Her Sexy Marine Valentine

But first he had to lose the headaches. They were a distraction that interfered with his flying. He couldn’t protect people if he had a blinding migraine.

He partly blamed Mari’s proposal for the tension today. He’d been thinking about her a little too much. That sweet smile of hers and her ability to make such a great meal on a hot plate were turn-ons. The rockin’ bod and beautiful eyes didn’t hurt, either.

His body tensed.

Mind out of the gutter.

He had a new rule. One he’d added to his code in the middle of the night when he couldn’t sleep. No more attachments. Ever. Life was easier like that. Mari deserved the kind of man who could cherish and protect her. A man who could make that lifetime commitment and wanted the white picket fence.

That man is not me. Maybe he had a little of his father in him after all, because when it came to women, Brody couldn’t see himself settling down. That might make him selfish, but at least he was aware of it—unlike his dad, who seemed to be perpetually married, perpetually looking.

He’d had a string of stepmothers, several he’d never met, since he was off serving in combat missions for the better part of the last ten years. Though his dad’s recent email had mentioned he was single again, it wouldn’t be long before his father hooked up with someone else.

Not my thing.

Nope. Women were a distraction that he didn’t need right now. He liked his quiet life.

The outer office was empty, so he knocked on the CO’s door.

“Enter.”

Brody straightened his shoulders before he turned the knob.

“Sir, Peterson said you needed to see me.”

The other man nodded, but didn’t look up from the papers he was signing.

“My daughter tells me you have a girlfriend.”

What? Aw, man. He remembered meeting up with Carissa at the grocery store. “It’s kind of new.” That much was true. They’d only just met officially.

“Good to see you making friends. Be sure to bring her to the picnic on Saturday.” What the...? The CO was ordering him to bring a date?

There’s no way he’d drag Mari to anything base-related. That part of his life he wanted to keep private. Besides, the less time he spent with her, the better. The more he thought about her proposal, the more he thought it might be best to stay as far away as possible.

“She’s pretty busy on the weekends renovating an old Victorian.” Again it was the truth. “I’m not sure she’ll be able to get away.” He stood by the door, hoping that he could make a quick escape.

“It’s only a few hours. You’re in charge of a large squadron. We like to see our Marine instructors as leaders. Setting a good example. Are we clear?”

“Yes, sir.”

Now he had to tell his CO the truth.

One of the support staff stuck his head in the door behind Brody. “Sir, your daughter is on line two.”

The CO nodded. “You’re dismissed, Brody.” Then he picked up the phone.

Brody hesitated. He had to be honest about Mari, he owed it to her, if not himself, but the other man motioned him out.

What have I done? He couldn’t ask Mari to a silly picnic. After his abrupt departure last night, she probably hated him. He’d finished his tacos, chugged his water and then booked it as fast as possible. He’d promised to think about her proposal and he had.

Bad idea.

But did he have a choice? She was a woman in need. Though he liked to think of himself as tough and unsentimental, he couldn’t leave her in the lurch. The house was a disaster at the moment. It was sad that she had to live in it while she fixed it up. She should be in a fancy penthouse somewhere and enjoying her life.

Fine. He was going to help her.

And now he’d have to convince Mari to help him, as well.

Why couldn’t people stay out of his personal life? That the CO thought it was better that his soldiers be married or engaged in order to get ahead made no sense to Brody.

But the CO hadn’t really given him a choice. Toe the line or you’re out. The message had been clear.

Forty-five minutes later, he was back home. He changed into his running gear and five miles after that he stood in front of Mari’s door. Before he had a chance to knock, she opened the door. She must have seen him coming up the drive.

His shirt was stuck to him, and even though it was January, he was sweating from every pore. Probably should have showered first, but he didn’t want to lose his nerve.

This had to be done. He had to at least try.

Her hair was in a high ponytail and she was wearing short overalls with a pink bikini top underneath. There was dirt on her nose, and he wasn’t sure he’d ever seen anyone so gorgeous.

That bikini top was—

Eyes on her face, Marine. It was a challenge because of how she filled out the top, and then there was the curve of her hips. For the life of him, Brody couldn’t look away. She was funny, gorgeous and good-hearted. And strong. To have gone through what she had with her ex, he had a lot of respect for her. He’d been thinking about that last night, too. Most people, men and women, would give up trying to fix something like this house on their own. But not Mari. He admired her work ethic.

And the idea of him lounging on his butt across the street while he knew she was struggling didn’t sit well with him. They’d help each other out. Maybe even be friends. She might even cook him another meal.

She smiled.

Dang. Keeping his hands off her was going to be problem. But he had to do this. He was a Marine, trained to handle any situation.

“I’m sorry about last night,” she said quietly.

“What do you mean?” Now that he thought about it, the night had been kind of perfect, eating tacos outdoors by the fire. Until he’d left like a jerk. She had no reason to apologize.

“Please don’t make me repeat it. You know, the part about working on the house. We’ve just met and I feel dumb for asking you.”

He’d made her feel bad. Now he really felt like a jerk.

“I will,” he said quickly. “Help you, and I’ll do it for free. But you have to do something for me in return. And it doesn’t involve home-cooked meals.”

She smiled. “Free? I’ll do anything.”

His cock twitched, instantly ready for action. Was she flirting with him?

That loaded comment burned him from the inside out.

Be calm.

This would only work if they kept things casual between them. He didn’t have many friends who were women, but he could do this.

He shifted to attention and put his hands behind his back to keep from touching her.

This might be tougher than he thought.

He cleared his throat. “I need you to be my girlfriend.”

* * *

MARI WAS GLAD she had her hand on the door frame or she might have fallen to the dusty floor.

His girlfriend? This was some kind of weird dream. She’d fallen asleep while tiling or something.

Wake up, Mari! Wake up! You’re probably snoozing on the bathroom floor.

Brody wore a tank that left his muscular biceps free. He must train for hours every day. The damp shirt clung to his abs.

Why am I so obsessed with this guy’s stomach?

Because it’s awesome.

What was he saying?

“Remember at the grocery store?”

“Not a day I will ever forget. You saved me,” she said honestly. Her voice was slightly hoarse from the need coursing through her body.

Focus, Mari. Don’t look at his... OMG. Eyes, focus on his gorgeous eyes.

“Right. Not that. After, when Carissa, my CO’s daughter, came up. She told my boss we’re dating and he’s insisting we come to the picnic. I tried your excuse of ‘we have to put in the floor’ and had no luck. I even tried to tell him the truth about us, but he wouldn’t listen.”

Mari was still trying to adjust to the idea of the sweaty, broad-shouldered Marine being at her door. His muscles glistened. The man was too much.

Too much man for her.

“Picnic?”

“Yes.” He ran a hand through his short, dark hair. He didn’t have the buzz cut a lot of the Marines around town did. “I’m making a mess of this. Probably totally confusing you. See, they do these events where we all get together, something about creating a more cohesive unit.”

“Okay? And you need a pretend girlfriend, why? I mean, you’re a good-looking guy, just about any woman would be happy to hang on your arm.”

“You think I’m good-looking?”

She snorted. It wasn’t very attractive.

He frowned as if he didn’t believe her.

“Seriously? Dude, you’re hot.”

He looked skeptical. “I never really thought about it. Carissa saw us together and— Are you okay? You’re all flushed.”

Her entire body was warm from the top of her head to her toes. It had been a long time since she’d been this turned on. “Fine. I’m fine. So explain it again. Sorry, I’m a little out of sorts. I was working in the bathroom and then you showed up. And you want me to do this because...?”

His eyebrows drew together as if he was trying to determine if she was sane.

Right now, I’m not sure. Back away, handsome man. Back away.

“Anyway. I don’t want a real girlfriend. I’m not good with that kind of long-term relationship. There are always too many expectations. And I...that is, I don’t need complications right now. I need to focus on work and make sure my team is as strong as possible before they’re deployed. So I was hoping that I could help you with your house, and maybe you could go as my ‘friend’ to these required outings the boss has put together.” He air-quoted the friend bit.

She wasn’t sure what to think. Why couldn’t he form attachments? Do a long-term gig? Then again, she was in no shape for any kind of relationship, either. She was seriously off men for good.

No, for real. You are off men. No more. Ever. Well, at least until the house was finished.

And he’s free labor.

And, oh, yes, she deserved a little man candy to look at. Every woman did. He could put up the drywall and she could stare at those powerful muscles of his.

There was that.

“What exactly would I have to do on these dates?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. Whatever women do. Can I be honest?”

“Sure.”

“I’m up for a promotion. The CO wants to see that I’m settled. Stable. For some reason, having a woman in my life would make him think that I’ll be more focused, which is not exactly how I see things, but he won’t see reason. So, yeah. I just need you to act like you’re into me, and be polite and stuff.”

“All right, but so we’re clear,” she said, having a brief, rare moment of clarity. “I think this is a superbad idea. Someone will probably find out. And then we’re both going to look foolish.”

“Ten-four. I couldn’t agree more. And if I could manage to tell him without him reading me the riot act for the fifth time this week, I would. But this will be more of a business relationship between us, right? You need a handyman and I need a girlfriend. We fix up your place, go to a couple of events and chill out, and then we break up, like most couples do.”

Hmm. “Can I be the one to break up with you?” She didn’t know why, but that was a deal breaker.

He shrugged. “Fine by me.”

“Can you tile a floor?”

“Yes.”

“How good are you with a paintbrush?”

“Better than most.”

“How about drywall?”

He peeked around her into the dining room behind her. “I could have those walls up in less than an hour.”

Really? He would save her countless days and all she had to do was go out on a couple of dates with a good-looking guy?

And we’re questioning this because...?

“Okay. I’ll do it.”

He smiled then, and her heart tugged. She suddenly remembered why this was a bad idea.

Danger. Danger. Danger.

“Really?” He stared at her as if he expected her to take it back or something. What? Were they in second grade?

Why not torture yourself? At least you get the eye candy up close. “Yes. It’s a win-win. You’ll be forcing me to get out of my house once in a while and I get free labor. I might even cook for you, as long as you don’t mind simple food. I can’t do much more than tacos on the hot plate.”

He thumbed some dirt off her nose.

Great. So attractive. Should have washed her face or at least looked in a mirror before she opened the door. She’d caught a glimpse of him running up the street and had stood staring until he’d jarred her to her senses by approaching her house.

Well, at least she wouldn’t have to worry about him making moves on her, given her messed-up appearance.

He was staring at her again as if she were crazy. Had he been saying something?

“Okay. Deal.” She held out her hand and pretended to have been thinking about whether or not she wanted to do this.

His hand swallowed hers. It was so big and rough and she wondered how it would feel on—

“What are you working on?” he asked.

It took a few seconds for her to clue in to what he’d said. No sex. Just friends.

Keep telling yourself that.

“Bathroom fixtures arrived. I’m laying tile so I can put everything together.”

“I can help you with that.” He glanced down at his sweat-soaked shirt. “Forgot I might need a shower.”

She shrugged, trying to act nonchalant. “Seems silly for you to get cleaned up only to get dirty again.”

Dirty. Why did everything out of her mouth sound like sexual innuendo?

Because those shorts were tight against his—

Stop it.

She pushed away the idea of stripping that tank off him and running her hands across the tight abs underneath. Far, far away.

Until she was alone, later, in her bed.

He’s staring again!

“Right. Tile.” She opened the door wider.

“Cool.” He stepped past her and into the house. “Is the bathroom on the second floor?”

“Yeah. First door on the right.”

The man’s backside as he climbed the stairs was a sight to behold.

Free labor. Free labor. Free labor.

No, this wouldn’t be torture at all.

4

BRODY USED A rag to clean the last of the grout off the guest bathroom floor. The black-and-white hexagon tiles were dizzying up close, but when he stood and backed toward the door it made the bathroom appear bigger than it was.

“It’s an optical illusion,” Mari said from behind him. “And you did that so fast. I can’t believe it.”

“I put down floors in my grandmother’s house the last time I was on leave. She wanted tile and wood, so I learned a lot through trial and error. Every summer from about the time I was eleven until I went into the Marines after high school, I worked for my uncle’s construction company.”

It was one of the final chances he’d had to be with his grandmother, and he was glad it was a happy memory. She’d died from complications from a stroke later that year. As her only grandson, and with his mom gone, his grandmother left him her house, which he’d sold. That place had nice memories for him, but the offer had been good. And it would be several more years before he’d be able to pick where he wanted to live. Probably not until he retired from the military. He missed her—she’d been the one constant in his life when he was growing up. Well, that and working with his dad’s brother. But his grandmother had been such a solid female influence, and one of the kindest women he’d ever known. He rubbed his forehead and closed his eyes. Best not to start thinking about the past.

“I brought you some water, I didn’t know you’d be done so fast.” She handed him the bottle. Her pink bikini top was snug against her breasts and he had to force himself to look away. She was going to be his fake girlfriend, not the real one. It wouldn’t pay for him to act on his attraction to her. Keeping it simple was how he made it through each day. Work, eat and sometimes sleep.

Her head cocked. She was watching him.

“So it needs to dry overnight, and then we can start moving in the cabinets and stuff. Is there anything else we should get done tonight?” He chugged down the water.

“You’ve done so much already, thank you.” She handed him another bottle of water and took the empty from him. But her eyes were on the room behind him. He stepped around her, so she could have a better view.

“Wow. This is...wow. You really are fantastic at this. I mean, beggars can’t be choosers and all of that, but I wasn’t expecting it to look so professional. I’d hoped, but...this would have taken me at least a week and it wouldn’t have been nearly as good. I feel like I should pay you.”

“No,” he said quickly. He really needed her to help with his CO problem. “I mean, we have a deal and I don’t mind. To be honest, I like to stay busy.” When you slept only an hour or two a night, it left a person with a lot of free time. His landlord had been so pleased with what he’d done to the house he was living in, she’d knocked another fifty bucks a month off his rent. He still wanted to do the landscaping for her, but that wasn’t possible until spring.

“You didn’t answer my question,” he said.

She glanced back at him.

“About needing anything else done tonight?”

Her eyebrow rose, and he’d give anything to know what she was thinking. From the expression on her face, he wondered if she might have taken his question the wrong way. As in sexually.

Nope. He couldn’t let his mind trip down that path, or he’d never survive the next week.

“There’s always something to do around here, but it’s almost nine. If you have time tomorrow night, maybe you could help me replace those fixtures. Meanwhile, the plumbing should be finished in the kitchen by Friday, until then I’m going to paint the bedrooms up here.”

“I could paint one of the bedrooms tonight.”

She put a hand on his arm. “You have to be exhausted. You worked all day. It can wait, and honestly, painting is the one thing I do fairly well. I’d rather use your help on some of the more difficult projects like the drywall.” While still holding onto his arm with one hand, she reached back to point downstairs with the other. Her bikini top slipped just a bit. Her luscious tan globes were absolutely mouth-watering. A little farther and he’d see—

No. He forced himself to look away again.

That didn’t keep her touch on his arm from sending heat to his groin. When he glanced at her hand on his forearm, she lifted it away as if he was hot to the touch.

“Sorry,” she said. “I—I know some people don’t like to be touched. I wasn’t thinking.”

He shrugged. “Not a big deal.”

Except when you do it. What was that? The urge to pull her close and kiss her senseless was overwhelming.

Have to get out of here now.

“Okay. Right. It’s late. You probably need your rest. I’ll be back tomorrow to give you a hand,” he said quickly. Then he was down the stairs and out the door before she could say anthing else. He hoped she hadn’t seen the erection tenting his shorts.

Jerk. She probably thought he couldn’t handle the soft touch of a woman.

You are a jerk and you can’t handle her touch.

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