~Kasumi's P.O.V.~
The run from the parking lot through the rain and into the Lost Lodge left Kas drenched. As icy water trickled down her neck, she turned to scowl at the downpour. In the last two weeks, the season has settled into a cold wet autumn. The desert was looking better and better. After all, what were a few grenades and IEDs between buddies.
"Raining out there?"
She glanced around as Tavic left his friends and moved close enough that his appealing sent tantalized her: clean clothes, a hint of aftershave, and musky male.
Mmmmm. If she swayed any nearer, her breasts would rub his chest. 'No Kas.' She retreated a step and leaned against the door frame. If she didn't keep her distance, her clothes would start to steam from the heat growing between them. 'Jesus, maybe I should go back outside for a cold rain shower.' "Uh, yeah. It's pouring like a son-of-a-bitch."
"Must be. You're soaked, darling." His smile could brighten the gloomiest day. Dammit. "You're early. You didn't walk here, did you?"
"Hardly." She watched a wave of rain advance across the parking lot like strafing fire. In the west, the setting sun had turned the dark clouds to a sullen red. "And it's Friday - I start early on Friday and Saturdays."
"Gonna be a long shift." He lifted a strand of her hair, frowned as water dripped onto the floor. "Tatum has some towels in the kitchen. Dry off before you catch your death."
"Yes, Daddy." She said mockingly.
"Daddy?" His gaze moved down her body like a warm hand and returned to where the wet fabric molded to her breasts.
Her breath caught as everything inside loosened.
He rested his palm on the door frame over her head and leaned in. As he inhaled, is nostrils flared. "Vixen," he murmured, so close that his breath warmed her cheek.
She should stop this, his lips are tantalizingly near. At the heat in his dark green eyes, she felt her skin flush. Sensitize. She was caught, every cell inside her longing for his touch. Her face turned up, brushing her lips against his.
He froze. The muscles in his jaw hardened to granite, and he took a step away. "I'm a fool... And I'm sorry, Kassi." He turned and walked out into the rain, muttering, "Herne help me."
Trying to tell her self that she was relieved, Kas watched him cross the parking lot with his long-limbed, easy gait, and her lust felt as if it radiated outward in hot waves. How the hell did he make her feel like this? Like she'd give anything to wrap a fist in his shirt and pull that lean body down on top of her. She could almost feel his weight on her, the way he'd take her mouth, tease her into kissing him back, then-
'Holy fuck-doodle.' If she didn't get her act together, she'd melt right here in the doorway. She shook her head, sending water splatting against the floor. At least, she was warmer than when she first came in the door. A lot warmer.
'And an idiot.' Just because she felt as if he was a friend - a teammate. Like many of the Marines she'd fought with, he held the same dedication to duty, add in that warped sense of humor...that body? Hell, how could she resist?
With a curse, she slammed the door shut, please to see customers jump at the noise. As she made her way across the sparsely filled room, a table of uniformed forest service workers watched her. One younger guy muttered, "Looks like Tavic's caught himself a female."
A gray-haired, darkly tanned man answered, "She's easy prey."
'Prey?' The asshole thought of her as prey? She slowed, considered knocking a chair leg off the old goat's chair, let him land on his ass. But hell, they were just men - another term for clueless - and they hadn't been speaking to her.
Severed towards the hallway and caught another fragment: "... strangely appealing, anyway." That was more like it. Why their voices were so loud, she didn't know. Come to think of it, the whole room seemed awfully loud, like a TV with the volume turned high. Her hearing felt so sensitive as after a night of downing shots of tequila. Only she hadn't been drinking.
"Hey, Kassi!" Katie slammed the dishwasher closed and ran across the kitchen to bestow a hug.
Thank god her ribs had healed. "Ah ...." Dammit, she didn't know what to do with a teammates one-armed embrace, but this was a girl. A baby. After a second, she lifted one hand and padded the kid awkwardly.
"Jeez, Kassi," Katie frowned up into Kas's face. "When someone hugs you, you hug them back."
"Oh, okay." Wrapping her arms around the skinny shoulders, she could only marvel at a child so well loved, who would know that lack of a hug wasn't from dislike, but from inexperience. She blinked rapidly against the prickling in her eyes and held the girl a moment longer to be sure the tears didn't show.
When the kid released her and looked up with a smile, the brightness in her face dimmed. Kas got another hug - a very gentle one.
"Jesus, all this mushy stuff," 'Pity.' She'd just been pitied by a fucking baby. She stepped away and noticed her clothes had left the kid wet. "I need to dry off before I flood the place." Crap, that sounded like she was planning to cry. "I mean--"
Katie had trotted over to the shelves and snagged a towel.
"Thanks, kid."
"We get to work together today." Katie perched on a stool by the sink and beamed. "I'm working till 6:00 tonight, Daddy said, since you'll be there to make sure nobody..." She frowned. "Um.. nobody makes some advances."
Didn't that just sound like Tatum? "Nobody makes an advance."
"Yeah, that's it."
After tossing the towel on the washing machine, Kas pulled her shirt away from her chest. The dampness made it too tight... and to cold. Glancing down at her tits, she groaned. Tavic had not only seen her nipples but must have been able to count every crinkle around them. No way could she serve tables like this.
"Very attractive, however I'm not running a brothel." Tatum said in a dry voice.
Kas jumped. Now she knew how her buddies felt when she'd snuck up on them. Then his words registered. He found her breasts attractive? Her cheeks heated, and she turned her face away. God, two men in one day had made her blush. Worse - were making her hornier than an off-duty Marine in Taiwan. What was the world coming to?
"My clothes are soaked. Do you have any suggestions?" She asked trying for an even voice.
"I have a sweater in my office. Katie, please go take orders for drinks. Tell people I will be out in a minute after I finish dressing our waitress." His eyes glinted as he looked over Kassi's body, all too much like his brother's had.
And having Tatum look at her breasts turned her on just as quickly.
Dammit, now she was wet inside as well as out. With a half of exasperation and desire, she crossed her arms over her chest and surprised a rare grin out of Tatum. The flash of white teeth in that tanned face sure didn't do her hormones any favors.
Katie trotted out the door, already singing along with Waylon Jennings on the jukebox.
Tatum didn't move. Although his grin had faded, the crease along one lean cheek still remained, making her want to run her fingers over his face. Over everything. The Bulge in his black jeans showed he was equally interested. 'Bad idea, sergeant.' She bit her lip. "Sweater, remember?"
"I do. You remain here while I find it." As he left the kitchen, his voice trailed back to her, "Your company right now would be an appallingly bad idea."
Without her permission, her feet started after him. 'No, Sergeant.' She stopped. She was here to investigate stuff, not to scratch an itch. Or two. 'Mmm, two men. Tavic's kisses, Tatum's hands. No no no.