for crossing the wrong guy on the inside. When that happened, my grandfather demanded permanent custody of me. My caseworker took one look at how his sons had turned out and figured that wasn’t a good idea.”

  Damn, he hated talking about this stuff and wasn’t sure why he felt compelled to share it with the two detectives. “A few weeks after I got placed with Joe and Marlene, my grandfather showed up drunk and pissed off as usual. He was a big man and scary enough when he was sober. I expected Joe Lukash to toss me to the wolves. Instead, he stood up to the old bastard. I had never seen my grandfather back down, but he did that day. The cops hauled him off to the drunk tank to sleep it off. When he got out, Joe was waiting outside of Granddad’s house with a baseball bat. Told him that if he ever came near me again, the cops would have to use DNA to identify the body. That is, if they found the body at all.”

  Then he did know why he’d just shared that story. They needed to know how far he’d go to protect Ricky. “In case you’re wondering, I still have that baseball bat.”

  St. John started to say something, but one look at his partner shut him right up. After making sure his young partner got the message, Daily spoke for both of them. “I don’t have to tell you that if you end up in jail yourself, you won’t be of much use to Ricky. It would also destroy your mother.”

  “True enough.”

  Although he thought she’d understand if things really got that bad. “If anyone comes looking for Ricky, rest assured I plan to call 9-1-1.”

  He silently added, But the cops better get there fast.

  After that, there wasn’t much left to be said. “We’ll be checking in with you occasionally, Mr. McShane. If you learn anything, call us.”

  “Don’t worry. I will.”

  As they walked away, he hoped his farewell smile looked a lot friendlier than it had felt.

  —

  Caitlyn thought Friday night would never get there, but it had finally arrived. She hadn’t seen Jack since their date last Saturday, even though she and Ricky had had their usual three sessions over the course of the week. He’d finally called last night to talk about which movie she’d like to see and to ask how she felt about barbecue for dinner. It seemed he had a real fondness for ribs and wanted to check out a restaurant that had just opened in the area.

  After getting their plans set, they’d talked on the phone for nearly an hour. The topics of conversation ranged from sports to books and then even the weather. She didn’t know about him, but she would’ve gladly talked about anything at all just to hear his voice.

  Man, she had it bad.

  Her mother would be thrilled to know that Caitlyn was going on a date at all, much less the second one in a week with the same man. Not that she had any intention of telling her parents about Jack quite yet. It was too soon to know how this was all going to play out, and she didn’t want to get their hopes up too much. Maybe after tonight, if all went well, she might make a casual mention of it to her mom the next time they talked.

  Or not. It was too tempting to keep her relationship with Jack and his family to herself for a while. Maybe it was unfair that Jack’s mother already knew about their relationship, but—

  A movement outside derailed that line of thought. Jack had just pulled up out front. Caitlyn checked her appearance one last time. On the whole she was satisfied with what she saw in the mirror. She’d made a point of wearing the gargoyle earrings he’d bought her. Jeans paired with a dark red tank top and matching shirt hit the right note for a movie and barbecue. It was the fact she’d pulled her hair back from her face with a couple of silver clips and then left it free to hang down her back that had her second-guessing herself.

  Not because she didn’t think Jack would like it. No, he’d made it perfectly clear that he found the idea of her wearing it down sexy. She hadn’t been able to resist the temptation to give him exactly what he wanted. The only question now was what else he might want from her that she’d be willing to give.

  When she opened the door, she had her answer—there wasn’t much of anything she’d deny him, especially right then. He looked that good. Jack had on a dark green Henley shirt that really brought out the color of his eyes. He’d shoved the sleeves halfway up his forearms, which showed off his sleek muscles to their best advantage.

  He stepped across the threshold and immediately reminded her how much she loved being wrapped in those powerful arms, not to mention how she liked the way Jack kissed. His quick, fierce embrace seemed more than a mere greeting and a lot like a claiming. When he tangled his fingers in her hair and deepened the kiss, she knew it was a promise of more to come later.

  When he finally released his hold on her, she was glad to see that she wasn’t the only one breathing hard or looking tempted to pick up right where they’d just left off.

  Jack took a half step back but stayed close enough that he could capture a strand of her hair, twining it through his fingers. “I knew you’d look sexy as hell with your hair down.”

  His words pleased her, although she suspected she was blushing. She couldn’t remember the last time an attractive man had looked at her with such heat in his eyes.

  “Keep looking at me like that, Caitlyn, and I’m going to suggest we see what’s on television tonight.” His voice got a little deeper. “Just the two of us on the couch. Or at least that’s where we’d start out.”

  Jack might not be big on subtle, but she didn’t care. Not when she was having the same thoughts. Still, she didn’t want to rush things. “You won’t get your barbecue if we don’t leave the house”—she paused to rest her palm on his freshly shaven cheek—“at least for a little while.”

  His eyes turned a seductive shade of smoky green as Jack moved in close for another slow kiss. “I’m betting we could get those ribs to go but that wouldn’t be fair. I promised you dinner out and a movie.”

  Why would she want to s
it in a theater full of strangers when she could have this sexy man all to herself? Caitlyn offered Jack a compromise. “How about we check out your barbecue restaurant and then come back here and see what’s on pay-per-view? If there aren’t any good movies on, I’m betting we can find some way to pass the time.”

  “Lady, I love the way you think. Let’s hit the road, because I hear those ribs calling my name.” Then Jack’s mouth spread in a slow grin. “But this time, let’s get our desserts to go.”

  “It’s a deal.”

  —

  The beer was cold, the ribs were perfect, and the woman sitting across from Jack made everything on the dessert menu fade into insignificance. He loved watching the delicate way she bit into the succulent meat on the ribs. The barbecue joint was definitely rustic with its rough-hewn tables and checkered curtains, yet Caitlyn looked as if she were dining in the finest restaurant in town. Not in a snooty way, but because she was classy.

  It made him wonder what she was doing with a guy like him. He knew from what she’d told him that she held not just one, but two master’s degrees. His own education had been much more hands-on in both his military career and the construction work he did now. Damn, he hoped they had more common ground than a mutual love of dancing.

  Caitlyn happened to glance up at that moment. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing at all.” With her, anyway.

  His answer clearly didn’t satisfy her. “You’d tell me if I had sauce on my face, wouldn’t you?”

  “As if you’d do anything so crass, Caitlyn.” He laughed and held up his fingers. “You’re all neat and tidy while I’m the one who looks like he’s been bathing in barbecue.”

  “Would you be happier if I dripped a bunch of sauce on my new shirt? Because that could easily be arranged.” She paused to pick up another rib. “The reason I wore red was that it wouldn’t show as much if I did dribble.”

  His eyes automatically dropped down to study her shirt. He didn’t see any evidence of barbecue sauce. She might have chosen the top because of its color but, personally, he liked the way that tank top accented her feminine curves. He couldn’t wait until they got back to her place and he could get his hands on—

  “Jack, my eyes are up here.”

  Whoops, busted. “I didn’t mean to stare. Sorry about that.”

  Well, actually, that last part was a lie, and her grin said all too clearly that she knew it. And just to be a brat, she flipped her hair back over her shoulders and then traced the curve of her upper lip with the tip of her tongue. The effect on him was all too predictable.

  He shifted in his chair, wishing like hell they were somewhere a lot more private. “That’s just cruel, woman.”

  “And I thought you Special Forces guys were supposed to be so tough.” She took another bite of her rib, her gray eyes filled with laughter.

  “We are. We’re also resourceful.” He shot her a look hot enough to melt rocks. “And just so you know, something else we’re really good at is identifying our intended target and then going after it with everything we have. Consider yourself warned.”

  And to underscore his point, he flagged down their waitress. “Can we get the rest of our ribs boxed up along with two pieces of the chocolate pie to go? We have somewhere we need to be.”

  When she left to take care of that for them, he smiled at the woman sitting across from him. “Any questions?”

  Now she was the one looking a bit flustered. “No.”

  —

  Traffic wasn’t bad, but it took far longer to get back to Caitlyn’s than it had to reach the restaurant. Same route, same distance, twice the time. Okay, yeah, maybe it just seemed that way. He glanced at Caitlyn, who clutched their to-go bag of food as if it were a lifesaver as she stared out the side window of the SUV.

  If he weren’t mistaken, her tension level had been ramping up ever since they left the restaurant.

  “You know, it’s not too late to pick a movie to see at a theater if that’s what you want.”

  There, he’d made the offer even if he was hoping like hell she wouldn’t take him up on it. “Or if you’ve changed your mind about seeing a movie, I can just take you home, Caitlyn.”

  When she didn’t immediately respond, he pulled over to the curb and stopped. He twisted in the seat so that he was facing her more directly. “The bottom line here is that nothing is going to happen that you don’t want to happen.”

  She finally turned to face him. “I want…us, Jack. I’m just feeling a bit skittish because it’s been such a long time for me.”

  He thought he knew what she was referring to, but he needed to know for sure. Her answer to his next question might change everything about how he hoped the evening would end. “When you’re talking about a long time, are you referring to dating in general or, um, something more specific?”

  For some reason, his question made her smile just a little. “Very tactful, Jack. The answer to your question is both, but especially the latter. I’ve dated a few times since my divorce, but nothing serious enough to make me want to invite someone in for more than a piece of chocolate cream pie.”

  He wasn’t sure why it pleased him to hear that, but it did. “I meant what I said, Caitlyn. If all you want to do is watch a movie and enjoy the pie, that’s fine.”

  “Really?”

  “Really.”

  He’d keep it all casual and fun if that’s what she needed. It might kill him, but she meant too much to him to risk ruining what they had because she wasn’t ready to go that next step.

  Evidently she believed him because all the tension seemed to flow out of her. “Take me home, Jack.”

  Doing his best to hide his disappointment, he put the truck back into gear. Before he pulled away from the curb, she reached over to put her hand on his thigh and gave it a gentle squeeze. “And then take me to bed.”

  When he shot her a quick look, she smiled and nodded. “You heard me right, Jack. I asked you to take me to bed.”

  Actually, it had sounded more like an order, one he would gladly carry out. He grinned at her through the darkness. “It will be my pleasure…and yours.”

  She laughed and gave his thigh another squeeze.

  As tempting as it was to floor it and send the big SUV racing through the night, it was more important to reach her place in one piece than to get there fast. Luckily, they were only a few blocks short of their destination. They rode in silence, which wasn’t a bad thing. Right now, he was having a hard time concentrating on his driving instead of the heat from her hand where it still rested on his leg.

  If even that small connection was short-circuiting his brain, he wasn’t sure what would happen once they got naked behind closed doors, but he couldn’t wait to find out. When they finally reached her condo, he parked the SUV and hustled his ass around to the other side to open the door for her.

  They walked the short distance to her front door hand in hand. It took her a couple of tries to get the key into the lock and open the door. Maybe it was a sign of how nervous they were that they both found that really funny. He was pretty sure it was a sign that they needed to slow things down a little.

  As she walked inside, she said, “Let me put the food in the refrigerator.”

  He followed her into the kitchen. “Actually, I think I’d like my dessert now, and then we can see what movies are on the television.”

  Just as he suspected, she looked a bit relieved. “Are you sure?”

  Jack took the bag from her and set it down on the counter. “Yeah, I’m going to enjoy my pie and then see if I can’t coax my date into making out on the couch while we watch a movie.”

  He couldn’t resist touching the long silk of her hair again. “Think she’ll go for that idea?”

  “I’m thinking she just might.” Caitlyn captured his hand in hers. “Meanwhile, would you like some coffee to go with that pie? I also have beer and soft drinks.”

  “A beer if that’s okay.”

  Mainly becaus
e it wouldn’t take her as long to pop the top on a cold one as it would for her to put on a pot of coffee to brew. He would give her all the time she needed, but right now he really wanted her in his arms, even if that only meant a good cuddle on the couch.

  “Why don’t you go pick a movie to watch while I serve up the pie and fix our drinks?”

  “Sounds good.” He gave her a quick kiss. “Any preference what kind of movie we watch?”

  She gave him a teasing glance. “How about a foreign film with subtitles?”

  “Fine with me. And if it’s French or Spanish, I wouldn’t even need the subtitles.”

  Her eyes flared wide in surprise. “Really, you speak two other languages?”

  “Actually, three. I can also get by in a couple of others, although I’m not fluent. Those of us in Special Forces often serve with troops from other countries. It helps if we can make ourselves understood.”

  “Wow, I’m impressed. I took German to meet the mandatory foreign language requirement in college, but I can’t remember much beyond hello, goodbye, and how to ask where the closest bathroom is.”

  “All useful phrases. Much more so than being able to tell someone how to break down their weapon to clean it or to yell ‘Incoming!’ ” His eyes looked a bit bleak as he kissed her on the cheek. “Now, I’ll go see about the movie.”

  Chapter 15

  Caitlyn watched Jack disappear into the other room. She’d known all along that he’d been in the army, but for some reason it really hadn’t sunk in until he’d made that last comment.

  His tone had been light, but there’d been a lot of weight in those words. Not regret, just a statement of fact, and a burden that he willingly carried. She couldn’t imagine all he’d seen and done over the course of his time in the military and now wasn’t the time to ask.

  It just made her more aware of another important component of a man who absolutely fascinated her.

  She quickly dished up their pie and grabbed their drinks out of the fridge. Time to go see what movie he’d picked out for them. Jack sat sprawled in the corner of her couch with the remote control in his hand.