Uniform Desires (Make Mine Military Romance) (18 page)

Big Bird pulled Delaney back up in his arms and hugged her.

His jaw tightened. The caveman in him wanted to stomp across the floor, throw Delaney over his shoulder, and take her back to his cave where he’d make her his. Damn the woman for getting under his skin.

Lisa, her brow puckered, stopped in the middle of the floor, pulling Tuck to a halt. "I get it."

"You get what?" he asked, impatient for the delay when Delaney and Big Bird moved to the other end of the floor.

She planted a hand on her hip. "You’re trying to make someone jealous, aren’t you?"

"I don’t know what you’re talking about."

Her lips twisted and she jerked her head toward Delaney. "It’s her, isn’t it? You were with her in the hallway by the bathrooms a minute ago, wasn’t it?" Lisa stepped back. "Thank you for the dance, but I’ll find someone else more interested in
me
." She walked away like a model, strutting her stuff in her leopard stilettos and mini skirt.

Her exit left Tuck standing in the middle of the dance floor, looking like a fool. Heat rose up his neck into his cheeks and he made his way back to the bar to retrieve his beer.

Reaper laughed and slapped his back. "What did you say to piss her off?"

"Nothing."

"Oh, come on, she didn’t leave you high and dry for nothing."

"She didn’t want to dance with me. Can you leave it at that?" Tuck tossed the last of his beer to the back of his throat, thinking it was time for him to leave.

"Man, you’ve got a bug up your butt tonight." Reaper grinned and took a swig from his mug, then nodded toward Delaney. "What do you think about me and O’Connell?"

Tuck choked, nearly spewing out the beer he’d been in the process of swallowing. "You and Del—O’Connell?"

"Yeah, why not?"

"Her call sign is Razor for a reason." Didn’t he know it? She’d cut him off like an unwanted appendage. Tuck’s pride still smarted from her brush off. Never mind he’d always been the one to leave the woman behind.

"She’s not that cutthroat, just with men who get too fresh."

"What brought this on?" Tuck demanded. "I thought you two were just friends."

"Hell, we’ve known her for the past couple months. And since she’s been hanging out with us, I’ve gotten to know her even better." A smile played on his lips. "I think she’s a keeper."

"She’s not a fish."

Reaper chuckled. "I know. What I’m getting at is that I think it’s time to take it to the next step."

"Next step? Like dating?"

"No. I got to thinking. You and me, we’re not getting any younger."

"So?"

"We never really know when our next mission will be our last."

"Don’t be so fatalistic," Tuck grumbled and stared at his beer.

"It’s true. We could be dead tomorrow, and what would we have to show for it? Who would give a rat’s ass?"

"Your point?"

Reaper turned and held out a ring box. "I’m marrying that girl."

Tuck schooled his face to show no emotion, while inside he reeled. "Don’t you think a date should be the next step? Aren’t you missing the important part about getting to know her?" he asked, when he wanted to shout,
No! She’s mine!
Even though she’d just ended it with him.

"We’re already close. All those nights we spent together, drinking beer, talking, watching football. We know what each other likes on our pizza."

"That’s no reason to get married."

"She likes beer, she watches football, knows me, and finishes my sentences."

"Because you talk too slow."

Reaper stared across the dance floor at Delaney and went on as if Tuck hadn’t spoken. "She’s everything I ever wanted in a wife. Tough, smart, beautiful, and she can fly a helicopter like nobody’s business. Man, she’s got it all."

He had a lot of good points. Delaney was all those things and more. She liked pepperoni pizza and her favorite position was—ah hell. Tuck had to tell Reaper he was crazy to even consider asking her. She wasn’t interested in him or getting married.

And if she were to marry anyone, the man would be him.
Damn it! She’s taken!
he yelled inside. But the truth was, she was free to marry anyone she liked. Not that she would. She’d told him just as emphatically as he’d told her that she had no intention of ever getting married. "It’s too soon. You barely know her. You haven’t even kissed her." Tuck frowned. "Have you?"

Reaper grinned. "Not yet, but I can wait. And I want the first time to be special. The main thing is that I want to grab her up before someone else does."

"She’s not the last cupcake at the party. And, Reaper, there’s something you should know." He took a deep breath before continuing. He wasn’t a man who’d kiss and tell, but staying silent while his buddy launched a campaign to woo the woman Tuck had slept with just wasn’t right.

Before he could go on, Reaper responded. "I know she’s not a cupcake, but I’m betting she’s as sweet. You and I both know she’s special."

Tuck stared at Delaney as she tripped over Big Bird’s big feet and laughed to make him feel better about his clumsiness. "She’s special, all right. And she’s also t—"

Reaper wasn’t listening. "We could ship out tomorrow and she would never know how I feel." He was in his own world, talking through his reasoning for rushing into something with Delaney. "I’m telling her I love her tonight."

"I wouldn’t."

"Why? Don’t tell me the confirmed bachelor is in love with her too?" Reaper laughed. "That’ll be the day."

"No, Reaper, really, there’s something you need to know about O’Connell."
And me.
What could he tell his friend? That he’d already staked a claim? He’d been with Delaney and she’d nixed any claim by telling him the liaison was over before it had barely started. No, Reaper fancied himself in love with Delaney, and he was willing to risk everything to make her his.

The song chose that moment to end, and Big Bird led Delaney back to the bar. She smiled and laughed, her gaze going to Tuck and then sliding to the woman in the leopard skirt sitting at the end of the bar. Delaney’s brows rose, her mouth tightening.

Tuck clamped his mouth shut, refusing to show any emotion.

Delaney’s eyes narrowed.

Reaper grabbed the box from Tuck and hopped down from his stool. "Tonight’s the night."

Tuck snagged Reaper’s arm and whispered, "Ask her on a date, tell her how you feel, but don’t ask her to marry you until you know where she stands."

"I’ve made up my mind." Reaper stuffed the ring in his pocket and squared his shoulders. "Wish me luck."

Tuck ground his jaw. "Reaper, don’t—"

Reaper strode toward Delaney, stopped directly in her path, and dropped to one knee.

Tuck started after Reaper, wondering how his friend had gotten this carried away in such a short time.

Looking from Reaper to Tuck, Delaney frowned, then her gaze swung back to the man on bended knee.

Tuck wanted to slap his palm to his forehead and would have, if it would do any good. Reaper was on his own mission and nothing would stop him.

Reaper held out the ring box and announced loud enough for all to hear, "Delaney O’Connell, I love you. Will you make me the happiest man in the world and marry me?"

Her cheeks bloomed with color and she bit her bottom lip. "Cory...I..." Wide-eyed, she glanced at Tuck for help. "I...good Lord, I barely know you."

Reaper smiled up at her with his gotta-love-this-surfer boy good looks and a pleading expression on his face. "I’ve known you long enough to know you’re the one for me. Why waste time, when none of us know how long we have on this earth?"

"True." Delaney bit her bottom lip. "But—" She glanced again at Tuck with a
help me
look in her eyes.

Tuck moved toward the two as others gathered around, shouting and patting Reaper’s back, waiting for Delaney’s response. Not that she’d say yes, but even the chance that she could made Tuck’s gut knot.

"Cory, I like you, and I think you’ll make someone a great husband. But—"

He raised his hand. "Sweetheart, even if you don’t say yes right now...please, don’t say no until I have had the chance to prove to you I’m serious."

Delaney’s cell phone rang, giving her the excuse she needed to avoid an immediate answer. She glanced down. "It’s my CO. I have to take this."

Reaper nodded, waiting patiently, his smile in place, happy and ready to face a future with Delaney.

Delaney hit the talk button. "O’Connell." She listened, nodding though the speaker couldn’t see her. At last, she spoke. "Yes, sir. Zero-five-thirty in the morning. I’ll be there ready to punch out. You too, sir." She hit the end button and stared across at Tuck and then down at Reaper. "I’m moving out in the morning."

"What?" Reaper rose to his feet. "You can’t leave. Not yet. You haven’t answered my question. What about us?"

"It’ll have to wait," she said. "Duty calls."

Reaper gathered Delaney’s hands in his. "You can’t leave me like this. I need to know."

With relief making his muscles a bit jittery, Tuck stepped up beside his friend. "Save the heartache, Reaper. She’s not interested in a relationship."

Delaney’s brows puckered, her gaze narrowing. She squeezed Cory’s hands and smiled. "I’ll tell you what, Cory, let me think about it. When I get back from deployment, if you still feel the same, I’ll give you an answer. Right now, I need to go."

"Fair enough. " He jumped to his feet. "I can drop you at your townhouse."

"That’s okay. I drove myself. You guys don’t have to leave. Stay, have a drink for me. I’ll let you know my answer when I see you again."

"Wait." He snagged her hand, stopping her from making a quick escape. With a gentle smile, he brushed the hair from her cheek. "Won’t you at least give me a kiss goodbye?"

Irritation shot through Tuck. "Reaper, she’s not—"

Delaney shot a stony glance at Tuck, leaned up on her toes, and brushed a kiss across Reaper’s lips.

A cheer went up from the men standing around them.

Tuck balled his fists, his back teeth grinding together as Delaney dodged past him without saying a word and ran from the club into the night. He stood for a moment wondering what had just happened. When it hit him, he groaned. His best friend had just asked the girl he’d slept with the night before to marry him. And she hadn’t said no. Not only had she not declined the proposal, she’d kissed Reaper in front of their team.

What the fuck? Why didn’t she tell him no? She’d told Tuck she wasn’t interested in a long-term relationship. For most, his parents excluded, marriage meant a lifetime commitment. Until death and all that. "I gotta go," Tuck said.

"Now where are you going? The woman I love just ran out on me. I could use a designated driver to get me home safely."

Tuck grabbed Big Bird. "Make sure Reaper gets back to base all right, will ya?"

Big Bird draped a ham hock of an arm over Reaper’s shoulders. "Yes, sir."

"Sober." Tuck jabbed a finger in Big Bird’s solid wall of a muscular chest. "You’re to drive sober."

"No shit, LT. I got this."

"I might as well leave," Reaper said. "Now that O’Connell’s gone, I don’t feel much like partying."

"Then stay to humor Big Bird. He’s got to practice the two-step O’Connell taught him."

Reaper glared at Tuck. "I’m not dancin’ with him."

"No, but you can find a girl that will. Use that surfer boy charm of yours."

"I don’t surf."

"You know that, and I know that, but they don’t." He nodded toward the women seated in groups around the club. "When you tell these girls you’re from San Diego, they’ll be impressed and might take pity on Big Bird for you. Help out the poor guy. I’m out of here."

"Traitor." Reaper turned away. "Go on. You need your beauty sleep and Big Bird needs a girl. I’ll get him one, then I’m right behind you."

Tuck walked to the exit and, once outside, sprinted to his truck. Too late to stop Delaney, because the taillights of her Jeep disappeared around the corner at the end of the block.

Traitor.
The word resonated in Tuck’s conscience. His
guilty
conscience. If he hadn’t sat like a damned fool while Reaper talked about Delaney, the man might not have proposed, and Delaney wouldn’t have kissed him.

The night was not supposed to end this way. By now, he and Delaney should have been burning up the sheets. Instead, Delaney would be packing to ship out, with an outstanding proposal on her mind from another man.

Damn. Delaney is shipping out.

He’d gotten used to having her around. More nights than not, they were together. Either at his apartment or hers. With her leaving in the morning, she’d be up packing into the early hours. He had to see her one more time. Apologize for not stopping Reaper and for letting him propose in front of their entire team. There was no good way to back out of what had happened. Reaper would lose face and take a boatload of razzing from the team. Tuck would look like a heel to his friends and the camaraderie would suffer if any of them found out he’d been sleeping with Delaney when his best buddy wanted to marry her.