A Major Seduction (9 page)

“Are you wrong about that. Brad and I are enlightened. My
dad used to expect my mom to sit around the house waiting for his sorry ass all
the time. She had to beat that attitude out of him.” He laughed. “Just ask
her.”

“You don’t want that? From your future wife, I mean.”

“No way. I want her to be like my mom. Strong, independent
on her own, but willing to work
with
me. I guess saying I want her to be like my mom is weird.”

“Not at all. I love your mom.”

“I know.” He smiled then his expression changed. She
couldn’t read the look he gave her.

“What? Do I have mustard on my mouth?”

His gaze heated when it rested on her lips. “No. Just
thinking…”

“Don’t hurt yourself.”

He laughed. “You’re such a smartass. No wonder my family
loves you.”

I wish
you
would.

“Then again, I think Brad could love you a little less.” He
frowned. “I’ll talk to him. I don’t want him making you uncomfortable, coming
on to you like that.”

“He’s not.”

“Oh?” Mike lost all sense of humor. “So you like him
flirting with you?”

His jealousy over his own brother gave her great hope. “What
is it with you? I just meant Brad’s only teasing. He’s not serious.”

“Yeah, like I’m not serious,” he grumbled.

“You’re not.” Pause. “Are you?”

“So what if I am?” He seemed to spook himself by saying it
and quickly covered with, “I’m just annoyed with life in general. Had a Marine
that screwed up his chance for promotion with a DUI then found out our training
op got moved—without anyone talking to me first. The Ops O is on my last
friggin’—

“Guess I’d better let you go, then.” She stood, and he stood
as well. It didn’t escape her notice others were looking at them. Particularly
Brad.

Mike noticed too. “Sorry for being a jerk. It’s been a rough
day.”

“Lame excuse.”

He flushed. “Yeah. And I… Hell. I wanted to spend tomorrow
with you.”

“Oh.” What to say to that without making her sound totally
in love with him? “I’ll see you Sunday, though.”

“With everyone else.” He frowned, glanced over his shoulder
at Brad, then looked back at her with determination.

“Well, bye, Mike.”

“Bye.” He pulled her in for a kiss that shook her to her
toes. He ended the kiss, breathing hard, and with a smirk added, “See you
later, baby.”

He sauntered past his brother, said something that turned
Brad’s smile into a scowl, then left.

She followed, doing her level best not to spin cartwheels out
of the dining area. On her way out, Brad gave her a subtle thumbs-up. She
smiled and passed him then overheard, “Who the hell was that? I want her
number.”

“Me too.”

Nothing like a bunch of guys wanting her phone number to
pump up her ego. Or to have the one who mattered grow jealous. Now how to get
him to acknowledge he loved her? That was the real question.

Mike didn’t know how she’d done it, but damn if Maria hadn’t
burrowed under his skin like a friggin’ tick. He saw her everywhere in the
house as he cleaned up for his parents’ return. Instead of finding a place to
stay, he’d spent his free time making love to Maria at every available
opportunity.

He missed her like crazy, and knowing she’d be out with his
sister on a foray out of town about killed him. What if she found some other
guy? What if she got drunk and accidentally kissed—or worse—someone else?

His sister, unfortunately, had been known to have one or two
wild weekends with her wingman in attendance. Or so she’d bragged when trying
to outdo him a few years ago.

“Dude, if you dust that table any harder, you’ll wear off
the veneer,” Brad teased.

“The only reason you’re here is to make my life easier. You
can do that by shutting up.”

“Ah, still upset over my tiny flirtation with Maria. Got
it.”

Mike flipped him the finger.

“You’re such a horse’s ass. If you want the woman, tell
her.”

“I do. It’s obvious anytime we’re together.”

Brad huffed. “A boner does not say I love you.”

“I only let you live because it would break Mom’s heart to
kill you.”

Brad laughed. “You mean Dad’s heart. I’m his favorite.”

Mike counted to ten in his head.

“Come on, bro. Admit it. You have a thing for Maria. Why not
couple up? Instead of warning me and every other swinging dick off her, tell
her
. Or are you two dating and I just
don’t know about it?”

“We’re not dating, exactly.” But they were. Even when they
weren’t having sex, Mike wanted to be around the little smartass with the big
blue eyes. She had him hooked, and he was shocked at how fast he was falling.

“Then what are you doing? Fucking? She’s better than that.”

Mike stopped dusting and jacked his brother up against a
wall. No mean feat considering Brad had put on several pounds of muscle since
their last tussle, but still. No one talked about Maria like that. “What did
you say?”

Brad yanked at Mike’s arms but couldn’t pull away. “Quit
being a dick. That insult was directed at you, not her. I love her.”

Mike shook him.

Brad coughed to catch his breath. “Not like that, you moron.
Put me down,” he said, wheezing.

Mike reluctantly dropped him.

“I meant she’s too good to be used like that. If you’re not
taking her seriously, I will. I like her, she’s hot as hell, and she makes me
laugh. I’ll treat her right.”

Panicked at the thought of losing her before he had her,
Mike scowled. “I take her
very
seriously.” If Brad declared his interest, there was no telling where Maria
might go. His brother had charm down to a science and lacked that intensity
that seemed to annoy most of Mike’s exes.

“Then why not ask her out as more than a fuck-buddy?” Brad
held up his hands in surrender but didn’t stop talking. “Because you can call
it what you want, but that’s all you guys are.”

“I’m smoothing my way into her good graces.”

“Bullshit. You’re the king of no commitment. None of your
girlfriends last more than a few months. What gives?”

Mike blew out a breath. “Truthfully? I don’t know. I’m
looking for someone intelligent, sexy, and not needy. I can’t do clingy, and
they all seem to want more than I can give.”

“Maria doesn’t.”

“No, she doesn’t.” And that bothered him. He couldn’t figure
her out. “I’m confused. The woman wanted me for years, then all of a sudden,
she’s over me just when I notice she’s got a kickass body.”

“Not to mention she’s smart, funny, and pleasant to be around,”
Brad added drily.

“Fuck off. I always knew that about her. But I didn’t see
her as more than Olivia’s buddy. Now she’s…”
All I can think about.

“Going to be gone if you don’t make a move. Not by me,” Brad
said. “But by Bobby or some other guy. Hell, two of my friends at lunch
yesterday asked for her number. I said she was taken, but if you don’t get it
together, she’s going to be pretty available.”

“I know.” Mike felt miserable. “But I’m too young to be
attached at the hip.”

Brad stared at him. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“All my married friends complain about being married, that
or they’re divorced and bitching about lawyers,” he admitted, hating to realize
he was afraid. Afraid of failing where his parents had succeeded. And Mike
never failed. It wasn’t in his makeup, so better not to try than risk a
letdown. “I guess I don’t want to make a mistake. The fact is, I’m going to be
deployed again at some point. Marriage to a Marine is hard. I don’t want a wife
who’ll stray or lose it altogether.”

“Wait. Wife?” Brad blinked. “You’re thinking marriage?”

“Huh?
No.
”

“You are.”

“I’m not.” He wiped his forehead. “Shit. Forget I said
anything.” Just as he wished he could forget it. But with Maria in the picture,
he kept seeing into the future and coming up…scared.

Brad narrowed his gaze. “Mom and Dad are not the exception,
you know. A few of my friends are happily married. And yes, for more than a few
months,” he added before Mike could question him. “Quit being a pussy and take
Maria seriously. Or, I’m telling you, she’ll find someone else who will.”

“You—”

“And
not
me, you
jealous moron! Now let’s get to wiping down all these surfaces you no doubt
defiled with Maria. If I wasn’t so envious of your sex life, I’d be disgusted.”

“Whatever.”

“I’m not forgetting this talk, either. I plan to continue to
remind you to be a man. Dickless.”

“I’ve heard enough.”

Brad tried to escape, but Mike had him on the floor, pinned
and gasping for breath. All the while wondering how best to deal with Maria
without putting his heart on the line. If that was even still an option.

****

Maria hadn’t been so nervous since first begging Mike to
sign her cast after she’d broken her arm at age nine. When he hadn’t rejected
her, she’d nearly passed out from the thrill of his name on her body. A lot
like she felt now.

After a full day in Myrtle Beach bouncing ideas off Olivia,
Maria had come to the realization that just because Mike was afraid to admit he
like
-liked her didn’t mean she should
do the same. She’d spent enough time with him to know their physical connection
was something special. And his jealousy—as Olivia agreed—gave her hope he
wanted more.

She could take it slow, but they needed to have a
boyfriend/girlfriend talk. By this point, what was the harm in trying to at
least up their relationship to more than “friends who fuck”?

Sunday night dinner provided the perfect opportunity,
especially since Mike seemed all over her. He took the spot at the table next
to her, bumping Brad next to Olivia. He talked to his parents about her,
mentioning the time they’d spent together in between quizzing them about their
trip abroad, and he held her hand—under the table, but still—throughout the
meal.

“Anyone for dessert?” Elizabeth asked as she stood to clear
the table.

“What do you have?” Maria asked as she grabbed her plate and
stood.

Mike surprised her by taking it from her. Then he shocked
the hell out of her by kissing her on the lips and saying, “I got it, baby.”

A kiss and a
baby
in front of
his parents
.

Olivia and Brad looked smug. Mike acted as if he’d done
nothing out of the ordinary. His parents said nothing, but she could see the
colonel and Elizabeth trying not to smile.

“Ah, okay.” Maria sat back down and tried to clear her
thoughts. Those were positive signals. Now she
had
to have the boyfriend talk. But not in front of everyone.

She finished the meal, not sure of what anyone said, though
she thought she’d managed to nod and smile when appropriate. Before she knew
it, Mike had whisked her back to her home. On the way, she texted Olivia to
find another place to stay tonight.

Fine,
Olivia
texted back.
I’ll hang with Brad, but you
owe me.

Relieved to have time to handle Mike, Maria let him lead her
inside.

“We need to talk,” they both said at the same time.

Maria thought that sounded ominous. He must have thought the
same because his expression seemed grim. “You first,” he offered.

She nodded, praying she was making the right decision. Sure
she’d tricked him a little and been a bit sneaky, but not to hurt him in any
way. She felt that coming clean, admitting her feelings, was the right move.
She prayed. Hoped. Crossed her fingers.

Maria took a deep breath then ran her hands through her long
hair.

“What’s wrong?” Mike asked.

“I want us to be a couple,” she blurted.

“Ah, okay.”

“You know. Boyfriend and girlfriend. Exclusive. Just us
together.”

“Right.”

She hurried on. “I mean, I know I wanted us to be casual.
But being with you, it makes me
always
want
to be with you. Not anyone else, just you.”

“I agree.”

“And it’s so easy to be with you. I don’t have to try. I can
just be myself, and I’m happy. I mean, I’m happy working at my mom’s store. I
don’t need my own coffee shop like Olivia, or some big-letter degree studying
some subject I couldn’t care less about. I’m happy with my life.”

“I am too.”

“So I think it’s time I moved on to something a bit more
permanent. Not trying to freak you out or anything, but I don’t see why we
can’t be boyfriend and girlfriend.” She ran out of breath.

Mike laughed and pulled her into his arms. “Maria, I feel
the same way.”

She gaped at him. “You do?”

“Baby, I missed you like crazy this weekend. I didn’t want
you anywhere near that loser you were eating lunch with.”

“Bobby’s not a loser,” she said absently, wanting to pinch
herself to see if this was real.

“And if Brad looks at you like he wants to do you just one
more time, brother or no brother, he’s going to be eating out of a straw when I
knock out all his teeth.”

She stared at him. “I didn’t freak you out?”

“Not at all.”

She felt so happy she wanted to burst. So she hugged him
until he gasped, begging for air.

“Oh, Mike. I love you so much.”

He pulled away from her, his eyes wide, but before he could
say it back, she kissed him. The kiss turned hot in a heartbeat, and then she
was ripping off his shirt and taking dirty, nasty advantage of him. She worked
her way down his body, not letting him do more than moan her name. She had his
pants open and her mouth on his cock.

“Baby, oh fuck, that’s it. Good girl,” he whispered and
pushed her hair back to watch as she blew him.

It didn’t take him long before he came down her throat. Nor
did she have to ask him to return the favor. He stripped her naked and went
down on her right there in her living room.

They fell asleep in a tangle of limbs then woke hours later
and did it all over again. She’d never been so happy in her life. If things
went right, she knew they could make it to the altar before Mike had to ship
out again.

God, what had she done to deserve this? She didn’t know and
didn’t care. She just hugged her man tightly to her before they trudged to her
room to fall asleep. Together.

What did I do to
deserve this?
Mike couldn’t sleep. He couldn’t control his hard-on, damn
the woman. And he couldn’t figure out how to extricate himself from the
situation he’d led himself into.

He’d been fine with all of it…right up until the part where
she’d said, “I love you.” It was the death knell on any new relationship, and
he now felt pressured to say it back. To feel it. Though he had a feeling he
already felt more for her than affection, the tension that hadn’t existed
between them now festered. They’d get married, have kids, she’d get tired of
him always being away. They’d fight, make up, divorce. He’d have to struggle
just to get visitation… The nightmares plaguing half his friends invaded until
he had a hard time doing anything but panicking.

He eased out from under her and saw her frown when she
reached for him in her sleep.

Fuck.
He had to
figure a way out of this before she got hurt. Hell, before
he
got hurt. Dating was all well and good, but start throwing
around “I love you’s” and women got all marriage-minded. He’d been there, done
that a few years ago with a woman who’d supposedly wanted nothing more than
casual fun—at first. The subsequent breakup had been ugly.

How many times had his buddies warned him not to get serious
so fast? Marriage brought on kids. No more date nights. No more traveling
anywhere at the drop of a hat. No more hot sex.

He cringed just thinking about it. Hell. He was only
thirty-one. Far too young to even
think
about saying
I Do
. It wasn’t Maria.
Any woman at this stage of his life saying the L word would freak him out. But
if he told her that now, she’d be hurt. The last thing he wanted to do to her
was hurt her.

Especially since his own emotions for the woman confused the
fuck out of him. On the edge of all that anxiety about her confession of love
came a warmth, a joy so deep and pure he didn’t know what to do about it. She
loved him. God, was he even worthy of that? So selfish of him to be so damn
pleased, wanting to keep that love all to himself while wanting to run for the
hills at the same time.

Feeling like a heel and not sure what to do about it, he
recalled that he had a military exercise coming up that would provide him some
space if nothing else. A few days spent away from Maria, in the field, would
help. Now he just had to keep his distance while faking the good boyfriend bit
for a few more days.