Loch and Key (14 page)

He arched a brow. “You’re in school? For what kind of degree?”

“Paralegal, ultimately. The past few years I’ve taken classes at a community college off the island, and now I’m finishing up with some electives online. I’m close to getting the degree.”

“Good for you.”

She didn’t need or necessarily want his approval, but still a flush of pleasure ran through her at the gleam of it in his eyes. The hint of surprise and respect there irritated her a bit, though.

“I love our pub, and I’ve worked there since I was legally able to, but this is also something I want to do.”

“You don’t need to defend yourself, Kenzie. The pub is an amazing place, but it’s your brother’s baby. It’s completely understandable you’d want more for yourself.”

It was disturbing how fast he’d nailed it. And how she was starting to think about having him just nail her.

Slow down, girl. Use more than your hormones alone to make decisions.

And wow, he was still making that bed. Stretching every sheet and blanket until there wasn’t a visible wrinkle anywhere. Must be that military thing. God, she’d love to see his reaction if he saw her made bed—or comforter in a clump on top of it. Making beds? Who had time for that sort of nonsense?

“Thank you.” She nodded. “For everything this morning and for forgiving me for yesterday.”

“Nothing to forgive.”

Her lips quirked with amusement. “Don’t go so easy on me. I knew damn well you’d be on your arse by the time I was through with you.”

“In that case, I look forward to retribution of the…pleasurable kind.”

It was a nonthreatening threat, not really designed to make her afraid, but more aroused. It worked.

“We’ll see,” she murmured flippantly. “But in the future, lay off the whisky, sailor. Your head for it isn’t as big as your ego thinks it is.”

She only just avoided the pillow he tossed her way, before she ducked out the door.

“Are you singing, Chief?”

Guilty as charged. It was Monday morning and Brett had been enjoying being alone for the quiet start. He usually arrived a half hour earlier than the troops did, using the time to check e-mails and read over what had to be done today. Get shit in order. Not to mention it allowed him to watch from a distance to see who, out of the twenty-four troops he was in charge of, was late or who was early.

And this morning he’d been so deep in thought he hadn’t even realized his men were arriving.

Brett wiped the sappy smile off his face and turned to face Simmons, who’d come up behind him. There was still ten minutes ’til day check started.

“I’m not much for singing.” Not usually.

“No. I’m pretty sure you were, Chief.” Simmons grinned. “‘Whiskey River’? Willie Nelson, right?”

Shit. Caught red-handed. “Surprised you’d be familiar with that kind of music.”

“My grandpa used to sing that song all the time. Grew up on Willie Nelson.” Simmons folded his arms across his chest. “This wouldn’t have anything to do with a pretty Scottish girl named Kenzie and the Highland Games would it?”

“None of your business.”

“Right, of course.” The sailor’s lips quirked. “How was your head yesterday?”

Hell, was he really taking shit from one of his men? “You know what? You should go line up.”

“Yes, Chief.”

Simmons must’ve gotten the unspoken reprimand, but it didn’t stop him from laughing softly as he made his way to join the rest of the troops.

Well shit. He should’ve expected some ribbing from the guys this morning. They’d finally succeeded in getting their chief drunk. Only they’d had very little to do with it, Kenzie had done all the work.

But they were the ones who’d gotten his drunken ass safely home—only after a visit to Taco Bell, of course. They could enjoy the memory, because it sure as shit wouldn’t be happening again anytime soon.

Brett leaned back in his chair and continued to watch his troops file in. Getting ready for shift on a summery Monday morning, with his mind slipping back in time twenty-four hours.

Breakfast in bed. Luscious breasts in his hands. His mouth. A sexy strawberry blonde kissing his neck while she stroked him off in the shower.

After just over a year of not touching, or being touched by, a female, he’d come in her hand like Mount St. Helens.

A year. When the fucking hell had he ever gone a year without sex? Maybe in his teen years when he’d been single. Then there was the time he’d come close while married to Eden and he was out on the ship. He’d returned to find his wife not in the mood—only later to realize she’d been getting her rocks off with another sailor who’d been on shore leave.

Now here he was single and with no reason not to be out sleeping around if he wanted. But that was just it. He only wanted one woman and, unfortunately, it watered down his desire toward the rest of the female population.

Somewhat of a drag, really. But now that he’d had a taste of what was to come with Kenzie, there was no way anyone else would do. He’d wait if need be, but after Sunday, it was only a matter of time.

“Hey, Chief. We, uh, gonna muster?”

Fuck. Had he really been so deep into thinking about Kenzie that he’d nearly forgotten his job?

Shaking his head, as if the physical movement could rid her from his mind, he stood and went to start the shift.

Brett was at lunch, digging into a big fat deli sandwich, when her text came in.

So what are you making me for dinner? I’ve got a great recipe for whisky grilled ribs. ~K

Relieved that she’d texted him, he gave a soft laugh and set down his sandwich. He was going to need two hands to write her back.

No whisky for you. You’re cut off. My house. Sixish? I make a mean jambalaya.

He went back to eating, trying not to let on to the other chiefs he’d come to lunch with that the text he’d received had just made his whole day.

Not so fast, boy. I work night shift at the bar. My next day off is Wednesday. That work for you? P.S. I hate shrimp, can you leave it out?

Didn’t like shrimp? Seriously? Who the hell didn’t like shrimp? She probably hated crawfish too. He’d have to convert her. She wouldn’t be the first. He typed his response.

Boy? I’m all man, sugar. Wednesday works for me. I’ll skip the shrimp—this time. Wednesday 6ish.

By now he was drawing curious glances from a couple of the other chiefs around him.

“My sister,” he lied smoothly.

“Your sister, my ass,” Jack, another chief, replied. “Who’s the girl?”

Brett set his phone down, with the screen side down, and grinned, reaching for his sandwich, taking a bite.

A moment later he shrugged. “Just a girl.”

“It’s never just a girl,” Delmar, another chief, grunted.

His phone vibrated, signaling another text. With the other guys teasing him to pick it up and check, he forced restraint and took another bite. He chewed slowly before reaching for the phone.

Aye, you certainly are all man. I’ve been thinking about our shower together. Thinking about it while getting myself off, actually. See you Wednesday!

Jesus, she’d ended their little texting session with the most blatantly erotic—

“Holy shit, you’re blushing.”

At the chortle of disbelief from one of the guys, Brett ground his teeth together, shoved aside his shock and willed the heat in his cheeks to disappear and his hardening dick to calm the fuck down.

“It’s hot in here,” he muttered, even as his fingers flew across the screen of his phone. Two could play at that game.

That’s a pretty sexy image. You getting yourself off… I’m just out having a sandwich, but for some reason I have a hankering for eating tacos now. Maybe Wednesday…?

Silence. Minutes went by and he started to sweat. He’d gone too far. She was probably rediscovering her flirting skills and he’d dragged her right onto that filthy path she’d tentatively stepped on.

His phone vibrated and he couldn’t open the text nearly fast enough.

Sorry, Chief, Taco Tuesday is actually tomorrow. We may have to stick to the sausage…you know, in your jambalaya.

Laughing outright now, he shook his head.

You win this round. I can’t tap my inner dirty man around these guys watching my every move. See you Wednesday, sugar.

He slipped his phone back into his pocket and grabbed his sandwich again.

Delmar stared hard at him and gave a smirk. “So sweet your sister makes you blush, Craven.”

Ignoring their bawdy laughs, he gave them the finger and focused on his sandwich. Tried to think of anything but the mass of sexual innuendos still floating in his head.

Chapter Ten

“Tell me again why you can’t make tomorrow night’s dinner?”

While leaning against the counter of Colin’s house, Kenzie bit into an apple to give her a moment before responding.

She felt the weight of her brother’s gaze as he chopped a head of iceberg lettuce for the salad that would go with their impromptu dinner. After making plans with Brett, she’d known she’d have to bail on her usual Wednesday night dinner with Colin and Hailey. She’d driven to their house today to drop off a DVD she’d borrowed and let them know she’d be missing dinner tomorrow.

Of course the pair had insisted she stay for dinner
tonight
, and who was she to say no to Crab Louie? Especially since she didn’t have to be to work for several hours yet.

“I’m meeting a friend for dinner,” she murmured, not accustomed to lying to her brother but not quite ready to be forthcoming with her tentative love life either.

Which, seeing as Brett didn’t do serious, was probably a good idea. No matter that she was closing in on thirty, she would automatically be deemed taken advantage of if they discovered she was indulging in casual sex.

Memories of Sunday flickered through her mind and heat swept through her body. Though nothing about what they’d done that day had felt casual.

“Do I know this friend?”

“Colin, my God, let her be.” Hailey walked by her fiancé and gave him a light smack on the shoulder. “You’re not her keeper.”

“No, just her brother.”

“Hmm, I swear you McLaughlins would keep your little sister under lock and key if you could.”

“And why not? Safety first, aye?”

Kenzie and Hailey shared an eye-rolling glance. “Safe…abstinent. I suppose they’re synonymous with my brothers.”

Colin grimaced and shook his head. “That was not an invite to discuss your…”

“Sex life? You can’t even say it,” Kenzie drawled.

“And I’ve enough of this. I’ll just be running out to the freezer to grab some more ice.”

He hadn’t been gone a minute before Hailey swung her attention to Kenzie.

“All right. Who is he?”

Not even pretending to misunderstand the question, and knowing they only had a couple minutes tops, Kenzie spilled the beans.

“His name is Brett, he’s the Navy guy who stood me up but has made amends, and it’s not serious. So don’t say a word to my brother. Any of them, actually.”

“My lips are sealed.” Hailey made the zipping motion against her mouth. “Have you slept with him?”

“Not yet, but I think it’s about as inevitable as rain in Seattle.”

“So Kenzie and Seattle—both getting wet, got it.”

Kenzie couldn’t smother her giggle. “Dirty girl.”

“Definitely sometimes.”

Even though their friendship had only recently rekindled in the past year—after eleven years of silence—they’d slipped back into an easy relationship. Kenzie and Sarah both had welcomed Hailey back into their lives after the truth about the sordid past had come out.

Hailey had made some tough choices that had put her in a pretty bad light. With the truth had come forgiveness, and not only had Hailey and Sarah renewed their friendship, but Colin and Hailey had wound up in love.

“So the Navy guy is back in the picture. Is he cute? Nice? Shy? Aggressive?”

Definitely three of those. “And Southern.”

“Southern. All right, then he’s got some manners?”

“Aye. He certainly does.” Kenzie ducked her head, and confessed, “I got him drunk on whisky at the Highland Games on Saturday.”

“You did what?” Hailey’s voice rose. “I was there, how did I miss this?”

“Miss what?” Colin returned with a bag of ice, arching a brow.

“Ah, this one Doctor Who episode,” Kenzie said quickly, knowing her brother hated the show. “I can fill—”

He lifted his hand to cut her off. “I’d rather you didn’t. Thanks.”

While he went to dispense the ice in the kitchen freezer, Hailey and Kenzie exchanged a conspiring glance.

“You’ll have to fill me in later on everything,” Hailey said innocently.

Kenzie gave a noncommittal murmur of agreement and then changed the subject.