Cockpit: A Second Chance Romance (3 page)

Some of the guys knew who I was of course. That helped them open their wallets. But I think the rest were just starved for female company.

I sighed.

I was pretty starved for company myself.

Too bad Jagger hadn't turned out to be the Prince Charming I'd thought he was. He'd shown me one hell of a good time that night. He'd impressed me and left me wanting more.

But I'd asked around about him after he shipped out. Especially after I found out I was carrying his baby.

What I found out kept me from trying to get in touch.
 

I shouldn't have been surprised. But I was. The way he had treated me that night... he had been so tender and passionate.

He hadn't seemed like a manwhore.

According to rumour though, he was. The biggest player in the Marines apparently. Maybe the entire Armed Forces.

That had stung a bit, knowing I was one of many. Many-many. Not just dozens of women.

Hundreds of women.

But I'd picked myself up. So what if my first time had been with a he-slut? At least he'd know what he was doing.

Boy, had he ever.

I spent a lot of time thinking about that night over the past year and a half. Lots of lonely nights, remembering the feel of his arms around me. Imagining I still was wrapped up inside them.

It was weird, but I hadn't felt like he was seducing me. Even when he was taking advantage of my naivete, I had somehow felt safe.

Cherished even.

Maybe even loved a little.

That sounded crazy in retrospect but there it was. It wasn't his fault I was the most gullible virgin alive. He hadn't made any promises to me that night.

Not with words anyway. With his eyes... his lips... his hands. Well, that was on me for interpreting things as if I lived in a fairy tale. I lived in the real world, and things just didn't happen that way.

And he'd given me Hallie. She'd changed everything of course. Put college plans on hold for the foreseeable future.

But she was perfect and I loved her more than I could have imagined. It was like she was covered in some sort of magical pixie dust that made me turn into goo. I loved her more than my own life, and that was the truth.

I laughed. It was a good thing too, considering how much poop she seemed to make. I wondered if it was all babies or just mine.

It seemed like a whole lot of poop.

"Hey Jenny. You got a table."

I nodded at Margery, grabbing my tray and pad. I still wrote everything down, though she said I wouldn't have to forever. I was still green but I was learning. It was a good thing too.

As an unwed mother without a degree of any sort, I had a feeling I'd be waiting tables for a long time. I didn't mind. It was honorable work, and Hallie was worth having sore feet.

I made a note to get some more practical shoes with my first paycheck as I headed towards the back, absentmindedly looking around. There was a table in the back that had been empty last time I looked. I saw the guy at the table and froze.

You have got to be fucking kidding me.

It was him. He was here. Jagger himself.

Speak of the ever lovin' devil.

My heart started to pound as I forced my feet to go forward. I couldn't run and hide, even if that was what I wanted to do. I also had an absurd urge to adjust my skirt. Fix my hair. Put on some lipstick.

But I didn't. I had a job to do and that was that. I stepped up to the table and tucked the tray under my arm, pulling out my pad and a pencil.

"Good evening. Can I take your order?"

He looked up at me and smiled. The slow, arrogant smile of a man who knows a woman intimately. Who knows what she looks like naked.

"Hello there, sugarlips."

I felt my palm twitch. I had a sudden desire to smack that knowing, sensual smile off his handsome face. And he was handsome. More than I remembered.

No wonder Hallie was so gorgeous, damn him. I hadn't realized until that moment the extent of the resemblance. With her dark hair and tawny skin, she was a version of him in miniature.

Our daughter looked just like him.

Especially the eyes.

"May I take your order?"

"What, no hello? It's been a while, sweetheart, but I never forgot you."

He leaned back in his seat, giving me a look up and down. He rubbed his lower lip, making an expression almost like he was in pain. He didn't even bother to hide it when he leisurely checked out my chest.

"Hmmfff... Oh yeah, I thought about you a lot."

I turned red, hoping it was too dark for him to see it.

"Can I take your order?"

He patted the seat next to him.

"Come and take a load off. "

"I can't. I'm working. And I wouldn't anyway."

"Why not, Jenny?"

He gave me a hurt look, his big blue eyes looking sad. Like a puppy who'd been deprived of a bone.

"You used to like me, remember?"

I looked around furtively, then leaned forward. I braced my hands on the table and hissed at him. I had just about had it with his bullshit, and he'd been here less than five freakin' minutes.

"I need this job. Tell me what you want so I can do it."

He held his hands up in surrender. Then he picked up the menu and perused it. But he kept stealing glances at my legs.

Not just my legs.

I could have sworn he was staring
between
them.

I grit my teeth and waited.

"Two shots. Tequila. One pitcher of beer. And one plate of ribs."

"Sides?"

He stared at my breasts and shook his head in awe.

"Hmmfff... I'll take the biscuits."

I wrote it down and tucked my pencil away. Then I cleared some empty beers off his table.

"Margery will bring your drinks."

He caught my arm, stopping me from leaving. He really was a caveman. Acting like he thought I was going to sleep with him again! After everything I found out about him? Even if he was oozing sex in every direction.

Hell no.

"Why not you?"

I smiled at him sweetly.

"I'm too young to serve the alcohol."

He blanched, his face so pale I thought I saw a smattering of freckles. I turned around, walking away with a definite spring in my step.
 

Score: Jenny - One. Jagger - Zero.

Chapter Three

Jagger

✈

I licked the sauce off my fingers, watching Jenny work. Feldon had been right. This place
did
have the best barbeque south of the Mississippi.

But the amazing ribs were not half as good as the view.

Sweet Jesus, Jenny was finer than what I'd conjured up in my imagination. Her legs were just as long as I remembered but the rest of her was... different. She'd filled out even more, keeping that hourglass shape that drove me nuts last time we'd met. And then some.

She was a brick house.

And I would love to have a visit inside. Hell, not a visit. I wanted to take up permanent residence.

Too bad she wasn't as happy to see me as I was to see her.

I frowned, rubbing my face. I had to wonder why that was. Maybe she'd asked around about me... Yeah, that would do it.

I had quite a reputation amongst the Marines.

But I was a reformed man now. Or I would be, if she gave me another shot. I tilted my head, wondering why she was here. Again. Off another base.

My eyes got wide. I must be an idiot. She was either a military groupie or had a family member in the service. Just... which one? Husband? No. She wasn't wearing a ring and she didn't strike me as the cheating type. Parent? She wasn't
that
young.
 

It wasn't falling into place for me. Sweet little Jenny was a mystery. I would figure it out though. And I would make her mine. Or at least soften her up enough to take another crack at it.

If she was a groupie, I didn't care. There were women who had a thing for soldiers, officers in particular. I'd convert her to a one man woman. Just like she'd done to me, the first time I saw those emerald eyes of hers. Hell, if she let me, I'd stick to her like glue.

If she was... related to someone... or an Army brat... well, I might be in bigger trouble than I realized.
 

I might have to contend with a big brother or a daddy, whoever the unlucky bastard was. I tried to imagine having a daughter that looked like Jenny. It would be hell. Especially since she did not seem to know her effect on men.

And she was innocent enough to work in a place like this and think she wouldn't be dealing with a hard dick or twelve every damn minute. I started getting upset just thinking about it. This was no place for a sweet girl like her. It wasn't safe.

I was going to have to protect her. I'd see her home each night, starting tonight. Hopefully, back to my place.

To my bed.

And that's all there was to it.

I watched as she 'accidentally' spilled a glass of water on a customer. I grinned. He must've said something cheeky to her. So, maybe she could take care of herself.

Didn't mean she didn't need backup.

And I was just the man for the job.

She went behind the bar and picked up a huge box of empties. I was across the room in a flash. I was grinning as I tried to take the box from her.

"I got this sweetheart."

"Let go!"

"What? Why? No need to trouble your pretty little arms."

"My
what?"

Oh boy. Her eyes were green fire as she wrenched the box out of my hands and flounced into the back. I followed her, a little less confident than I'd been a few minutes ago.

"What's wrong, sweetheart? What got you so riled up?"

She spun around and hissed at me. Like a pissed off kitty cat. I leaned against the door and grinned. I liked kitties. Especially gorgeous ones like her.

"I need this job, Jagger! Don't ruin it for me like you-"

I straightened up. This was not regular grade anger. This was a bonafide grudge.

"Like I what?"

She scowled at me mutinously.

"Nothing."

I smiled again.

"Well, if it reall is nothing, when are you going to let me take you out again?"

"How about never?"

"Oh come on sweetheart, we had a good time together, didn't we?"

She looked like she was about to cough. Or choke. Her eyes were wide, practically bulging, as she seemed to struggle for air. I was about to get her a glass of water when she burst out laughing.

And kept laughing.

She laughed so hard she had to bend forward and rest her hands on her knees.

I stopped smiling.

"What's so damn funny?"

"You are Jagger. I'm surprised you even remember me with all your floozies."

"I don't have any floozies."

I glanced at the heavens, expecting lightning to strike.

"Well, not anymore."

She just looked at me. I could see I'd hurt her somehow. I didn't like that.

Not one bit.

"Come on sweetheart, let's talk."

"I can't. And don't call me that."

I raised an eyebrow at her.

"You can't talk? You're doing just fine."

"No, I mean not here. I'm not supposed to... fraternize."

"Says who?"

She sighed.

"My boss, that's who."

Jenny

✈

I sighed, staring at the gorgeous, stubborn, sexy as hell man giving me his best puppy dog eyes.

"Fine, Jagger. I can take my break now I guess. We can talk out back."

I was being soft. I knew it. But Jagger had looked so crestfallen. And I knew he wouldn't give up.

Besides, I was sort of exaggerating the fraternizing part. No one had mentioned that. But I didn't want to get in trouble. I'd just started the damn job and I needed it.

The owner, Gary, had been reluctant to hire me to begin with. I wasn't even twenty-one. But the night manager Margery had persuaded him that I would be good for business. She may have used the phrase 'eye candy.'

I just couldn't drink in the place.

Which was fine. I couldn't drink anyway. If I did I would have to pump and dump.

No way Hallie was getting boozy breast milk!

I leaned out and signaled to Margery. She nodded and I glanced at Jagger. He was watching me with a dark intensity that gave me chills.

All the way to my lady parts.

"Okay, let's go."

"After you, sweetheart."

Jagger followed me through the stock room to the door that we got deliveries through. It was also the garbage loading area. So it stank.

Even though we hosed it down twice a day.

I walked out and kept going. In the far back was a picnic table for the staff to take lunch if the weather was nice. It was out of sight behind a freestanding concrete wall.
 

Apparently, lots of people screwed back here.

But I didn't really want to talk about that.
 

I turned and crossed my arms.

"Go ahead. Talk."

He started to sit on the picnic table.

"I wouldn't do that. Not until it's been hosed down."

"Why?"

"I heard it gets more use than a motel mattress."

He grinned at me.

"It's still early. I doubt anyone has used it tonight."

I shrugged. He had a point. I noticed he still didn't take a seat. He just looked at me, really taking me in. I looked away. It's not that he made me uncomfortable exactly. But he was so intense. I wasn't used to that sort of scrutiny.

Well, except on my ass.

"You aren't like I remember you."

I tossed my hair. He was getting to me already and he knew it. I was being pulled in by his gravitational force. And I hated him for it.

"Easy? Gullible? Stupid?"

He shook his head, his eyes studying me.

"No, you seemed determined to be bad that night. I was more than happy to help."

I sighed. I might as well tell him. For some reason I found myself telling him the truth.

"I was going through a phase. After my mother died, I spent a lot of time rebelling. I drank and snuck out at night. I even dyed my hair purple."

"Purple?"

"Yep. A few months before you met me. It... wasn't a very long phase. Not that it matters."