Love of a Marine (The Wounded Warriors Series Book 2) (27 page)

Cluny’s kiss was warm and soft. He placed a hand on either side of her face and gazed into her eyes then dived in for another.

Thrilling warmth coursed through her body and landed heavy in her lower torso. This man could melt stone with a kiss. She pressed herself against him wondering if she’d ever tire of his physicality and how it affected her.

“I can’t get enough of you, baby.” He placed a hand on her bottom and pressed her close.

“You read my mind, amor.” She pushed back against his hand and attempted to step away.

He held her close. “I’m not done yet,” he murmured into her mouth and pressed his erection against her. “God, I’ll never be done.”

“Good morning, Macfearsome.”

They jerked apart. Graciella was glad they were on the other side of the island. Her cheeks grew hot at the thought her little boy was spared from seeing the state of Cluny’s physical arousal. Arousal that disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.

Cluny’s hand went down below the counter to adjust his sweat pants. “Good morning, sleepyhead. Mama’s making French toast. Your most favorite.” He winked at her son then patted her bottom.

Santos’s face brightened. “Yay. I bet Queen likes it too.”

Cluny dragged a large bag of kibble from the pantry. “Maybe so, but because we want her to be around a long time, she’ll have her usual breakfast. Hand me her food dish, will ya, buddy?”

Graciella fanned her face and jabbed Cluny in the ribs with her elbow as he brushed past her while her son’s back was turned. She gave him a stern, behave-yourself look when he made a sudden, fake lunge in her direction. It was frightening how much she loved him in that moment. An unwelcome wave of insecurity threatened to invade her, but she fought hard against it, silently repeating Marla’s mantra,
don’t borrow trouble, don’t borrow trouble.

Cluny took the big stainless steel dish proffered by Santos, set it on the sink, and dumped a heaping pile of kibble in it. He looked over his shoulder as he set the pan on the floor. “Do I have time to shower?”

“Not unless you want a cold breakfast. Both of you sit down. I have everything ready.”

Santos and Cluny grinned and dragged chairs from the table then flopped into them. She set a carafe of hot chocolate in front of Santos. “This is very hot. Let Cluny pour for you.” Returning to the table with the coffee pot, she set it on a large hot pad next to Cluny then grabbed three mugs she’d left warming on the stovetop.

Cluny smiled up into her eyes. “Shall I pour for you too, sweetheart?”

“Yes, please.” She opened the oven, put on a mitt and slid out a large platter of French toast and sausage. Queen wasn’t alone sniffing the air when she carried it to the table. Cluny and Santos wore identical big-eyed hungry faces. She had to laugh at the two men she loved so much.

When breakfast was nearly finished, Santos took a swallow and asked, “Did you have a real bad dream last night, Macfearsome?”

Cluny’s eyes met Graciella’s. She saw hesitation in the sudden cloudiness of his usually bright blue gaze. She lowered a hand beneath the table and squeezed his knee then made a barely perceptible tilt of her chin.

For a moment Cluny didn’t answer. He wiped his mouth on a napkin and put it back in his lap. “Uh, yeah, it was one of the bad ones. Did I scare you?” The regret in his face when he spoke the words so painfully crushed her heart.

Santos raised his eyebrows and bobbed his head. “Kinda. I wanted to go to your room and help you, but Mama said Queen would fix it. What did you dream about? The war?”

Graciella tamped down the urge to change the subject. Did he really need to know the details? Then she remembered the vow she’d made to herself to ease off shielding him from real life issues. “Maybe Cluny would rather not talk about it, son.”

He raised a hand. “No, that’s OK. It’s a hateful nightmare that I have a lot. I’ll tell you what I can, but remember it’s not real, it’s a dream. You probably have a bad dream once in a while, right? Then when you wake up and realize you’re safe in your own bed it goes away.”

He exchanged a glance with Graciella that reassured her he’d only tell Santos as much as he thought he could handle.

Santos nodded gravely. “Uh, huh. I don’t say bad words though. Mama wouldn’t like it.”

Cluny chuckled. “I’ll try to remember that.” He took a sip of his coffee. “The dream takes place in a hot, dirty, smoky place I don’t recognize. Bad things are happening around me, but I can’t hear. For some reason I’m deaf and paralyzed, and then I see Gunny Dempsey lying on the ground. His mouth is moving and he’s reaching for me. I try to get up, but I can’t move. I can’t help him. The next thing I know, Queen is standing or lying on my chest barking and licking my face.”

Eyes big, Santos asked, “Is that when you wake up and turn on the light?”

“Queen turns on the light.”

Wonder filled his eyes. “She does?” Santos stared first at Cluny then at his mother. “I didn’t know she could turn on the lights.”

“I have a special switch next to my bed. She bumps it with her nose or paw and the lights come on.”

“Can I see it?”

“Sure.” Cluny pushed back his chair. “Come on, I’ll show you.”

Graciella stayed at the table, but she could hear them talking at the other end of the house. The words were unclear, but the pitch of Santos’s voice told her he was excited about Queen’s skill. A few minutes later, he returned to the kitchen alone.

“Where’s Cluny?” She poured him the last of the chocolate.

“Macfearsome is taking a shower. He said he had to get ready to go to work because there was a lot to do before he could come home in time for baseball.”

“Ah, yes, I forgot he was going to work this morning.” She lifted the coffee pot and swished it to see if there was any left then poured the dregs into her cup. “When you get dressed, bring me your dirty clothes. I’m doing a couple of loads of laundry this morning.”

“OK.” He nodded and grinned. “Queen’s light switch is just like the one we have in my bathroom at our apartment. I remember Grampa put it in there for me because I couldn’t work the other one very good in the middle of the night. Macfearsome put his low down on the wall next to his bed.”

She’d never stepped foot in Cluny’s bedroom, but she could picture the touch-switch apparatus quite clearly. “That was clever.”

“The dog people told him where to put it. She already knew how to work one.”

Graciella pushed back from the table. “Time for me to get dressed for work too. I found the vacuum cleaner and cleaning supplies in a closet in the laundry room.”

“What are you going to clean? Macfearsome’s house looks fine to me.”

“The male of the species has dust blindness.” Cluny said he had a service come to clean a couple of times a month, but she saw dust everywhere. It wouldn’t take long to get rid of it.

“That’s what Grandma says.”

“Your grandmother is a wise woman. Now, carry the dishes to the sink for me please. I’ll finish with the kitchen after I get dressed.” She tousled his hair in spite of his attempt to dodge her hand. Smiling, she left the kitchen.

She went to her bedroom and dragged on a pair of shorts and a faded T-shirt with the samba school logo emblazoned on front and back. Pulling her hair into a practical ponytail, she stepped into the hall and ran smack into Cluny. “Oof.”

He caught her. “You OK?” He held her at arm’s length and made a low whistle. “Did I ever tell you, you have sensational legs?”

“No, but go ahead.” On tiptoe, she gave him a light kiss on the lips.

“They’re sensational, baby. They match the rest of sensational you.” His rough hands slid up and down her bare arms. “Woof woof.” In her ear he growled, “I’m going to lick my way up these legs tonight. It’s a promise.”

Graciella smacked his chest. “Shush. We aren’t alone in the house.”

“From the clatter in the kitchen, I don’t think we have to worry about being overheard, do you?”

Her face was hot with a combination of embarrassment and passion. “Go to work.”

His wink was sinfully lascivious. “I’ll be home by noon. Then I need to be at the park by one so I can unlock the equipment locker before the kids get there.”

“I’ll have lunch ready.” She put her arms around him then dropped her hands to his butt and squeezed. “Mmmm. I like.”

He looked up and pointed heavenward. “Thank you, God. Thank you.” He planted a stinging kiss on her lips and stepped away. “Come, Queen. We better get the hell out of here right now.”

Hand over her heart, she admired his strong shoulders as he walked down the hall. He ducked his head through the kitchen archway. “See you later, pal.”

“See you later, Macfearsome.”

Graciella felt sure she’d be wearing her smile for at least an hour.

A few minutes past noon, Cluny’s van pulled into the driveway. She had lunch on the table. He walked in, pasted a hurried kiss on her cheek and one on the top of Santo’s head. Her breath stuttered at the spontaneous gesture of affection for her son.

“I’ll get out of these work clothes and wash my hands. Be right back.” He stepped from the kitchen.

Santos grinned from ear to ear. “Macfearsome kissed me, Mama.”

“Yes, do you mind?”

“No, I liked it. Maybe he loves me. I hope so.”

Cluny called from the hall. “I love you, Santos Jefferson.”

Santos pumped his fist in the air. “Yes!”

The joy on her son’s mocha-hued face brought tears to her eyes. She turned quickly, dashed them away, and opened the refrigerator. “Where’s the lemonade?”

“You already put it on the table.”

She straightened. “Ah, so I did. Well then go to the front porch and wait for Amber. The Dempsey’s are sharing lunch with us.”

“Oh boy!” He ran to the door, sneakers squeaking on the wood flooring, Queen dogging his heels. She seemed to anticipate their arrival just as much as her son. Graciella sighed, then wandered down the hall to Cluny’s bedroom and leaned on the door frame.

Water splashed in the sink while he hummed,
Take me out to the ballgame,
and stepped from the bathroom wearing sneakers, jeans, and a bright green T-shirt bearing a shamrock and the words, Big D Construction.

He stopped dead in his tracks. “Faith and begorrah! I do believe I spy a magical faerie lurkin’ in me doorway. Where’s me pot o’gold?”

“When did you get so Irish?” His black hair, blue eyes, and five-o’clock shadow cast him in the roll of hero on the cover of a historical romance novel. “Do you own a kilt? I’ve always loved a man in a kilt.”

“I’ll buy one first thing Monday morning.”

“Thank you for loving my son, Irish.”

He rested his hands on her shoulders. “He’s easy to love, just like his mom.”

The warmth of his hands nearly melted her. She’d never tire of his unique touch. In spite of her natural hesitation to jump headlong into a relationship with Cluny, she knew deep down that she’d be a fool to let him get away.

Santos’s voice rang down the hallway. “They’re here!” Queen barked a greeting.

Graciella sighed. “Time to be parents again.”

“And again.” He pecked a kiss on her forehead. “And again.”

“Don’t get any ideas.”

“Too late, baby. The idea is burned in my brain.” He stepped into the hall. “Hey, Gunny, Did you remember the baseball caps?”

“In the truck. What’s for lunch? I’m starving!”

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Saturday afternoon at the park

Halfway through the first baseball practice, Graciella handed out juice boxes and snacks while Marla nursed Declan. “That’s the last of it. I’ll have to get more next time.”

“The other moms will take turns bringing snacks. I’ll get some for next Saturday. Last year we had different people participating, but I do recognize some of the parents here today.” She waved her hand and gestured at a group of three blonde women sitting higher in the bleachers behind them. “Molly, Sonja, Diana, come down and meet Graciella Jefferson.”

Marla introduced the women to Graciella then said, “Coach McPherson’s girlfriend will be organizing the snack patrol this year. Why don’t you write down your phone numbers and e-mail addresses so Graciella can call you, and we’ll get organized for the rest of the season?”

The tallest, who’d been talking to an awkward boy with thick glasses earlier, grinned at Graciella. “You’re Coach’s girlfriend? Lucky lady. If I wasn’t already married with four kids, I’d be trying to land him myself. He makes the Mom Patrol drool.”

The other two women bobbed their heads in agreement. One of them put the back of her hand to her forehead, rolled her eyes. “That butt and those blue eyes,” then her face went red with a deep blush.

An unwelcome coil of jealousy wrapped itself around Graciella’s stomach. She wanted to like these other mothers, so she gritted her teeth against an unwise retort. “Um, now that you mention it, I guess I do qualify as his girlfriend.” A quick, not-quite-smile played across her lips.

“Didn’t we all know he’d get snagged sooner or later?” Marla put a hand on Graciella’s forearm. “Cluny and Graciella are perfect for each other. Would you believe they met at the beach? Her son, Santos,” she pointed across the infield, “was fascinated with Cluny’s service dog.”

The short woman’s eyebrows drew together. “Whatever happened to the cute blond who was here with him a couple of times last summer? I thought they might be, uh, you know.”

Graciella swallowed as heat rose in her cheeks.

“No!” Marla placed Declan on her shoulder and patted his back. “She’s a Marine buddy who served in Iraq in the same unit with Dwayne and Cluny. She and Cluny are just pals. The unit’s a pretty tight-knit group.”

Graciella took slow breaths. Nausea threatened.
What’s the matter with you?
She stood abruptly. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to check the trunk of my car. Make sure I didn’t leave any snacks behind.”

As she walked away, she heard one of the women ask Marla, “Did I say something wrong? I didn’t mean to.” Graciella didn’t hear Marla’s answer. She felt the perfect fool, completely undone by her reaction to their harmless girl-talk. She’d never thought of herself as a simpering, insecure boob, but she was sure acting like one. She should celebrate the fact that Cluny had chosen her and join in the friendly banter. She didn’t doubt the true nature of his commitment to her after all that had passed between them.