ruled human emotions. More importantly she was a brilliant designer and an even better friend.
If only she could believe Abbott. That it would get better. But she’d been through two months of chaos and confusion, and while she wasn’t one to feel sorry for herself, her perfectly ordered life was in the garbage. For the first time, she didn’t have a plan, other than trying to get the house finished without ending up bankrupt.
The no security thing was a big deal for her. While her business was doing well, her stash of savings had dwindled quickly, thanks to her time-money-suck of a house.
It was a shame she’d royally screwed things up with the Marine. He was so caring. Guys normally didn’t do what he’d done for her in the grocery store. But there was also pain in his eyes, and it wasn’t due to the headaches he said he suffered from. Over the past few weeks, she’d noticed through her nonstalking observance of him that he pretty much kept to himself. If she wasn’t such an idiot, they maybe could have at least been friends.
With benefits.
Stop it.
Well. Truth. No man had affected her physically like he did. She wasn’t into casual sex, but he made her think all kinds of naughty things.
Really. Naughty. Things.
“CO WANTS TO see you in his office.” Ben Peterson, one of the other instructors, popped his head into the classroom.
“What kind of mood is he in?” Brody asked, though he knew the answer.
Peterson rolled his eyes. “Let’s say I may need a new ass by the time this assignment is over. I just got chewed out for failing to enlist my fellow blah, blah blah. He starts talking and I don’t even hear what he’s saying after the fifth or six word. Good luck.”
Brody chuckled and then winced. He’d been grading tests and his head hurt. The last thing he needed was the CO on his back. He gathered his laptop and his phone and stuck everything in his pack. Might as well get it over with, and then he’d go for a run. Get rid of the tension of the day. His Boots weren’t absorbing the test material like they should. The test scores were low. Somehow the CO saw that as his fault and not the problem of the undisciplined grunts under his command. The ones who spent a lot of time thinking they were on some sort of vacation rather than studying. Not that he had been much different when he was a grunt, but he’d quickly learned if you wanted to make it in the pilot or navigation programs, you had to be dedicated.
He rubbed the back of his neck as he strode through the long corridors. Seemed like the harder he tried with this job, the worse things were. Some days he wondered if he should just go ahead and get cleared for active duty again. Maybe he wasn’t suited to be an instructor.
But first he had to lose the headaches. They were a distraction that interfered with his flying. He couldn’t protect people if he had a blinding migraine.
He partly blamed Mari’s proposal for the tension today. He’d been thinking about her a little too much. That sweet smile of hers and her ability to make such a great meal on a hot plate were turn-ons. The rockin’ bod and beautiful eyes didn’t hurt, either.
His body tensed.
Mind out of the gutter.
He had a new rule. One he’d added to his code in the middle of the night when he couldn’t sleep. No more attachments. Ever. Life was easier like that. Mari deserved the kind of man who could cherish and protect her. A man who could make that lifetime commitment and wanted the white picket fence.
That man is not me. Maybe he had a little of his father in him after all, because when it came to women, Brody couldn’t see himself settling down. That might make him selfish, but at least he was aware of it—unlike his dad, who seemed to be perpetually married, perpetually looking.
He’d had a string of stepmothers, several he’d never met, since he was off serving in combat missions for the better part of the last ten years. Though his dad’s recent email had mentioned he was single again, it wouldn’t be long before his father hooked up with someone else.
Not my thing.
Nope. Women were a distraction that he didn’t need right now. He liked his quiet life.
The outer office was empty, so he knocked on the CO’s door.
“Enter.”
Brody straightened his shoulders before he turned the knob.
“Sir, Peterson said you needed to see me.”
The other man nodded, but didn’t look up from the papers he was signing.
“My daughter tells me you have a girlfriend.”
What? Aw, man. He remembered meeting up with Carissa at the grocery store. “It’s kind of new.” That much was true. They’d only just met officially.
“Good to see you making friends. Be sure to bring her to the picnic on Saturday.” What the...? The CO was ordering him to bring a date?
There’s no way he’d drag Mari to anything base-related. That part of his life he wanted to keep private. Besides, the less time he spent with her, the better. The more he thought about her proposal, the more he thought it might be best to stay as far away as possible.
“She’s pretty busy on the weekends renovating an old Victorian.” Again it was the truth. “I’m not sure she’ll be able to get away.” He stood by the door, hoping that he could make a quick escape.
“It’s only a few hours. You’re in charge of a large squadron. We like to see our Marine instructors as leaders. Setting a good example. Are we clear?”
“Yes, sir.”
Now he had to tell his CO the truth.
One of the support staff stuck his head in the door behind Brody. “Sir, your daughter is on line two.”
The CO nodded. “You’re dismissed, Brody.” Then he picked up the phone.
Brody hesitated. He had to be honest about Mari, he owed it to her, if not himself, but the other man motioned him out.
What have I done? He couldn’t ask Mari to a silly picnic. After his abrupt departure last night, she probably hated him. He’d finished his tacos, chugged his water and then booked it as fast as possible. He’d promised to think about her proposal and he had.
Bad idea.
But did he have a choice? She was a woman in need. Though he liked to think of himself as tough and unsentimental, he couldn’t leave her in the lurch. The house was a disaster at the moment. It was sad that she had to live in it while she fixed it up. She should be in a fancy penthouse somewhere and enjoying her life.
Fine. He was going to help her.
And now he’d have to convince Mari to help him, as well.
Why couldn’t people stay out of his personal life? That the CO thought it was better that his soldiers be married or engaged in order to get ahead
