by Ava May
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Lips Are SEAL’ed
Stepbrother Romance
Ava May
Lips Are SEAL’ed
Chapter 1
Charlie
Charlie hung up the phone and nibbled her lip. She hadn’t seen Ash Shelby since her father married his mom. He was off in the military doing whatever it was that he did. His mom was very hush-hush about it, and she figured it was because she didn’t actually know anything. As far as Charlie was concerned what happened in the military stayed that way. Now he was coming home for his short leave. He’d be home for the next three weeks, and apparently there was a family dinner to welcome him home.
She wasn’t sure how to feel. She remembered meeting him, getting close to him before he shipped off. She had been devastated when he left. Ash was two years younger than her, but most people didn’t know that based on his size. Even at 19 he had been huge. She remembered feeling the tingle of attraction for him during those few weeks he was home before being shipped off. She had quickly stomped it out. He was her new stepbrother. She was happy her dad had found someone to make him happy, and then the cancer came. It came hard and was unexpected. Ash’s mother had been a godsend. If it weren’t for her love and support and everything in between, Charlie wouldn’t have made it. That’s how she felt anyways.
Her own mother had passed away from the same disease when she was ten leaving her to grow up without a mother and without a clue she’d end up with the same problem years later. Charlie thought she was going to die, but somehow she got through it, and after three years she was cancer free and finally looked like her old self.
Now she’d have to face Ash, and apparently Diana had never mentioned her sickness to him, and he was pissed. She didn’t understand why. He was off serving his country. Why worry him? Charlie didn’t want anyone knowing. She was about to hide it for months before the whole town found out.
“Miss Charlie, Miss Charlie,” a little voice said and tugged at her tee shirt.
She looked down at the little person who sounded like it was the end of the world and smiled down at Missy. “What’s wrong, Lil’ Miss?”
The little girl stuck out her bottom lip and pointed behind her. “There’s a man here.” Then she waved her closer and Charlie leaned down. “And he’s really scary,” she whispered.
Charlie kissed Missy’s cheek and shook her head. “It’s all good, Lil’ Miss. I’ve got this.” When she turned around, she didn’t see anyone, but Missy grabbed her hand and pulled her to the front. She allowed herself to be led until she saw him standing in the waiting area and froze. She’d just gotten off the phone with his mother and he was already at her work.
“I know she can’t leave her kids—but why can’t I go to her then?” He sounded pissed, and she heard the tenseness in his tone. He hadn’t noticed her yet and Stacey’s eyes were wide
“Sir, I have to send someone to replace her, and then she can come to you. You’re not authorized to be back there.”
His fists clenched and his jaw tightened. “Fine, I’ll wait.”
Charlie was still frozen. He was even bigger now. More muscular, taller. He still looked really young but he was a man now. Oh boy was he. When he spun to sit down he noticed her then. Missy hid behind her legs tugging her back as if she wanted to protect her from the angry man.
He smiled and all the anger left his face. His smile made her heart flutter. She held up a finger through the open doorway. He nodded still smiling and sat down. Stacey mouthed ‘thank you’ to her, and Charlie went back to the large play area. When Jessie came and took over for her she smiled and winked at Missy and made her way into the waiting area.
“Stacey, I’m taking my lunch. I’ll be back.”
Stacey smiled and kept her eyes on Ash. “Take your time, sweetie.”
Charlie shook her head and walked over to Ash. He stood and, without asking, he pulled her into a hug, wrapping his strong arms around her curvy frame. She sucked in a breath, and her arms wrapped around his neck, forcing her to stand on the tips of her toes.
“I’ve missed you so much,” he whispered and her stomach flip-flopped.
She hadn’t realized she’d missed him too, not until she was in his arms. “I missed you too, Ash.”
He pulled back and smiled. “So we’re going to lunch, right? I’m starving.”
Charlie laughed. “Yeah, we can go eat.”
He led the way out of her second home and when she would have went to her car he grabbed her hand and pulled her towards his truck.
“You still have that thing?”
“Of course, a buddy kept her for me.”
She shook her head. He’d always referred to his truck as ‘her’. It was strange, but she let him lead her to the passenger side and help her into the truck without a complaint. He got in his side and started the truck. It rumbled beneath her and she sighed laying her head back. It was strange seeing him again. She always figured he wouldn’t come back much. He gave his life to the military, and it apparently shaped him into a man.
His boyish smile was the only thing that remained. As he drove she watched the muscles flex and stretch as he gripped the steering wheel. The silence was close to uncomfortable, but she didn’t really know what to say.
“So how come I didn’t know you were sick?”
And there it was. She was waiting for him to ask and he certainly didn’t wait long.
“You were away fighting in a war. There was no need to tell you.”
He glanced at her with a flare. “No need? Really?”
She sighed. “I didn’t think it was any reason to worry you. Your mom was a saint for me though. Besides I thought she would have told you. She wrote you all the time.”
“Well she apparently didn’t fuckin’ think I needed to know either. That’s bullshit. You know how I felt—feel about you.”
Charlie’s eyes widened. “I’m sorry no one told you, but that was a very hard time for me, Ash. I was in the middle of fighting for my life. I did my best.” Tears filled her eyes and she closed them. It wasn’t long before she felt the truck jerk to a stop and she opened them to see he had parked in the supermarket parking lot.
“I’m sorry, it’s just hard to stomach knowing I was so far away and no one told me anything. I sort of felt like no one cared that I would be hurt too.”
Charlie sighed and gripped his trembling hand. “Hey, there was no need to make your time over there even more stressful. If the chemo would have failed I would have made sure you knew.”
“So when it was too late then?”
Charlie cringed. She didn’t like thinking about that, but it was true unless she was going to die she wouldn’t
have put that on him. They’d gotten close in that short time before he left and she couldn’t bear to tell him she might die. It wasn’t something she wanted him to live with.
Chapter 2
Ash
It was sweet she wanted to protect me, but damn. The fact that she had meant so much to me in such a short amount of time, and then finding out I didn’t mean that much to her sucked. Now I understood I did. She was trying to protect me, even if she totally went about it the wrong way.
“I would have come home, if I could have.”
“I know that, but it wasn’t your fight. You already had your own battle, and I had mine.”
I flipped my hand around and laced our fingers together. “But you’re all good now, right?”
She nodded. “Yep, three years cancer-free.”
“Thank God.”
I was glad to hear that she wasn’t sick anymore. I wouldn’t be able to leave again if she was. Already, I had a feeling three weeks with Charlie wouldn’t be enough. If things went the way I planned, things in my career would change. No one knew, but I was good at keeping secrets. I kept her hand laced with mine and put my truck back into drive. I was still starving, and I felt like I could eat now that I knew she was all right.
“Where to?”
“Wherever you want to go is good with me.”
“I haven’t been home in three years. Tell me what’s good.”
“We can go to Lazy Ray’s. There is a bit of everything there, and it’s good food.”
“Okay. Lead the way, Miss Jeffries.”
She giggled. “Two blocks, go left, and then at the stop sign go right, and you’ll see the building on the left hand side.”
“Simple.” I drove following her directions and enjoyed the feel of her hand in mine. I never knew how much I really missed her until this moment.
She sat next to me quietly holding my hand. I felt her eyes on me, but kept mine on the road. Things were different now. I might still have been younger than her, but I had aged in so many ways since I left. The things I did—shaking my head I tried to erase the thoughts from my head. I couldn’t dwell on the things I did for my country. I needed to enjoy my freedom and soak up Charlie’s sweetness. I hoped to get to spend a lot of time with her. Sadly, as much as Ma meant to me, I only came home to see her. I’d finally come to the conclusion I needed to make her mine before I left. I wanted her for real.
Hell, in the last year and a half, I hadn’t even slept with another woman. It didn’t feel right. It never had, but I was a man, and Charlie and I didn’t keep in contact. I only knew about her life from the things my mom wrote in letters, and I was assuming it wasn’t everything I needed to know.
I pulled into Lazy Ray’s and chuckled. There was a giant cowboy with straw hanging out of his mouth. His hand lay over his bloated stomach and he leaned back in a chair.
“Wow,” I said. That’s all I could say.
She laughed. “Yeah it’s quite funny, and really the food is amazing.”
“I trust you, Charlie.”
She smiled and slipped her hand from mine getting out of the truck before I was able to help her out. I easily caught her hand and went inside. I didn’t care where we were as long as I got to spend time with her. I needed to soak it up before I was sent back to hell.
Inside a waitress dressed in plaid and a jean mini skirt with a cowboy hat and boots smiled brightly. “Welcome to Lazy Ray’s. Table for two?”
“Yes ma’am.”
She blushed and batted her lashes at me but I didn’t react. Beautiful women threw themselves at me all the time. There was only one I wanted and she was smirking at the woman who blatantly eyed me even though I was holding hands with Charlie. Women were horrible. Charlie didn’t seem bothered by it at all.
We followed the woman to our seats and I sat across from her wanting to actually be able to talk and have decent conversation. I let go of her hand and slid into the booth. Our bubbly waitress’s eyes lit up when we separated and I rolled my eyes. For real did this girl think she was going to get something from me?
I opened the menu and my eyes widened. I was surprised by the variety.
Charlie laughed. “I told you.”
I looked at the waitress. “I’m gonna need a few.”
“That’s fine, I’m Bambie. Just holler when you’re ready.”
Charlie chuckled but covered it up by coughing. The poor woman. Who would name their child after a Disney character?
She sauntered away swaying her hips doing her best to attract me, but I didn’t even bother paying attention. I was still young, and I certainly wasn’t dead, but I also wasn’t an asshole.
“I think she likes you, Ash,” Charlie said with a smirk.
I shrugged not wanting her to get any ideas. “Good for her.”
“So what do you want to try?”
I looked the menu over and couldn’t make up my mind. I really didn’t care. Eating out was an excuse to take her out. “What are you getting?”
“Something fast and not messy I have to go back to work,” She looked at her watch and cringed in 25 minutes. “Sorry we are going to have to get our food and run.”
I hid my disappointment. “Okay dinner then.”
“Can’t.”
My brows rose, and I held back my questions. For all I knew she had a man. I waited for her to explain, but she didn’t. “Okay tomorrow then.”
Her eyes brightened. “I’m off tomorrow so that works.”
“Then let’s just go ahead and go.”
“Are you sure? You were starving.”
“I’ll just go to Ma’s and eat. I’m sure she has food.”
She laughed. “She always has food. So yeah I guess it was a waste of your time.”
“No time with you is a waste, Charlie.” I wanted her to know what my purpose was.
She blushed and looked away, but I didn’t miss the shock in her eyes, or the smile she tried to hide.
Chapter 3
Charlie
Charlie watched Ash drive away and pulled out her cell phone.
“Ash is going to your house hungry. Lunch was a bust.”
“Dammit, I was hoping he would have stayed away longer. Okay, so I’ll have to feed him then send him back out for something,” Diana said.
“Sorry I couldn’t be of more help. I had no idea he was already here. So thanks for the heads up.”
Diana laughed. “He wanted to surprise you, baby girl.”
“Well, that he did. I have to get back to work. I’ll see you after.”
“All right, Charlie. See ya, and thanks for the warning.”
“Bye.”
She hung up and clocked back in. All her kids were sitting down for lunch happily chomping down. She let Jessie leave and leaned back against the counter. Her day had taken a weird turn. It sort of seemed like Ash had come back with a mission in mind, and it seemed like the mission was her. She wasn’t sure how she felt about that. For more than one reason. He was her stepbrother, younger, and already married to the military. She wouldn’t be able to handle him being gone all the time.
She wanted to smack herself for even thinking about it. It would be wrong to be in a relationship with him. She wouldn’t be able to give him much of a future. She wouldn’t be able to give him the family she knew he dreamed of having. It was inevitable he would either leave her or resent her after he realized what it meant to be with her. No man who wanted to be a father would want her. The cancer took motherhood away from her. It’s one reason why she devoted herself to her kids. Every child who came to her childcare center was one of hers. She loved each and every one of them.
Charlie shook her head and chuckled. She wasn’t even sure what Ash was looking for, and she was already thinking of the fact she wouldn’t be able to give him kids. He was only 24. He had a lot of growing to do still, and she wasn’t even sure if he still wanted kids. He did back then. Before he left when they had gotten to know each other he talked about how he wante
d to have big family. She wondered if he still felt that way after seeing the harsh realities of the real world.
After lunch she did her reading time with the kids and tucked each of them in for naptime. It was the time she usually scheduled for the next week. At this rate she would have the next three years planned. Today though she pulled out the journal she hadn’t written in since she went through chemo and decided to write. It had been awhile.
The next thing she knew Missy was rubbing her eyes and yawning. “Miss Charlie is it almost time for mommy to come yet?”
She looked at the clock and gasped. The time had really gotten away from her. “It sure is, Lil’ Miss. In twenty minutes or so, Mommy will be here to pick you up.”
She nodded and scampered back to her cot and wrapped her blanket around her shoulders. Missy was always the first awake and the first to leave. She only had five kids left. Then it was time for her to go to her dad’s for Ash’s welcome home party. She had a feeling he wasn’t going to be happy about being crowded by a lot of people.
Charlie began her clean up ritual as parents started to pick up their children. Missy ran up to her and hugged her tightly just like she did every day. It was the best part of the day. She loved the hugs and affection each child so willingly gave her. It was slowly healing her broken heart. Not being able to have children of her own was a big deal. She wanted to be a mom more than anything in the world. Knowing she couldn’t create life made her feel like she wasn’t a full woman any longer. It was the whole reason she stayed away from men. She hadn’t found one she was willing to take a chance on.
By the time Andy, the little boy who cried for over half the day every day, left Charlie was exhausted. It happened all the time. She’d get tired out of nowhere and then panic, but she had to stop worrying about the cancer coming back and live because if it did come back she didn’t want to have any regrets.