Her Soldier (That Girl #3) (19 page)

“Ah, what the hell,” I say to myself.

After heating up two pockets, I walk out to the porch and settle in on the swinging chair. This was one of my favorite places to escape as a child, especially on warm spring mornings. The sun has been up for a while, and I wonder what time it is. Between escaping Jazzy’s hold in bed and the surprise of the pizza pockets, I never checked the time.

“I see you found them.”

The deep voice startles me into tossing up my plate. I screech in shock. “Holy shit.”

Beau stands at the bottom of the steps. He must have been off to the right of the stairs, hidden by the cement pillar.

“Jenni, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…”

“To scare the ever loving shit out of me and burn my hands with boiling pizza sauce?”

There’s a heartbeat in my ears as my pulse thuds so loudly it almost hurts. I hold my hand to my chest as I try to calm down.

“I was getting ready to walk up when you came out.” Beau takes a few steps up the stairs and stands before me. He bends down and picks up my plate. One pizza pocket survived the fall, while the other one is on the cement pad of the porch. I watch as he picks up that one next and takes a big bite out of it.

He sits next to me, handing me my plate.

“Please don’t say anything, Jenni. Just let me talk.” He places his hand on my thigh. I cringe when I feel his touch again and want to ask him to remove it, but out of respect I let him say his piece.

“I love you. I fucked up. I never should’ve pushed you away like that. Jenni, please look at me.” His hand cradles my face, forcing my eyes to him. They were fixated on a tiny, pale pebble.

“I won’t take no for an answer. I pushed you away for a reason, and I’ll admit I didn’t do it right. I should have talked to you. But I had to fix myself and get right with my past.” Beau’s lips brush my forehead. “But I never stopped loving you.”

“I could never be mad at you for hurting and going through the pain you are. It’s something my mind will never be able to even begin to comprehend. But, Beau, you don’t push away people you love.” My voice begins to shake. “I needed you and you were gone. I called and texted you.”

“I know, and I tried calling you back one time. I had to figure out what my future is, and now I know it’s you.”

I push back on his chest with a sense of outrage. “When? You never called.”

“I’ve been calling the last few weeks.” Beau stands, and I see the flare of anger in his eyes. “Check your fucking voicemail, Jenni.”

“I need time.” Bringing my knees to my chest and placing my cheek on my kneecap, I can’t look at him. “I just need time, Beau.”

I hear him moving and still don’t look up at him. It’s simply too painful to see him. Knowing he went away to get right with his past hurts. I wanted to be there with him and hold his hand. He touches the back of my head and I hear his pants rustle as his bends down.

“I love you, Jenni.” He kisses the top of my head for a long time. “I’ll keep loving you until you let me stay.”

He walks away and I finally pick up my head to watch him slowly move down the sidewalk. This is my chance, and I know I should yell for him. Tell him to stay and tell him how much I love him and need him in my life, but I don’t seize the moment.

“Holy swoony moment.” Jazzy steps out on the porch looking a hot mess. “That’s the shit movies are made of. You’re a fool, Jenni.”

Beau turns around before he gets in his truck and waves to Jazzy. She waves back with sleep still plastering her face and her crazy hair all a mess. Even her baby bump is peeking out below her white nightshirt.

“You’re dumb, Jenni. You are going to live a long, miserable, lonely life dreaming of that hot piece of ass. I bet you even buy a dildo and get off to pictures of him when you’re old and lonely.”

I’m listening, but not acknowledging her. My eyes are focused on Beau. He paused for a moment before getting in his truck, and it was my second chance to seize the moment, and I failed. His engine fires up with a roar. My body finally reacts.

I jump to my feet and begin screaming his name. Flying down the stairs two at a time, I continue to yell his name and wave my arms. He has his dark glasses on his face, and the windows are rolled up.

“Beau.”

My last scream finally gets his attention. Out of breath and scared to death, I run up to the driver’s side window. Instead of rolling down the window, he opens the door. I step back just enough to avoid being hit. He slides from the truck, crosses his arms, and waits.

I push his glasses up to rest on his head. What I am about to do may be the biggest leap of faith I’ve ever taken.

“Take me on a date, Beau.”

He doesn’t respond to my request. Silence lingers between us, and it’s clear he’s confused.

“We’ve never even been on a real date. Let’s date and do this right. We both knew it wasn’t right how we got together, but something drew us there.”

Beau finally eases up a bit, relaxing his arms by his sides.

“And it’s perfect, Beau, because we are both broken souls who fit together just right. I want to date you and be your girlfriend.”

“Date?” He raises his eyebrow.

“Date,” I confirm.

“I don’t date and never have, so tell me, do we get to kiss and touch on the first date?”

“Guess you’ll have to find out tonight. Pick me up at seven.”

I don’t wait for his comeback and bound back to the porch and sit next to Jazzy in the swing. She pats my leg and commends my action. “Good girl.”

Our First Date

Jazzy insisted on helping me shop for my outfit. I told her it was ridiculous since it was just Beau. Then she countered with ‘well, if it’s your first date, then you better treat it like one.’ Hell, we had so much fun today shopping she almost missed her flight to Dallas. Before she boarded the private jet Levi sent, she told me not to fuck up things with Beau. I take that as her blessing to move forward.

My reflection in the full length mirror is one of a worried little girl. My hands smooth down the bottom part of my white dress, running over the raised eyelet designs. It’s short and simple, but amazingly beautiful. My tan is lighter than usual since appearances haven’t been on the top of my to-do list. Getting all dolled up has actually been good for my spirits. It’s like a piece of me coming to life again. I pull on the pale blue cardigan sweater we picked out. My outfit has a sweeter look than my normal style and is definitely way mild for my taste, but I’m finding out I like simple things.

I’ve almost backed out of this date several times today, berating myself for making such a silly move. I love Beau and he loves me, and clearly he’s not going to give up on us. So, dating seems silly. I’ve wanted to call him and have him come over and just pounce on him, but then there’s a voice in my head reminding me that I deserve to experience a healthy relationship, and this is the starting point.

There’s a knock at the door and my heart races, which is even sillier because I know who it is. The man knows every part of my body and exactly what drives me wild. He’s been in me and had me at his every whim, and now I’m hot with embarrassment. I grab my boots and run down the stairs. He knocks louder and longer the second time, making me giggle at his impatient tendency. I guess some things will never change.

I lose my breath when I open the door and see him standing there with yet another bouquet of yellow and pink roses. He’s not dressed casually, and that makes me smile. He’s wearing a pair of pressed khakis, a red plaid shirt loosely buttoned at the top, and his hair is actually styled.

“Oh my god, Beau.”

My hands go to his hair and admire the style. Never in my wildest dreams did I think the man could be any sexier. If he asked me to marry him right now, I’d say yes. Hell, I’d call over the pastor and have him marry us on the front porch here and now.

“Do I look okay?”

“I want to marry you.” The words leave me as I stand on my tiptoes and kiss him lightly.

“Whoa, darling, this is only our first date.”

I laugh at his words and my heart melts a bit at how seriously he’s taking my request. “Okay, okay. Let me put my boots on.”

Beau reaches for the brown cowboy boots. “Let me, Cinderella.”

I sit on the couch as Beau kneels. He’s delicate in his action as he places each boot on my feet.

“These have some killer heels on them, Jenni.”

Feeling unusually shy, I shrug and grin back at him.

“I guess I wanted to look good for our first date.”

“My god, you look amazing.”

Beau’s index finger runs from the top of my boot up my leg. His movement is slow and deliberate. I watch his eyes as his stare is intent and focusing on my skin. I reach out and stroke his jawline. He uses the back of his free hand, slowly dragging his knuckles up my other leg. He doesn’t stop at my knee and keeps going until I can no longer see his hand. It’s tucked under my dress as he continues roaming my legs with his touch.

I begin to squirm and I want to scream. He picks up on my body language and sends me an evil little smirk.

“Shit.” His word startles me, and for a second I think someone has busted us. “I forgot this is a first date and it’s probably not okay to ravish your body all night long.”

“Beau.” I hit him in the chest and push him back on his ass and then jump on him. “You’re an evil ass.”

He laughs under me as I continue to hit his chest.

Leaning down, I kiss his lips. “I love you, Beau. Now take me on my date.”

I try to sit back up before I get carried away. Beau cups my face and slowly drags me back down to him. His face is serious and I’m not sure if what he is about to say will scare me or not.

“Jenni, I love you and I’m going to take you on this date tonight, but when we get back, things change to my rules.”

“I want to tell you something, Beau.” I relax in his grip. “We have never been closer than we are at this moment, and I don’t just mean in a physical way, but also emotionally and spiritually. There are no secrets or hidden monsters between us.”

He nods, giving me permission to go ahead.

“I just want you to know that you can be Beau with me, and Jeremiah. I want you to be you when you are with me and nothing else. I never want you to be anything else.”

“Jenni, I have to tell you something.”

I tilt my head to the left and wait for him to speak. I can tell the words are heavy on his heart.

“I’m going to be a dad. I’m adopting a little girl from out of state who lost her mom in a wreck. She’s four.”

“I can’t wait to meet her.”

“You’ll fall instantly in love with her. I just started the paperwork and know it will take a lot of time, but until then, I get to visit her.”

“I’m already in love with this little girl, Beau Morgan.”

Epilogue

Date Ninety-Six

“Why are we still dating when we live together?”

Beau has taken dating to an extreme. Since our first official one he has asked me out on several more and keeps track of them on a whiteboard in his office. And when I say keep track of them, I mean he puts up tally marks. It’s kind of cute how crazy he’s gone with the whole dating thing, and one night he admitted to me that he never had this with his first wife, and it’s something he’s not going to give up.

“Jenni, get your ass dressed. We are going to be late.”

“But I’m tired and just want to stay home.”

“Dress now or I’ll spank your ass.”

“You spank my ass every…”

Before I have the chance to finish, Beau has me up in the air and is toppling me back down onto the bed. Just wearing a skimpy dress, I grin as he rolls me over on my back and covers my body.

“I’m going to spank your ass if you don’t get going now. You have five minutes.”

“But can you take care of me first?”

I thrust my hips up into his groin, gesturing very clearly what I want.

“Jenni, stop.”

“Please. It’s way better than date night.”

I sneak my hand down to his button and quickly undo it while unzipping his pants in the same motion. He has my panties down and positions himself.

“I can never say no to you, baby. But then we are leaving. Do you hear me?”

“Okay…” Beau enters me fast and hard. My eyes roll back as I fight to finish my phrase, but when he fills me there is nothing besides sheer pleasure flooding my mind. I try to speak a couple of times, but can’t. Only moans and screams follow for the next several minutes. I wiggle my pants the rest of the way down my leg until they are only hanging from one foot, and then raise my legs and wrap them as high as possible around Beau’s shoulders.

It’s my favorite position, putting me at the right angle, and I know he likes it as well. He always groans then proceeds to fuck me harder.

“It’s going to be fast.”

“Just make me go.”

My words quicken his pace as he slams over and over again.

“Oh god, Jenni,” he grunts.

His pleasure always brings me close to letting go, and it only takes a few more seconds before I’m screaming and clawing at his back as I fall over the edge with him.

“Now get your ass moving.” Beau wastes no time and doesn’t even lay his head down on me or kiss the top of my shoulder before he hops up off the bed and is heading to the bathroom. “Move it, Jenni.”

“Jesus, do we have reservations or something? Why the rush?”

I sit up and drag my underwear back on and try to readjust my hair on the top of my head, not wanting to put much effort into it or really having the energy to.

“Dammit, will you just fucking get ready to go?”

I’ve learned to recognize that tone of voice, and I don’t push him any further. Instead I stick my tongue out at him, knowing he can’t see me through the wall, and then begin to get ready for freaking date night.

3 Hours Later

Date number ninety-six will go down in the record books. Beau’s need to rush and be on time for no reason, and his restless fidgeting on the way to the restaurant all make perfect sense to me now. Playing with the new piece of jewelry on my left hand, I can’t believe how incredibly lucky I am...soon to be Mrs. Beau Morgan.

THE END