Last True Hero

by Diana Gardin

  “Gee, Drake. I’m so glad I have your vote of confidence here. It means so fucking much to me, dude. Come here…let’s hug it out.”

  Drake plops onto the couch, and I follow him into the living room.

  “I have all the confidence in the world, man. If you’re interested in this chick, does that mean you want to stay in Lone Sands?”

  I sigh, running my hands over my face as I contemplate the question I’ve been avoiding. “I don’t know. This could still just be a stop on the train for me. You know I don’t stay in one place for too long. Force of habit.”

  The army lifestyle suited me so well because it allowed me to move and stretch my wings. Staying in one place has never been my strong suit. You need a reason to stay. I’ve never had one.

  “Yeah, I know your habits, Dare. And I know something else. Old habits die hard, but yours need to change. This isn’t a life for anyone. Just moving from place to place all the time? That sucks. It was one thing when we had the army, but now…now things are different. And you need to make a change.”

  The A word isn’t necessarily something I want to discuss. Not right now. Maybe not ever. “I get antsy.”

  “That just means you haven’t found a reason to stay. Maybe Lone Sands will be different for you.” His voice turns more serious with each word he says. “Think about it…I kind of like having your ass around.”

  “Just my ass? Or do you want the rest of me to stay?”

  I duck as he chucks the TV remote at my head. Discharge or not, my reflexes still rival a freaking mountain lion’s, and he knows it.

  “What about you? You’ve got the garage, but is that all Lone Sands has to offer you? You’ve been living here for a while. You call this place home. Where’s the girl to come home to?”

  Drake and I will always be army brothers. Going through the daily hell that is Ranger training unifies us for life. He left the forces before I did, but our bond remained even when we were separated.

  “See you later, dude. Have fun on your date.”

  I smirk. So I hit a nerve with Drake when I brought up the fact that he’s single. I stockpile away that little piece of ammunition for later.

  “It’s not a date,” I throw back over my shoulder as I walk out the front door.

  I can’t be anything but honest with myself as I drive to See Food. I want this to be a date. I know it’s not, but damn do I wish it was. And maybe it can be. Maybe I can grow into a man that’s good enough to take a girl like Berkeley out on a date.

  The restaurant envelops me in a welcome blast of cool air as I walk inside, and my eyes immediately start to rove. I’m searching for blond hair that always looks a little windswept and tousled, a body that I always guess would fit just right tucked beneath mine, a face that could stop traffic, and legs that don’t quit. When I see her, standing at a table near the back of the place, my whole body vibrates with a sigh of relief and a hum of straight-up arousal. Goddamn.

  I wait, leaning against the hostess stand, unsure if I should sit on the bench up here or just go back out to my truck. She finishes refilling the table’s drinks and heads back toward the front, pulling her phone out of the pocket of her little black apron. The army green shorts she wears are barely covered by the length of the apron, and I can’t stop my eyes from raking over her generous curves as she approaches.

  When she looks up, her eyes captivate mine, and I swear, they light up. Like I’m a sight for sore eyes, or exactly the person she wanted to see standing here. The thought sends hope sizzling through my chest, landing like an arrow in the center of my heart.

  “Hey, you,” she says as she approaches.

  All I can do is smile down at her. Something tells me there won’t be a time that she’s walking toward me that I’ll be able to do anything else.

  “Hey,” I answer. “I like your shorts. The color can’t be a coincidence.”

  “It’s not.” A stunning pink tinge creeps into her cheeks.

  “A nod for me, huh?” I widen my stance, shoving my hands in my pockets.

  “Just wanted you to know I was thinking about you.”

  Those long lashes actually fluttered at me with that statement, and a sudden epiphany strikes. What if this girl is really an evil vixen siren who places a spell on all the men she meets? I’ve never been into that fantasy or sci-fi shit, but suddenly staring at this girl and all the impossible beauty that never seems to end, I’m a newfound believer.

  I lean in closer, and use my index finger to beckon her to do the same. When my lips are only inches from her ear, I whisper, “Are you an evil vixen siren?”

  Her eyes widen slightly, and then narrow with suspicion. She turns her head until her lips actually brush the shell of my ear, and an internal shiver wrecks the rest of my senses. Damn, she’s sexy. At this proximity I can smell the roses, mixed with something earthy, and it’s salacious. “If I was, do you really think I’d give my secret away?”

  I pull back slightly, so I can meet her toffee-brown gaze dead-on. “Are there many of those? Secrets, I mean? That you’re not giving away?”

  She shakes her head, causing all those wild blond locks to tickle my face. “Most people in the world don’t stick around long enough to learn other people’s secrets. We’ll see how far you get.”

  “That sounds suspiciously like a dare, Berkeley.” As I smile down at her my heart begins to do all kinds of crazy gymnastics in my chest.

  “Why don’t you sit down at that booth over there?” She gestures toward the table she means, near the front door. “I’ll only be a little bit. Do you want something to eat?”

  I shake my head. “I’m good, thanks. I’ll just hang out and wait.”

  She shoots me a smile as she walks away, heading off to complete her closing duties. I can’t keep my eyes off of her as she sweeps under tables, rolls silverware, and does something interesting with multiple ketchup bottles.

  The front door opens again and a couple walks in. The man has a headful of dark hair streaked with silver, and his height speaks to me…a man of power. The woman has blond hair coifed perfectly in a short style. I tilt my head, staring at the woman. Something clicks in my brain, and I realize she looks a lot like…

  “Momma? Daddy? What are you two doing here?” Berkeley comes rushing forward, and the look on her face can only be described as panicked.

  Why would she be panicked to see her parents?

  I place my hands on the table to stand, because of course I’m going to shake the father’s hand of the girl I’m about to take out. I may not have had parents to raise me up with values, but I learned them on my own.

  Berkeley’s head whips toward me as she approaches, and the slight shake of her curls has me sinking back down into the booth. I watch as she greets her parents and proceeds to have an argument with them.

  From what I can hear, it’s clear that they don’t want Berkeley to work here. They want her to quit, and come home with them. She shakes her head, fierce as a tigress, and her feistiness makes me smile.

  I had wondered myself why someone like her would be working as a waitress. Hell, I would never knock someone’s job options or choices, and I don’t look down on any profession. Everyone has to make ends meet. But for Berkeley to be waiting tables when she drives an Escalade, I had to wonder. Now, seeing how put-together and affluent her parents look, I’m wondering even harder.

  What makes this girl do the things she does?

  And that question sets off a spark of intense interest in my brain. My brain is interested in Berkeley now, not just my body.

  The tigress sends her parents packing, and by the time she makes it back to my booth, I’m chuckling. I rub a hand over the stubble on my chin and meet her eyes.

  “That was interesting,” I remark, giving nothing away.

  “Trust me, Dare. You want no part of my parents right now. I don’t introduce them to guys I date.”

  “No? Never?”

  “Never. They’re more trouble than they’re
worth.” She blows out a frustrated breath, which sends that cute stray strand of hair hanging over her eye flying skyward.

  “I’m going to want to know more about that at some point. But what do you want to do tonight?”

  “Honestly?” She puts out a hand and pulls me to my feet.

  I reach out and brush the stray strand behind her ear. Just the small amount of contact sends heat coursing through my body, landing with an aching twitch in my groin. “I always want honesty from you, Berkeley.”

  I’ve been preparing myself for this all day. I’m ready to take her to see a movie, or to some swanky-ass wine bar on the oceanfront.

  “Okay.” A mischievous gleam enters her eyes. “I worked a double today, and my feet kind of hurt. All I really want to do tonight is kick off my shoes and drink a beer. And look at the stars.”

  I reach up and pull on my earlobe a few times, wanting to make sure my ears are functioning properly. She wants to…what the fuck? Finally, I speak. “For real?”

  She nods firmly. “Absolutely.”

  I grab her hand and begin pulling her quickly out the door.

  “What are you doing?” Her question is blurred by giggles and squeals. All of which I like.

  “I’m getting you out of here fast, before you change your mind and tell me that what you actually want to do is go wine tasting or see a chick flick.”

  I stop in my tracks as I survey the tiny gravel lot. Cars are spilling out onto the street beyond. “Where’s your car?”

  When I look at her, she’s smiling a coy smile that lets me know my guess earlier about her being an evil vixen siren was correct. “I had my friend Mea drop me off. I’m with you tonight, soldier.”

  It’s way too soon for a first kiss. It’s way too soon for a first kiss. This is my mantra as I stare at her, my eyes wandering from her eyes, to her amazingly sexy hair, to her lips, to her cute button nose, back to her lips…

  When she pulls the bottom one into her mouth, my gaze is stuck to that spot. I’m telling myself that if I kiss her right now, I’ll scare her away and ruin everything I suddenly want to build. I manage to tear my eyes away from the succulent lip and take her hand again.

  “My truck is this way.”

  I’m not a small guy, around six feet, three inches. Berkeley is about a foot shorter than I am. Rather than watch her struggle to simply make it up the step rail, I grip her around the waist and lift her up into her seat. Her eyes meet mine as she settles into the leather, and we remain locked as I pull her seat belt and cross it over her torso, sliding it into the buckle on the other side of her. When I pull back, I swear I see a trail of sparks that follow. Heat explodes in my gut, and I can’t remember the last time a woman made me feel like I needed to douse myself with cold water from a mere graze of skin. I close her door and take a deep breath as I walk around to my side of the truck.

  When I’m seated with the engine running, I ask her where I should go. “To the 7-Eleven for our beer, and then…where do you live? Is it on the beach, by any chance?”

  I smile and pull out of the lot. “It’s pretty damn close.”

  “Perfect. Let’s go to your place.”

  I drive. As I pull into the 7-Eleven parking lot, I glance at her. She’s lounging in her seat, perfectly at home in my truck. I swallow thickly, trying to dispel the ball of instant attraction still stuck somewhere between my chest and my dick.

  This girl might be the slow, epically painful death of me. But damn, what a way to go.

  6

  Berkeley

  This beach cottage that Dare splits with Drake may be the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. I’ve always lived in large houses. Not mansions, because although my family is well-off, we’re still a military family. But houses way bigger than our family of three would ever need.

  This little beach cottage is a delicious change of pace, and my idea of perfect bliss in my perfect little town.

  My voice is breathy when I say as much to Dare. “It’s amazing. It’s beautiful. It’s perfect.”

  He turns; he’s just gotten me down from the seat of his truck. I will never tell him this, but no one has ever done anything as sexy as physically lift me into the seat of his car before. And then actually buckle me up. When his hands wrapped strongly around my waist, my exposed skin broke out in goose bumps and a hot flush began rising somewhere deep in my belly.

  “Yeah? I’m gonna go out on a limb here and guess that this house is nowhere near the size of yours.”

  I nod. “That’s why it’s so perfect.”

  He cocks his head to the side, his expression quizzical. “I’m trying my damnedest to figure you out.”

  “How’s that going for you?”

  “Let’s just say I’d fail my first exam.”

  I pat him on the shoulder and walk past him. “Keep trying, Dare.”

  We decide to bypass the interior of the house, although one day I hope I can have a tour, and walk around to the back.

  It’s plain and pleasant. There’s a massive deck with a huge gas grill and some comfy-looking seating. Beyond that, the yard is mostly sand with clusters of sea grass sticking up sporadically. A wooden path leads down to a walking/running trail and just beyond that? The ocean.

  I sigh. My entire body relaxes at the sight of it.

  “You like it?” Dare’s voice is closer than expected, and I start at the sound of it. When I look up, he’s right next to me, looking down at my expression. My face heats.

  “It’s…”

  “Perfect?” He finishes with a grin.

  I accentuate my accent. “Why, look at you, it’s our first date and you’re already finishing my sentences.”

  He rolls his eyes and groans. “I’m not going to embarrass myself by telling you how crazy that damn accent makes me. Okay?”

  My face breaks into a smile. He’s…irresistible. All that long, dark hair and those clear green eyes staring right through me. How can a guy be cute and hot at the same time? Shouldn’t that be freaking illegal?

  “There’s some chairs down there, on the sand. Shall we?”

  When he holds out his arm like an old-fashioned gentleman, I can’t do anything but grin and take it. The gesture is so out of place with his long hair and visible tattoos that I chuckle softly as we walk.

  When we’re settled on the sand in two lime-green Adirondack chairs, our beers in hand, we’re blanketed by the most relaxing sounds on the planet. The ocean begs the shore for admittance, and the sand sends the waves rolling away every time. And beyond that…silence.

  Glorious, peaceful silence.

  Dare gives me a good ten minutes of it before he breaks it.

  “I can’t believe I live here.”

  I glance at him, startled. His head is resting on the back of his chair, his eyes open and staring at the velvety sky above us.

  My reaction to his words is confusing the hell out of me. On the one hand, I thought he was temporary. Visiting his friend, maybe on leave. As tough a time as I’m having fighting the instant attraction I feel for him, I was relieved to think it wasn’t going to take me over. I mean, shoot…I can deal with anything for a little while, right?

  On the other hand, the thought of him leaving makes me…sad. Already, I like spending time with him. I like seeing his face in my places…the restaurant, my auto shop. I’m picturing what other places he can occupy.

  I shake my head of all of these thoughts, because he just said he lives here.

  “You live here?”

  He turns his gaze on me, raising one eyebrow. “You didn’t know that? I literally live here. In Drake’s house. I’m a recent addition to Lone Sands.”

  I’m quiet, returning my gaze to the ocean. It’s safe to look at the ocean. There are absolutely no surprises there. It always does just what it’s supposed to do. Waves roll in, waves roll out.

  I have a feeling Dare isn’t ever going to do what I expect. And what a scary, scary feeling! Scary slash exhilarating.

  “Hey, Berk
eley? What are you thinking?”

  I pinch a piece of hair between my fingers and twist. “I’m declining to answer that question on account of us barely knowing each other.”

  He chuckles and runs one hand absently along the side of his opposite rib cage. “I deny your decline on the basis that I want to get to know you.” Then he grasps another strand of my hair in his fingertips and rubs his fingers together, gaze locked on me.

  I close my eyes briefly, tamping down on the surge of heat pooling in the center of my body. I also fight the urge to writhe uncomfortably in my Adirondack chair. He makes me feel…hell, I don’t know. He just makes me feel.

  My God.

  I notice a silver chain dipping down beneath the collar of his shirt, and I grab hold of the distraction like a lifeline. I reach out, taking the chain gently in my fingertips, and look up at him.

  “May I?

  He nods slowly, his gaze boring into mine. Out here in the darkness, where the only light comes from the floodlight on the homes behind us and the moon, his eyes are almost iridescent. The effect is mesmerizing, and I falter as I fall into his eyes.

  Then I pull his silver dog tags from beneath his shirt. The metal is warm from his skin, hot really. I turn the metal over in my fingers, and I know that I’m touching something that’s an extension of his body. I know it, and he knows it, and his eyes are so intent on my hands that I can literally feel them burning my skin.

  “‘Dare Conners,’” I read. “Wait a second, Dare is your real name?”

  He chuckles. “I’m full of surprises for you tonight, aren’t I? You thought it was a nickname?”

  “Well, yeah! I didn’t think anyone would actually be named after the action of boldness!”

  His laughter turns to a full-fledged roar that rivals the sound of wind rushing in your ears during a run. The sound surrounds me.

  “What the hell were your parents thinking?”

  His laughter doesn’t cut off abruptly, but it trails away, and I’m left wondering what I just said.

  “I wouldn’t know,” he answers quietly.