Unmasking the Maverick

by Teresa Southwick

“Would these donations be things that you are able to fix?” She glanced over her shoulder at him.

  “The man is relentless.” He knew the subtext of her question was about him sticking around and that was something he couldn’t answer.

  She didn’t ask anything but continued perusing booths till she found a rack of old clothes—hats, shoes, an old fur coat. She meticulously looked at all the hanging items but didn’t see what she wanted.

  Brendan already knew what he wanted. Fiona. Every time their shoulders brushed or hands bumped, he wanted to take her in his arms and kiss her until she made those breathy little moaning noises.

  “I’m going in here,” she said as something in a booth caught her eye.

  “Okay.” He followed her. “This is your op. I’m just here to look cute.”

  “Mission accomplished.” She gave him a flirty look, then turned her attention to a stack of clothes.

  Brendan scanned the shelves holding plates, glasses, pots and pans. In a corner of the booth he saw a shelf of toys and walked over to check them out. Trucks and cars were lined up haphazardly. In the back, almost hidden by action figures, he saw a military vehicle painted in jungle camouflage. He reached past the clutter and picked it up. His stomach knotted when he realized it was an awful lot like the one his mom gave him when he was five.

  “Brendan?” Fiona put her hand on his arm. “Did you hear me? Are you okay?”

  Apparently she’d said something and he didn’t hear because of the roaring in his ears. “I’m fine.”

  Her gaze narrowed. “You can talk to me.”

  Because that’s what friends did. She’d said that before. He knew the stubborn look on her face better now and she wasn’t going to let this drop. Looking at the toy in his hand was like a glimpse into the past, a place he never wanted to visit again.

  “I had one of these when I was a kid.” He stared at the thing. “My mother gave it to me when she broke the news she was leaving.”

  “Oh, Brendan—” She sighed. “Of all the memories you could have found here, why did it have to be that one?”

  “Yeah. What are the odds?” He’d already told her a boatload of bad stuff, but there was more and it came bubbling up. “It took a while, but my dad moved on. He let another woman into his life.”

  “Good.”

  “I guess.” Leon had been happy. She was nice and they were like a family for a while. “But she left, too.”

  Fiona pressed her lips together for a moment. “That just bites.”

  “More than you know.” He almost laughed. Most people would have given the stock “I’m sorry” or something equally as useless. She told it like it was.

  “What aren’t you telling me?”

  “I had already committed to the Marines when she dumped him. I couldn’t stick around and he was alone to deal with it. In a short span he lost two people he cared about. Double whammy.”

  “I’m sure he understood why you had to go,” she said.

  “Yeah. But I know it was that much harder for him.” He looked at her then, the sympathy in her eyes.

  “He didn’t lose you, Brendan. Children grow up and leave home—” She stopped as her words sank in. “Well, not me and my brothers. It’s different with the ranch. But letting kids be independent is the natural order of things.”

  “I know. It’s just when he got sick—”

  “You felt bad that you didn’t spend more time with him when you could have.”

  He nodded, a lump in his throat as he replaced the toy on the shelf. “If we could see the future, a decision today would be a lot easier.”

  She moved close and wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her cheek on his chest. “I hear it in your voice. You feel as if you left a man behind, and I know marines take pride in not doing that. But I believe if your dad was here, he would say that he was glad you found a career that fulfilled you. If leaving him was part of that, so be it. If you were happy, he was happy.”

  Maybe it was the hug or just the right words at the right time, but he felt as if a weight lifted from his heart. As if he’d received absolution. Somehow he knew in his soul that she was right.

  “Thank you,” he whispered against her hair. “That helps.”

  “You’re welcome.” She hugged him tight for a moment, then backed away and smiled. “If I was a shrink that would cost you big.”

  “Oh? So what do I owe you?”

  “Takeout from Ace in the Hole. We’ll eat it at your place.”

  There was a little bit of a bad girl glint in her eyes and he had a sneaking suspicion about what she had in mind at his place. “Count me in.”

  * * *

  Fiona knew exactly what her “fee” entailed and it wasn’t just dinner to go. Ace in the Hole was their first stop. Together they walked inside, up to the bar and sat side by side on a couple of stools. The place was a lot busier than she’d hoped.

  She wanted to be in Brendan’s arms desperately and was pretty sure he was impatient to have her there. But she knew getting to his cabin discreetly was going to be a challenge. It wasn’t that she was ashamed of being with him. She just didn’t want everyone in town to know about it.

  He was basically another stranger. Unlike the last one, he didn’t lead her on. But when he left she didn’t want to be the talk of the town again. That much humiliation was enough for a lifetime. No one would pity her if they didn’t know she and Brendan were a thing.

  So the problem at a crowded Ace in the Hole was how to get food to go without anyone asking questions and putting two and two together. Because her, him, his bed—it was going to happen.

  Rosey was helping out behind the bar and walked over to them. “Brendan. Fiona. Nice to see you again. This is getting to be a habit.”

  The woman was fishing for information and Fiona was going to give her as little as possible. “I wouldn’t say that. We checked out that new place, Everything Old, for stuff to put together a Halloween costume and—”

  “You two coordinating costumes for Luke and Eva’s party?”

  “We were just browsing,” Brendan said evasively.

  Fiona needed to lay down a distraction. “By the way, I don’t know if you heard that Luke is making the party a fund-raiser for the foundation he’s starting. His goal is to fix up some of the Sunshine Farms cabins and build more for veterans who need a place to decompress and adjust to civilian life after deployment or leaving the military.”

  “I hadn’t heard. And you had me at ‘fund-raiser,’” Rosey said. “But that’s a real good thing he’s doing. I know Sam will be on board.”

  Fiona nodded, pleased that the other woman’s attention had been diverted from speculation about her and Brendan. “I knew you would get it. Luke would be grateful if you could spread the word. And if anyone can’t be there but wants to donate, he’s got a website. The information will be in the Gazette.”

  “Happy to help.” She met Brendan’s gaze and nodded. “Now, what can I get you two?”

  “What else? Burgers and fries.” Brendan looked at Fiona and added, “To go.”

  His tone was übercasual but instantly there was an elephant in the room. Rosey’s eyes gleamed with curiosity although she didn’t say anything.

  Fiona felt the need to fill the silence and said the first thing that popped into her mind. “It’s crowded in here tonight. So we’re going to take the food to my house and watch TV.”

  “Uh-huh.” The look on the other woman’s face said she didn’t buy that for a second. “Since when does Maureen O’Reilly let anyone come into her house and eat food she didn’t cook for them?”

  “I just didn’t want to bother her and make a mess in the kitchen after dinner.”

  “Fiona Kathleen O’Reilly, your nose is growing with every word that comes out of your mouth.”

  No one used all three o
f her names unless she was in trouble. “I’m sensing some skepticism—”

  Rosey put her hands on her ample hips and had a look on her face that would intimidate even the most interrogation-hardened soldier.

  “Okay,” she said. “Would you believe a picnic?”

  “It’s cold and dark outside. Do I look like I was born yesterday?” The older woman held up a hand. “Don’t answer that.”

  Fiona gave Brendan an exasperated look. “Bail me out here. Say something.”

  “On it.” He met the bar owner’s gaze. “We’re taking food back to my cabin at Sunshine Farm. After I feed her, she’s going to have her way with me.”

  “Brendan!”

  “What?” He looked unapologetic and self-satisfied. “It’s the truth. This scenario doesn’t leave much latitude for a believable lie.”

  “Still, you were a marine. I expected you to put some effort into coming up with a good cover story.”

  “Fiona—” Rosey reached over and patted her hand. “Honey, it’s not like I didn’t know the minute I saw you two.”

  “Why? What gave it away? Is it written on my forehead?” she demanded. “‘Getting lucky tonight’?”

  Rosey shrugged. “It’s clear that you’re determined to keep it private. I respect that. And I have a reputation to maintain. Someone tells me something while I’m behind this bar, I keep it to myself. Like attorney-client privilege.” She was dead serious. “This information goes no further.”

  “Thanks, Rosey.”

  “Okay. So, burgers and fries coming right up.” She turned away and headed into the back.

  Brendan swiveled his stool toward her, then moved hers so that she was facing him. The only parts of their bodies touching were their knees, but she felt him all over. She sensed he wanted to take her hand, but he didn’t.

  “I’m sorry,” he said.

  “It’s not your fault I suck at lying.”

  He smiled. It was so loud in the place that no one could hear when he said, “I really want to touch you right now.”

  She wanted him to. Badly.

  “I’m glad you’re a bad liar,” he told her. “In my humble opinion, it’s one of your very best qualities.”

  “You think I’m silly, but this town—” She rested her arm on the bar beside them. “Everyone talks and I don’t want it to be about me.”

  Not again.

  He touched her hand, just a friendly gesture to anyone who might see. “For what it’s worth, I think Rosey was being honest. She won’t spread anything about us.”

  “This place is packed.” She looked around at the crowd. “Someone is bound to see that we’re leaving with food.”

  “Even so, that could mean anything,” he said. “We could be taking it to your place to watch TV.”

  She shook her head. “Everyone will come to the same conclusion Rosey did. My mom feeds anyone who comes over. She’s got an extra refrigerator and freezer jammed with enough food to feed a small country.”

  “I’m sorry,” he said with a sigh. “But I’ve been eating meals with Eva and Luke. Or they send leftovers to me. There’s a small microwave and compact fridge in the place. But I haven’t stocked up on supplies.”

  Traveling light, she thought, because that makes it easier to take off. He was deliberately not putting down roots. She felt a twinge of something in her chest and consciously chose to ignore it. Every moment she spent with him was a memory to pull out on a cold, lonely winter night. Maybe it was stupid, but that was all the more reason she hoped Rosey kept her promise.

  “It’s okay,” she said.

  “No.” He looked down for a moment before meeting her gaze. “And if you want me to go home now, I’ll take you back to your truck.”

  Fiona met his gaze as her inner voice firmly said “no way” to that suggestion. This was like writing a freelance article. When an opportunity came along you took it because it might not happen again. If sex was all she wanted, prospects were abundant. But she was old-fashioned and needed to have feelings. It didn’t have to be love, but she had to like and respect a man to go to bed with him. Brendan fit those criteria and then some. Her only concern was caring too much.

  She shook her head. “You promised me food. And I’ve been told that you always keep your promises. But if I didn’t know better, I’d say you’re trying to get out of this.”

  “Oh, honey—” A slow, sexy smile turned up the corners of his mouth while his eyes caught fire. “If we weren’t trying to fly under the radar I’d show you here and now just how committed I am to keeping my word.”

  “Okay, then.” Desire flared inside her. “When our food comes, we’ll—”

  Rosey came out of the back just then with a large brown bag in her hand. She set it in front of them. “Order up.”

  “You wouldn’t happen to have a bottle of wine I could buy,” Brendan asked, “would you?”

  “I can damn sure find one,” Rosey said. “This is a bar, for Pete’s sake.”

  “And would I be pushing my luck to talk you out of a couple of glasses?”

  “Do I look like a miracle worker?” she said in mock annoyance. Then she grinned. “You’re my kind of man, Brendan Tanner. If I were younger and—”

  “Not married?” Fiona said.

  “That, too. I am partial to military types, as you both already know. And I’m not fooling anyone. Sam Traven is the love of my life.”

  “You just broke my heart,” Brendan teased.

  “There seems to be an epidemic of nose growing in here tonight.” She laughed. “I’ll get that wine and some glasses for you.”

  Fiona stared at him. “How are we supposed to get all of that out of here without attracting attention?”

  “Leave that to a marine.”

  When the bar owner came back with another bag, Brendan leaned over and whispered in the older woman’s ear. Rosey grinned and nodded.

  In a low voice he said to Fiona, “Get ready to make a run for it.”

  “Really? Because us sprinting out of here with two big bags won’t be noticeable at all.”

  “I didn’t mean literally. Just wait for the signal,” he instructed.

  “How will I know what it is?”

  “Trust me. You’ll know.”

  A few moments later, from the other end of the bar, Rosey tapped a spoon against a wineglass to get the attention of everyone in the room. “It’s awful darn close to Halloween. Let’s call this trick or treat. Everyone gets a drink on the house. Come on up here and tell me what you’re having.”

  There was a swelling of noise—voices, cheers and chairs scraping as everyone stood. En masse, people headed to the end of the bar.

  Brendan grabbed the two brown bags and slid off the stool. “Now.”

  Fiona followed his lead and they walked out the door. She glanced back to scope out their escape. Not one person noticed them. They were all focused on getting a drink order in to Rosey.

  When they reached his truck in the parking lot she said, “You, sir, have skills.”

  “And an impressive bar tab now.” He set the bags on the floor in the back, then grinned at her. The flashing neon beer sign in the bar’s window highlighted the sexy gleam in his eyes. “But you haven’t seen anything yet.”

  She whispered to herself, “Be still my heart.”

  But that was an impossible order to obey. Her heart was about to jump out of her chest. Her stomach was growling, but her hormones were stirred up, signaling a hunger that went a whole lot deeper. This was something that would feed her soul.

  He’d gone the extra mile of getting wine and glasses. She couldn’t wait until his attention to detail was focused on her.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Brendan parked his truck behind the cabin and turned off the headlights. He’d never wanted a woman as badly as he wan
ted Fiona right now but she wanted this to be under the radar. The quicker he got them inside, the faster he could have her.

  “I’ll go first and take the food. You wait here and if I run into anyone, I’ll get rid of them as fast as I can. Then you advance, hugging the wall. I’ll leave the door partly open.”

  “Roger that.”

  “I think you’re enjoying this,” he said.

  “Maybe a little.”

  He grinned, then opened his door and got out. Fiona did the same, coming around to stand beside him. The scent of her skin drifted to him and stoked the fire he’d been trying and failing to bank since she suggested takeout at his place.

  “Let’s do this,” he said.

  He grabbed the two bags from the rear seat and walked the path between cabins. There were lights on next door, but he got to the front, and the newest Sunshine Farm resident was nowhere to be seen.

  Rounding the corner, he stepped on the porch, went inside and set the bags on the small table before turning on the light. Moments later Fiona slipped through the door and closed it behind her.

  “I don’t think anyone saw me.”

  Brendan had a question about why she was so intent on keeping this a secret, but he was too hungry to ask. Starving for food—and for her.

  He pulled the bottle of wine from the bag along with the glasses. There was a corkscrew with a note from Rosey. It said: This is a loaner. You’re welcome.

  He owed that woman big-time.

  While he opened the bottle and poured each of them a glass, Fiona removed burgers and fries from the bag and put the food in the small countertop microwave to warm.

  Brendan got out plates and when everything was reheated, they sat down to eat. He’d been here at Sunshine Farm for almost two months and this was the first time he’d had a meal with anyone in this cabin. It was so damn normal and ordinary that an odd sort of loneliness bled into him. Who else could be lonely with a beautiful woman sitting across from him? Wouldn’t be the first time it occurred to him that he needed to have his head examined.

  After all, he was here with Fiona. He probably shouldn’t be but there was a part of him that felt if he didn’t have her he would implode.