by Lori Leger
“You may be right,” she drawled, before losing it to laughter. “Working in a bar is not something I see myself doing for the rest of my life, but for now, it’s convenient. Red pays well, provides me with an insurance plan, and I wanted the smoke-free environment. He’s the best boss I’ve ever had.”
Mitch scanned the spacious club and nodded. “It is nice to be able to breathe in here. You got allergies or something?”
“Something,” she said, letting him know she didn’t appreciate the questions.
“Message received, loud and clear, Ma’am,” he said. “That guy that just left, the one Miss Generation X was all over, is he a friend of yours?”
She gave him a shrug. “I know him because he comes in here every now and then. He’s an old friend of my boss and his wife’s, I believe.”
“Know anything else about him?”
“Other than he seems to be a nice enough guy, no. I make it a point not to gossip about people.”
“Are you saying other people gossip about him?”
Her eyes flashed in warning. “I’m saying it’s none of my business what the guy does as long as he pays for his drinks and stays out of trouble, which he does. Tanner’s never rude to me and he’s a decent tipper. Do you need anything else?”
The tone of her voice let him know the subject of Tanner Collins was good and closed. “No ma’am, that’ll be all for me tonight.” He downed the last of his drink and got up to leave. He’d taken two steps toward the door when she called out to him.
“Hey, Marine!”
He turned to face her. “Ma’am?”
“You take care of yourself out there, you hear me? And uh, Semper Fi.”
“Oorah … Ma’am.”
Chapter 6
“So, are you leaning one way or the other concerning your career, Mitch?” Sarah asked, trying not to sound hopeful. As badly as she wanted him to retire, she knew he’d have to come to his own decision in his own time.
“Not yet,” he said, scraping carrots from Danni’s chin to shovel it back into her mouth. “There you go, baby girl. And your momma was afraid I couldn’t handle this.” He turned toward Sarah, pointing a thumb at his chest. “I’m a Marine, sis…I can handle anything they throw at me.”
Danni chose that moment to spray her uncle with a fine mist of pureed carrots. Sarah burst into laughter as her big, bad Marine brother jumped up from the chair like he was avoiding sniper fire.
“Just be glad it was only food this time,” she snorted, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes before throwing a dampened paper towel at Mitch. “There is nothing quite as humbling as taking care of a toddler.”
“Good God! That stuff is just the right viscosity for prime coverage, that’s for damn sure. He wiped off his shirt then leaned over to address the culprit. “Danni girl, with that excellent aim of yours, I believe you’ve got a future as a Marine.”
Sarah pulled a disposable wipe from its container and cleaned the carrots from her daughter’s chin. “Let’s get her through teething, walking, and potty-training before we plan her military career, shall we? Besides, she’ll never want to be that far from her mommy, will you sweetie-pie?” she gushed, as the toddler squealed with delight.
Mitch leaned closer to his niece, who reached out with chubby fingers to pat his cheeks. “I guess you’re right, but it’ll definitely be the Marine’s loss.” He grabbed her sticky fingers and put them in his mouth, making her shriek with laughter.
“Blech!” He pulled back, wiping his mouth with a napkin. “That stuff is foul.”
“It’s just carrots, Mitch. If it tastes foul it’s probably from the other stuff on her hands. You know, like drool, snot, spit-up…boogers…” She laughed again as Mitch ran to the sink to wash out his mouth.
“Gah! You could have warned me,” he sputtered.
“I figured you were old enough to know not to stick her fingers in your mouth, at least without washing them first. She’s a toddler for chris-sakes. What else would she do in her spare time? Target practice?”
“I hope not,” he said, lifting Danni from her high chair. “I can’t imagine her aim being any better than it already—” His features suddenly scrunched in distaste. “I’m detecting some type of noxious gas release.”
“That may be more than gas, Uncle Mitch.”
He stuck his face near her bottom and jerked back, gagging. “Good Lord! That can’t all be coming from her.”
“Come on, macho man. Even Tanner Collins didn’t get freaked out that badly,” she said, smiling as she remembered an incident a couple of months earlier when he’d been holding one of the babies during a massive release of poo. “He took it like a champ compared to you.”
“Yeah, well I bet he hadn’t recently been sprayed with pureed carrots, and tasted…God knows what. All this is … Man this is just overkill.”
“You want to change her diaper for me? It’ll be good practice for when you settle down and have a baby of your own one day.” Her brother’s face turned a shade paler, tinted with a faint green hue.
Mitch recovered quickly enough to know she was setting him up. “That particular task is way beyond my pay grade. It calls for an immediate transfer of duties to her mama.” He swiveled his upper body, trying to hold his breath until Sarah had taken the foul smelling package off his hands to carry her to the nursery. He collected Sammi from her high chair and followed Sarah into the room. He took a quick peek over her shoulder, immediately regretting the action. “That can’t all be from carrots.”
“That’s probably vegetable beef from supper last night.”
He carried Sammi to the far corner of the room to get some fresh air. “You might want to strike that from their list of grub from now on. That can’t be normal.”
“They eat a variety of foods, I assure you, all producing pretty much the same results. I haven’t had much experience with other babies, but from what I’ve witnessed, they all stink the same, Uncle Mitch.”
She turned toward him, holding out the freshly diapered child. “Here, trade with me so I can change Sammi’s diaper, too. Clean her up while you’re at it, if you think you can handle it. Wipes are right there.”
He took the much improved and diapered Danni from her, grabbing a pack of pleasantly scented wipes. “Now these I can handle.” He lay his niece on one of two changing tables and pulled out a few wipes while starting up a one-sided dialogue with her. “You see, little lady, back in the sandbox, what you civilians call the middle east, we don’t have a lot of fresh water to bathe in. So we pull out the old reliable wipes for a GI shower. It’s not as good as a real shower but a couple dozen of these’ll get the grit out for a little bit.” Danni screeched when he pinched her nose with the cloth to clean it. “Check your fire, sweet-cheeks! You got some leftover grub in your snot locker.” A couple more passes with the wipes, and his niece looked and smelled presentable again. “Now, all scrubbed up ready for inspection.”
He glanced over at his sister, deciding it was as good a time as any to get a reading on a particular situation. “I’d like to see Collins top that. Speaking of him, I saw him at Red’s club last night.” He watched her for any telltale signs of interest. As he’d suspected, the barest hint of a flush appeared on her cheeks while her head craned with irrefutable interest.
“You met Tanner?”
“I actually met him at the farmer’s market that day you and I went. After you went to the car, he and I exchanged a few words. Last night I was at Red’s and he showed up. We didn’t talk though.”
Sarah sat in one rocker with Sammi, while pointing at the other for her brother to sit.
Mitch sat and, following his sister’s example, positioned Danni on his left shoulder to start up a rhythmic patting on her diapered bottom. “I think it’d be a mistake for you to expect anything other than friendship from him, sis. It’s not that I don’t think he’s a nice guy.”
“What makes you think I’m interested in him?”
“He’s
the type that comes by it so easily it turns into more of a habit for him than anything else.”
“Why do you think I’m interested in Tanner?” she repeated.
“It doesn’t mean he’s a bad guy, just not used to turning it dow—”
“Mitch!”
He jerked around at her sharply barked command.
“I’m not interested in him.”
Mitch gave her a casual shrug. “Okay.”
“Why did you think I was? Did he say anything to you?”
“No, but I know what I see in your face and hear in your tone when someone mentions his name.”
“I’m no—”
He raised one hand, cutting off the rest of her comment. “He’s trouble for you, sis. That’s all I’m saying. Shh … this one’s almost out.”
After another five minutes of rocking and patting bottoms, Mitchell rose from the chair and quietly made his way to the crib with Danni’s name stenciled on one side with pink and green lettering. He laid her gingerly on the mattress and covered her with the quilt, patting her bottom until he thought she’d stay sleeping. When it looked as though Sarah was ready to follow suit, he took the opportunity to slip out, leaving the house long before his sister could fire any more rounds of questions at him.
“Did you see Mitch?” Sarah asked, entering the kitchen.
Leah pulled a large pack of chicken breast out of the fridge and placed it in the sink. “Just long enough to see him hit the door like someone had set his tail on fire. What are you after him for?”
“Information, dammit!” Sarah swore as she opened the door in time to see the trail of dust her brother had left in the driveway with his rental.
“What’s going on?” Leah asked, reaching for a well-worn recipe book on the shelf.
“It’s nothing.” Sarah grabbed a glass and poured herself some filtered water. She drank, remembering the latest of several dreams she’d had. All steamy enough to liquefy butter, every one of them had left her shaky and wanting after awakening. Each dream episode had involved the one man she knew she had a snowball’s chance in hell of attracting…Dr. Tanner Collins. She blushed, thinking about the latest one, erotic enough to make her awake drenched with the moist heat of her own desire. Totally unsatisfying as well, since Sammi had awakened her, crying for a bottle.
She hadn’t told a soul about her dreams, thought she’d done a damn good job of disguising her emotions when anyone mentioned his name. Or not, considering her brother had picked up on something. Mitchell had never been very good at catching subtle hints in his civilian life prior to the Marines. Either she sucked at concealing her feelings, or her brother’s military experience had increased his ability to read others tenfold.
Good God, let that be the case.
She’d die if anyone else suspected what Mitch did, especially Tanner.
“Look at these two munchkins! They must have grown six inches since I saw them last.”
Sarah beamed at Melanie, who spun around, holding a giggling Sammi. “They like to eat, and no matter what I feed them for supper, they still wake up for their two a.m. bottles, the little piglets.”
“Mmm, adorable little piglets,” Melanie crooned, kissing Sammi on the belly. “Oh, I hope when I have kids one day they’ll be this cute.”
“Please! With your genetics, they’re bound to be gorgeous.”
“I think the father will have some say in the situation.”
“I’m predicting your DNA will dominate. But speaking of perspective fathers, you heard from Liam Nash lately?” Sarah asked.
“Not for a couple of months now.” Mel took a deep breath and released it slowly. “Not since Angelique Baptiste broke his heart by choosing Mike Harper over him.”
“I don’t think he was all that heartbroken by it, just mildly disappointed. Trust me, girlfriend, he’ll get over it, and when he does—”
“What?” Mel cut in. “He’ll come running back to a mouthy redhead, with big boobs and a wide butt? Yeah, I’m sure girls like me are right up there at the top of Mr. so-fine-he-could-have-his-own-calendar’s list of perfect women.”
Sarah dabbed at some drool on the front of her shirt with a baby wipe. “Oh stop. You have a great figure, and don’t forget that you have law enforcement in common, and I’m sure the fact that you’re a technological genius is a big plus.”
“I can talk cops and robbers with him for sure, but I doubt Liam’s impressed much by my computer skills.”
“Well, you and my big brother have that in common for sure, and I know for a fact he likes boobs and redheads.”
Mel pursed her lips. “I can’t argue with the fact that your big bro is a hottie. I’ve never seen an active Marine who wasn’t in shape, but Mitchell seems especially fit.”
Sarah’s heart soared with hopefulness. She and Melanie were already best friends, and Danni and Sammi both adored their ‘Aunt Mel’. Wouldn’t it be that much more wonderful to have her as a sister-in-law, an official member of the family?
“But I didn’t come over here for you to set me up with your brother, Sarah.”
“I know that, but he’s trying to decide whether it’s time to re-up or return to civilian life. I’m not gonna lie, I want him out of the military and maybe him finding a girl here would do the trick. If that girl turned out to be some bodacious redhead I just happen to be friends with, well that wouldn’t break my heart a bit.” Sarah jumped at the sound of someone clearing his throat behind her. She spun on her heels to see her brother standing with his arms crossed and wearing an amused expression.
“I just got home and you’re trying to marry me off already?”
“I know, right?” Mel said, stepping up beside him to stare down at Sarah. “I was about to ask her if she’d planned the wedding yet.”
Sarah narrowed her eyes at her brother and friend. “I can’t help it if I want to see you home in one piece, Mitch. It stinks having to worry about you over in the Middle East.” She stopped to sniff the air. “Speaking of stink…Pew, Danni.” She wrinkled her nose at the distinct aroma of ‘eau de dirty diaper’. Heading for the nursery, she threw them an over-the-shoulder comment. “By the way, you two would make gorgeous babies.”
Mitch joined in with Melanie’s laughter as he turned to the attractive red head. “She is some kinda pushy, ain’t she?”
Mel adjusted Sammi on her hip. “Not very subtle, that’s for damn sure. Wants you married off quick.”
He stared after his departed sister. “Last time I saw her she wasn’t nearly as outspoken. I guess she couldn’t speak her mind the entire time she was married to that psychotic shit brick. Now she makes sure her opinion is heard.”
“There’s nothing wrong with that. It just means she’s healing.”
He nodded emphatically. “I agree. I suppose that’s why she’s trying to shove us together, but—”
“You are in no way ready for that, and I’m actually kind of hung up on someone else, so maybe one of us should tell her to stop?”
“Officer Finley, you and I really do think alike. How serious is that hang up?” He gave her a wink, and then smiled at the low, rather sexy chuckle she emitted.
“A little more on my part since I doubt he knows I exist.”
“Has he met you?”
“Oh, yeah, a few times,” she admitted.
“Trust me, Mel, he knows you exist. You’re not the kind of girl a guy meets and doesn’t notice.”
Her head tilted slightly. “You think so, huh? I guess that’s a good thing.”
“It’s a very good thing. So, even though we aren’t destined for marriage, maybe you could show me around this town? Catch a couple of flicks, and do some dancing?”
“I’m not from this area, so I don’t know much about places in Lake Coburn, other than Red’s place. I’ve lived in the Lafayette area since my early teens,” she admitted. “And since becoming a cop, have worked and lived there, exclusively.”
“I don’t mind doing a little driving.”
“That’s good, because I’d suggest Mulate’s in Breaux Bridge for some good Cajun dancing at least one night while you’re down. For country, you can’t get any better than Red’s right here in Lake Coburn. I got a room at the Marriott about a block from his club tonight. His house band is kick ass, and if I drink too much I can walk to the hotel.” Her face suddenly lit up. “I bet I can get us tickets to the Trace Adkins concert at the Casino the first weekend of next month. Will you still be in for that?”
“I leave on the second to go back,” he said, shaking his head regretfully. “But, you’ve got me until then, pretty lady.” Mitch smiled as he witnessed the slightest blushing of her cheeks. It just proved that even though she was a cop, Mel was still a woman.
“Awe, thanks, Mitch. You are so sweet.”
“And I’m not saying that just hoping to get lucky, either. Believe it or not, I’m not that much into casual sex.”
“That’s too bad,” she said, her brow scrunched as she clucked her tongue. “And here I was about to ask you for an afternoon of that very thing.”
He laughed. “Yeah, sure you were.”
She set Sammi in the center of the playpen and straightened, before shrugging a shoulder. “Seriously, Mitch, it’s been awhile since I’ve had a real blow-the-carburetor-out round of mind-blowing, nothing but fun sex without having to worry about committing to anyone.”
Mitchell’s spine stiffened, stretched him to his full height of a tad over six feet. “Really?” He watched her pivot slowly to face him, the tiniest trace of a smile tugging at the corner of her plump bottom lip.
Mel lifted one neatly trimmed nail to his face, drew it gently, slowly down from the top of his upper lip to his chin, settling in the distinctive dent he’d inherited from his father. A barely detectable up and down head movement accompanied her huskily whispered comeback.
“Of course…not.”
His body, reacting to her tone, leaned to touch her, even as his mind came to a screeching halt. “Wait…What?” he said, struggling to shift gears, to throw his body into reverse in order to stop its forward progress. He saw it then, the slight lift of her left brow before her eruption of laughter.