Chapter 2
Dalton
I haven’t been able to stop thinking about the curvy spitfire from the locker room all day.
This morning I was doing my usual work in the shed.
Max and Rex, my German Shepherds who assist me in keeping the grounds, were roughhousing and knocked over a large container of pesticides.
Thankfully, neither one of them got into it, but it splashed all over me.
I went into the retirement home and showered in one of the employee bathrooms.
Ethan loaned me a pair of his scrubs, but he’s half my size and the clothes fit awkwardly. Still, it was worth it all to have the beautiful curvy woman come in and lecture me on medical ethics.
If I’d grabbed her and pulled her into my arms the way I wanted to, she barely would have come up to mid-chest. She was so tiny, like an angry little pixie, and all I could think about was what those bee-stung lips must taste like.
She was striking, and those scrubs were made to be tugged off. With my teeth.
After we met in the locker room, I asked for the employee handbook. Lauren smirked as she gave me a tattered copy.
I ignored her and thumbed through it. There’s not a thing in it about employees dating, which is fine by me.
Even if it had something to say about employees dating, that wouldn’t be a problem because I plan to marry her.
It’s a crazy idea. But the moment I saw her, electricity went through my body, and I knew.
I knew she was meant to be mine with the same gut knowledge I had when I talked to a recruiter. I knew right then and there I was going to be a soldier. I’d planned to be one for life, but things hadn’t quite worked out that way.
The medical discharge has been tough, but moving to Courage County to be near Bronco and some of the other men that I served with has been the one silver lining in an otherwise rough road.
I thought the Marines were going to be home for the rest of my life.
I never imagined that one day I wouldn’t be in combat any longer.
Fortunately, I saved my earnings while I served. So, when I got out, I was able to buy my own little piece of paradise right here. Sure, it’s an old rundown little cabin, but for the privacy it affords me and the stunning views, it might as well be paradise.
Max nudges my hand, and I look down to see he’s dropped a ball at my feet. Max and Rex are working dogs who help me with the gardens and soothe my anxiety. But at the end of the day, they’re both still dogs, and they love to play.
I grab the slick tennis ball and lob it far into the distance then turn my attention back to the window where Bree is waving goodbye to Lauren.
After our impromptu meeting in the locker room, I spent the rest of the day working on projects close to the home. Truth be told, I followed her throughout the day, moving from window to window, so I could catch glimpses of her as she assisted patients and got familiar with her new role.
Outside, she clomps down the sidewalk and gets into her car, unaware that I’m watching her.
Part of me wants to stop her and talk to her.
I want to convince her to go out on a date with me right now, but I can’t be scaring her off by coming on too strong.
I have to be patient, so she knows that she can trust me.
But that doesn’t mean I’m letting her wander around unprotected. I follow her back to her apartment complex, careful to stay out of sight. I wait until she’s safely inside before I make the slow drive back to my cabin.
I roll down the windows on my drive so Max and Rex can stick their heads out and enjoy the cool spring breeze. There’s no place prettier on earth than Courage County in spring.
Wildflowers are blooming. Squirrels are scampering through the trees. Birds are calling out their love songs. The mountains are waking up from their winter slumber, and this view sure beats years spent in crowded barracks and combat zones.
The moment I pull my truck into my driveway, I stare at my cabin. There are no lights on. Despite the fact the sun hasn’t set yet, it looks dark and unwelcoming.
I haven’t gotten around to fixing up the place the way I intended when I bought it. But that has to change now that I want Bree to come by and live here with me. I want it to go from being my place to our place.
“Look at this cabin, boys. We’ve got a lot of work to do to make this nice for her,” I tell the dogs, knowing they’ll help me get the work done.
When I bought the cabin, I imagined hours of solitude and how soothing that would be. But now that I’ve met Bree, the solitude isn’t the same. It’s not soothing. Instead, it grates on me.
I spend the night wondering what she’s doing as I prepare dinner, putter around my woodshop, and bathe Max and Rex.
When my head hits the pillow, and I stare up into the darkness, I can’t help but wonder what it will be like when she’s beside me.
I want to hear her soft breathing as she drifts to sleep.
I want to feel her mold her curvy body around mine.
I want to wake up to her soft snores and wild bedhead. I want to build a life together.
The next day is the same as the one before. I spend my time moving around the outside of the building. I go from window to window, so I can watch her as I work. If this keeps up, I’m going to bald some of these poor bushes from my incessant pruning. Still, I have to look busy.
She can’t know that I’m staring at her through the glass and already picturing her in white. That I’m already imagining her with her tummy round with my baby. The image makes me long for something I never thought I’d have.
Ever since I lost my grandmother who raised me, I’ve been content on my own. I figured it was the way I was meant to be. Some people have family, and some people don’t. That’s how simple I thought it was. A fact of life that just couldn’t be changed.
But with one dressing down in the locker room, all of that changed. Now I want a family, and I want it with the curvy blonde with the easy smile and sunshine demeanor.
I only manage to hold myself back from seeing her in person until lunch. That’s when I know I have to go get another glimpse of her.
I stow away my tools then put Max and Rex in the shade with some water and food. I remind them to be good boys and give them extra belly rubs before I leave.
Normally, I eat lunch in the garden shed by myself. I prefer not to spend much time in the retirement community. It’s not that I mind the residents or the staff. The staff have always been kind and treated me well.
But I don’t care much for being around other people. They expect responses other than grunts, and I don’t much care for that. After all, I’m not exactly the chatty type. But for Bree, I’ll make an effort to be more social.
Before I enter the employee kitchenette, I pause in the lounge and wash up. I do my best to pluck leaves and twigs from my hair, scrub a little bit of dirt off my flannel, and make myself look presentable.
When I’m done, I go to the kitchenette with my heart pounding and my palms sweaty. She does this to me. She makes me nervous and excited all at once. It’s like being on a roller coaster, and some part of me knows it’s going to be like this forever. She’s always going to have this hold over me.
I step into the employee lounge. Her back is to me, and I take a moment to study her. She’s gesturing to Lauren as they have a conversation. I watch the way she moves, completely transfixed.
I’m taking in those gorgeous curves and that plump ass that I can’t wait to see bared to me as she bends over and I give it to her nine deep. I can practically hear her whimpering and begging. I have to force myself to stop thinking about these things before I become indecent right here.
I wait till she’s finished talking and open my mouth just as she turns around. But I’ve misjudged how close we are. My body moved closer to her, magnetized to her as she spoke, and I was right behind her.
When she turns in her boot, she loses her balance while holding her plate of spaghetti. She slams it right into my chest, warm meatballs and pasta sauce splashing onto my flannel.
Her cheeks go pink as she swears under her breath. Then she cranes her head up to look at me. The shock and horror in her gaze have me wanting to laugh out loud.
I’m going to have my hands full keeping her out of trouble for the rest of our lives. I can’t wait for that. I know I’m going to cherish every second of it.
Staring down at her slightly open mouth, I lean close and give her my flirtiest grin. Then I whisper in her ear, “You just wanted to see me take off my shirt again.”
She sputters and squeaks out, “Did not.”
I give her a slow wink and smile down at her. “It’s okay, pixie. You know where to find me.”