Hostile Home Front [Black Ops Brotherhood 2] (Siren Publishing Classic) (7 page)

“You ready for your hot date tonight?” Lynn chided.

Amy didn’t answer. Lynn frowned.

“What’s wrong?” Lynn asked.

“Nothing,” Amy said, continuing to log in to her computer.

“No, girlfriend, something is wrong,” Lynn insisted as she sat down in front of Amy’s desk.

“No, really, it’s nothing,” Amy said as noncommittally as she could.

“Amy, did he call and cancel?” Lynn asked.

“No. Would you please log the computers in up front?” Amy asked Lynn politely.

The library closed at 5:00 p.m. tonight. Fridays were usually slow days, and the clerk was still sick, so it was just Amy and Lynn. Lynn went about her routine, logging in the computers. They unlocked the doors and had their usual slow flow of patrons. There was a homeschool group that came in every Friday and checked out and returned their books. Most were using the public computers that the library housed. Some were book patrons, not in any hurry.

They had a lot of downtime on Friday. They did the usual chores, and at two o’clock, when the library was virtually empty, Amy walked to her office. She had been working up the nerve to call Gavin. She was almost there when Lynn hounded her again.

“What’s up? You don’t seem excited about this date with this hot guy at all,” Lynn said.

“I’m not going.”

“What? Why not?”

Amy turned away and started arranging books on the cart behind them. The library page would be in tomorrow to shelve them.

“Amy, why not?” Lynn asked again.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea,” Amy said quietly.

“What? Don’t you dare do this!” Lynn exclaimed.

“Do what?”

“Chicken out!”

“I’m not,” Amy said defensively.

“Then why is this not a good idea?” Lynn demanded.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Amy said, turning away and gathering the books that had been dropped in the circulation desk book drop.

Amy started to check in the books when Lynn grabbed them and slammed them down on the desk. She grabbed Amy and pulled her into her tiny office behind the circulation desk.

“Oh, hell no, Amy! You’re not doing this! You need to go out with this guy at least once. You said you had fun with him the other night. What happened?”

“I don’t want to go now. I’ve changed my mind.”

“Why?” Lynn demanded and answered for Amy. “Because you’re scared.”

Amy started to walk out but Lynn blocked her way.

“This guy is something else, Amy. I saw him, remember? You can’t do this!”

“Look, I don’t think this is a good idea.”

“Amy, not every guy is like Tim. And a guy like the one you’re seeing tonight isn’t desperate for women. So obviously there’s some chemistry there, otherwise he wouldn’t have asked to see you again,” Lynn said calmly.

Amy said nothing. She knew Lynn was right. There
had
been some chemistry. She felt it the night he had come to her door. Amy felt it the night he sat with her at the gala and later at dinner. Those feelings were driven home when she closed her eyes and saw Gavin in her dreams. It wasn’t just a little chemistry. This reaction was on the verge of being explosive. She felt it when she looked into those steel-gray eyes. She had seen something in Gavin’s eyes she had never seen in any man,
desire
. This man was doing things to her she had only read about in sappy novels. She didn’t want to get her hopes up only to get hurt again.

“Amy, one date, it doesn’t mean you have to marry the guy. And this time you call the shots. If you don’t like him then don’t see him again.” Lynn checked in the books from the book drop.

Amy let out an exasperated sigh, her resolve now shattered. She said nothing as she turned and went back to her office. Lynn was right. It was only one date.

* * * *

Gavin set up the surveillance schedule and briefed the team on what they were dealing with. He knew at some point they would have to raid wherever this guy decided to set up shop. He hoped it wasn’t at Rivera’s mother’s house, but these guys never seemed to be concerned with who they threw under the bus. It was almost six when he finally looked up. He had a couple more chores to do but he could be gone before seven and ready to pick up Amy by seven thirty as promised.

“Gavin?” he heard a soft, feminine voice call him.

Gavin looked at the doorway and smiled. “Hello, Mrs. Ortiz. What can I do for you?”

“I thought I would drop by and give you an invitation to our house for Thanksgiving,” Irene said.

“Thank you, Mrs. Ortiz. But that should be time you spend with your family and I wouldn’t want to intrude.”

“You are family. You’re police family.” Irene smiled.

“Thanks, but uh…” Gavin looked away.

“Amy will be there.”

“What can I bring?”

Gavin was usually very controlled with his emotions and expressions, but his words were out of his mouth before he realized it. It was scary how Amy affected him in such a short time. He was sure if he could just get in between her legs it would all get better and she wouldn’t have this kind of hold on him.

“Whatever you want to drink. Dinner will be at three, so you can come any time after noon. I’m sure David could use help frying the turkey,” Irene said with a knowing smile.

This little lady seemed to read him like a book. Gavin sat back in his chair.
Am I that obvious?

“Thanks for the invite, Mrs. Ortiz. I’ll be there.” Gavin smiled.

“Good! We’re looking forward to having you. Amy really is a nice girl, Gavin.” Irene turned to leave.

Gavin chuckled and shook his head. Irene Ortiz was a sly one. She had to be. She was the principle of the one of the high schools in Victoria. She had to be smart to stay one step ahead of the kids nowadays.

He refocused himself and finished his day.

* * * *

Cheryl walked up the sidewalk to Amy’s house. Apparently, she had been home for an hour and was in a panic about her hot date. When she walked into Amy’s bedroom, it looked like a bomb had exploded in her closet and had blasted clothes all over her bedroom. Amy was so frustrated. Cheryl noticed Amy seemed about ready to cry in her frustration because she had worked herself into a frenzy about this evening.

“What the hell happened in here?” Cheryl asked as she looked around.

“I can’t find anything to wear!” Amy cried in near hysteria.

Cheryl led Amy to the bed and sat her down.

“Okay, okay, calm down,” Cheryl said.

“I–I can’t d–do this,” Amy whispered with a wild expression.

Cheryl turned and started picking through the clothes.

“Yes, you can, and you will. Where did he say he was taking you?” Cheryl asked.

“A movie and dinner.” Amy looked down at her hands.

Cheryl picked up a very nice and soft
chenille
sweater. You couldn’t help but run your hands over the soft fabric when you saw it. If he was indeed a real man, he would be very tactile, and he wouldn’t be able to resist touching Amy. Cheryl smiled a knowing smile.
Yes! That will do the trick.

“Girl! You need to get laid by a man that knows what to do with a woman. Ease up some of that tension,” Cheryl mumbled. “Put on something sexy underneath. It’ll make you feel better. Let me see if I can find some slacks.” Cheryl handed Amy the sweater.

“Cheryl!” Amy cried.

“‘Cheryl’ my ass! It’s a good thing I got rid of all that frumpy shit you had.” Cheryl rummaged through Amy’s lingerie drawer.

Cheryl held up a lacy lavender thong and push-up bra set. It would set Amy’s assets off very nicely with that V-neck sweater.

“Here, get to it!” Cheryl demanded as she lifted Amy from the bed.

Cheryl shooed Amy into the bathroom to shower and change. She continued rummaging through Amy’s clothes until she found some nice trousers. As Amy bathed, she picked through her jewelry and set it aside. She also looked through her makeup and picked the colors that would be best for a casual evening out. Amy came out of the bathroom in her robe.

“Come on get over here so I can fix you up,” Cheryl said.

“I’m not you. I still don’t know why he asked me out.”

Cheryl gave Amy a withering look through the mirror.

Cheryl owned a women’s clothing shop in Victoria and had recently expanded to Corpus Christi. She designed the clothing line as well as the lingerie she stocked in the store. When she went on buying trips she was very particular and sometimes returned with nothing. She never settled when it came to fashion. She especially paid attention to the curvy women, making her store wildly popular. It had really taken off in Corpus Christi.

The fashions for bigger women could be so frumpy, especially the lingerie. Cheryl’s mission was simple. Every woman, no matter what her size, had a right to feel beautiful and sexy. She went out of her way to stock lots of stylish clothes just for them. The majority of women in the state of Texas were a size fourteen or bigger. She had done her market research and it had paid off. Anyone who was anyone in Victoria shopped almost exclusively at Cheryl’s Boutique. Amy was Cheryl’s personal project. It was her goal to make Amy see that she was a very beautiful woman, despite her dress size. Now a very strong and attractive man had seen it, too. It was a mission almost accomplished.

Amy sat at the dressing table and allowed Cheryl to take over. She noticed the attention she paid Amy seemed to calm her. It was seven twenty when she finished with her. Amy looked up and obviously couldn’t help but smile.

“Now how hard was that?” Cheryl asked, arching a perfect eyebrow.

“For you or me?” Amy stood.

“Now, don’t flinch every time he tries to touch you. Honey, looking like that, he’ll try. He can touch, a little. He gets a little bolder, then push him away…slowly,” Cheryl advised as she moved her hands away from her body in a smooth motion. “If he wants to kiss you good night, that’s okay. No damn tongues, not tonight, you cut that shit off right away. Tell him good night and go inside. Make him work for it, baby.”

They heard the doorbell. Amy closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. Cheryl put her hands on Amy’s shoulders.

“Stop that! Everything will go fine. I’ll get the door. I want a look at tall, dark, and smoking,” Cheryl said.

* * * *

Gavin waited after he rang the doorbell. The door swung open and he was caught off guard. The woman that answered the door wasn’t the same one who came to the door with Amy last week. This one was drop-dead gorgeous.
Shit! Did I die and get sent to Wisteria Lane? Where in the hell have all these hotties been hiding?

Gavin was still a man, after all, and he wasn’t blind or dead. He redirected his focus, he was here for Amy. Just the whisper of her name made him shiver slightly. He looked at the woman and realized even though she was stunning, she couldn’t draw the same kind of reaction from him that Amy seemed to manage without effort.

“Hi, can I help you?” she asked.

“I’m here for Amy. Is she here?”

“Yes, you must be Gavin. Come in. I’m Cheryl, Amy’s friend.” Cheryl opened the door wider.

“Thank you,” Gavin said as he stepped into the entryway.

“Amy!” Cheryl called, walking into a room off the side of the living room.

Gavin glanced around the house from where he stood. It was a nice house. He looked toward the kitchen and felt something in the room change. Amy was standing at the entry where Cheryl had disappeared. All thoughts of another hottie vanished. He had to calm himself so he wouldn’t have an instant hard-on because Amy was looking good enough to devour. He said nothing. He couldn’t speak. She looked away and walked toward the kitchen.

“I’ll get my bag,” Amy said quietly.

Cheryl excused herself and walked out the front door, closing it softly behind her. Gavin barely heard her leave. He waited for Amy to reappear from the kitchen. He knew he had to speak eventually. She returned and he smiled nervously.

“Ready?” Gavin asked.

Texas Seafood

Victoria, Texas

November 16, 2007/0026 Zulu

Gavin had picked the dinner spot. It was a seafood restaurant near the house. The movie theater was also in the same general area. They waited at the bar for their seating. He asked Amy if she wanted anything to drink, but she was very quiet. This wasn’t like the other night when they seemed to just hit it off.

“How was work?” Gavin asked.

“Good.” Amy nodded.

Gavin was stumped for a moment. He was expecting her to elaborate a little more. He tried a different tactic.

“I promised David before I went to the gala that I would get a library card. What do I need to do?” Gavin asked.

“We just need proof of your address. We’ll get you a card before you leave. What kind of books do you like?”

Gavin had to think a minute. He hadn’t really cracked a book since he had left the Navy. His job as a SEAL required him to travel, so he always carried a book because it passed the time on really long flights. Truthfully, he read more periodicals than anything else right now.

“I don’t know…thrillers. You know, military stuff, the world’s coming to an end and they only have five minutes to save it.”

“Have you ever read Rob Morgan? You’d probably like him. He writes a lot of stuff like that. His hero is a CIA agent,” Amy offered.

“I’ve heard of him. One of my buddies was always trying to get me to read one of his books,” Gavin replied

They were called to their seat and perused the menu. The previous date they had talked about David and Irene, the police department, and Victoria in general. They placed their order and awkwardly glanced at each other a few times. Amy cleared her throat.

“Gavin? You’re not from here, are you? Texas, I mean. I got that impression the other night.”

“Nope, I was born and raised in Bangor, Maine.”

“Wow! Maine? You’re a long way from home, aren’t you? What brings you here? Work?” Amy asked.