Her Sexy Marine Valentine (3 page)

She told Abbott about what happened.

Her friend sat back and blew out a breath. Her brown curls in a righteous halo were piled on top of her head. “Wow! A true hero. What a great guy.”

Mari lifted her face to the ceiling. “I know, right? And you should see his abs. He's hotter than any man has a right to be. That's what makes what I did next so atrocious.”

Abbot's eyes widened. “You threw yourself at him? I told you this not dating thing was going to backfire on you. Those hormones can only be caged without release for so long. And then, boom!” She slapped the desk and made Mari jump.

Her friend had a thing for the dramatic. “No. Though, I wish I had. It's probably the last time I'm ever going to see him. He'll probably move.”

Abbott leaned forward on her elbows. “Now I'm totally intrigued. Seriously, what did you do this time?”

“I asked him to be my handyman.”

If she hadn't felt so bad she might have laughed at her friend's confusion.

“Is that some kind of new kink? I've never heard of that. Does he show up in just a tool belt or something?”

“Wow. Come on, Abbott, do you ever think of anything but sex?”

“Nope. Not really. So what do you mean?” Abbott wasn't supercrazy about commitment, either, but she also never lacked for a date. Her friend was the queen of love 'em and leave 'em. Mari had never been able to do that. Just have sex to have sex. In a way, she was envious of her friend's ability to have fun without getting emotionally attached. It wasn't that Mari was clingy. She just wanted something more than just the physical from her sexual partners. Not that it had worked out well for her so far.

She explained.

“Wow. You really are desperate.”

Mari frowned. “Thanks for pointing out the obvious.”

“So what did he say?”

“He was sweet. He said he'd think about it, but he added he was really busy at work.”

“So he gave himself an out?” Abbott asked. “Hmm.”

She nodded. Secretly, Mari had been a little crushed when Brody had said he was busy, which was stupid since she'd never believed he'd agree to her off-the-wall plan. “I think he was trying to get out of it gracefully, and he didn't want to have to tell me to my face that I was totally crazy.”

Abbott leaned back. “So what are you going to do?”

“Well, I can't afford to move. Though, I did consider it. Living with my parents again, well, I just can't go there.” She was only half-joking. Part of her wanted to give up on everything and go home to Austin. Her parents would understand. Heck, they'd probably welcome her with open arms. It'd been more than a year since she'd been to Austin to see them. She was always too busy with the
next
project.

Strangely, given everything that had happened, she wasn't sure she could handle being around them. Theirs was the standard to which she held all relationships—thirty years together and they were so in love with one another it was annoying.

Nope. She couldn't handle being around that right now.

There was also the fact that she'd built an up-and-coming business in Corpus, and she wouldn't give that up for any man. No matter how embarrassed she might be about her failed romance.

She'd have to stick it out and figure out how to hide from, or at least avoid, her oh-so-hot neighbor.

“So play it cool. Tell him you had too much sangria and it went to your head.”

She pursed her lips. “That might work. Or I could simply barricade myself in my basement.”

Her friend laughed. “Mari, we don't have basements in Corpus. How about I come help you paint one of the bathrooms this weekend?”

“You want to secretly stalk the Marine.”

“True. But can you blame me? You make him sound so yummy. And he didn't take his tacos and run when you propositioned him with the worst offer ever, which means he's superbrave. Brave guys are so hot.”

Mari shook her head. “Don't even go there. Though I might take you up on the offer to paint. That is if I can figure out how to get the drywall up. That stuff is heavy. I gave it a try in the dining room last night. By the fourth board I was in tears. I gave up and drank the rest of the sangria.”

“Oh, you are so sad. You make my heart hurt. Incidentally, Mercury is in retrograde and it affects everyone in a negative way. However, it's going to get better. All of it. The house. The men. You're just in a downturn.”

Mari didn't know anything about how the planets aligned, but she definitely could use a bit of luck. “That's pretty optimistic coming from you.” Abbott called herself a pragmatist, yet Mari had always thought it bordered on pessimism. And it was weird that her practical friend had this fascination for horoscopes, as in she believed how the planets aligned 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.

3

“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 made no sense to Brody.

But the CO hadn't really given him a choice. Toe the line or you're out. The message had been clear.

Forty-five minutes later, he was back home. He changed into his running gear and five miles after that he stood in front of Mari's door. Before he had a chance to knock, she opened the door. She must have seen him coming up the drive.

His shirt was stuck to him, and even though it was January, he was sweating from every pore. Probably should have showered first, but he didn't want to lose his nerve.

This had to be done. He had to at least try.

Her hair was in a high ponytail and she was wearing short overalls with a pink bikini top underneath. There was dirt on her nose, and he wasn't sure he'd ever seen anyone so gorgeous.

That bikini top was—

Eyes on her face, Marine
. It was a challenge because of how she filled out the top, and then there was the curve of her hips. For the life of him, Brody couldn't look away. She was funny, gorgeous and good-hearted. And strong. To have gone through what she had with her ex, he had a lot of respect for her. He'd been thinking about that last night, too. Most people, men and women, would give up trying to fix something like this house on their own. But not Mari. He admired her work ethic.

And the idea of him lounging on his butt across the street while he knew she was struggling didn't sit well with him. They'd help each other out. Maybe even be friends. She might even cook him another meal.

She smiled.

Dang. Keeping his hands off her was going to be problem. But he had to do this. He was a Marine, trained to handle any situation.

“I'm sorry about last night,” she said quietly.

“What do you mean?” Now that he thought about it, the night had been kind of perfect, eating tacos outdoors by the fire. Until he'd left like a jerk. She had no reason to apologize.

“Please don't make me repeat it. You know, the part about working on the house. We've just met and I feel dumb for asking you.”

He'd made her feel bad. Now he really felt like a jerk.

“I will,” he said quickly. “Help you, and I'll do it for free. But you have to do something for me in return. And it doesn't involve home-cooked meals.”

She smiled. “Free? I'll do
anything
.”

His cock twitched, instantly ready for action. Was she flirting with him?

That loaded comment burned him from the inside out.

Be calm.

This would only work if they kept things casual between them. He didn't have many friends who were women, but he could do this.

He shifted to attention and put his hands behind his back to keep from touching her.

This might be tougher than he thought.

He cleared his throat. “I need you to be my girlfriend.”

* * *

M
ARI
WAS
GLAD
she had her hand on the door frame or she might have fallen to the dusty floor.

His girlfriend? This was some kind of weird dream. She'd fallen asleep while tiling or something.

Wake up, Mari! Wake up!
You're probably snoozing on the bathroom floor
.

Brody wore a tank that left his muscular biceps free. He must train for hours every day. The damp shirt clung to his abs.

Why am I so obsessed with this guy's stomach?

Because it's awesome
.

What was he saying?

“Remember at the grocery store?”

“Not a day I will ever forget. You saved me,” she said honestly. Her voice was slightly hoarse from the need coursing through her body.

Focus, Mari. Don't look at his... OMG. Eyes, focus on his gorgeous eyes
.

“Right. Not that. After, when Carissa, my CO's daughter, came up. She told my boss we're dating and he's insisting we come to the picnic. I tried your excuse of ‘we have to put in the floor' and had no luck. I even tried to tell him the truth about us, but he wouldn't listen.”

Mari was still trying to adjust to the idea of the sweaty, broad-shouldered Marine being at her door. His muscles glistened. The man was too much.

Too much man for her.

“Picnic?”

“Yes.” He ran a hand through his short, dark hair. He didn't have the buzz cut a lot of the Marines around town did. “I'm making a mess of this. Probably totally confusing you. See, they do these events where we all get together, something about creating a more cohesive unit.”

“Okay? And you need a pretend girlfriend, why? I mean, you're a good-looking guy, just about any woman would be happy to hang on your arm.”

“You think I'm good-looking?”

She snorted. It wasn't very attractive.

He frowned as if he didn't believe her.

“Seriously? Dude, you're hot.”

He looked skeptical. “I never really thought about it. Carissa saw us together and— Are you okay? You're all flushed.”

Her entire body was warm from the top of her head to her toes. It had been a long time since she'd been this turned on. “Fine. I'm fine. So explain it again. Sorry, I'm a little out of sorts. I was working in the bathroom and then you showed up. And you want me to do this because...?”

His eyebrows drew together as if he was trying to determine if she was sane.

Right now, I'm not sure. Back away, handsome man. Back away
.

“Anyway. I don't want a real girlfriend. I'm not good with that kind of long-term relationship. There are always too many expectations. And I...that is, I don't need complications right now. I need to focus on work and make sure my team is as strong as possible before they're deployed. So I was hoping that I could help you with your house, and maybe you could go as my ‘friend' to these required outings the boss has put together.” He air-quoted the friend bit.

She wasn't sure what to think. Why couldn't he form attachments? Do a long-term gig? Then again, she was in no shape for any kind of relationship, either. She was seriously off men for good.

No, for real. You are off men. No more. Ever.
Well, at least until the house was finished.

And he's free labor
.

And, oh, yes, she deserved a little man candy to look at. Every woman did. He could put up the drywall and she could stare at those powerful muscles of his.

There was that.

“What exactly would I have to do on these dates?”

He shrugged. “I don't know. Whatever women do. Can I be honest?”

“Sure.”

“I'm up for a promotion. The CO wants to see that I'm settled. Stable. For some reason, having a woman in my life would make him think that I'll be more focused, which is not exactly how I see things, but he won't see reason. So, yeah. I just need you to act like you're into me, and be polite and stuff.”

“All right, but so we're clear,” she said, having a brief, rare moment of clarity. “I think this is a superbad idea. Someone will probably find out. And then we're both going to look foolish.”

“Ten-four. I couldn't agree more. And if I could manage to tell him without him reading me the riot act for the fifth time this week, I would. But this will be more of a business relationship between us, right? You need a handyman and I need a girlfriend. We fix up your place, go to a couple of events and chill out, and then we break up, like most couples do.”

Hmm. “Can I be the one to break up with you?” She didn't know why, but that was a deal breaker.

He shrugged. “Fine by me.”

“Can you tile a floor?”

“Yes.”

“How good are you with a paintbrush?”

“Better than most.”

“How about drywall?”

He peeked around her into the dining room behind her. “I could have those walls up in less than an hour.”

Really? He would save her countless days and all she had to do was go out on a couple of dates with a good-looking guy?

And we're questioning this because...?

“Okay. I'll do it.”

He smiled then, and her heart tugged. She suddenly remembered why this was a bad idea.

Danger. Danger. Danger.

“Really?” He stared at her as if he expected her to take it back or something. What? Were they in second grade?

Why not torture yourself?
At least you get the eye candy up close.
“Yes. It's a win-win. You'll be forcing me to get out of my house once in a while and I get free labor. I might even cook for you, as long as you don't mind simple food. I can't do much more than tacos on the hot plate.”