Lily's Outlaw (Once a Marine, Always a Marine Book 2) (6 page)

Stop it, she told herself. That train of thought didn’t help and was only getting her worked up in a way that she wouldn’t be able to relieve by herself.

“So why did you go?”

“I got into a fight.”

“On prom night? Who with?”

He nodded and a glint came into his eyes. “Wayne Kingston.”

Understanding dawned. “Why would you get into a fight with the Sheriff’s son?”

He held his hands up and looked innocent. “How could I have known that you turned him down for prom? I had no idea you were quite the femme fatale back then.”

“How did this become my fault?”

“He didn’t like the thought of anyone else taking you to prom. So he and Andy Newton jumped me outside the flower shop, of all places. Apparently, you said no to Andy as well, and since everyone knew he was going to be Prom King, he figured you should have been his date. Although, I don’t think he told Wayne that.”

Her heart melted just a little bit. “You were bringing me flowers?”

It was his turn to roll his eyes. “It was prom. Of course I was buying you flowers. My two oldest sisters told me exactly what to get and what color you were wearing.”

“That’s so sweet. So what happened?”

“They were a little drunk and acting stupid and I broke little Wayne’s nose. He called his daddy for backup after Andy drove off in his Camaro, and I was hauled down to the station.”

Her mouth dropped open. “He always was a coward.”

“I have a few other names for him,” Jesse said with a smirk.

She did too, but, “A lady does not cuss.”

“Why the hell not?”

Lily scooted closer and poked him in the ribs. “What happened, then?”

It took a minute but he finally contained his mirth. “Well, no one bothered to ask who started it because Wayne was crying and bleeding so much no one could understand him. And since I’d already had several run-ins with the Sheriff, he naturally assumed it was me.”

“And his uncle was the judge at the time.”

“Yep.”

“They made you leave town that night, didn’t they?”

“Mom was crying and they were threatening jail time, so I let her drive me to the recruiter’s office in the next town and she left me there with a bag. He came and got me, let me crash on his couch for a couple days while the paperwork went through and then stuck me on a bus to boot camp.”

“It’s like a bad movie.”

“Sorry I never called. By the time I had phone privileges, I figured you were pissed and wouldn’t want to hear from me anyway.”

Lily shrugged. “I still went. I was crowned Prom Queen but I refused to dance with Andy. It was quite the high school scandal.”

She would have loved a phone call, at least to know why he hadn’t shown up, but she wasn’t mad. She’d been all dressed up, hair done and even had makeup on, just to be able to dance in his arms. The sad truth was that she’d been half in love with him back then and he treated her like a special friend, or worse, another sister.

“Why didn’t you ever try to kiss me?”
 

Jesse sobered and stared at her mouth, making her lips tingle. “Do you know why they allowed me to go to the recruiter that night, instead of charging me with assault?”

She shook her head.

“Your mother stepped in and made it happen. I don’t think she wanted me anywhere near you.”

“She never paid enough attention about anything in my life to care.”

“Apparently she knew about prom.”

“So?” Lily was genuinely confused. Her mother hadn’t even been home when she had gotten ready that night. Some fundraiser thing in Dallas.

Jesse scratched his chin and shrugged. “So, my mother cleaned your mother’s house. I don’t think she liked the idea of the maid’s son dating the mayor’s daughter. Wouldn’t have looked right. And when my mother called for help, your mother made sure I was out of sight and out of mind.”

“I guess that thought never occurred to me.” She got up and moved to the picture window that overlooked the front of the house, seeing only her reflection. “It’s okay, you know, about the kissing. I know you never thought of me that way.”

She didn’t hear him move. One minute she was feeling alone and slightly depressed, and the next he was behind her, his reflection overwhelming hers in the glass. Their eyes met and his expression was deadly serious.

“Maybe I never thought it would be welcomed. I was a bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks.”

“And I was the good girl looking for adventure.” She smiled lightly. “It might as well be a Lifetime movie.”

“How about we fix that now?”

Lily wasn’t even sure she was done nodding before he turned her and she was in his arms. His lips captured hers in a kiss that seared her entire being. This was no tentative first kiss, there was no hesitation, no awkward fumbling. He kissed like he meant it. Like she was a prize captured or won.

And she loved every single moment.

Her arms were around his waist, exploring his muscular back. His hands were buried in her hair, stroking and tugging lightly, just enough to move her mouth where he wanted it. He was in total control and she liked letting him lead.

When she raked her nails up his back, he growled low in his throat in a way that let her know he liked what she was doing. She’d heard the same kind of noise once, out on a Kenyon preserve in Africa. A big tawny lion, lying on a rock outcropping, was being thoroughly cleansed by one of his mates.

“Wow,” she said when he pulled back to look at her. “That was better than I’d ever imagined.”

“Yeah, it was.”

“So you imagined it too?”

“Not back then, but definitely since Mexico.”

Lily laughed. “Thank you for being honest.”

“Well, I honestly want to kiss you again.”

Raking her nails over his back, she murmured, “So do I.”

***

The woman in his arms was soft, smelled great and was responsive as hell to his touch. And Jesse wanted to touch her everywhere. Lily moaned so sweetly when his tongue drove into her mouth to taste her.

“You are an amazing kisser,” she said.

“Only because you taste so good.”

He moved his hands down to her hips, cupped her ass and lifted her into his arms. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he walked them into the house. They both needed some sleep but right this moment, he couldn’t think of anything better than Lily in his arms, kissing him passionately.

“Please tell me that you plan to take advantage of me,” she whispered against his mouth.

Jesse paused and kicked the door shut behind them. “Is that what you want?”

“Oh yes.”

“I am sure our mamas would have something to say about that.”

“Shut up, Jesse.”

And then she sealed her lips to his and he couldn’t think of anything else to say. He carried her into his bedroom. Setting her down at the side of the bed, he had her shirt off almost as fast as she tugged his up and over his head. But because he couldn’t stay away from her lips, he leaned in, flattening her soft breasts against his chest while he kissed her.

She touched him everywhere, birdlike strokes that enflamed and aroused him. Her skin was softer than anything he’d ever felt and even though she was small, she was perfect to him. And she was fast. His jeans were unbuttoned and he sucked in a breath when she reached in and palmed him. Inside his jeans.She squeezed him and it took some effort not to rip the rest of her clothes off and have her. Instead he returned the favor, working the button of her jeans loose, before sliding his fingers inside. Lily was wet and ready, stroking him while he explored her.

She kissed him passionately as he pushed a finger inside. Her muscles clenched as she sighed, rubbing herself against him. His own hips were thrusting into her hand as she worked him. He pulled his hand out.

“Don’t stop.” She sighed.

“These pants need to come off. Now.”

The alarm screeched once. Then beeped in a certain sequence. And the phone rang.

Jesse groaned but moved instantly, stepping back from Lily and answering the phone. Only one person would be calling. “It just went off. How many?”

Zach answered, “Four, heavily armed, and being stealthy.”

“How long do I have?”

“Three minutes, tops.”

“Damn it.”

“Get your asses out of there now.”

Jesse glanced at Lily, who once again had her shirt on and was looking somber. He was rock hard with a beautiful woman in his bedroom and someone was messing with that. It pissed him off. “Copy that.”

“Call me once you’re clear and watch your six.”

Jesse hung up and started moving. “We have unfriendly company coming for us.”

Lily nodded. “I figured that might be the case.”

He went to the closet and pulled out a backpack. “Put your stuff in here and clip it securely when you get it on, we need to move fast.”

“Okay.”

When she started transferring items from the bags to the backpack, he retrieved his Go bag and restocked with ammo and food, making sure the rest of his supplies were in place. He looked back at Lily, proud of her that she’d been quick and was ready, backpack on and secured with her leather satchel slung across her body.

“Let’s go.”

Jesse killed all the lights, opened the back sliding door and motioned for Lily to follow. Once they were out, he reset the alarm and pulled her with him down the stairs and out into the trees. “Hold on to the back of my pack, I am not going to risk a flashlight until we get to Zach’s house.”

She pulled his head down for a quick kiss. “I expect you to pick up exactly where you left off, Jess.”

Her whispered comment made him smile in the dark. “The moment we are safe.”

He took off down the path toward his partner’s cabin. If he knew Zach, Beth was already safely underground in a recently added storm shelter built about one hundred yards behind the house. And Zach would be armed and ready for anything.
 

When Beth had come under attack little more than a year ago, Zach had drawn up plans for the shelter. And while Jesse might like to put Lily there with Beth and fight off the attack, he wasn’t about to put his friends in any more danger. So for now, he’d lead the unfriendlies away and deal with them on his terms.

Lily tugged on Jesse’s backpack, slowing him down after a few minutes. “Where are we going?” she asked, out of breath from the hike.
 

“Zach has a work truck we can use to get out of here.”

“How were we found?”
 

Jesse had a couple of ideas but he couldn’t take care of it until they were out of immediate danger. The path was well used and clear of debris, so they made good time. Zach materialized a moment later and Lily let out a startled noise that sounded loud in the dark.

“Took you long enough,” Zach said. He was in all black with an assault rifle slung over his back and a small phone in his hands.

“Set it off,” Jesse said, still moving with Lily right behind him. Zach entered a code into the phone as they passed.

The truck was unlocked with keys in the ignition. Then an alarm went off. His cabin was three miles from Zach’s, but they heard it clearly.
 

“What in the world is that noise?” Lily asked.

Jesse grinned. “It’s a special alarm we rigged to the house.” Jesse and Zach had set concussion alarms to the house and several of the trees.
 

“It’s really loud.”

“Imagine how it sounds over there.”

The sound of gunfire could be heard faintly through the concussive noise of the alarm. Jesse started cussing and punched the door of the truck, leaving another dent in the beat up older truck. “Damn it.”

“That’s gunfire, isn’t it?” Lily asked.
 

“Yes,” Jesse snarled, throwing their gear into the truck before he hoisted Lily into the cab. “They’re shooting up my house.” Damn it. He really loved his house.

“Sounds like that’s going to need a lot of spackle,” Zach said.

“Shut up, Zach.”

His friend had the nerve to grin. “Get going. I have a couple more surprises for them.”

Zach was clearly enjoying himself. “Just don’t set the forest on fire,” Jesse said.

Lily was belted in and looking worried, so he jumped in and fired up the engine. He took off and hoped that however they were being tracked, it showed they were leaving the area.

Once he was on the main road, he turned away from his cabin. Several explosions thundered in the distance.

Zach was definitely having fun.

“I’m so sorry,” Lily said quietly.

“Don’t be.”

“But your cabin—”

“Can be repaired. And Zach is making sure they leave before more damage is done.”

“What if he gets hurt? Or his wife?”

Jesse glanced over to see Lily’s face twisted in remorse. Her eyes were bright with unshed tears, when just a little while ago they were alight with passion and spunk. He hated that someone was doing this to her.