THE WATCHERS: 6 Military Romance Bundle

by Kristina Weaver

  I’ve changed twice already, and I am totally putting my foot down right now.

  “What the hell is wrong with this one?” I yell, taking in my black micro-mini and the billowy blouse that whispers against my skin with every move I make.

  It’s classy while still being acceptable club attire, as are the blue heels that match my blouse. I look smoking hot too, with my hair falling down my back in a straight ribbon of blood-red tresses, and my makeup is not at all over the top like I’d usually wear.

  “The skirt is too short and that shirt is just, it’s revealing in some way,” he grates, making the peanut brigade behind him chortle behind his back.

  Not that they’re trying to hide their amusement. Heck no, they seem intent on making him simmer and snap at every turn, an attitude that I find just as hilarious, though not so much now when his temper seems to peak and he turns it on me.

  “Change.”

  “You change. Your attitude,” I hiss, slamming past him with a snarl. “I’m not wearing a freaking gunny sack or full-body armor, so get the hell over yourself and move on already. Hey guys, you all ready to roll?”

  Jericho nods, his grin in place. I see the other two smirk, as Lex growls and snaps out a curse behind me.

  “Don’t run in that shit if you need to or you’ll break your damn neck.”

  “Please, I could sprint for gold in this, Jacobs. My first job was as a cocktail waitress at the bar in the Blue Lounge, I know how to rock my heels.”

  Another curse follows, and then he’s taking my arm and barking orders at the men around us.

  “Not one second out of your sight. You got me?”

  “Yes, sir.” They laugh, throwing me a wink.

  The atmosphere in the car is glacial, but I ignore the man shooting glares my way and scoot to lean over the front seat to talk to King and Jericho.

  “So, Lex tells me you’re planning to shotgun your fiancée.”

  “Wedding. Shotgun wedding.”

  “Whatever.”

  The guys chuckle, and King grins at me.

  “She’s run a merry race, that woman, but I have her in my sights. She’ll marry me if I have to hog-tie her and drag her to the altar. Damn her stubborn hide.”

  I know all about how King was dead set against marriage and even left Kinsley at one point to hold onto that ideal. It tickles me to hear that she ruined his big gesture moment by turning down his proposal, telling everyone who would listen that she’s no longer into the whole marriage thing. Though, according to Lex, the woman has been planning her big day since she was toddling around in diapers.

  “Man, that is so romantic.”

  Lex snorts, but I ignore him and smile at the guys.

  “Seri said you should go with blue.”

  “I heard. I called Mama Jacobs and got her on that right away. Thanks for that. I was vacillating since Kinsley hid her album and left me in the dark about her big day. Mama remembers some of the unchanged plans from her previous attempt, so I think it’s as close as all get out as it stands.”

  Gosh, I like this one, too. King is gruff and mean looking and just plain badass. No one can miss that fact, but he’s sweet and so in love with his woman he’s bending over backward to make this forced ceremony as near to her idea of perfection as he can get.

  Oh, to have a man so in love with you he plans a wedding. It must be nice, I think, avoiding looking at Lex in case he sees something in me I don’t want him to.

  “It’ll be okay, honey,” Jericho says quietly, smiling at me with knowing eyes.

  “Sure. And Elvis didn’t like peanut butter.” I snort, pursing my lips. “Is he always like this?”

  “No. He usually doesn’t care about anything and cracks jokes all the time. This side of him is rare, so take strength from that. He’ll see it, just give him time.”

  That’s the problem, I guess. I don’t know if I’m ready for Lex to see anything. I’m in love with him, like that’s news. I think I fell for him from the start when he yelled at me and started ordering me around.

  Something about him just calls to me, I guess. But these feelings are also interspersed with a lot of hesitation on my part because, truth told, I don’t know if I’m ready to change everything for him, which I fully understand I would have to do.

  Lex isn’t the kind of guy who does things by halves or quarters, and I know that if we get serious, even about just plain old dating—though how that would work long distance is beyond me—it would be a lot more than either of us bargained for.

  I’d have to rearrange every priority and think about more than me. I’m used to being alone. Not that I like it or anything—

  Dammit. I’m so confused right now.

  “I guess. So hey, I think I might have a girl crush on your wife, Cleo. Please tell me about that reading program she started for the poorer kids in your town.”

  Jericho starts glowing like a freaking megawatt lightbulb and starts detailing his wife’s every accomplishment down to the fact that she told him just last month that if she gets pregnant any time soon, she’s cutting off his nads while he sleeps.

  Power to you sister! Me, I’m still a little young and unwilling to do midnight boob feeds for kids, so I get it, too. Maybe in like five years? When I get over Lex and stop picturing his face on every other man I see.

  Whatever.

  We pull up to the club in no time, and I force myself to breathe when Lex and the guys start going over the plan again. I’ve heard his barking so much I could do this shit in the dark, half asleep and wearing a bullseye.

  By the time he deems us ready, I’m set to clobber him and almost do when he pulls me out with him and has his guys surround me.

  “Ooooh fancy!”

  I squeal and almost shove Blaze out of the way when we walk into the club and Lonny trills at the whole bodyguard thing, his eyes going hot, as he gives all the guys a very unhindered once over.

  “You remind me of a white Whitney with all this protective man-flesh surrounding you.”

  I notice his hand gestures and tone go a lot flounce, and roll my eyes before hugging him and cooing over the electric-orange shirt he’s wearing.

  “Have you lost weight?”

  “Oh stop, you lying slut, like you even have to ask,” he trills, linking our arms only to drop mine when Lex snarls like a damn animal. “Ooooh, I have got to go find Rod and tell him all about Tarzan! He’ll be tickled.”

  I just bet. Rod is a possessive guy for his Lonnypoo’s affections, but I’d lay money that he’ll be drooling just as much by the time he pops his eyes back into his head.

  I’ll admit, being surrounded by four totally yummy men, who have no equal, is making me preen a little as I yank on Lex’s hand and pull him toward the table where the party is in full swing.

  Lollipop—her legal name, which ends with Sucker by the way since she changed it, and yes, she is a stripper—is already dancing on the table and shaking her beach balls at people, and Frankie seems intent on draining the bar, as she takes a shot without one shudder.

  “Hey you! I didn’t think you’d make it.”

  “Hey, Lo. You think I’d miss your birthday for the world? As if! Remember last year?”

  “When you danced a jig in your bra? Like I could forget that.” She laughs, pulling my face into the canyon between her breasts.

  “You came? Why didn’t you tell me?” Frankie demands, shoving at Lollipop to drag me to a sofa near the party.

  Lex frowns, but I wave him off and grab a closed beer from the table, remembering his explicit instructions not to drink anything he doesn’t get from the bar himself unless it’s still sealed.

  “I was going to, but I figured you’d still be grumpy as hell about your job and tripping off my sex life,” I mumble.

  The thing about Frankie? She’s great—a little intense, somewhat like the best friend from Cougar Town—but a misery to be around when she’s in a mood.

  This chick can be a blast, but she totally sucks
when she’s not happy. She drags the rest of us down kicking and screaming just so that she doesn’t have to deal with our happiness while she’s wallowing in self-pity.

  She pulls a face and bites her lip, her eyes going to Lex before winging back to mine.

  “I’m sorry about that. I was being a miserable bitch again. How goes it with him?”

  I do not want to share a moment of my bliss with her because, à la Frankie, she’ll just find a reason to be a downer and I don’t need that tonight. Tonight, I’m too aware that I could be released from this nightmare and lose Lex all at the same time.

  All I really want to do is get drunk, under his watchful eye, dance, and just let go for once. I want a little breathing room from doubts, gloom, and the ever-present reminders that Lex gives me that I could be hurt at any time if I let my guard down.

  “Eh, we’re good. So, did you find a job?” I ask, changing the subject.

  “Nope. Like I’m surprised though. No one’s going to hire me now that my boss is suing me.”

  “Suing you?”

  “Well, more like he encouraged the guy I decked to sue me. It’s…not good,” she mutters, pounding another shot and going for another, her blond hair obscuring her face when she looks away.

  “Oh Frankie, that’s awful.”

  “Yeah, do me a favor and don’t beat that nag tonight, okay? I’m getting drunk and partying. I only want good news and happiness tonight.”

  “In that case, I’ll tell you about the last few days.” I laugh, casting Lex a glance before turning back and leaning in close. “I think I’m in love, Frankie, and I think that if I just stop overthinking things with Lex and go for it that he might feel something for me.”

  Her expression leaves something to be desired when she rears back and looks at me with this…I can’t explain it but to say that I do not think she’s happy for me.

  “We spoke about this.”

  “I know, but I just…I don’t care about risking myself, Frankie, you know that. I want happiness and chances and just to try. You’re not into risking your heart, I get that, but I don’t feel the same.”

  “He’s going to hurt you, Rosie! Dammit, you’re not in this guy’s league, and you know it! Besides, what will you do if he leaves? Follow him?”

  No. Yes. No-dammit, yes! Yes, I would, I realize, my heart pounding when I look up at him. I have nothing to lose anymore and only something to gain if I drop my old life and try for Lex. What’s the worst that can happen?

  Sure, he could reject me and remind me gently that we had this discussion and that I knew it would suck, I admit. But what if he doesn’t? Nana’s words ring in my head, and I find myself grinning.

  “Nana used to say the hare was cheated and the tortoise was an opportunist.”

  “What does that even mean?”

  “Beats me, but she followed it up with, ‘Don’t ever take life for granted. If you want something, go after it.’ I know you haven’t had a great life, at least not a good start—”

  “Except that one time I had a good foster mom. She tossed me out though, to keep another kid,” she hisses, glaring at me.

  “Look, just try to be happy for me? Please. I could have something good here, Frankie.”

  She goes to answer, but Rod finally arrives, and his reaction is just what I hoped it would be when he gets a good look at Lex. The other guys are melted into the crowd, but, damn, my man is fine.

  “Good Mother have mercy,” he squeals. “Please, please, please, tell me you have slept with this god of a specimen.”

  “Yup.”

  Lex smirks at my preening tone and pulls me up into his chest, licking his lips as he stares into my upturned face.

  “You’re enjoying this, woman.”

  “Course. I’m in the big leagues now as far as they’re concerned, and I like it. Let’s dance.”

  “No.”

  “Please? Frankie’s being a downer, and I would really like to…” I lean up and whisper into his ear, licking the lobe as I promise some naughty delights should he allow me the use of his body for the next few minutes.

  I love dancing, always have, and the thought of grinding my junk all up against Lex while jealous women all around glare on makes me so hot I could go for some naughty time right now.

  He tenses and growls before grabbing my hand and pulling me along behind him, making me totter on my heels to keep up. We reach the dance floor and, contrary to my assumption that he’ll just stand there and humor me, the man starts grinding in a way that has me juicing.

  He’s hot, he has rhythm, and the feel of him grinding into me when he pulls me close is so good.

  I’m in heaven, and hell, as we pick up the beat and start humping on the floor, the other couples around us just as untamed as we are.

  “I want you so much. Your legs in that skirt are driving me crazy,” he says, as he growls into my ear, making me shiver.

  I want him too. Desperately, and with a need that has me aching. This is our night, possibly our last if things don’t go my way, and I want him enough to drag him to a corner and do indecent things to him with only darkness as our cover.

  My nipples hurt already, and he hasn’t even touched me, along with the pulse between my legs as my clit starts swelling and moisture pools low in my belly.

  “You have me if—”

  “Lex? Oh my God, it is you!”

  I’m shoved to the side and stumble into a couple, as a brunette throws herself at him, her mouth finding his so fast I feel my head spin a three sixty. She’s all over him and seemingly oblivious to anyone as she hooks a leg over his hips and tries to melt into him.

  And what does the beast do?

  Nothing! I’m forced to stand there and watch her tongue him for at least twenty whole seconds before he manages to find his brains where they’ve fallen into his balls and pushes her away gently.

  I’ve seen enough though. This is Lex. The one he warned me about, so why I should even be surprised is beyond me. He’s a lady-killer, a player, the guy who screws three women and a fourth who’s watching.

  He’s not some knight, as I’ve built him up to be, but a man who’s never once lied to me about himself. I shouldn’t be hurt. I am. It freaking aches to see him smile at the woman in front of him, and it makes me tear up when I realize he’s not even aware of me anymore.

  So freaking much for happily ever after, I snarl silently, turning with a huff. What the heck was I thinking? And darn it, I really hate like hell that Frankie was right.

  Jericho is on me before I’ve taken a third step, and I see him frown before I shake my head and tilt it toward the table.

  “Don’t. Just take me back so I can do what I came here to do.”

  “Honey—”

  “Please?”

  It takes a lot to beg and even more not to cry when I catch the brunette out the corner of my eye and realize Lex is dancing with her, my presence no longer required now that he’s locked on to a new conquest.

  “I’m sure he’s—”

  “Save it, Jericho. I know the score with him, and I’m fine, all right? I’m just so ready for this to be over that it isn’t even funny.”

  That gets me a scowl, and I realize I just said something without mixing it up, a sure sign that I’m not thinking quite right. Time to drink!

  Jericho stays with me for the next ten minutes as I pound the booze with a vengeance, his silent disapproval not even a blip on my radar as the alcohol starts doing its thing and mellows out the tight ache in my chest.

  I need to pee.

  But I don’t get fully to my feet before Lex is there, looking satisfied but pissed off too.

  “I told you never to just walk away from me.”

  “Sorry, I thought you were busy with hooker lips,” I mutter, apologizing for the insult silently with a cringe.

  I’m also not in the mood for bossy pants over here and his mood killer when right now I’m feeling loose enough not to care about a thing.

  B
oots, I think, smiling, as his voice snarls in my head as if I should care about him correcting me. Which I don’t. Not anymore.

  “Dammit, baby.”

  Oh, now I’m baby? Just seconds ago I was forgettable and not at all on his radar. You know what, I’m done, all right. I’ve been harassed, lost my cat, lost the last link I had to Nana besides her teeth, which, eww, are not really all that sentimental no matter how much I try to pretend that it doesn’t gross me out to own the dentures of a dead person.

  And my chest aches because I was playing for something that isn’t even in the running, which I knew all along. I’m so freaking dumb.

  “I need to pee. Frankie! Girls’ trip!” I yell, shoving up unsteadily and ignoring Lex’s growl of impatience. “Don’t even try it, Jacobs. Frankie and Lollipop are going with me so chill the hell out. And do not stand outside the freaking bathroom waiting because that would piss me off.”

  His face goes hard, but I don’t care a whit what he’s thinking or feeling right now. I need gone from him for a minute or two before I do something stupid, like cry.

  Stupid.

  He finally concedes, and I see him nod at Jericho to let me go before releasing my arm.

  “Be alert and hurry. Please.”

  “Yeah. Uh-huh, I’ll get right on that as soon as I start caring,” I mumble, throwing and arm around Lo, as we all three stumble toward the bathroom.

  “Girl, that man is delicious looking.”

  I ignore Lo and go for the toilet stall, practically falling onto the toilet as the shots start thumping in my belly. I pee quickly but just sit there for long minutes, my head in my hands, sadness my porcelain buddy.

  “Rosie! You okay in there?”

  “Fine. Just finishing up.”

  “Um ‘kay. Well, Lo already toddled outta here, and since you’ve got a SWAT team outside, I’ll get back to it!” Frankie yells over the pounding in my head.

  Really, what could happen to me in the ladies’ room?

  “Sure. Order me a tequila!”

  She hums, and I hear the door bang shut before I force myself to rise long minutes later and leave the stall. I’m pretty tipsy, I won’t lie. Those shots went straight to the cranium and started partying hard.