For Love or Duty Page 2

  ~*~*~

  Two days later, Kevin slapped a small amount of cologne onto his neck and loosened the collar of his shirt. Tonight he had plans to loosen up and enjoy an hour of absolutely nothing. No meetings, no soldiers, no superiors or subordinates. A woman might be nice, but it had come to him recently that he needed to settle down and get serious about finding a wife. Ever since then, his desire to hook up had sorta disappeared.

  Procrastination, probably. The thought of marriage had forced his brain to shutdown where women were concerned. What he needed was one last hoorah fling. Then he could go about the business of finding a wife. He'd pulled his black book and made lists of all the women he knew, separating them first by availability and then by characteristics.

  The problem was they all liked him too much for a short fling.

  If he could find a woman who didn’t even like him, he might be able to enjoy himself. No pressure. No expectations.

  Valerie’s face with her hard, disapproving glances that had slid down her stuck up nose came to mind, and he grinned. Yeah, she’d be perfect. Not young. He didn’t want them so young they looked at him with stars in their eyes, like he was some kind of hero.

  She was probably about his age, thirty or so. Maybe a little older.

  Unfortunately, besides showing up at the convenient store, he had no way of finding her except to call Cheryl. Not an option. Calling Cheryl would surely make his conscience come to life and, after the weekend he had in the field, he could use some time out to relax for an evening--let off some steam.

  He drove the short distance through town to his buddy’s restaurant. It wasn’t exactly a single’s bar, but he could still hope for a date. A date, he convinced himself, that could possibly lead to something else but not something more.

  Good God! Who was he trying to convince? He could go on a date if he wanted without hearing wedding bells in the background.

  He slammed his truck into park outside Dougherty’s Restaurant, took the stairs two at a time, and opened the front door for two young ladies. With a smile, he ushered them in. They giggled, making him cringe inside. He couldn’t help but be thankful the days of moony-eyed girls and courtship were over.

  “Ladies.”

  They laughed as they passed him and met up with two soldiers. The younger men apparently appealed to the women, and though Kevin tried to squeeze past without being seen, he caught the look of startled recognition before the men straightened. Don't salute. They didn't, but he could see they thought about it.

  Now he felt old. “At ease, men. I’m on my own time, same as you are.”

  “Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.”

  Kevin held in a groan as he continued toward the back of the rough-hewn, wood-floored room. At the rear was a pool table, standard fare with a few bar stools lining the walls. It wasn’t crowded, probably because it was Monday night.

  A band played a mix of southern rock and grass roots blues on the small stage to the right of the front door. The rhythm of the drums and earthy sounds of the guitars convinced a few couples to the dance floor.

  “Hey, Kevin, can I get you a beer?” Joe tended bar most nights, and though Kevin never thought of himself as a regular, he’d gotten to know the man. Liked him, too. His wife worked the kitchen, and together they ran a good show. Didn’t own the place, but maybe that’s what allowed them to relax on the weekends. Whatever, it worked.

  Kevin leaned over an empty stool and tucked a five into the tip jar. “Sure. That sounds great.”

  He turned his head, the urge to at least smile politely at the person next to him too strong to ignore. His jaw dropped as the scent of Valerie filled his nose—a subtle hint of vanilla mixed with the exotic scent of her perfume—and he locked his gaze on her suspiciously narrowed eyes. “Well, I’ll be danged.”

  Chapter Three

  Valerie tipped her glass to the man standing beside her and to her own run of odd luck. Apparently, fate had it in for her. After her day at school, was it too much to ask for just one night to herself?

  “We meet again.” Captain Blue Eyes Morgan himself. She took an obvious look over his shoulder. “You didn’t bring your friend with you?”

  His look of puzzlement made her bite her cheek.

  “Randy?” she prompted.

  “Oh, yeah. No. I left him home with his dish and water bowl.”

  She had to laugh. The thought of Randy’s desperate eyes still made her cringe. “Bad dog.”

  Her dinner drink sure had made him more appealing, personality-wise. It was true. He had always been physically appealing. If she hadn’t denied the attraction on Friday night, she wasn’t going to deny it now, but there seemed a softer edge to him tonight—his relaxed smile and his friendly conversation with the bartender. His gaze lingered on her face, as if he was truly engaged by every word she spoke.

  When he ran a finger down the back of her hand, it was like a bucket of cold water splashed in her face. What the hell was she doing? Getting cozy with this officer, this arrogant soldier? She cleared her throat. “You got your phone, I assume?”

  Kevin ran the same finger down the frosty bottle the bartender had set in front of him. He patted his front breast pocket. “Yup. Hey, would you like to dance?”

  “No.” The dance floor behind her had beckoned when she first arrived, but she’d smothered the urge as she ate her meal. After finishing up this drink, she’d be heading home.

  “Aw, come on. It’ll be fun, no strings.”

  The man had intrigued her before they’d ever exchanged two words. Was she shallow enough to let his job stop her from a good time? She returned her gaze to him, studied his lean frame.

  He was unmistakably a man.

  And she did like to dance.

  Breaking her rules for Kevin might be what she needed to get out of the slump that school and life had dropped her into. “What the hell. It's only a dance.”

  Kevin took her purse from the back of her chair and handed it to the bartender. “Joe, would you mind putting this behind the bar while I dance with the lady?”

  Scooting down from her stool with as much of a Devil-may-care attitude as possible, she took his hand and led him to the floor. Valerie, in control.

  It had been a long time since she’d let anyone else lead her around. She didn’t mind keeping it that way.

  Kevin’s eyes met hers as they turned to each other. The hunger in them startled her, made her heartbeat quicken. He wanted her.

  Her breath caught in her throat. Leading, and thinking she was leading, were two very different circumstances. His grip on her hand increased and he spun her away from him, only to twirl her back with a flick of his wrist that sent her under his arm and smack up against his chest.

  “Hi. I’m Kevin Morgan. I’m pretty sure you could like me—”

  She opened her mouth to object, which was the only appropriate response to such an egotistical statement, but he stopped her with his fancy foot moves.

  “And, I like you.”

  Well, wasn’t that the winning argument?

  “Let’s enjoy the moment.”

  “Oh, the devil’s promise.” She chuckled, not disagreeing with him. She was hardly looking for long-term with a man who’d disappear at the drop of a hat. She shivered. She wasn’t looking for long term with a soldier. Not now, not ever.

  “You cold?”

  Valerie shook her head and let her hand fall to his waist as the music slowed. Just a dance.

  He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and tightened his hold, closing the space between them. That way, they didn’t bump into the other couples littering the dance floor.

  He touched the side of his head to hers as they swayed, causing a sigh to escape from deep within her. Darn it. He smelled good, too, like Old Spice aftershave on a well-worked man. Though she told herself he was probably egotistical enough to know it, the urge to lean in and enjoy the moment was too great to pass up. She could hear the sirens dinging and her internal guards screaming,
“Mayday! Mayday!”

  “Long day?” he questioned as if they’d been doing this for years, as if he could tell her day had been wrought with tension.

  She hummed a positive response and let the sounds of the people around them cocoon this moment—the murmur of voices, along with the swish of clothing. “Unexpected blip on my transcript. New course requirements, which will mean I have to either add a night course over the summer or enroll again through the fall.”

  His chin rubbed above her temple, making her soften against him even more. Seduction at its best. He was good. She wanted to turn her head and nuzzle the smooth skin below his ear.

  “Where do you go to school?”

  “Albemarle College. It’s a small private school over the hill from Bragg. Specializes in the mental health industry.”

  A stillness came over him.

  Reading people had become second nature to her years ago. She opened her eyes when he pulled away and lifted a brow at the look of speculation and guarded interest on his face. “Disappointed? Yes, I do have a brain. I’m not easy or down-on-my-luck.”

  Kevin’s mouth opened and shut; he frowned, and his finger traced the ridge of her shoulder, sending a shiver down her spine. This time, the shiver was decidedly pleasant. “But what about—”

  She laughed in order to put things back into perspective. Him, egotistical. Her, experienced and wary. “What?”

  “That job? My friend says you get robbed at least once a month. Why don’t you quit? If you’re educated and beautiful… seems a shame to waste that on deadbeats like Randy and whoever’s desperate enough to come looking for a handout.” His eyebrows were completely scrunched by the time he finished, the blue of those eyes, cloudy and dark.

  She patted his shoulder and backed up as the music ended. “Well. That was sweet. I think. Thank you for the lovely dance.”

  “Whoa.”

  It wasn’t female manipulation that pushed her off the dance floor, but she did feel smug satisfaction when he scrambled after her.

  Reaching her bar stool with a pounding heart she was determined to ignore, she smiled at the bartender. “Joe, right?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Thank you for watching my bag,” she said as she took her wallet from the purse Joe handed her and left a ten and a five on the bar next to her plate.

  “You come back anytime.”

  Valerie turned, amused to find Kevin at her back, waiting patiently for her to make the next move. Her admiration grew. She’d never met a guy quite like him. He hadn’t begged, hadn’t gotten cross or irritated. The scale tipped again.

  “Oddly enough,” she admitted, taking a step to stand in front of him, “I do like you, Kevin. I don’t know why. You’re confident, arrogant, and you probably like your women meek and obedient.”

  “Maybe,” he murmured in a very low, noncommittal tone of voice that sent pleasant chills through her stomach.

  She watched his hand reach out and curl a finger around the hair that had fallen from her French twist. She cleared her throat and, in self-defense, leaned out of his reach with a pointed look. “I stopped taking orders from people a long time ago. Apparently, you’re sweet enough to be concerned. But my reasons for working are my own and will stay that way as long as you’re going to assume I’m not good enough for the choices I’ve made in my life.”

  “Too good,” he corrected with a sheepish smile then shrugged.

  “No. I’m not too good for anything.” She’d learned that, too. It had taken her a while to grow up. Army brat, with the emphasis on brat. After her mom had left, she’d become a monster. What little connection to people she’d enjoyed before then had slowly disappeared. Seventeen, on the verge of adulthood, and the biggest snob on base.

  She shivered. Maybe the job was her penance. When the sign had showed up in the window two years ago, impulse drove her to apply.

  “So many shadows.” Kevin’s murmured words pulled her back from the past.

  With a blink, she shook off the melancholy. “You’re a soldier. You know all about shadows.”

  “True,” he replied, taking her arm and leading her toward the door. “Makes me wonder, though.”

  He could keep on wondering, because though the evening had been a pleasant respite, she wasn’t going back into that world. The thought sent a bolt of panic through her conscience.

  She never, never wanted to be that person again.

  Getting involved with an officer…

  It was too much like growing up a Major’s daughter.

  Chapter Four

  Valerie didn’t escape as planned.

  “I’ll walk you to your car.”

  “Ah,” he said, waving a finger in front of her as he walked backward toward the parking lot. “You could stay and keep me company.”

  “No,” she answered too abruptly. “No, thank you.”

  “Then I’ll walk you to your car.”

  “Fine.” She managed to get a step ahead of him, but he was persistent, and after a few strides, Valerie got tired of trying to shake him off and slowed. Screw it, she thought. Apparently he wasn’t going anywhere. “You know, there are plenty of other women in there who would probably love to dance with you.”

  His grin blinded her. “But I like you.”

  “Well, that’s a relief, but I don’t do soldiers.” She blushed. “I mean, I don’t get involved with soldiers like you.”

  “Hey, I’m no ordinary soldier.”

  Of course not. He was probably braver and more courageous than any other soldier she’d met. He had access to top secret files that only the president’s right-hand man could access. He’d been on too many covert operations to count, too. “Oh, darn. See? That always happens to me. I want a nice, ordinary soldier, but apparently they’re all taken.”

  She sighed loudly for added effect, gave him her best nice-try look, and stopped at her car. Rummaging through her purse for her keys, she yelped when his hand came to rest on the back of her neck. Her pulse kicked in again, her body scolding her for the liar she was. He massaged for a moment, hitting the spot to ease the ache in her right shoulder.

  “Think about it, Valerie.” Kevin took the keys she’d retrieved from her bag and opened the driver’s door. “No commitment. Merely a couple of weeks to enjoy each other’s company. Two adults, no strings attached. We part as friends.”

  “Wow, that’s romantic.” And exactly reflected what she’d been living for the last ten years. Why did it offend her now?

  “You’re looking for romance?”

  Frustrated by the entire line of conversation, frustrated that his proposal interested her in the first place even though it made her seem shallow, she groaned and sat down in the driver seat. She grabbed the keys from his hand and hesitated before jamming them into the ignition. “No, I’m not looking for romance. Not from you, especially.”

  She turned the key, and the engine fired to life.

  Kevin closed the door and knocked on the glass.

  Pursing her lips, she opened the window. He reached through to grab her seatbelt and hand it to her. His fingers brushed hers, sending a small jolt straight to her brain. He took her hand.

  With her brain stalled on the sweetness of his gesture, he brought her knuckles to his lips and kissed them.

  She snapped her jaw shut.

  “Sometimes, you don’t have to be looking,” he whispered, rubbing his thumb where his lips had caressed. “Think about it.”

  ~*~*~

  And she did. Through the entire rest of the week. From class to class then work to bed. Somehow he infiltrated her good senses. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw him. Every time she breathed, she smelled him. She wanted to scream from aggravation but nothing could stop it, not even a phone call from her father.

  He’d heard about the robbery and had taken another shot at convincing her to quit her job at the convenience store.

  With a sigh, she lifted her backpack from the kitchen floor and dropped it o
n the tabletop.

  Thankfully, she’d talked him down. His fathering had always been distant, yet sincere. Her rocky young adulthood hadn’t left her jaded to that reality, and she knew he loved her. As she’d grown independent, she had come to appreciate his quiet manner, his way of displaying affection. He delighted in giving orders that usually succeeded in exasperating her, especially now that she was twenty-eight. This time he wanted her to go to the Winter Ball.

  The phone rang again as she opened her laptop, and she picked it up before the first ring ended. “Dad. I told you. I have to rearrange my schedule before I can agree to attend the dinner.”

  A forced deep voice answered, “Let’s make that dinner tonight, honey.”

  Valerie tapped her pencil on the table as a bubble of excitement rose within her. She cleared her throat and took a deep breath. “Nice try, Kevin.”

  “I had to.”

  She bit the smile from her lips. “Hmm. I should be flattered.”

  “You have to admit you’ve been thinking about me.” The faint sounds of rock and roll muffled through the line, and she couldn’t quite make out who the musician was. Not that she cared what he listened to. No. That would be silly.

  “I certainly don’t have to admit anything. Besides, I’ve been busy, and I work. Taking more time off is hardly in the cards right now.”

  He tsked in her ear. “Well now, you do protest, don’t you?”

  She could hear his grin. God, that grin.

  “Simply trying to be honest,” she lied with more than a little guilt and way too much irony thrown in.

  “Even you need a break every now and again.”

  “I was dancing with you four days ago.”

  “So, how about a quick trip to Dolly’s Dairy Parlor? We could sit at the counter and share a banana split.” His voice lowered. “With whipped cream.”

  Valerie swallowed hard. Surely he didn’t mean it to sound seductive. Or did he?

  He did. She cleared her throat. “Um, no. I—I really do need to study.”

  “Too bad. You’re missing out, Val.”

  Before she could respond his phone picked up a bunch of static.