Nickie's brother and the maid of honor went last and after them, the guests emptied from their rows to greet the newlyweds, their families, and the bridal party.
As the people in her row filed out, she held her place, torn between offering her congratulations and running. But she had come a long way to get here and it wasn't just about the nearly three hour trip on the subway and train.
She'd been through bad and badder with Jase and his men. The least she could do was share in some of the good for a change.
Drawing in a deep breath, she took a step toward the newlyweds and toward the start of her new life.
Chapter 2
Tommy waited patiently in the receiving line, greeting the assorted guests who had joined them to celebrate. As the best man, he stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Jase, who shook hands and hugged each of the guests, accepting their well wishes on the marriage as well as various comments on his military service.
It was impossible not to sense his friend's unease, especially when someone mentioned that he'd been injured or said that he was a hero. Jase didn't think of himself that way, he knew. His friend did it because it was the right thing to do. Which in Tommy's mind, did make him a hero, not that his friend sought that recognition.
As he continued greeting the guests, he once again noticed the woman hanging toward the back of the line.
He'd first seen her as she'd rushed in just before the start of the ceremony, looking a little flustered and hesitant. He'd noticed her again as she'd taken a spot at the far end of a line of chairs, clearly ready to make a run for it.
She was beautiful, he thought now that he had the leisure to really examine her. Caramel-colored hair hung in soft waves to her shoulders and framed a heart-shaped face. Her features weren't classically pretty, but somehow all the parts came together very nicely. Her full lips bore the faintest hint of pink gloss and he pictured himself licking it off like frosting on a cake. Hazel-colored eyes were shot through with warm cinnamon tones. They were expressive eyes that gave away a lot of what she was feeling.
Happiness. Doubt. Definitely some interest on her part as their gazes connected.
Definitely some interest on my part, he thought as his gaze dipped down to a body with womanly curves meant to be explored and appreciated. Not like fashionista Valerie who had let herself become thin as a hanger for the designer clothes she insisted on wearing.
The dress this woman wore was nothing fancy or elaborate, just a simple black dress that hugged those tempting curves and reached only to mid-thigh, revealing long, leanly muscled legs. His gut tightened at the thought of those legs wrapped around him, urging him on. His attention was only half-on the guests as he pictured what all those curves would look like without the sedate dress.
Would she have something sexier beneath? Something black and lacy or would she be bold and go with bright-colored little nothings against her smooth creamy skin? he wondered as his cock jumped to life. He grew harder with each passing the second and broke out in a sweat in the late afternoon sun.
As she reached the parents, he leaned toward them to hear her introduce herself, but at that moment a distant cousin from their large Italian family blocked his way as he congratulated the newlyweds and then headed over to him.
“How ya'doing?” his cousin said in a thick Brooklyn accent.
“Great, Dominic,” he replied, trying to peer past the mountain of a man to the mystery woman.
“Good to hear. That Valerie was no good for you, ya' know. You deserve someone better,” Dominic said and poked him in the chest.
“Yeah, I hear ya, Dom,” he admitted and grabbed hold of his cousin's hand to shake it and gently draw him over to greet the maid of honor.
His mystery woman had reached the bride and groom. His friend embraced the woman as if she were made of egg shells.
“Doc, I'm so glad you came,” Jase said, obvious relief in his tones. As he released her, she shot a nervous glance at him before facing his sister Nickie.
“I'm glad to be here,” she said, but his friend continued to keep her near, casually tossing his arm over her shoulders.
“This is Doc Reyes, Nickie. You remember I told you about her. She's the Navy Corpsman who is responsible for our unit,” he said.
“'Was' responsible, Second Lieutenant,” the woman called “Doc” corrected, but then quickly added, “And please call me Jasmine.”
Jasmine like the flower, he thought, only there was nothing delicate about her. Brittle, maybe, he thought as she shot him a nervous look from the corner of her eye. The worry was hidden in the depths of her gaze. It only made him more curious about the incredibly sexy woman who was also a kick-ass Navy Corpsman according to his new brother-in-law. She'd risked life and limb to help save Jase, his team members, and the patients at the medical station they had been protecting when the Taliban had attacked.
“So it's true then? You're staying stateside?” his friend asked and released her.
She stepped back from Jase and turned to Nickie, obviously wanting to deflect attention from herself. “Congratulations on your marriage, Nickie. Don't let this jarhead make your life too crazy,” she said with a warm smile, although her gaze shimmered with unshed tears.
Fuck, did she have the hots for my friend? he wondered, which made him worry whether Jase and she had . . .
No, not Jase, he thought. He was as straight arrow as they came. If there had been anything going on, he was sure it had been one-sided. He didn't know why it bothered him that she might have had a thing for his now brother-in-law. But when their gazes connected again briefly, he recognized that they were tears of happiness that things had worked out for the newlyweds.
Relief swept through him with that realization.
With a quick hug for the bride and groom, she sidestepped to stand before him. They were almost the same height. She wore flat-heeled sandals so she was tall for a woman. The sandals were summery and barely there, showing off toes with a sexy red polish. The shoes and polish said “Fuck me” and had blood running south to his already alert privates.
It had been way too long since he'd had sex, he decided. That was the only explanation for the way he was responding to this woman.
She stuck out her hand with military precision and said, “I'm Jasmine Reyes. Your brother-in-law and I served together.”
He took hold of her hand and a blast of desire rushed up his arm from that point of contact. She must have felt it as well since she shivered, but didn't pull her hand from his grasp as he said, “As in 'Doc' Reyes?”
* * *
It was hard not to notice his disbelief. Even harder to ignore the strong way his hand held hers and caused all kinds of weirdness to happen deep in her core. The palm of his hand was rough, surprising her. She hadn't expected that from a man who looked like a model from a high end men's magazine. But it was rough and warm and she imagined how those palms might feel against her skin. How those strong hands would cup and hold her. Tease her nipples into tight little points that he'd suck on with that amazing mouth.
She should have moved her hand away, only it had been way too long since she'd actually felt anything inside. Although she was a little annoyed that it was this too sexy, too rich, and possibly too chauvinistic man that was awakening long lost need.
“I am 'Doc', although for tonight I'd prefer to be just Jasmine. Do you find it hard to believe that I'm a sailor?” she said with an arch of her brow as she allowed herself time to study the rest of him.
He was tall, at least 6”2' of nicely shaped man. His expensive designer tuxedo hugged broad shoulders that narrowed into slim hips and a flat waist. It made her wonder what he'd look like beneath the clothing, until he drew her attention back to his face with a chuckle.
“I don't doubt it. I've heard a lot of good things about you, just Jasmine,” he teased with the kind of sexy grin that probably had women swooning all over him.
But not me, she thought, although her traitorous libido kicked up the pulse
between her legs when he settled his dark gaze on her and she once again pictured him touching her. Tasting her.
“I've heard a lot about you as well, Tommy the Terror,” she said, using the childhood nickname that Jase had told her during one of his stories.
Tommy smiled and chuckled. “Yeah, we were the Terrible Twosome. I couldn't ask for a better friend.”
“Me, either,” she said and met his gaze.
Could his eyes really be that beautifully brown? she thought and as a guest bumped her on their way to the next person in line, her footing faltered in the sand. She stumbled toward him and he grabbed her by the waist to steady her and let his hands linger there, creating yet another naughty zing of awareness.
“Are you okay?” he asked, his tones all full of concern and not the kind that you faked.
“I'm fine. I should get going,” she said and would have moved away, but he kept his hold on her, his touch both gentle and possessive. Her traitorous mind once again pictured those hands on her body, holding her tight as he drove into her.
“I hope you don't mean 'going' as in 'leaving.' You only just got here and it's going to be a really special night.”
Damn but if she didn't experience another little thrill to know that he had actually paid attention to her arrival. Not to mention that he was right that it was going to be one special night. She had hesitated about coming to the wedding because she had expected to run into at least one or two of the men from the unit and she hadn't been prepared to handle their questions about her decision to do shore duty. But she had also wanted to experience the joy apparent on the faces of everyone present. It had been way too long since she'd been surrounded by such happiness and it was infectious.
That was the reason she was feeling a little breathless as he smiled at her and said, “Come on, Jasmine. You know you want to stay.”
God, that smile. It was a killer smile that made her want to rise up on her tiptoes and feel it against her lips. Lick all around the edges of it until he . . .
Whoa, girl, down. That's not why you came today, she reminded herself.
“I'm just headed up there,” she said and gestured with a shaky hand to the lawn and terrace, where guests were starting to mingle as uniformed wait staff walked around with drinks and finger foods.
He grinned again, leaned forward, and whispered by the shell of her ear, “I'll be sure to look for you.”
The low tones of his voice vibrated against the sensitive skin there and his cheek brushed against the side of her face. Another frisson of desire, stronger than before, spread through her at his nearness and his smell, something clean and crisp and potently male.
As he stepped back, he danced his fingers down her cheek, igniting even more heat throughout her body and across her cheeks. Turning her nipples into tight points that ached to be touched by those strong hands. Tasted by his tempting lips with that damn delicious grin.
She rushed down the rest of the receiving line, lingering only slightly longer at those members of Jase's team.
Slipping into the crowd, she strolled past the tables set for dinner and to the flagstone terrace where friends and family were gathered.
She didn't recognize any of the guests. As a waiter passed by, she snared a glass of champagne to keep herself occupied as she stood there, feeling out-of-place. Finishing the last sip of champagne, she exchanged it for a fresh glass, telling herself she could wait just a little longer for him. Just a little longer to see if he'd keep his promise.
She had just taken a sip when a young woman approached, fresh-faced and inquisitive.
“If you don't mind my asking, but are you Doc Reyes?”
She narrowed her gaze and looked closely at the woman, wondering if she'd ever seen her before, but drawing a blank. “I'm sorry, but have we met before?”
“Gosh, I'm so sorry. Where are my manners? I'm Sally Winston, Jim's wife,” she said and stuck out her hand in a no-nonsense way.
“South Jersey Jim? So glad to meet you,” she said with a smile and shook the other woman's hand.
“I recognized you from some of the photos Jim e-mailed home. It's so nice to finally meet you, too. Jim spoke so highly of you and how you took care of everyone.”
“Jim's a great guy. I'm glad I could help,” she said, hoping to avoid talk about “the night” and the aftermath of it.
Sally perceptively understood and changed the course of the discussion. “This is some party, isn't it?” she said, peering at all the guests, servers, and the band setting up at a temporary dance floor at one side of the lawn.
She glanced around also, taking in the obvious wealth of the de Salvos as well as many of their guests. “Not my usual crowd, if you know what I mean.”
“Ours either. We're just simple South Jersey farmers,” Sally replied and as a waiter came around with some appetizers, she grabbed one and so did Jasmine, feeling at ease with the other woman.
“Jim was always trying to grow something in that damn desert,” she said. She remembered how he'd even managed to get one scrawny tomato plant to survive in the unbearable heat before an equally unbearable winter had set in.
“That's my Jim,” Sally said with undisguised love and pride.
Another military wife had apparently overheard them and joined them. Another quickly followed and soon there was a quartet of women chatting about their men and families.
It was goodhearted talk from women used to long months alone and living with uncertainty. The women made her feel comfortable, but as they stood there, sharing talk, champagne and finger foods, she looked for Tommy, wondering again if he would keep his promise. Imagining for a moment what it would be like to let herself go and experience a moment or two with a man like Tommy de Salvo.
As she glanced toward the beachfront, the bridal party returned with the photographer, who pulled the bride and groom off to the side for yet more photos while the rest of the bridal party went their separate ways.
Tommy paused by the end of the boardwalk, staring toward the terrace where she stood with the women. As his gaze met hers, he grinned and marched right in her direction, his long legged stride eating up the distance between them.
Her stomach did a nervous flutter and she laid her hand there to calm it, but the flutter just dropped lower and added to the needy tension between her legs.
When he got to her side, he laid a hand on the small of her back, the touch somehow already familiar and incredibly possessive.
“I'm glad you stayed,” he whispered in her ear.
“Did you think I wouldn't?” she challenged.
“I had doubts that my sexy charm had worked on you,” he confessed playfully.
She peered at him out of the corner of her eye and damn him but he was giving her that smile that did all kinds of things to her insides.
His actions dragged a chuckle from her and she elbowed him sharply to keep him in line. “If you're trying to get me to admit that you're charming, you're outta luck, de Salvo.”
“I'll just have to try harder,” he whispered and in a louder voice said to the other couples around them, “We're all at Table Number 2. We just have one more bridal duty to finish.”
He skimmed his hand up and down her back, sending a shiver through her. “I'll see you there, right?”
Damn if even that simple touch didn't have her running hot again and reminding her what it was like to be alive. Even with all the stories Jase had told her about him, she barely knew anything about Tommy. But she couldn't ignore that he was making a very obvious play for her. It was both flattering and unnerving because she couldn't remember the last time she'd had this kind of attention.
Maybe it was time to explore that attraction, even if it was only for this one special night.
“I'll be there, de Salvo, but don't think it's just because of your sexy charm.”
* * *
Unexpected relief filled Tommy at Jasmine's reply.
He hurried toward the terrace where the bridal party was ga
thering again for their grand entrance. Impatience dominated his every move as he and the maid of honor bolted from the flagstone terrace and onto the dance floor to the sounds of the live band doing a cover of the Black-Eyed Peas song about a good night. They were speedily followed by the rest of the groomsmen and bridesmaids, the two sets of parents, and finally, the bride and groom.
His best friend and sister looked like a prince and princess stepping right off the pages of a fairy tale book. His heart clenched with emotion at their joy and with worry at what they would still have to face together when Jase returned to finish his tour of duty. But he knew his sister was strong enough to handle it and she had her family and friends to be there for her.
The thought made him glance toward Jasmine as she sat with the military wives.
As intriguing as he found her to be, she had an aura of loneliness around her. Maybe it was because of who she was and what she dealt with as a Navy Corpsman. Which made the little voice in his head remind him that the last thing he needed was a woman who'd soon be gone. She might not be going back to Afghanistan, but she had other plans. He doubted they included becoming involved with anyone.
He'd already had enough of women who left and couldn't engage emotionally. That’s why he wasn’t even thinking of getting involved again. Of course, nothing said that this had to be anything more than a very satisfying one night stand for both of them.
He definitely could picture that, he thought anticipating how he would slip off that simple dress to reveal what was beneath. Or maybe just fuck her standing up, most clothing still on. Those beautiful legs tight around him. The little buttons on her dress undone to bare those lush breasts so he could suck and lick her tits. Drive into her to find his own satisfaction as she screamed his name as she came.
Fuck, what am I thinking? She's a guest and a friend, he said to himself as his cock twitched in his pants and he had to suck in a breath to control the need pummeling his body.
But even as he thought that, he found himself walking toward her as the lead singer for the band urged all the couples in the room to come and dance with the newlyweds. When he stood before her, hand outstretched in invitation, he said, “Would you like to dance?”
Take a Chance Erotic Romance Box Set Page 8