REGENCY: Loved by the Duke (Historical Billionaire Military Romance) (19th Century Victorian Short Stories) (39 page)

Chapter 1

Jenna was exhausted as the day had been long and tiring, she hated stocktaking in her dad’s general store for two reasons, one it was boring and two because her dad was such a pain in the ass about everything being just right.

His business was successful though, and his keen eye for detail had probably kept the shop going as long as it had. The reasonably sized general store sold just about everything you could hope to find in the small town of Laconia, Indiana. Jenna had started working there when she was still at school and now at 23-years-old she still worked there.

She didn’t have the heart to tell her parents that she wanted to do something else with her life and see the world. They wouldn’t have understood as to them Laconia was a way of life, everybody knew everybody and nothing ever changed.

It was approaching Christmas and Jenna had promised to help her dad decorate the store after the stocktaking. She enjoyed this time of year and had to admit that Laconia wasn’t a bad place to be as the season to be jolly approached.

“You done with those novelty gifts?” her dad’s voice boomed through to the small stock room.

“Yep all present and correct, can we start on the decorations now?” Jenna replied, growing ever impatient with her dad.

“Yes, grab the box on your way back out here,” her dad shouted.

Jenna skipped excitedly toward the staff room where she’d left the box brimming with Christmas decorations earlier that day. It didn’t even occur to her that for a 23-year-old woman of 5’4” perhaps she should start acting more grown-up.

Jenna’s black frizzy hair bounced as she skipped, it sat just below her shoulders and was her nemesis never doing what she wanted it to do. Most days, like today she’d simply give up with it and allow it to claim its victory over her. There was the odd occasion it behaved and she’d be able to tame it enough to pop it up in a ponytail, but other than that, it lived its life as an unruly mess.

She reached the staff room, and as she bent over to retrieve the box, her sweater lifted up showing the silky-smooth ebony toned skin on her curvy back. She placed the box on the table and pulled her sweater back down shivering with the cold as she did so.

Jenna tucked her hair behind her ears and glanced in the small mirror hanging on the wall, she noticed how her dark green eyes looked tired today. She’d had a restless night and had woken up feeling as though she’d not even been to bed. She still lived with her parents just across the street from the store.

She picked the box up and went back into the store slowly as the box covered her eyes and she couldn’t see a thing.

“Really dad this box gets friggin heavier every year, what do you do add to it throughout the year?” she muttered as her boot covered feet stepped carefully forward. She banged into someone and heard some of the decorations as they hit the tiled floor. “Seriously dad you can see I’m struggling here and you go and get in my way, really.”       

“Umm sorry I honestly didn’t see you there,” a deep voice mumbled.

Quickly realizing the voice belonged to a potential customer Jenna put the box down on the floor and as she straightened up she was taken aback by the perfect physique she was looking at. A tight-fitting cream-colored sweater adorned a broad and obviously muscled chest.

She tilted her head back and looked up at the handsome face of a guy around 27-years-old. Jenna really had to look up, as the guy in front of her had to be 6’4” with very short blonde hair. His chin had a chiseled appearance and as he smiled down at Jenna her knees weakened, his smile was so sexy. His soft pink lips were closed, it wasn’t a broad smile and the right side of his mouth was smiling more than the left side.

Jenna had never been so taken with a guy’s smile. His skin was pale with the smoothness of cream making it look like velvet.

She realized she was staring at him and hadn’t actually spoken, “That’s ok, I’m sorry for my outburst I thought you were my dad.”

“It’s cool here let me help you,” he said bending down and picking the box up as though it were a feather.

She shifted so she was in front of him in the store’s aisle and asked him to follow her as she walked toward the counter. She could feel his eyes burning on her curvaceous figure and was glad she’d chosen her more flattering black jeans today to match her blue hooded sweater; her boots had a small heel on them so she naturally wiggled as she walked.

Jenna glanced behind her and saw that his eyes were fixated on her shapely ass and as he caught her looking at her his pale cheeks reddened. She turned back and smiled to herself.

“Here’s fine thank you so much,” she said as she stared at the hard muscles of his arms through his sweater coupled with the bunching muscles of his broad shoulders.

“You’re welcome, I’m Riley,” he said as he smiled his sexy one-sided smile.

“Jenna,” she whispered glancing up at his sheer masculinity and vigor, he was in amazing shape.

“Have you worked here long?” he asked leaning casually against the counter as he spoke.

As she gazed into his pale blue eyes; her breath caught in her chest, and as her ample breasts moved up and down rapidly while she caught her breath, his eyes never left them.

“Yes I started while I was at school, it’s my dad’s store,” she whispered trying so hard to focus on the conversation and not on his incredibly sexy body.

“If only I’d come in sooner and then we’d have met before. I pass here often on my way to Salem where my folks live,” he said with his eyes now back on her face and not on her cleavage.

“Coming from where?” she asked hoping her question wasn’t forward.

He didn’t seem to mind as he replied, “From my Navy Seal base.”

“I knew it!” she exclaimed and then covered her mouth with embarrassment while he laughed at her outburst.

“Excuse me?” he asked smiling at her.

“You’re so, ummm physically fit I knew you just had to be in the military or you worked out on a regular basis,” she mumbled awkwardly staring at the ground and wishing it’d open up and swallow her.

“Why thank you,” he beamed at her with a great big grin on his handsome face.

“Jenna are you actually working here today or not?” her dad shouted from the front of the shop where she could see a big queue of customers forming.

“Oh shit, I better go, it was a pleasure meeting you Riley the Navy Seal,” she said smiling at him as he stood up straight.

“And you Jenna right I must go and buy what I came in for before I was distracted by a beautiful young lady,” he whispered as he walked by leaving her to walk to the front of the shop on shaking legs, his breath had been hot against her smooth cheek.

“There you are,” her dad said with a sigh of relief as she hurried behind the counter to serve the agitated customers.

Laconia wasn’t generally a busy town but for some reason today, the general store was packed, on all the days when Jenna could’ve done with some quiet time to chat to Riley. She looked up and saw him joining the end of the queue, he grinned at her over the top of the other customers that he literally towered over.

She giggled under her breath as she served the other customers quickly.

“Wow lightening fingers there on the cash till Jenna,” he said and as he said her name, her skin erupted in goosebumps and she noticed her dad’s head shooting up and looking toward Riley.

She put his goods through the till and held out her hand to take his money, as he passed it to her his fingers brushed the palm of her hand and she jumped at his light feathery touch. She dropped his money all over the counter.

“Jenna careful,” her dad shouted.

“It’s ok sir it was my fault I made her jump,” Riley said as he helped Jenna pick the money up.

“Sorry dad,” she whispered as she lightly squeezed Riley’s hand and mouthed the words ‘Thank You’ at him as he looked at her.

He smiled back at her and she rang his goods through the till.

“Thanks Jenna,” he smiled down at her and as he took his bag of goods from her, he pressed something into her hand and left the store. She could feel her dad’s eyes burning a hole in the back of her head so now the store was clear again she went through to the staff room.

She sat on one of the seats and looked down into her hand where she saw a crumpled piece of paper, Jenna carefully opened it and gasped as she read the words, ‘Jenna call me soon,” he’d scribbled his cell number down for her. Jenna smiled as she carefully folded the piece of paper up as though it were a delicate artifact. To Jenna right at that moment it was as precious to her as a rare antique would be to be an antique dealer.

Chapter 2

She floated through the rest of the day on cloud nine as she whistled and sang to herself happily.

“Your good mood hasn’t got anything to do with a certain tall guy that was in here earlier has it?” her dad teased as they cashed up together before going home.

“I don’t know what you mean dad,” she replied smiling at him.

“I saw the way you looked at him Jen,” he said quietly. He only called her Jen when he was trying to soften her up and entice information from her, as normally it was always Jenna from her dad and Jen from her mom.

Jenna tried her best to ignore him but she was bursting to tell someone, anyone, about her encounter with the sexy Riley and she guessed her dad had just become that someone!

“His name’s Riley and he’s a Navy Seal, and he’s cute, sexy and so fit with amazing blue eyes and incredible muscles and so tall,” she blurted it all out without taking a breath.

Her dad laughed and laughed, “Jeez Jenna calm down, yes I noticed he looked fit and very tall. A Navy Seal well we don’t get too many of them around this way.”

“His folks live in Salem so he passes through every so often but has never stopped here before, until today,” she grinned.

“Was his cell number on the piece of paper he gave you?” he asked.

She was momentarily shocked, “What, how, you saw the piece of paper?”

Again laughter from her dad, “Yes Jenna your dear dad might be old but he doesn’t miss much.”

She walked closer to him and threw her arms around him hugging him tightly, “You’re not old and I forget just how shrewd you can be at times.”

“Okay, okay you can release me now,” he muttered as Jenna loosened her vice like grip on him.

“Yes he gave me his number and told me to call him soon but I don’t know what to do dad,” she mumbled as she stepped back from him and looked into his ageing face. Yes, he was old but he was still a rather debonair guy with his well-dressed appearance and charming manners.

“In what way Jenna? Obviously you’re calling to call him aren’t you?” he asked looking at her pensively.

She stared at the ground and shuffled her feet awkwardly, a habit she hadn’t lost from her childhood. Whenever she was contemplating a situation, she shuffled her feet.

“Are you insane, of course I’ll definitely be calling him but the dilemma is when to call him,” she said and then starting giggling at the exasperated sigh that escaped her dad’s thin lips.

“This is a conversation that’s better suited to your mom Jenna, as I’m totally bewildered,” he smiled as he shut the cash till up and they made their way to the staff room to collect their coats.

“These finer points matter dad. I call too soon then I appear desperate I call too late then I appear nonchalant,” she mumbled as she slipped her winter coat on and her beanie hat on her head trying desperately to tuck some of her mass of frizzy hair underneath it.

“Good god I’m so glad I’ve got your mom and don’t have to worry about such technicalities in life,” her dad laughed as they walked to the front of the store.

“Don’t worry dad I’ll chat to mom later,” she smiled up at him.

Their house wasn’t far from the store, which was just as well as it started to snow. Jenna held her dad’s arm tightly as they headed through the soft flurry of snow, and she giggled as the cold snowflakes hit the soft skin of her face gently reminding her of Riley’s light touch earlier.

For a guy of 6’4” and of an incredibly muscular build his touch had been surprisingly tender.

Her mom was waiting by the front door as they arrived home, “I was worried when I saw the snow falling.”

“Seriously mom it’s not a blizzard,” Jenna laughed letting go of her dad’s arm as they went through the small garden gate.

“I’m allowed to worry Jen,” her mom snapped as she stood back from the door to let them in. As soon as Jenna entered the house, her taste buds went into overdrive, as the delicious aroma of roast chicken being cooked for dinner teased them.

“Smells great mom,” Jenna whispered as she kissed her mom’s cheek softly.

Her mom smiled at her and Jenna looked at her lovingly seeing exactly where her looks had been inherited from, not that her dad wasn’t good looking but her mom had been stunningly beautiful in her youth. Jenna had seen photos taken of her mom during her early twenties with her frizzy hair and captivating green eyes.

The only attribute she didn’t thank her mom for was her bigger build, her dad was slim. Jenna had grown to accept her figure and even to welcome it; at least she possessed womanly curves.

“Jenna’s got news about a guy,” her dad teased as he went through to the kitchen.

Her mom’s face was suddenly animated as Jenna looked at her and grinned, “Don’t get too excited mom it was only a guy in the store today.”

“That’s not how I interpreted the situation Jenna,” her dad shouted from the kitchen.

Jenna began to shuffle her feet and her mom burst out laughing, “Right I want the truth now young lady, you’re doing that damn thing with your feet and that can only mean there’s more to this guy than you’re letting on.”

“God, why do parents have to know their kids so well?” sighed Jenna. “Yes okay, there’s more to him. His name’s Riley and he’s like the best looking guy I’ve ever seen in my life ever.”

Her mom couldn’t stop laughing, there were tears of laughter rolling down her cheeks as she stuttered between laughter, “Oh dear Jen, he was obviously more of a hit with you than you initially made out!”

“He’s a Navy Seal mom and around 6’4” tall with the most amazing pale blue eyes I’ve ever seen and the sexiest one-sided smile,” she exclaimed as she stared into her mom’s green eyes.

“Are you getting the description now Linda?” her dad shouted through from the kitchen to his wife.

“Yes honey, Jen’s giving me the whole description of this Riley guy, and I’ve got to say he sounds perfect,” her mom replied smiling at Jenna.

“She’s got his cell number,” her dad yelled, with laughter in his voice. Her mom was fed up of him shouting through so she and Jenna made their way to the kitchen where her mom began checking dinner.

“I assume you’ll be calling him then?” she asked Jenna.

“This is where it gets confusing so I’m going to watch some TV, tell me when dinner’s ready dear,” he said as he kissed his wife on the cheek.

Jenna envied their marriage as they were so happy with one another, neither one had strayed and she knew her mom had received plenty of offers throughout the years.

“Confusing how?” her mom asked as she sat down and looked up at Jenna who was busy making a coffee.

“I don’t want to mess this up mom. You know I can be impulsive what if I call too quickly and come across as desperate?” Jenna asked as she walked toward the table and pulled out a chair to sit opposite her mom.

Her mom remained quiet for a moment, deep in thought, “Life’s too short Jen for all these little dilemmas. In my mind if you like him and he obviously likes you to give you his cell number, ring him don’t question it or over think it just do it.”

She smiled at her mom as she sipped her coffee, “You know what I think I will, I’m going to call him in a moment, why wait and play silly mind games?”

“My sentiments exactly now off you go and ring him,” her mom said as Jenna hugged her close, she was so lucky to have both her parents and she valued their opinions so much.

As she went through to the stairs her dad called through, “Did your mom help you get your thoughts together Jenna?”

“Yes dad, yes she did. I’m going to call Riley right now,” she answered making her way upstairs.

“Good that’s good honey,” her dad replied.

Jenna walked up the stairs with a kaleidoscope of butterflies performing somersaults in her tummy, and as she entered her bedroom, closing the door behind her they stepped up their tumbling performance.

She flopped down on the bed and tried to think of a million reasons not to ring Riley, she’d almost convinced herself by telling herself it was too soon when her mom’s words drifted into her head about life being too short.

Jenna grabbed her bag from the floor where she’d dropped it and reached into the inside pocket pulling out the now neatly folded piece of paper that Riley had crumpled into her hand earlier. Taking a deep breath of air, she picked up her cell and began to dial his number. It started to ring and it took all of her willpower not to end the call before he’d chance to answer it.

“Hello, Jenna? Please tell me that’s you,” said Riley’s deep voice. Jenna relaxed, touched by the fact that he was waiting for her to call.