Falling for Her Soldier (16 page)

Ellie swallowed, feeling like she was being grilled. “Yeah, kind of all day, every day. We’ve been practicing, ya know, the tango.”

“Uh, huh.” Tess narrowed her eyes, not defensively now, more in curiosity. “Well, I think it’s awesome. My brother’s seemed really happy on this leave. If that has anything to do with you, thanks.”

Ellie couldn’t help smiling. “You’re welcome. He’s a great guy. And it’s not like I’m torturing myself whenever he puts his arms around me to—”

“Ew,” Tess and Mac said in unison.

She was about to say “dance,” but they’d cut her off.

“Ladies,” Rick said, “this has been terribly enlightening, but I have to e-mail this piece over.” He looked at Ellie. “Thanks again for coming in. I think I’ve got everything I need for now. See you this afternoon?”

“I’ll be there, and thank you.” She was about to say good-bye to Mac, but the blonde was gazing up at Rick, the two of them lost in a silent conversation. It was really…sweet.

“Mackenzie, I’m leaving,” Tess said in a singsong voice, with just a touch of annoyance. Mac didn’t seem to hear. “Come on,” Tess said to Ellie. “I’ll walk you out.”

“Okay,” Ellie said. After a few steps down the hall, she added, “Wow.”

Tess laughed. “I know, right? It’s been like this for months. Rick used to be all conservative and straightlaced before Mac. Now it’s like he doesn’t notice anything when she’s around.” She shrugged. “Just shows you the influence we women have. Speaking of, I was serious about what I said earlier. My brother’s changed.”

“In a good way?” Ellie asked as she opened the door, letting pregnant Tess exit first.

“Oh, yeah. Last night, he asked me—if we have a girl—if we’ll put her in ballet lessons.”

Ellie grinned. “Really?”

“I was shocked. He’s never said anything like that before. He’s normally kind of kid-phobic.”

“That’s sweet,” Ellie said. “Are you having a girl?”

“We’re not finding out. But from the feel of it”—she rubbed her belly—“I’m betting it’s a lineman.”

Ellie laughed. “Hunter will make a great uncle.”

“I think so, too.” She smiled kind of wistfully. “I just wish we knew he’d still be here for the birth, but he’s pretty sure he’ll receive his PCS orders by then. He knows they’re coming early.”

“When are you due?” Ellie asked, her tummy rolling with dismay.

Tess’s smile shifted from wistful to sad. “Four weeks.”

…

“Good game,” Charlie said, peeling off his paint-splattered goggles. “Sorry about…” He pointed his empty rifle at the three red paint splotches on Sam’s chest.

“Friendly fire?”

Charlie laughed, happy to see his buddy joking around, and more than happy to be joking around with him. He’d be first to admit that the situation with Ellie had put a pretty major damper on their friendship lately.
Bros before hoes
. Charlie hadn’t been following that rule very well. He raised both hands in surrender. “You should’ve shot me back, Sammy.”

“I was dead,” Sam said, resting his paintball rifle on his shoulder as they walked up the hill away from the noisy playing field.

“Good point.”

They both sat on the bench outside the locker room, removing their gear. “You headed over to meet Ellie after this?” Sam asked, tossing his goggles and gloves on the ground.

Halfway through pulling the sweat- and paint-soaked do-rag off his head, Charlie stopped and glanced at Sam. “Yes, I am.”

“Don’t sound so worried.” Sam chuckled under his breath. “I know you’re rehearsing the cha-cha or whatever. She called me last night all worked up. Told me you two went to your place and…made waffles.”

Charlie stared at him, a little speechless. “She told you that?”

“My sister and I are close.” Sam bent over to untie his boots. “And listen, I’m not going to butt into her love life anymore. I promised her that.”

Charlie didn’t know what to say; the shock and relief were almost blinding. “So it’s cool with you that I tell her the truth? That I’m Charlie?” he asked, unzipping his sweatshirt and adding it to their pile. He was even more eager to get to the dance studio now. “I was going to wait until her man ban was over, but now—”

“She told you about the man ban?”

Charlie nodded. “She’s got twenty-one days to go.”

The sudden look of concern on Sam’s face took away a bit of Charlie’s relief. “No offense, buddy,” Sam said, rubbing his jaw, “and not to make you even crazier, but I think you should wait until her year is up.”

“Why?”

Sam sighed. “I know my sister. When you tell her the truth, she’ll react one of two ways. She’ll either hate your guts and not stop till she’s clawed your eyes out, or…”

“Or what?” Charlie pressed when Sam didn’t finish. The sudden thought of Ellie legitimately hating him shot a chill between his shoulder blades.

“Or.” Sam paused and wiped his brow. “She’ll attack you the other way. Frankly, dude, I don’t want to think about you and my sister and the
other
way. I know it’s important to her to finish out the year. Just think about it, okay?”

Charlie didn’t need Sam to remind him how important keeping the goal was to Ellie. And if it was important to Ellie, it was important to Charlie, even if that meant he might be on the other side of the country—and who knows how many months in the future—the next time he would get to kiss her. “You make a good point,” he agreed. “Thanks.”

After loading his paintball clothes into a trash bag bound for the Laundromat, then taking a quick shower in the locker room, Charlie headed to the Anastasia Dance Studio. He wasn’t sure if Ellie would be there this early—they hadn’t spoken since last night—but he couldn’t wait to see her. Her car wasn’t there when he pulled into the parking lot, so he turned off the ignition and leaned back on the headrest.

Was it any wonder he’d killed a member of his own paintball team? His mind had not been on the game. Instead, he’d been reliving last night—the way she’d giggled and tossed her head, so carefree. The way she’d looked at him in the moonlight and told him he was worthy of her.

A knot lodged in his chest whenever he thought about her; it was both a very good feeling and a not-so-little reminder that wouldn’t go away no matter how hard he convinced himself he was doing the right thing.

After he’d dropped her off, he’d gone home and sat in his dark living room, replaying every moment of those hours on the golf course. When that was securely ingrained in his brain, his mind wandered, wondering what she would look like by candlelight, lying across a bed they would share someday. He knew what she looked like after he kissed her, the glow in her mossy-green eyes, the redness of her swollen lips; he couldn’t get
that
particular image out of his mind. The future image would have to wait. And he could wait. They had forever, after all.

Listen to me…it sounds like I’m ready to marry her.

But that was crazy—he wasn’t; they barely knew each other. He shook his head. Oh, well, he had the rest of his life to get to know her.

Dammit, there I go again.

His phone buzzed with a text. He didn’t care about the message or the rest of the world, but he glanced at his phone anyway.

Are you coming in or not? Bublé is waiting.

Charlie chuckled and looked over his shoulder to see Ellie standing outside the doorway of the studio. She must’ve walked right past him and he hadn’t even noticed. His mind…

Trying not to look too eager, he practically leapt from his car and bounded to the door.

“Good morning,” she said, looking exceptionally irresistible in jeans and another of those hideously sexy too-big T-shirts, no shoes, red toenail polish.

“Good morning.” He wanted to kiss her so badly that he almost couldn’t move. “Um, sleep okay?”

“Not particularly,” she said as they walked across the lobby. “I couldn’t seem to clear my head.”

Charlie laughed sympathetically. “Me neither. How was the meeting with Rick?”

“Good. Thanks again for setting that up.”

“Don’t thank me now,” he said. “Save it for when you can thank me properly.”

She flipped her hair and gave him the sexiest, most simmering gaze over her shoulder. “Will do, soldier.”

When they entered the studio, classical music was playing. Maybe he’d missed her doing ballet again. Dammit, that had been something else.

“No classes today?” he asked.

“Nothing here at all until this afternoon,” Ellie said as she picked up her phone and plugged it in. “I’ve got two classes, but Jane said she’d take them for me. I think she’s determined to break me of my workaholic tendencies and steal the studio.”

“Remind me to thank her later,” Charlie said, scanning her long legs. “So, I guess that means you’re free all day.”

She lifted her eyes and smiled. “I guess so.” He smiled back and started toward her slowly. Her eyes went wide and she took a half step back. “Because, you know, there’s a lot to do today. I have to meet with Chick to talk about setting up the room…and…and…”

Charlie stood in front of her, touched her elbow, and ran his hand down her arm, weaving their fingers together. It pleased him to hear Ellie’s breath catch from just a simple touch.

“And, uh, I have to call about the food again…”

“Uh-huh,” Charlie said, sweeping the hair back from her neck. He couldn’t help himself; he just needed a tiny taste of her, hair of the dog that bit him last night.

“Yeah,” Ellie continued, “and, uh, a TV news crew will be at the WS later this afternoon…”

Charlie rested his mouth against the skin below her ear. He heard her take in a breath, then her free hand grabbed his side.

“We have to…” She dipped her chin, her breath soft on his neck. Charlie’s heart pounded.

It was a pretty herculean task, but he somehow remembered his conversation with Sam and pulled his mouth away from the sweetness of her neck. She was blinking up at him, breathing fast like she’d just run a marathon.

“Sorry,” he said. “I promised you, no more slip-ups.”

“Yeah, thanks.” She pulled back a little smile and fingered her hair into a high ponytail. “That was a…a close call.”

“We’ve got three days,” Charlie said, trying to focus on something besides her exposed neck. “I don’t want to look like too big a klutz out there.”

“Right.” Ellie nodded. “To work.” She dropped her hair and stepped back. “So, I was thinking about costumes.”

Charlie felt his posture sag.

“Don’t look so tragic. I’m thinking…classic. You in a suit, me in a black dress.” She twisted her lips in thought. “Either something short enough so I can do the leg moves, or long with a high slit.”

“Do I have a vote?” Charlie asked, getting hot under the collar.

“Sorry. I’m just thinking aloud.”

It didn’t matter either way to Charlie. The woman would obviously be beyond stunning in a tatty bathrobe. Although
that
particular image wasn’t helping his temperature to cool down.

“Do you have a suit?” she asked.

Charlie thought for a moment. He had two suits. One black and one blue. He also had his dress uniform. He wasn’t sure which would be appropriate. He figured the ball was formal, and assumed the black one was his best bet.

“I have a suit,” he reported. “I’ll need to buy a new shirt, though.” He chuckled. “Unless I can go shirtless like Chippendales.”

Ellie was staring at him, slack-jawed, then she blinked once, slowly. He wondered if he had that same distractedly lustful expression on his face whenever he pictured her in various stages of undress.

“Yeah, a…a shirt would be…appropriate.” She nodded a few times. “What about the music? You seemed to respond to the Elvis.”

“That might not be a good idea. At least not while we’re practicing.” He couldn’t help giving her body a quick up-down. She grew more beautiful every second.

“Point taken. Bublé it is.”

“
Love
that guy,” Charlie said through his teeth.

For the next hour, he did his best to keep everything as platonic as possible. It certainly helped that most of the time, he didn’t know what the hell he was doing, especially when he tried to lead. Maybe they should play Elvis again. Not if they planned on getting any practicing done. Something about that rhythm while holding Ellie…he was pretty much an uncontrollable beast.

As they improved—well, as
Charlie
improved—Ellie added in little movements, “flare,” she called it. Sometimes when he would close a step, she would arch her back and lean forward, forcing Charlie to balance them both. It was damn near impossible to concentrate with her pelvis pressed against him. And sometimes, she would end a step with this chin tilt, exposing her mile-long neck. More than once, Charlie forgot himself and dipped his mouth to her creamy skin. He wasn’t a monk, after all.

But for the most part, he behaved. He’d been honest when he said he didn’t want to embarrass either of them. And he was surely going to know or recognize a lot of the people attending the fund-raiser. So when he could manage to concentrate for five minutes together, they were actually not too bad.

But then she’d do that neck thing.

“I can’t…” Ellie exhaled in a whisper, clutching his shoulders. “I can’t teach you how to do the progressive rocks if you keep…”

“Progressive rocks,” Charlie couldn’t help repeating, his mouth at the curve between her neck and shoulder. “A move with a name like that begs for action.”

He moved his hands to her hips, then splayed them across her back, easing her body forward and finally locking her in place firmly against him. A distant voice called from the back of his brain, reminding him that he shouldn’t be doing this, but when Ellie moaned and squeezed his shoulders, his mind went blank.

She inhaled a gasp and clasped her hands behind his neck. He felt her body quiver, then she relaxed against his as he swayed them in a circle. It wasn’t exactly a tango move, maybe more like something from
Dirty Dancing
, but it felt right.