by RC Boldt
“Some of the guys hated that I was there. Even though I’d earned my place amongst them.” She shook her head. “It wasn’t as though they made any special allowances for me. I had to pass all of the physical requirements during Indoctrination just like the rest of them. And, for me, I wanted to push myself and truly prove my worth. I was always in the lead on every task, every physical test, along with one of the best guys there. Lucas.” Her voice changed when she mentioned his name, strong affection lacing her tone.
“You mentioned Lucas earlier. He sounds like a pretty great guy.”
“Yeah, he really is,” she replied. “He ended up being the one true friend I’d had there. The brother I never had.” He heard the smile in her voice.
Lee leaned back against him, falling silent for a long moment. So long that he was unsure she would finish her story.
“He tried to warn me about Brent. But did I listen? Hell, no. I was so freaking starry-eyed. Thought I was in love with him. Didn’t want to believe anything Lucas said. But, in the end, I paid dearly for that mistake.
“Turns out, he had his head so far up the captain’s ass he couldn’t see, and he’d been talking shit about me. And when shit hit the fan on one of our rescues, he didn’t like it that I was awarded the Air Force Cross.” She snorted. “That’s putting it lightly.”
“What happened?” he asked quietly.
Exhaling a long breath, her hands went to where his were resting, wrapped around her torso. “At the last moment, I spotted a guy with a gun aimed in Lucas’ direction and I shoved him out of the way. Because … hell. His wife had just given birth to their first kid—a boy—and he was already torn up about missing out on that. I couldn’t imagine how it would’ve been if he’d missed out on everything, you know?
“So, of course, graceful as I am, I didn’t move my own ass out of the way in time.”
“And that’s how you got the scar right there.” His thumb grazed the spot on her left side, barely above her pelvic bone.
“Yeah,” she said on an exhale. “So, instead of picking up one CAT Alpha—one critically wounded—they had a second.” She fell silent before softly adding, “But I still wouldn’t change a damn thing about that day. Not in a million years. Because, in the end, Lucas was alive, able to eventually head home to his wife and new son, Lane. In one piece.”
God, this woman in his arms was not only inspiring but so utterly remarkable. “Lee,” he pressed a kiss to her hair. “You’re amazing, you know that?”
“Don’t speak too soon,” she said, her tone full of self-recrimination. “I haven’t gotten to the best part of the story.” The sarcasm in her voice was not lost on him.
“While I’m recuperating, I find out that I’m going to be awarded for shoving Lucas out of the way, for that bullet hitting me, and … well, it didn’t sit well with Brent. Or a bunch of the other guys who already hated having a woman amongst them. So, Brent started spreading rumors that I hadn’t followed protocol, putting everyone in harm’s way.
“Even better, he spread around that I was sleeping with a few of the higher ups. Which was bullshit. Of course, those same guys who disliked me for merely being a female immediately jumped on the bandwagon of lies. Nearly as soon as my award had gone through the proper channels and I was cleared to return to duty after I’d healed, I was completely ostracized by the majority of my teammates. Lucas was taking some serious shit for being my friend and sticking up for me. Even though he told me he didn’t care about it, I felt awful that he had to deal with it.
“I hadn’t known that Brent was in on all of it—that he’d initiated everything. Like a lovesick fool, I’d gone to him, expecting for him to let me vent to him. For him to comfort me and tell me that he knew the truth and didn’t care about what the others were saying. Boy, what an idiot I was.”
He tightened his embrace, wishing he could ease her pain.
“You know what he told me?” She broke off with a sad laugh. “He said, ‘Ford, you were never meant to be here. The guys who are smart enough to realize that want you gone.’ Then he patted my shoulder in the most sickening, condescending manner and told me I should go home and do what women like me were really good at.”
Oh, hell, no. Lawson got a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. Felt like he knew what was coming next but still hoping he was wrong.
He wasn’t.
“He said what I was really good at was being a decent—at times—lay.”
There was no resisting the clenching of his fists. He wasn’t prone to giving in to violent tendencies, but in that moment, he wanted nothing more than to hunt that Brent fucker down and lay into him.
“Hey.” She patted his arm. “It’s in the past, Laws.” Lee snuggled in deeper into his embrace. “Things became so bad, such a poor work environment that I knew there wasn’t any way I could change things, couldn’t change their minds. They’d already been tainted. So, I hung on until my fifteen year anniversary and chose to end my time of service.”
Letting out a long, sad sigh, she added, “There are times when I miss it. When I think of all the shit that goes on over there, all the lives we’d save. The crazy thing is … I feel more at ease, more accepted here, at Foster’s firm, than I ever did in the fifteen years I spent as a PJ.”
They both sat there with nothing but the soothing sound of the waves crashing along the ocean shore surrounding them. Mulling over her story, he attempted to choose his words carefully.
Lowering his head, he kissed her shoulder gently before whispering in her ear, “Three things.”
“Oh? Three?” He was glad to hear some life, humor back in her voice.
“One, if I ever come across this Brent guy, it’s going to be ugly. Guaranteed. Two, I’m in awe of you and all that you’ve achieved because you’re … nothing short of incredible. And three, I don’t expect a response but I really need to say it.” He shifted, leaning around so that he could see her face. “I love you,” he whispered, gazing into her eyes.
“Laws—” she began, clearly taken by surprise.
“Shh.” He laid a finger over her lips. “No need to respond. I just wanted you to know. Because I’ve never, ever said those words to a woman before.” He held her gaze as his words sunk in, watching her lips part in surprise. His mouth quirked. “Besides my mother and Gran, of course.”
Eyes falling to rest on her mouth, he caressed her lower lip with the pad of his thumb and whispered with a small, wry smile, “I finally know what the fuss is all about.”
Her throat worked, and she turned to fully face him, gently guiding him to lie back on the sleeping bag they’d laid out.
“Lawson Briggs.” The look in her eyes was indescribable and he hoped—hell, he hoped with everything he had—that there was love somewhere in the depths, waiting to emerge. Straddling him, wearing only one of his large T-shirts, she tugged down his boxers, her fingers wrapping about his hardening cock.
“Please tell me you brought—”
He grinned at her, holding up a condom packet. “I’m a former Boy Scout.”
Like he was going to go to the rooftop and gaze romantically at the forthcoming sunset with his Lee and not bring condoms?
Hell, no.
Watching while she stroked his hard length, his head fell back, eyes closing as he gave in to the bliss of her touch, his cock hardening further as she continued to work him with her hand. Meeting her gaze, he saw that her lips were parted as though she had grown more aroused simply by stroking him.
“Lee.” His voice was gravelly, rough with arousal as his hand wrapped around hers, stopping her motions. “I can’t take much more.”
Watching the satisfied expression that came over her face, the way her eyes shone with pleasure, nearly pushed him over the edge. She took the condom packet from him, tore it open, and rolled it over his length, so maddeningly slow that his hands fisted in the shirt she wore in an attempt to resist the urge to flip her over and take her like a caveman.
She r
ose over him, and the moment she sank down, her wet heat sliding over his cock, he let out a low, guttural moan. Hands moving to her hips, gripping her firmly, eyes locked with hers, he felt as though she was trying to tell him something with her actions that she was unable to say in words. And he hoped to hell it was what he thought it was.
Because the one thing he wanted more than anything in the world was for Lee to love him back.
C
HAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Clarke’s second law: If you want to discover the limits of possibilities, you have to veer off past them into the realm of the impossible.
Langley’s take: Hell if that isn’t exactly what it feels like I’m doing when it comes Lawson. Kind of like I’m continuously veering off into what I think is the impossible … only to find that it isn’t.
~
“YO, Z!”
Lawson entered Zach’s classroom after students had been dismissed for the day, the door falling closed behind him. His friend was seated at the front of the classroom, at his teaching table where he often conferenced with students one-on-one or in small groups.
“I’m so ready for the school year to be over, man.” Zach let out a tired sigh, his fingers tapping on the keyboard of the school-issued laptop before him, entering grades into the district-required gradebook program.
“Only two more weeks to go.”
Shaking his head, his friend muttered, “They’ve lost their freaking minds already.”
As he slid into a nearby chair, Lawson exhaled loudly. “Tell me about it.” It was common knowledge that students got a little crazy toward the very end of the school year.
“So,” Zach paused as he entered scores, fingers rapidly typing, “how’s it going with you and your PJ?”
Unable to withhold a wide grin, he answered, “Going pretty well, if I do say so myself.”
Entering one final score into the computer, Zach turned his attention back to him, his friend’s gray eyes intently studying him.
Shit. That look never boded well. It translated to something close to the equivalent of ‘We’re about to have a Dr. Phil moment’.
Blowing out a long breath, he waved his hand at his friend. “Go ahead. Out with it.”
“Are you sure about this? About her?” Even though he could see the concerned expression on Zach’s face, his questions put him on edge.
“Spit out what you’re really wanting to say, Z.” His tone contained a sharp edge.
One of his hands instantly coming up in defense, Zach said, “Easy, tiger. I’m just … we’re just concerned. We don’t want you to get hurt, Laws. We want to make sure Lee’s on the up and up.” He paused briefly. “That she’s good enough for you.”
“What the,” he glanced at the closed classroom door to ensure no one was about to enter before he finished with, “hell is with you? And the ‘we’re concerned’ thing?”
“Look, Laws. I’m just saying that we’re worried about—”
“That’s enough.” His tone was subdued, lethally quiet. “There is absolutely no way in hell that Lee isn’t good enough for me. She’s freaking amazing. If anything, you should be worried about me being good enough for her.
“And considering that I plan on her being mine—for the long haul—you guys need to get it together and accept that.” He leaned back in his chair, arms crossed as he let his words sink in, pinning his friend with a hard stare.
What he didn’t expect was for Zach’s lips to form a broad smile of satisfaction.
What the hell?
Nodding, the corners of his friend’s eyes crinkled slightly. “So she’s it, huh? She’s the one? The one you want by your side forever?”
“Without a shadow of doubt,” he answered without hesitation.
Zach stared at him a moment. “Just had to be sure.” Then, with a smile, he added, “Welcome to the club, man.”
Grinning, he straightened, acting as though he were making a speech.
“Thanks, man. It’s good to be here. First, I’d like to thank my mother for pushing me out of her uterus many moons ago, my parents for encouraging me along the way,” he gestured to his friend sitting across from him, “and you, of course, for being my best friend.”
Zach pretended to polish his nails on his shirt. “I do what I can.”
The two men snickered before falling silent once again.
His friend’s gray eyes focused on him. “I’m sure you’ve already realized this, but it’s clear as day that you’re in for a challenge.”
With a cocky grin, he answered, “This is me we’re talking about. Lawson Briggs.”
The thing about best friends? Yeah, well, they knew you inside and out. Knew when you were deflecting or trying to be dismissive.
“Laws. Seriously.”
With a loud exhale, he nodded, expression sober. “I know, man. I know.” He paused before leaning forward, and resting his forearms on the table. “Anyone else, I would’ve been like, ‘Mmm, later’. But with her it’s different. I can’t see myself without her by my side. I don’t want to.”
Nodding slowly, Zach was silent for a moment. “Have you given her a ‘love fern’?” The corners of his friend’s lips twitched. “You know, to show her you’re serious about your love for her?”
With a droll look, he scoffed, “Please. That was so a Miller and Tate thing.”
Zach threw his head back in laughter. “Laws. God, I love you, man.”
“Ditto.” He winked before repeating, “Ditto.”
C
HAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Vique’s law: A man without religion is like a fish without a bicycle.
Lawson’s take: That’s confusing as hell. I’d prefer it to be ‘Lawson without Lee is like an ice cream cone without ice cream.’
~
“I’M SO HUNGRY, I’M ABOUT to gnaw on my own arm.” Tate’s announcement didn’t faze the others as the petite blonde grumbled, slouching in her chair, patting her flat stomach.
Laney shot their friend a look of dry exasperation. “Your tapeworm will hold out another five minutes before our sushi comes out.”
They were all at Island Kabuki—deemed the best sushi joint in Fernandina Beach—for a girls-only dinner night. Raine had announced that they needed to meet Thursday since they hadn’t gotten the update on how her night with the Briggs’ family had gone. Raine had informed the other women that Langley wasn’t to be asked any questions until they had been served their food.
“Thank God.” Tate let out a relieved sound as the server appeared at their table with platters of sushi for each of them. The thin blonde had her chopsticks in her hand, clicking them in anticipation.
After each of them had their food in front of them, they began eating in companionable silence. She had gotten distracted with documentation paperwork earlier that day at the office and hadn’t eaten more than an apple for lunch, so she was absolutely famished.
Once it seemed that the women had satisfied their appetites, Laney was the first to speak. “Okay, spill it. I can tell something went on between you and Lawson.” The curvy brunette wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. “Something yummy, too.”
Trying to pass it off, nonchalantly, she gave the other woman a look. “What makes you so sure of that?”
With the end of her chopsticks pointed at her, Tate’s eyebrow arched. “That, right there. You actually played around with your answer. And you seem,” her friend pursed her lips in thought, “softer.”
Softer? Really?
“Don’t make that face,” Tate scolded her playfully. “Seriously, though. It’s true.” She turned to Raine and Laney for affirmation, the other two women nodding.
“You have a glow about you,” Raine beamed.
A glow? Hell was officially freezing over.
“So spill the deets.” Laney leaned toward the table, interestedly. “Did he ply you with terrible jokes until you laughed yourself into an orgasm?”
They all stared at her like she was crazy.
/> “What?” Laney exclaimed, holding her hands up in defense. “I just can’t picture Lawson being all serious and sexual.” She puffed out her cheeks, making a sick face. “Which is totally fine with me.”
“Stop it, Laney,” Raine reprimanded their friend with a little laugh before returning her attention to her. “But really. You guys …”
Her gaze darted to each of her friends, seeing their interested expressions. Damn it. She was not good at this … girl talk thing. Lawson had managed to convince her to stay over nearly every night that week at his place. He’d informed her that he couldn’t let her sleep on her sad excuse of an air mattress.
It also helped his cause when he’d whispered in her ear all of the naughty things he’d planned to do to her that “would likely destroy the air mattress”.
Yeah. Just the memory of the way he had said it, the glint in his eyes … It was in that moment, there in the sushi restaurant, she felt something happening to her face. Something that had never before happened.
“Oooh! You’re blushing!” Tate remarked, pleased. “Dish it, honey!” She rubbed her hands together in anticipation.
Eyes downcast, focusing on her now empty dinner plate, she cleared her throat in an attempt at recovering, schooling her expression. Raising her head, she opened her mouth to give them a casual response. Except what came out of her mouth was nothing but casual.
“I’m in trouble,” she muttered on an exhale. Glancing around the table, she watched as each woman’s expression morphed into wide smiles.
Raine danced a bit in her seat, doing some happy clap thing. “This is so awesome!”
“You’re in trouble because Lawson’s crazy good in bed? Or you’re in trouble because you’re starting to have strong feelings for him?” Tate questioned before adding quietly, “Or both?”
Releasing out a long sigh, she worried her bottom lip. “Both?”
“Wait a minute. Let me get this straight …” Laney leaned in closer with an expression of shock—or disbelief—she wasn’t sure which. “You’re saying that he’s crazy good in bed?”