Corpsman and the Nerd (29 page)

“
What did you
do?”

“
I held him, fed him, took
care of the little details he couldn’t deal with. I did the same
when his grandfather broke a hip. I held his hand the entire time.
Actually, I held him together for a little while there, he was
really worried.” KC remembered how worried she’d been about him
during those days. “I always go with him to pick out baby gifts
when his sister’s have babies or someone gets married.”

Janine smiled. “I’m right.”

KC rolled her eyes. “Of course you’re
right.” She did hone in on Max when in need, but he always cut a
path to her too. They talked about everything and anything. She
even acknowledged that Ryan needed Max. So did she. And he came
through for her, as usual.

“
Max never disappoints me.
He exasperates me, infuriates me, humors me, makes me laugh.” KC
shook her head. “He makes me laugh all the time. He worries with
me, shares with me, but he’s
never
disappointed me.”

“
Sounds like he lacks the
capacity to do so. You love him without reservation.”

“
But, Janine, am I
in love
with him?” KC bit
her lip. She was almost afraid to ask that question, but she needed
to know. Her fear was that because of their bleak circumstances,
she tricked herself into thinking she was in love with Max to
survive. But that all of these feelings would disappear once she
was home again.

“
You won’t know if you’re in
love with him until your tour is finished and you return to him and
normal living conditions.”

“
Thanks for that easy
answer, pal,” KC said wryly.

“
Sure, anytime.” Janine’s
voice was mellow and amused.

“
Sometimes, Janine, I
picture you upside down in a sand dune somewhere,” KC responded
conversationally. “And it’s a
nice
picture.”

“
You’re not the first to
imagine that, girlfriend.” The amusement hadn’t left Janine’s
voice.

When they arrived back at
their tent, KC glanced at the video, finally remembering what had
started her storm of tears. She dropped onto her cot and hit the
play button.
Might as well watch the
rest
, she decided. Talking to Max had
improved her spirits drastically.

“
What happened to you?” Tina
stopped beside KC’s cot and looked her over. KC paused the video
again.

“
Happened to me?”

“
Well, you don’t look like
you’re ready to burst into tears at any minute. You look like
you’ve had a vacation or something,” Tina said, her blonde hair
shining in the abundant, beating sunlight. “Did you get leave and
not tell anyone?”

“
She talked to her man,”
Janine answered for her. KC sent her a look, which Janine ignored
and instead smiled serenely. Something she excelled at.

“
Well, the difference is
noticeable.” Tina plopped onto the cot beside KC. KC moved a bit to
give her more room. Janine joined them and KC handed cookies around
before she hit the play button again.

Max had control of the video
camera now, and amused them with his jaunts into the room where his
family adlibbed to
The Grinch Who Stole
Christmas
. He added his own lines, which
caused the women near hysterics. The funny pans and upside down or
sideways views showed that Lainy was definitely not manning the
camera.

He often pointed the camera at Ryan,
who clowned for her with Max throwing out ideas and directions,
which Ryan certainly didn’t need. But she could tell her son and
Max were a team.

When the time came for opening of
presents, KC leaned forward intently. Lainy wrestled the camera
away from Max, which made her laugh.

“
Mitch, do something with
your wife,” Max complained, trying to keep the camera from her, but
KC knew he would be extra gentle with her, since she was
pregnant.

“
I already did,” Mitch said
complacently and KC laughed. He sounded so smug she nearly giggled.
Lainy did giggle and Max gave up in disgust.

“
You’ve got a kid to watch,”
Lainy reminded him.

His brows shot up. “Oh, yeah, that’s
right.” He rubbed his hands together and picked up their camera.
Their camera. They went together last year to buy the digital
wonder, since they attended the same functions and ended up using
whoever’s camera was nearest. Then Ryan had broken hers, and Max
lent his to a relly but never got it back. So, they decided to go
together and buy a nicer digital model.

Max loped across the floor, camera in
hand, and joined the other parents on the floor snapping pictures.
KC laughed at Ryan and the other kids’ glee with their gifts,
wishing she could have been there, but thankful Lainy and Max had
thought to record the moment for her.

After the kids opened their gifts,
they all moved to one end of the room to test their newest
treasures. The adults gathered at the other end, all keeping a
watchful eye on their offspring. She saw Max had seated himself in
a corner where he had a good view of Ryan. The women with her were
interested in what folks opened even though they didn’t know anyone
on the video. And the Morrison family antics, of course.

Mostly the Morrisons exchanged gag
gifts. So, KC grinned when Lainy handed Max several gift wrapped
boxes and explained they were from her and KC.

“
From KC? How’d she manage
this?” he asked. KC smiled. She had wanted to surprise
him.

“
Well, technology has
advanced to email, and...” Lainy stopped taunting him when he
rolled his eyes.

He held up a hand. “Right. Go away. Go
bother Mitch, I’m sure he’d appreciate that.”

“
Anytime you want to bother
me, love, I’m willing,” Mitch informed his wife as he opened gifts.
He seemed especially pleased with a super-soaker water gun. “Hey,
thanks, Max!”

Lainy frowned. “How do you know that’s
from Max?”

“
I know,” Mitch intoned. KC
watched the two men exchange grins. Her heart flipped.

“
Max, you haven’t opened a
gift yet. Hurry up, I want to see what KC got you,” his mother
directed and KC grinned.

He’d hate her, but she liked the idea
of the gift and when she tentatively emailed Lainy, his sister had
been enthusiastic about the idea.

Now, they just had to convince Max to
wear the gift.

He sighed, and began opening,
continuing to keep an eye on their son. He pried the clothing lid
top from the bottom and lifted the sweater from the box. It was
charcoal gray in color and lightweight with a v-neck. He could wear
a shirt and tie underneath if he wanted to dress the sweater up or
a t-shirt if he didn’t – perfect. KC was pleased with Lainy’s
taste.

Fashionable, like Max, but
subdued enough that he might actually wear it. The size looked
right too.
Go, Lainy
, KC thought.

“
Try it on,” Lainy wheedled
and KC grinned.

“
Here?” Max sent a
look
at his
sister.

“
Yep. We’re family. You
don’t have anything we haven’t seen before.”

“
Yeah, and some of us would
rather not see it again,” Will intoned.

Lainy smacked him and shot quelling
looks at Tom and Ed, who both hooted with laughter.

“
Oh, Max, baby, strip for
us,” Tom heckled.

“
At least Max wears real
clothes,” Lainy said with a sniff and turned her back on them. KC
wanted to applaud her.

“
What a bunch of
characters,” Tina commented, grinning as the brothers continued to
heckle. Greg, a brother-in-law, and John, another one, joined in
easily.

“
They are,” KC
responded.

“
Max Michael Morrison, you
better try that shirt on. KC and I went to a lot of trouble buying
it!” Lainy said sternly and Max shrugged and tugged his sweater
off.

Tina let out a wolf whistle and Janine
blinked in surprise while KC’s mouth went dry.

“
Oh my. His initials are
MMM, see, KC, even his name spells yummy. And so does that chest
and arms. He’s gorgeous,” Tina purred and KC wasn’t far
off.

“
And he’s mine, so back off,
girl.” KC mock glared at her friend.

Tina threw up her hands. “Yes, ma’am!
Although he’s worth fighting for.”

“
He’s got it on,” Janine
announced.

KC turned her attention back to the
video, regret spiraling through her when she realized she missed
him putting on the garment. She would have liked to see his arm
muscles bulge. Max truly was yummy. Mmm, she could rewind the video
later, when there weren’t witnesses in the room.

The sweater fit perfectly. It hugged
his muscles as close as a lover. As she’d like to, but since she
couldn’t be there...

“
Wow, he looks awesome,”
Laurie breathed. “Max, who knew you were such a hottie?”

“
He’s your brother, babe,”
Greg, her husband, reminded her blandly.

“
That’s okay. I’ll take my
frustrations out on you.” Laurie accompanied her statement with a
hot look.

Greg cleared his throat. “Maybe we
could go to the bathroom, so you could, uh, start, uh, taking your
frustrations—”

“
No!
” about ten of the Morrisons said at once. They all looked at
each other and laughed.

“
I don’t get it,” Tina
said.

“
They’ve got eight children
already,” KC explained absently with a smile. Max sure did look
good. She couldn’t believe what the difference a well fitted shirt
could make.

Max had to get up then to settle an
argument between Ryan and one of Will’s younger kids, and KC
started. Will was the biggest of the Morrison men, but she noticed
for the first time, seeing the two of them standing together, that
while Will might have some weight on Max, the two men stood head to
head and shoulder to shoulder. In fact, Max looked like the broader
of the two.

He slouched, that’s why he appeared
smaller. But looking at them now, he and Will were actually the
same size. Where Max was muscled, Will was beginning to run to
bulk, not necessarily pudge, but not complete muscle anymore,
either. Otherwise...

KC wanted to squeeze Max, but she also
wanted to feel that lean, muscled body against hers. Not that she
hadn’t in the past, but this time she carried new knowledge. Of
course, this was Max, and she always enjoyed his scent and warmth.
And the safety his arms provided. Would her new sexual awareness of
him change all that?

She didn’t know if she wanted her
niche altered. Max was her shelter and haven. While she needed
that, she also wanted more. Was it selfish to want all of Max
Morrison?

Chapter 37

Max stared at the papers on
his desk. He was supposed to be working, but couldn’t stop thinking
about the phone conversation with KC last night. She had been a
nervous wreck, and she called him.
Him
. Hope inspired him to send an
email.

He wanted her. No, needed
her. But her calling him told him she needed him too. What did that
mean? Could he have it all? Could he have KC’s friendship, but also
her love? Max wanted her for all those things, but he also wanted
her as his lover.
Lover
.

Shaking his head, he turned to his
computer. With no answers and none for the next three months at
least, he’d best get an email sent. He could do that.

To:
[email protected]

From:
[email protected]

Subject: Bent Rock
Foundation Blow-out

Hello KC,

I’m happy you called me
last night. I wish I could have held you as we talked, but I’ll
take holding the phone. For now.

Thought you’d be
interested to know, under General Emma’s command, we plan to
auction off the puppies this weekend. She hoped to do so between
Christmas and New Years, but in answer to your question, hit a
paperwork snafu. I’m sure heads rolled for that.

Ryan and I will be there
all day. We’re manning the camera, holding up puppies, helping out
at the refreshment stand, and collecting money. Please don’t ask
how that’s all going to be possible, because I don’t know, and I’m
already tired. General Emma will manage to do all those things and
be the announcer too.

We’re expecting a big
turnout. Like I said, we had fifty offers on this new batch of
puppies, and now the number is closer to one hundred. Thousands of
dollars in donations have poured in already, and General Emma
personally delivered a check to Corporal Lance James’ widow and
children last week.

She said the man’s wife
broke down on her, and Emma’s since arranged for her to receive
additional grief counseling. The general has determined that grief
counseling will be the most important aspect of the Bent Rock
Foundation. Although she plans to help push military medical
benefits through, faster and more efficiently, as well. And
anything else the families need as those needs surface.