The Valentine's Arrangement (10 page)

Ronnie passed the wandering eyes of the usual Monday morning crowd of soldiers that were doing part of their PT in the weight room before stopping short as she reached the free weights. A back with an all too familiar tattoo of sentimental poetry and ripped flesh was standing in front of her, arms stretched up, holding onto a chin-up bar.

She hoisted her hand on her hip and paused for the show. The muscles in his shoulders bulged and flexed as he pulled his body up and down, causing the muscles in his back to ripple underneath the beauty of the ink. Watching the wide span of his back move underneath the tattoo was mesmerizing. His body was sculpted like the Gods themselves carved him by hand.

She audaciously studied him, committing each dip and curve and edge of him to her memory, tucking it away for her lonely nights.

After doing a countless amount of pull-ups, Kale released his hands and dropped to the ground. His body was dripping with sweat as he reached for his towel. When he turned around his eyes immediately found hers and he smiled her favorite one yet, a surprised lopsided grin.

She stayed planted in place, her hand still on her hip, her eyes still appraising him as he took the few long strides to her.

“Hey,” he said, wiping the perspiration from his face.

“Hey yourself,” she said, unable to look away from the hard body covered in sweat standing perilously close to her.

“What’re you doing here? I didn’t peg you as the early riser type.”

“Yeah, you pegged right. I’m not an early riser, but I teach a yoga class here every Monday at 6:30.”

“Yoga huh?”

“Yeah, you interested?”

“In watching you do Yoga, absolutely.”

Ronnie’s infamous eye roll came swinging through full force. “No, in participating, jackass.”

He chuckled. “Um, no. But I will however, sit my happy ‘jackass’ down on this weight bench and gladly watch you participate,” he said, bouncing his eyebrows up and down.

“Yeah, I’m sure you would.”

Jordan took that moment to make her appearance. She jogged up next to them and stopped next to Ronnie. “Hey, Ronnie.” She looked at Kale, her face having a physical debate on whether to smile or frown at him. “He really is stalking you, isn’t he?” she asked completely serious.

It was Kale’s turn to frown. “What?”

“Yes he is,” Ronnie laughed. “I’ll see you later.” She smiled at Kale and he pinned her with a look that made her already flushed face turn another shade of pink.

“Seriously, what is he doing here?” Jordan asked as they walked into the classroom.

“What the fuck do you think he is doing? He’s working out.”

“Did you tell him you were going to be here? I’m starting to get creeper vibes from him, but I’m almost willing to overlook it because of how sexy he looks all hot and sweaty. And did you see the way he was looking at you? Damn girl.”

“Jordan. Stop running your mouth… please. No, I didn’t tell him I was going to be here, he was probably here before I was—he’s not a creeper—and yes, I saw the way he looked at me.”

Jordan turned her head over her shoulder to get a last look at Kale who was now sitting on the bench curling dumbbells.

“I think I like him,” Jordan said when her head was back in align with the front of her body.

“You just said you got creeper vibes. Make up your damn mind.”

“Well, creeper or not, he’s sexy.”

Ronnie glanced over her shoulder to see Kale’s stare burning into her. He didn’t smile or wink or anything else playfully sexy like she expected him to do when she met his eyes. Instead, he just kept her gaze, locking her in with his stormy blue eyes that seemed to consume her. It was intense and hot and it made Ronnie feel powerful.

After the last few of her regulars arrived, Ronnie began the class. She was all too aware of Kale’s eyes on her through the floor length windows that made up the wall separating the gym from the classroom. It was hot knowing he was watching her, and it made her body go on high alert. It was intense and exhilarating. She did every pose like she was doing them for him, it wasn’t something that she was doing intentionally, but it was like her body knew he was watching her and it zinged to life.

She transitioned from half moon to standing bow and held her pose. It was as if she could feel the heat traveling from the tip of her extended toe through the fingertips of her extended arm. It was the most erotic Yoga class she has ever taught and Kale wasn’t even in the room with her. Her body burned but not just from the workout, but also from the thick tension that linked between them through a sheet of glass. Every now and again, she would catch his stare through the reflection of the mirror, the hunger in his eyes was unmistakable and it made for the sexiest and longest class of her life.

When the class was over and Ronnie was once again covered in a thin layer of sweat, she walked out of the classroom and nailed Kale with a knowing glance. He immediately followed her to the opposite end of the back wall to the locker rooms.

*****

Kale walked behind Ronnie knowing exactly what she was up to. Even though he wouldn’t be able to partake in the events that he knew were about to unfold, he still couldn’t help wanting to see just what she had up her sleeve.

Ronnie turned the corner at the end of the back wall and led him down a hallway. She pushed open and door and peeked her head in then grabbed his hand and pulled him inside. The door wasn’t even completely shut before she pressed her body against him. The urgency in the way she touched him had him wishing he could rip the damp clothes from her body. But they couldn’t. Not here. Not in a military building full of soldiers. Even though they were in the women’s locker room, he was sure that if anyone walked in on them they would only be too eager to talk about the SFC who was taking a woman in the locker room.

Before he could even get a word out in a piss poor attempt to protest, she had her full lips covering his. She dug both hands into the back of his neck and pulled him down to her so she could kiss him deeper. How this woman could make him forget every coherent thought that was streaming through his head was beyond him, but the taste of her sweet breath mixed with the salty dew on her body was intoxicating.

He doltishly slid his hands around her waist and cupped her ass bringing her even tighter against him. He could feel his body rising in his shorts and having Ronnie’s body rubbing against him wasn’t helping.

“Fuck Ronnie, I don’t know how much more I can take, Sweetheart.”

“Take it all. I’m activating our just sex policy.”

Kale groaned as she slid her hand in between their bodies and rubbed it against his aching bulge. Damn it, he didn’t want her to stop.

Ronnie’s hair was conveniently tied back into a ponytail, her long waves hanging down her neck and brushing the top of her back. He twisted the hair in his hand and gently yanked back, pinning her head so her mouth was no longer on his. She let out a satisfied yelp and the fact that she liked the little tug made a vision of things he would like to do to her run through his mind. Oh, what he could do to this woman.

With her head tilted back trapped by his hand, he took that moment to trail his tongue up the center of her throat, deliciously tasting the sweet salty moisture that clung to her skin.

“I’m not going to take you here,” he whispered against her flesh. He released her hair and her head dropped down so she was now looking him in the eyes.

“What?”

“We’re not doing this here,” he said, and even as the words left his mouth, he wished he didn’t have to say them.

Ronnie was pissed, she was pouting and fuck, it was sexy, but against every man code there was about not questioning it when a beautiful bombshell pushes you in an empty locker room for sex, he just couldn’t do it. Not only were the ramifications of an NCO having sex in a public government building reasoning enough to not go through with her little temptation, the very thought of someone coming in and seeing her like that made his blood boil. No, no one was going to see her but him; he wasn’t going to chance it.

“I thought random spontaneous fucking was what guys dreamed of.”

Kale couldn’t help but laugh. Yes, this was normally right up his ally.

Ronnie took a step back from him and sighed. “Now I’m all wound up.”

“I’ll take care of that tonight. Believe me baby, I’m dying here too.” He looked at her swollen lips and her full breasts and he damn near said fuck it, but he forced himself to stay strong.

“I can’t see you tonight. I’m working late and then I’m finishing up a piece on Mic.”

“Mic?” he asked with a hiccup of a territorial growl forming in the base of his throat.

“Yes, Mic. The fifty year old bald guy with a beer belly and a cigarette permanently hanging out of his mouth…”

Kale relaxed. Oh yeah, Mic.

“Do you work tomorrow? I want you to go somewhere with me.”

Ronnie raised her eyebrows. “Kale, I thought we discussed this. I don’t want to go on any dates.”

“It’s not a date. I’m driving to my hometown to visit my grandmother. It’s a four hour drive each way and I just want you to keep me company on the road trip.”

“Meeting family definitely doesn’t fall into the just sex part of our relationship. Sorry.”

“I know, and you wouldn’t be meeting her. You can even stay in the car. I just want to lay some flowers on her grave.”

*****

Ronnie wanted to slap herself in the face for being such a stupid bitch. This guy who had annoyingly wedged his way into her life was asking her to go with him to visit his grandmother’s grave site and she was being completely insensitive. Did she want to go? Fuck no. The thought of being in a car for four hours sounded torturous, and spending time at a cemetery wasn’t on her list of enjoyable activities. But there was a sadness in Kale’s eyes that was hauntingly beautiful and she could tell that he didn’t want to go alone. Damn it.

“Fuck…okay, I’ll go with you but I have a shop meeting at 10:30 tomorrow morning so we can’t leave until around noon.”

Kale’s dimple appeared. “Thank you.” The words mirrored his smile as he scooped her back into his arms. His bare chest and tight arms held her so tightly that they squeezed all thoughts from her head leaving only the need she had for him. She slipped her hands over the sharp angles of his hips and over the deep mountains of his stomach. She titled her head up, ran her tongue over the stubble of his chin and tasted his salty skin. He groaned and she felt his erection spring back to life against her stomach. She couldn’t help trying her luck one last time so she slid her hand down his shorts and grabbed his thick length in her hand.

“Baby…” Kale started to protest and he gently pulled her hand up out of his shorts.

As per her usual, Jordan took that moment to come bounding through the door, interrupting them once again. “Oh, um…sorry…”

Kale leaned down and whispered in Ronnie’s ear, “Now I’m all wound up.”

“Serves you right for denying me,” she smirked.

“Alright, Sweetheart,” he laughed. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

After Kale walked out of the locker room, Jordan fixed her wide eyed arched eyebrows at Ronnie.

“Don’t even.” Ronnie spat.

“Alright, alright.”

“So what’s up, you looked like you were on a mission when you stormed in here.”

“Oh…yeah…well…”

“Spit it out Jordan,” Ronnie reprimanded, taking her annoyance for her sexual frustration out on Jordan.

“Mic called, he’s been trying to get a hold of you.”

“At 7:45 in the morning? I didn’t know Mic knew how to function this early in the morning. What did he want?”

“Well, um…”

Ronnie just narrowed her eyes at her friend; she seriously needed to get on with it already.

“Brandon has been calling the shop and now he has started calling Mic’s cell phone.” Her voice held an apology as if her words would slice open an old wound. They kind of did.

“When the fuck did Brandon start calling the shop? And why didn’t anyone tell me?”

“A few days ago, but Mic took care of it. He didn’t want you to get upset and he told that son of a bitch to leave you the hell alone. He had his calls blocked from the shop line, but now that he is trying to get a hold of you through his cell phone, Mic thought you should know.”

“Fucking asshole. Okay, thanks Jordy.”

“You alright?” she asked softly, and Ronnie hated that Jordan had commiseration toward her.

Ronnie planted an indifferent expression on her face and strutted toward the locker room door. “Yep, I’m good.” And she was going to be, even if it fucking killed her.

*****

“So you want to explain to me why you thought it was fucking smart to keep the little fact that Brandon was blowing up the shop phone from me?” Ronnie asked as she stormed into Mic’s room. Everyone else was gone for the night so it was finally safe for Ronnie to unleash her wrath. She couldn’t believe her best friend would hide the fact that her ex-fiancé was repeatedly calling. And what pissed her off even more was that she wanted to know what Brandon wanted. She didn’t want to care, she didn’t want to give a shit, but she did.

“You don’t need to talk to his sorry ass, Angel. What could he possibly have to say to you that would fucking matter anyway?” Mic pulled the transfer paper of the last portion of his back piece out of the drawer in his filing cabinet next to the counter and slammed it shut.

“Well the last time I checked I was still in control of my own decisions. I could’ve handled him.”

“But I didn’t want you to have to deal with him if you didn’t have to. I took care of it. If you wanted to stay in touch with him then you shouldn’t have changed your phone number.” Mic stood up and stepped past Ronnie into the hall.

Ronnie stepped into the doorway. “What did he want, Mic? What did he say?” Her voice was soft and she could hear the sad pathetic plea in her tone and she wanted to cruse and scream and bawl her eyes out for letting Brandon get to her once again.

Mic stopped dead in his tracks and turned back to her until he was standing right in front of her. “I don’t know, Angel. I didn’t ask and he probably wouldn’t have told me even if I would have.”