By Honor Bound (6 page)

“You look cute.”

“Sure I do,” she muttered. “I look like a mess!”

“Fine to me.” He kissed her.

“I talked to the plumber. He’s had so many calls that he won’t get here for a while. I hate to think what the basement will look like by then.”

“I’ll take a look.” Abe walked down the steps. “See if I can stop the leaking until he gets here.”

Angela smiled, relieved. “Thank you. I’ll get cleaned up and fix lunch.”

Nodding, Abe stepped into the water with a splash. It took him a moment to find the problem, but Angela had nothing in her house to patch a broken pipe. He went to the store to pick up some supplies, and when he stepped back in the house, the scent of chicken, vegetables, and biscuits struck him like a shot in the gut. He inhaled deeply and smiled. What the hell was he going to do when he had to return to the barracks where there wasn’t a home-cooked meal in smelling distance? Even worse, what was he going to do without Angela warming his bed and waiting at home when he got in?

“Smells good,” he said, stepping into the kitchen.

His gaze fixed on Angela who stood by the stove, an apron covering the front of her gray and pink flowered dress with a dainty lace collar. The scarf was gone from her head and her hair was arranged in soft waves about her face. Just looking at the woman warmed him from the inside out and made his cock come alive.

“Will it take long to fix the leak? Lunch will be ready soon.”

“Shouldn’t be long.”

He opened the basement door and switched on the light. The steps creaked a bit as he walked down. His booted feet sank into water that was now to his knees. Moments later, in a dim corner of the basement, he was absorbed in repairing the pipe.

As he moved his boot, water slapped against the wall. A prickle ran up Abe’s spine. Someone was there, behind him in all the water and muck.

He spun around, his heart pounding as he stared around the basement. It was empty.

What about under the stairs?

Grasping a wrench in his hand, his senses sharp, he slowly made his way to the stairs. The swamp smell was thick in the air. Winter chill turned to jungle heat. Sweat beaded on Abe’s brow and upper lip. It trickled down his neck as he clutched the wrench harder and raised it high as he stepped under the overhang, knowing the scrawny son-of-a-bitch waited, ready to blow his brains out—

Abe turned as someone touched his shoulder. He shoved the plump, red-haired man in white overalls against the wall and cut off his breath by pressing his forearm across his throat.

The man gasped and sputtered, his eyes wide.

“Abe!” Angela splashed through the water. She pulled on his arm, her expression frantic. “What are you doing? This is John, the plumber!”

Abe released him immediately. “I’m sorry. You snuck up on me.”

“My mistake,” John choked out, rubbing his neck.

“Are you all right?” Angela asked, touching the man’s shoulder.

“I think so.”

“I’m real sorry,” Abe said, placing the wrench aside and climbing the basement steps. He’d nearly reached the front door when Angela grasped his arm.

“Where are you going? Abe, what happened down there?”

“They call it a flashback, Angela.” He glanced at her, noting her shoes, stockings, and the hem of her dress were soaked with water from the flooded basement. “I can’t stay here with you.”

“Why?”

“Last night. Just now. That stuff’s going to keep happening. I don’t know when—or if—it will ever stop.”

“So you’re just going to leave?” Her brow furrowed. “I didn’t think Marines ran from anything. I know Jim never did, and somehow I doubt you ever have, either.”

“I’m not running. I’m doing what I have to for you and Polly, too.”

“I love you, Abe! I said it last night and that wasn’t just pillow talk, damn it! I meant it! Didn’t you?”

“Yeah. I meant it.” He took her face in his hands then dropped them before he stepped out the door. “That’s why I have to go.”

“Abe!” she shouted, but he ignored her as he slid into his car and sped off.

* * * * *

Angela sat in the diner, fidgeting with her spoon and glancing at the door while trying not to appear anxious.

A week after Abe had stormed out of her house, she’d given up on trying to forget him and sent him a letter. Enraged at him for waltzing out of her life after a couple of marvelous days and feeling stupid for believing he was actually going to show up, she’d asked him to meet her at one of the only decent diners in town. The place was tiny and showed wear and tear since its construction back in the twenties, but the owner, Rosemarie Simons, kept the place spotless and served the best food in the state. Rosemarie had been a good friend of Angela and Jim for years.

“Another cup of tea?” Rosemarie approached, her plump frame covered in a flowered dress and white apron.

“Thank you.” Angela glanced at her and smiled.

“All right.” Rosemarie dropped into the booth and tapped her fingertips on the back of Angela’s hand. “Are you going to tell me what celebrity is supposed to walk through that door so I can roll out the red carpet and such?”

Angela looked surprised. “No one. I was just looking in that direction.”

“No, baby, you was fixed in that direction like a dog fixin’ on a hunk of steak.”

“I guess I should try looking less obvious.”

“So who is he?”

“Just a friend.”

Rosemarie raised a bushy brown eyebrow.

“A friend of Jim’s.”

“Oh,” Rosemarie looked thoughtful. “Another Marine?”

“Yes. He’s in the Corps.”

“You know you get a gleam in your eye when you talk about him?”

“Do I?”

“Sure do, and I—” Rosemarie jumped up and smiled. “Abe! When did you get back?”

Angela swallowed hard, her pulse racing and hands trembling so much she nearly dropped her fork.
Calm, Angela. Appear calm and disinterested.

Abe, wearing a blue T-shirt tucked into snug jeans that hugged every long, muscular inch of his legs, strode inside and accepted a hug from Rosemarie.

“Damn, it’s good to see you, baby.” Rosemarie tugged his face down for a kiss on the cheek. “I was so worried when I heard you was missin’.”

“I got out of the hospital a couple of weeks ago.” Abe said, though his gaze strayed to Angela. His expression revealed nothing, but his throat moved as he swallowed.

“Couple of weeks? The least you could have done was let ol’ Rosemarie know you was all right.”

 “Sorry. Thought you’d be glad not to have me here every week eating you out of house and home.”

“Shit, boy, I know you since you was a skinny eighteen-year-old private, and you thought I wouldn’t care what happened to you?”

Abe smiled at her, though his gaze again wandered to Angela. This time Rosemarie noticed. She watched as Abe approached and slipped into the seat across from Angela.

“He’s a good man.” Rosemarie rested a hand on Abe’s broad shoulder.

A powerful shoulder that led to a long, gorgeous arm of rock-hard muscle. Angela’s mouth went dry.
Don’t let him know he’s got you, Angela. Look nonchalant.

“And she’s a good girl.” Rosemarie shook the shoulder she clutched. “You treat her right, hear me, Abraham Forbes?”

He glanced at her. “Yes, ma’am, I do and I couldn’t agree more. She is a good girl.”

“If you two are finished talking about me like I’m a pet dog, Abe and I have to discuss some things.”

Rosemarie raised an eyebrow. “I’ll make myself scarce and fix you some lunch. Want the usual, Abe?”

“That’d be fine, Rosemarie. Thanks.”

“How about some of my House Special Stew and a nice chunk of sourdough bread for you, Angela?”

“That sounds good. Thank you.”

Rosemarie left them staring at one another.

Abe’s pulse raced like he was about to hit the beach into a storm of enemy fire. Angela was even more beautiful than he remembered, with her large, innocent eyes and luscious curves beneath her blue and white striped dress. She did things to his insides no one had ever done before. That was why he had to meet her today. Her letter had gotten under his skin and pissed him off, though his anger was mostly directed at himself.

“How’s Polly?” Abe asked.

“She’s fine. She talks about you a lot.”

“She’s a good girl.”

“Like me. A good girl?”

“Not like you, and you know it, Angela.”

“I assumed you thought of me as a child, since you treated me like one.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means you don’t think I can decide for myself the sort of man I want to see.”

“I told you it’s for your own good. I’m a Marine.”

 “Don’t you tell me about Marines! My brother was one. I’m raising his child. I know what you do and the risks you take.”

“And you want to tie yourself up with that all over again? Jim was your brother. Think real carefully about what it would be like with a husband in the Corps. Imagine yourself with two or three kids along with Polly, raising them for months while I’m away. What do you think of that picture?”

“I’m not some delicate flower who’ll shrivel at the first sign of frost, Abe!”

“What about what happened in the basement with the plumber?” He lowered his voice and drew a deep breath. “What if that was you I’d grabbed instead?”

“I’m not afraid of you.”

“Maybe you should be.” She held his gaze and he shook his head. “You’re a damn fool, woman. And what the hell did you mean in that letter when you said I used you?”

She shrugged, flinging him a haughty look. “I figured all that line about you leaving for my own good was just an excuse for you to take off after you got me in bed.”

“There’s not a bit of truth to that.”

“So did you plan on never seeing me again?”

“At the time I thought it was best.”

“And now?”

Abe’s gaze switched to Rosemarie who approached carrying plates of food. As if sensing the seriousness of their conversation, the woman said nothing as she placed their meals on the table and left.

“Abe, if you don’t want to see me, I can handle it, but only if it’s because you decided you don’t like me after all. If it’s because you’re protecting me, then you’re making a mistake. I’ve waited my whole life for the right man. I don’t care if he’s a businessman who’ll be around all the time or if he’s a Marine whose life is on the line. There are no guarantees for anybody.”

“You have one guarantee.” He took her hand and raised it to his lips. “That I’ll love you until the day I die.”

Angela’s throat constricted and she blinked back tears. No one had ever said anything so beautiful to her. God, if anything ever happened to him, it would tear her heart out, but it would be worth it. Whether she had him for a single day or the next sixty years didn’t matter, as long as they spent what time they had together.

“Want to have dinner with me and Polly tonight?” she asked.

“Yes, I do. Where is she now?”

“Back in school this morning and Daddy picked her up afterward.”

“You know I missed you a lot this past week,” he said.

“I missed you, too.”

 “I want to spend as much time as I can getting to know you and Polly.”

She smiled. “I’m glad, Abe.”

He held her gaze and nodded. “Good. That’s good.”

“You know what I’m thinking about right now?” She blushed a bit and cast her eyes down to their fingers entwined on the table.

He lifted an eyebrow. “I’m hoping it’s what I’m thinking.”

“Then let’s finish lunch and get back to my place before Daddy drops off Polly.”

Abe grinned and reached for his knife and fork. “That’s even better inspiration to eat than pure hunger.”

Chapter Seven

“How’s the leak?” Abe asked as he followed Angela into the house.

“Fixed.” She switched on the light, stepped into the living room, and sat on the couch.

A wry smile played around his lips. “How’s the plumber?”

“He was fine, Abe. Just a little shaken up.” She slipped off her shoes and cast him a sultry look. “Aren’t you going to ask how I feel?”

“No.” He sat next to her and pulled her into his arms, nuzzling her neck. “I’m going to find out for myself.”

“Abe!” She giggled as he tickled her ear with his tongue. Though it had only been a week, it seemed like years since they’d held each other like this. It was such a deep, incredible feeling that no words could fully express it and only his touch could satisfy it.

Settling her onto his lap, he tucked his head in the hollow of her shoulder and gazed at his hands as he began unfastening the front of her dress. “There sure are a lot of little buttons on this thing.”

“There sure are.”

She ran her hands over his sinewy forearms lightly dusted with hair and he continued with her dress. When she stood almost naked, his gaze lingered over her soft belly and full, plump breasts nearly spilling out of her bra. Abe bent and took one of her nipples between his lips while taking the other between his thumb and forefinger. He sucked and stroked simultaneously while she clutched his head tightly.

“Oh, Abe, I want you so much. I’ve missed you so much,” she breathed, her nipples aching with pleasure from his touch. Her pussy turned to liquid and she squirmed, more than ready for his cock to fill her. From her position on his lap, his hard staff pressed against her bottom in the most teasing, delicious manner. Such overwhelming desire for this one man overshadowed everything she’d ever wanted or needed. Love was the most glorious feeling in the world!

“I want you, too, darlin’.” He gently pushed her onto the couch and stood, lifting his shirt over his head and baring his magnificent, steely chest and well-defined abs.

Her breathing quickened as he kicked off his boots and jeans. Oh! He wore no underwear beneath! The sight of those full balls and thick erection tightened her nipples even more. She slipped off her panties and tossed them atop her dress. Angela’s pulse skipped as she watched him roll on a condom and sit beside her. Grasping her hips, he tugged her onto his lap. She knelt, one smooth leg on either side of him, and slid onto his cock.