Chapter 9

Sandoval’s Tex-Mex was a tan adobe-style building with a red-tiled roof. There were several cars in the parking lot when Dustin pulled in. Kelcee gave them all a glance, knowing who most of them belonged to. “Well, you’ll get to meet Fran Silver, my BDSM reader, and her husband, Clint. He’s a U.S. Marshal, although you wouldn’t know it. He’s so laid back.”

Dustin eased the truck into an empty parking spot. “Sit tight. I’ll get your door.”

He was certainly gentlemanly, yet a complex mixture of irritation, humor, and tenderness. Opening up to her about his personal struggles couldn’t have come easily. She admired him for that. He opened her door and helped her down. “I’m thinking about buying my own vehicle. I can’t keep borrowing ZQ’s. Want to go shopping with me? I’m leaning toward something low and sleek. Black or silver.”

Jim Dobbins, the guy who crossed the line with her every time he came into the bookstore, pulled into the parking lot with his family and Kelcee groaned.

“What is it?” Dustin looked around.

“Remember the ass who was in the bookstore when you called a few days ago?”

The SEAL’s eyes narrowed and she almost felt him morph into warrior mode. “Yeah.”

She jerked her head toward Jim’s faded blue SUV. “That’s him with his family.”

Dustin backed her against the truck and leaned against her. “Is he watching us?”

“Yes.”

“Then don’t fight me on this. I’m going to give him the impression with one little kiss that we’re a couple, that you’ve already got a man. Which you damn well do. In the SEALs, we call this subterfuge.” Dustin forked his fingers in her hair, pulled her head back, and lowered his lips to meet hers. They’d kissed before, but this was more of a branding—a man labeling what he considered his with heat and passion.

Kelcee had once seen a display of fireworks at a Ravens football game. She had no clue the same reaction could come from the joining of two pair of lips. Her hormones fireworked straight up, spiraled for a few beats, and then exploded into reds, blues, and golds behind her closed eyelids.

She moaned and Dustin pulled back a fraction, his face as shocked as hers had to be. “Kelcee,” he groaned and then came in for the kill. His tongue swept her lips. “Sweeter than sugar. Open,” he commanded. She did. Dustin’s tongue brushed against hers and her ankles went weak. His hand cupped her ass, catching her in mid-slide. “I got you, Kitten.”

Those masterful lips of his captured hers again and, with precise movement over every part of her mouth, inside and out, anesthetized every brain cell. Just when she thought she couldn’t handle any more sexual sensations between the aching points of her nipples and the wetness pooling in her thong, one of her garters came undone with a boing and stood straight out.

Dustin rasped his teeth over her jaw and down her neck. His heated lips spread into a smile against her skin. “Is that a paperclip in your skirt or are you just glad to see me?”

Hell, her garter was nothing compared to the hard-on he’d pushed against her during the kiss of the century. Her heart still thumped a conga beat—and she didn’t even know how to dance.

“Why don’t the two of you just get a hotel room instead of making a damn spectacle outside a family restaurant?”

Dustin’s passion-hazed expression as his face rose from hers silently expressed his displeasure at the interruption. The maddened scowl he aimed at Jim startled the vocal intruder so much he made a step backward.

“A clever man would know better than to interrupt a serviceman when he’s having some alone time with his lady, no matter where it is. We don’t take kindly to anyone upsetting our women, even if the smart-mouthed person thinks he’s being funny. Do I make myself clear?”

Jim’s narrowed glance shifted from Dustin to Kelcee. His chin jerked to her. “Didn’t know you had a boyfriend.”

“I just got back from Syria with a short stay at the hospital. Came straight to Warrior Falls to see my favorite person in the whole world as soon as I was discharged. Nice-looking wife you’ve got there. Jim, right?” The man nodded. “I overheard you talking to Kelcee when you were in the bookstore the other day. Your voice carries quite well over a cellphone.”

Jim paled and spun on his boot heel, escorting his family into the restaurant.

“If the bastard didn’t get my message, my next one will be up-close and damn personal.” Parts of the SEAL suddenly exposed themselves—the dogged determination, the dangerous mindset, the fighting until he succeeded at whatever he’d set out to do. Dustin rested his hands on his hips, huffing like a bull ready to charge an opponent. His scowl slowly subsided from his expression, causing his furrowed eyebrows to look less like a wrinkled caterpillar.

Kelcee’s heated hormones were having a tough time cooling down. So was her temper. He’d kissed her with all that tenderness and passion just to make a macho point. She didn’t much care for being used in a tit-for-tat turf war. “Looks like your subterfuge worked. Now, if you’ll turn your back, I’ll fix the garter that came loose.”

He angled his back toward her and she lifted her skirt to smooth her thigh-high nylons with the black lace tops. A very male groan caused her gaze to lift and lock onto his. Of course the man would take a look-see. She fastened the garter to her nylons and smoothed her skirt before charging around him. “I hope you enjoyed the show.”

She hadn’t expected him to move so quickly having just stopped using his cane. Dustin grabbed her arm and halted her steps. “What’s wrong? I’m learning your moods and expressions. You’ve been fuming since the kiss, which I know you damn well enjoyed.”

“Too bad the kiss didn’t mean anything to you, since you’d made it clear it was only to send a message to Jim. If that’s all it was for, you could have gone a little easier on the lip action and tongue dueling. And my hormones wouldn’t be zinging and pinging like a silver ball in a pinball machine right about now. I think you kissed me like that just to see if you could wind me up. Well, you did and I hope you’re happy, because I’m damned pissed. Hell, you’re like a sex grenade!” She tried to shove him back with little success.

Damn him! He had the audacity to laugh. “A sex grenade?” His dark eyebrows rose and his face split into a wide I’m-too-sexy-for-this-world grin.

Hell, I’ve stroked his male ego instead of insulting him.

“That’s it! I’m going home.” She jerked her arm from his grasp and began charging in the direction they’d just come. One nice thing about a small town, everything was close. “Why didn’t you just kiss me like two guppies?” she tossed over her shoulder as she teetered across the gravel driveway in the friggin’ high heels she’d chosen at the last minute this morning. She should have gone with the black wedges or her flats but, no, she wanted to get all sexy-looking for the creep.

“Guppies?” His voice bore down on her, so she picked up speed. “So help me God. When I get my hands on you…” An arm circled her waist and spun her around. “What was all that kissing back at the store?” His thumb jerked in the direction of her bookshop. “First, you were smooching my unscarred cheek and then all over the ugly one. Is that something you do for everyone who has a wound? Were you just showing me pity? Or what?”

This man really had his insecurities. While she wanted to grit her teeth and punch his jaw, she sensed he needed the truth. “No, I’ve never done anything like that to anyone. Well, okay, if a kid has a skinned knee, sure, but your injuries go soul-deep. I was only trying to show you they don’t matter a flying fig to me. I like you for you. I kissed you for you. Just now, you kissed me to teach Jim a lesson. When that realization hit me, it hurt.” She turned away and blinked her eyes. She would not cry in front of him; bad enough she’d gotten all weepy over the flowers he’d given her.

Dustin brushed the hair away from the back of her neck before he bestowed a long kiss on her sensitive skin. He wrapped both arms around her waist, pulling her back into the strength of his chest. “Kitten. What is this thing growing between us? Don’t you think it’s time we talked about that?”

His fingertips gently trailed up and down her arms. “Did you think that kiss meant nothing to me? Couldn’t you tell how you physically and mentally turned me on?” He cupped her shoulders and gently turned her around.

“Maybe the initial idea of showing Jim a thing or two was a lame one. But once my lips touched yours and your body melded into mine, the game plan changed. Hell, that kiss was so phenomenal, I’d forgotten all about the son of a bitch until he spoke. All I could think of was you.”

He breathed kisses over her eyes and cheeks. “Only you. And I’m telling you right now, unless you pitch a bitch of a fit—which I have a damn good idea you can do quite nicely—this friendship business between us isn’t going to work. So you better think on that for a day or two. Do you want to be involved with a wounded warrior? Until then, let’s go in and eat. I’m starved.” He caressed her back and ass with his wide hand. “Kissing you takes a lot out of a man.”

Kelcee’s mind processed all he’d said at high speed. Just why had she kissed his scarred cheek? She hadn’t planned on it; something within her heart just drove her to do it. Why did the thought of his kissing her without deep emotion behind it wound her feelings? Did she want more than friendship from him?

“Kitten, are we okay for now? I don’t like hurting you.” Dustin enfolded his arms around her and covered her lips with his. One sweep of his tongue and her hormone conga line got to swaying and high-kicking once more.

She was still trying to settle the conga line while they walked across the parking lot. When Dustin reached to open the door to Sandoval’s Tex-Mex, the smell of cumin and jalapenos and festive mariachi music enveloped them. They walked into the restaurant, and a few people went silent, staring at Dustin’s scarred cheek. To his credit, he kept walking, his hand on the small of her back. Fran waved at them.

“Let me introduce you to my BDSM reader and her husband. Just don’t spill the beans about the books.” Kelcee led him to the Silvers’ table. “Fran, Clint, this is my date, Dustin Franks.”

Fran, whose eyes had widened when Kelcee referred to Dustin as her date, clasped his hand in both of hers. “Any friend of Kelcee’s is a friend of ours. How lovely to meet you.”

“Nice meeting you. Didn’t I see you talking to Junebug the other day?”

“Why, yes, you did. We’ve been friends for years and years.” She kept pumping his hand. “My, you are a handsome young man.”

“Sugar Loaf, let go of his hand. You’re cutting off his circulation.” Clint stood and shook Dustin’s hand briefly. “Are you one of ZQ’s old team? He said a few of you were staying at the ranch with him.” Dustin nodded. “I was a Ranger, myself, in ’Nam. You need to talk, son, I’m always available.”

“Thank you, sir.” Dustin’s pressure from his hand on her back increased. “Kelcee, we better find an open booth while we can. Nice to meet you both. The two of us are really hungry, so we’re going to order. I hope to see you again.”

On their way to a booth, a child pointed at Dustin. “Look at him. He’th ugly. He’th thcary, like a monthter!”

Her gaze narrowed on the rude kid who’d blurted her date looked like a monster. Too bad the youngster’s parents, Mark and Nina, hadn’t taught him better.

To her surprise, Dustin stopped and pushed back his ball cap. “What’s your name, son?”

The kid’s eyes widened as he stared at Dustin. “Duth…Duthtin McGrath.” The loss of his two front teeth gave him a temporary lisp.

“Hey, that’s my name, too. Is that cool, or what? I didn’t always look like this, Dustin. I was injured in the war. That’s where I got the scars. I was in a building when it exploded.”

“Did…did anyone die?”

“Yes, my Navy buddy. He had three children back home, so now they’re without a daddy. Sad, isn’t it?” The little boy nodded. “I’m new in town. Would you be my friend, Dustin?” He held out his large hand and the child slipped his smaller one into his. They shook hands. “You be good for your mommy and daddy, now.”

“I will.”

“You were in the SEALs?” The boy’s father motioned to Dustin’s cap.

“Yes, sir, I was. Still am. I’m just on medical leave right now. I lost my left leg from mid-calf down, so I need some healing and heavy physical therapy time. Then I go back for another evaluation to see if they’ll keep me or give me a discharge.”

“Were you in Syria?”

Dustin nodded. “But that’s really all I can say. Our missions are secret, so we don’t speak of them.” He turned his attentions to the child again. “Next time you see someone who looks like me, or worse, there may be a reason why they’re like that. A reason that person can’t help, my friend. So say something nice to them. Okay?”

“Okay. Are you a hero?” The child stared at him with expectant eyes.

Dustin’s neck reddened. The boy’s father spoke up. “Yeah, Dusty, he’s a hero.”

Kelcee sensed Dustin had had enough talking to strangers. The fact he’d stopped to explain his appearance to a little boy surprised her, especially after his earlier confession that just the thought of walking into this restaurant made his stomach queasy. Yet he was battling his fears to help a child understand. Her heart swelled with pride for this wounded warrior.

She took his hand. “Let’s order, sweetheart. I’m starved.”

The father stood and shook Dustin’s hand. “The name is Mark McGrath. I run the local feed store and lumberyard. This is my wife, Nina, who has a full-service beauty shop in town. Thank you for your service, Dustin.”

“Your gratitude is greatly appreciated, Mark.” Dustin’s face was pale when he wrapped his arm around Kelcee’s shoulders. They slid into opposite sides of a booth and he planted the heels of both palms into his eyes. A waitress hurried over. Kelcee ordered a margarita and Dustin couldn’t seem to speak. “He’ll have a shot of tequila and a beer chaser. Is that okay with you?” He nodded and grabbed a napkin from the holder and wiped beads of sweat from his face. The waitress sat a bowl of warm tortilla chips and salsa on the table before she hurried off for their drinks.

“Holy hell. Tell me that’ll get easier.”

She took his clammy hand and squeezed it. “That couldn’t have been easy for you. Yet, you taught a little boy a valuable lesson. You just made an important step. I’m proud of you.”

He sat back and looked at the ceiling, exhaling a long breath. “I wasn’t going to stop, but the SEAL in me wouldn’t let me run, no matter how much the chickenshit man inside wanted to walk out that door and get in the truck.”

A small hand rested on his arm. “Duthtin?”

He looked at the little boy. “Yeah, Dusty?”

“I’m thorry I thaid you were thcary looking. My daddy thaid to be a THEAL, you have to be the betht of the betht.” He scooted his little behind onto the seat beside Dustin. “I…I wanna be a THEAL when I grow up.”

“Now that would be awesome. Do you get good grades? You can’t be a SEAL if you flunk classes.”

The kid nodded. “I’m in firtht grade. I ain’t flunked yet.” His little pigeon chest puffed out with pride.

Dustin glanced at her, humor dancing in his eyes. “Wow, I’m impressed. Can you swim?” The boy smiled and nodded again. “This is the hard part. Can you take orders? When your momma tells you to clean your room or your daddy asks you to get your toys out of the driveway, you have to do what they ask. ’Cause SEALs follow orders.”

Dusty sighed. “I wath doing tho good until you got to that part.”

“Well, now you have something to work on.” Dustin elbowed him. “Right, buddy?”

Nina walked over while Mark went to pay their bill. “Kelcee, I didn’t know you were dating.” She winked at her. “And such a handsome man, too.” She touched Dustin’s arm. “I hope Dusty isn’t bothering you.”

“Not at all, ma’am. We’re just talking man stuff.” He ruffled the boy’s red hair. “I’m glad you’re my new friend, Dusty.” Dustin removed his SEALs hat and made an adjustment to the back before placing it on the boy’s head. “Here, wear this until you earn your own.”

The kid’s face beamed. “Really? It’th mine? Wait ʼtil the kidth thee thith. Thow and Tell ith on Monday. I’m taking it in to thow off. Latht week we had to look at Miranda’th collection of Barbie dollth.” He pulled a scowl. “Totally boring. But not thith.” Dusty took the hat off and touched the gold pin.

“That’s a Trident. It’s the symbol of the SEALs. SEALs stand for the places we excel at and work in—sea, air, and land. For example, sometimes we parachute out of airplanes over the ocean, land in the water, and swim a mile or two to reach land and complete a mission before anyone knows we’re there.”

“Wow,” the boy breathed before he gave Dustin a healthy dose of hero worship as he popped to his knees and kissed the scarred cheek he’d once thought ugly. “Bye, hero.” He socked his cap back onto his head, took his mom’s hand, and marched off.

Dustin looked like he’d been, as Frank used to say, “poleaxed.” His lower jaw moved side to side and he blinked rapidly. She covered his balled fist with her hand. “Even now, you make a difference.”

He didn’t respond. The waitress served their drinks and Kelcee told her they hadn’t decided yet on what to order. Dustin downed his tequila shot and gulped his beer. “Be back,” was all he could force out before he charged for the door, nearly jerking it off its hinges when he yanked it open.

Part of her wanted to run after him, but she knew he needed his space to work through his emotions. She could be his friend, she could be more, but she couldn’t heal him or make him happy. He had to do that himself. If she helped open his heart to those changes, she’d be relieved, for he was a decent man. The more time she spent with him or talking to him on the phone, the more she was drawn into the awareness of all his good points, deep down where it counted. It was his scars—inside and out—that controlled him now. Only he could regain parts of the person he once was. The ghost of the admirable man she saw whether he wanted her to, or not.

The waitress came by to see if they’d decided and Kelcee ordered two large variety platters. Dustin could eat what he wanted of the assortment. She was so hungry, she’d finish hers, no problem.

In a matter of minutes, he sauntered back in, wrapped his hand around her cheek, and leaned to kiss her. His lips were warm on hers, warm and somehow toe-curling and possessive. “Sorry. Big, bad SEAL thrown by a first grader with a toothless lisp. Took a trip around the parking lot to get control again.”

She glanced deep into his eyes and saw the remaining effects of an emotional battle he’d waged with himself. Although his current cavalier attitude was cute, she wasn’t buying it.

He sat and took her hands, rubbing his thumbs over her knuckles. That slow, sexy grin she loved grew and blossomed. “Now, about that black garter belt…”