2
TESS BARTLETT had tits.
Theoretically, Travis had always known they were there. But hed never really noticed. Not the way a guy noticed an attractive woman. His body hadnt cared before.
But there they were, small but scrumptious things, sitting high and proud, on the opposite side of his fathers living room where Tess chatted with her mother, Margaret, and one of the matriarchs of the community, Nixa Newhaven. He was damn sure Miss Newhaven hadnt noticed the beaded tips outlined beneath the cling of Tesss lavender T-shirt. No doubt they were jutting out in protest of the air-conditioning that ran constantly in the summer heat as partygoers streamed in and out of the house.
But Travis noticed.
His body had been misfiring with overheated aftershocks of physical awareness ever since that hug this afternoon. Hed felt them then, pressed against him likewell, not like Tess.
Hell, yeah, hed been glad to see her. The two of them had hugged before. Countless times. But this afternoon it waswell, not like Tess.
Hed been pleased at first to see her. Finally, someone with whom he could drop the brave face and relax. Hed been on his best behavior at Quantico, not wanting to give his superiors any more reason to drum him out of the Corps. His father and brother were far too worried about his recovery, adding guilt onto the layers of frustration that already plagued him.
Maybe Hal could be content with retirement, spending half his time on his fishing boat, or camping in one of the ocean-view parks. But Travis had been bred and built for action and adventure. A dozen steel pins in his left leg werent going to stop him from getting back to the job he loved so much.
Though theyd done a damn good job of it so far.
That was the truth that scared him the most. His injuries might be the one enemy he couldnt defeat. Captain Travis McCormick, leader of a Special Ops unit that was the Marine Corps equivalent of a Navy SEALs team, wasnt used to feeling fear. He wasnt used to feeling like a member of the losing team.
Thats probably what had made him so testy this afternoon. So quick to jump down Tesss throat when she mentioned physical therapy. Man, he needed to apologize for being such an ass. Instead of trading hellos and falling into their comfortable routine, hed dumped on her. No wonder shed found a way to stay on her side of the living room all evening long.
But he couldnt afford four to six weeks of R and R at home, squeezing a rubber ball between his knees and lifting weights. He had to get back to his unit. Theyd already assigned a new commander, but there was a chance he could still rejoin the team. Theyd be stateside within the month, home to regroup, retrain and refit the team for a new assignment. He had to be there to join them. He had to prove he still had what it took to get the job done. Or else hed be stuck serving out the remainder of his military career pushing papersor worse, hed be drummed out on an honorable discharge because he just couldnt cut it as a Marine anymore.
Yeah, thats all this crazy notion about Tess was. That was T-bone standing over there, making nice with her moms friendsnot some sexy woman he was itchin to get his hands on. With his future in limbo, he just wasnt feeling right in his own skin, so his perception of things was way off.
He closed his eyes and tried to picture her in her softball uniform, complete with sweat-stained visor and clunky cleats. He remembered the first day hed met her, a gawky fourteen year-old, ankle deep in mud with her wavy brown hair flying in all directions, crabbing in the slough at the end of the street.
Travis opened his eyes and glanced across the room.
Nope. They were still there. And she had a mighty fine pair of em from where he was standing.
Correction. From where he was sitting on the sofa, being waited on hand and foot like some damn invalid. It seemed as if most of Ashtons nontourist population had filed through his fathers front door to shake his hand or kiss his cheek and wish him well as they welcomed him home. Every woman over the age of eighteen, it seemed, had brought some kind of food to tempt him with. Every man, it seemed, had some sort of anecdote to tell about his own service experience. Travis had a beer, an iced tea and a frosty lemonade all within his reach, and enough plates of food to feed his entire platoon. He could quote stories from Omaha Beach to Grenada to Iraq.
But neither the tiring hoopla nor his worries about his military career could completely distract him from his recent discovery.
Damn. Travis shifted uncomfortably in his seat and reached for the beer beside him. He drank two long, cold swallows and forced his attention back to Morty Camden, who didnt have a war story to share, but who had an apparent fascination with statistics and the numbers of troops from nearby bases at Norfolk, Newport News and Camp Pendleton he expected to flood the town for the Summer Bay Festival.
Travis dutifully listened to the amount of money that would pour into the town coffers next week. But if Tess Bartlett didnt stop propping her hand on her hip and standing in a way that made those little marvels jut out like temptation itself, then certain parts of his anatomy were about to prove, despite the opinion of a dozen doctors and half that many months of rehabilitative therapy, that he was no invalid.
He took another drink.
She was the girl next door. The tomboy whod saved the world right by his side in their imaginary neighborhood games as kids. The good buddy whod gotten him through Physics and Calculus, and introduced him to the three best dates of his high-school and college years.
Tess Bartlett was one of the guys. Somebody he could drink a beer with and rag on the Redskins to. Shed sent those newsy letters when hed been stationed overseas and held his hand when hed finally gotten home to visit his mothers grave.
Tess Bartlett was every bit the buddy that his dad, his brother, and a handful of Marines hed served with were.
So when the hell had she sprouted boobs?
Morty adjusted his plastic-framed glasses on his nose, reminding Travis that his attention had wandered again. We hope that youll be able to help us with one of the booths or competitions next week. Morty dropped a glance to where Traviss black boot was propped up on the coffee table. If youre up to it, that is.
Travis tugged at the leg of his camo pants and rested the beer bottle between his thighs. Oh yeah, he was gettin up to something, all right. And my, my, wasnt that an uncomfortable realization to make.
He should go over there and apologize to Tess, then hook up with one of the willing young ladies whod come to the open house, and get this unhealthy fascination with Tess Bartlett out of his system.
Well see. He had nothing against Morty. Like Tess, theyd been classmates back in high school, even if his jock-centered path had rarely crossed with the nearsighted valedictorians. Still, he didnt want to make any promises he couldnt keep. Im not sure how long Im going to be in town.
Well, at least we hope you stick around long enough to come down and have some fun. Morty stuck out his hand and Travis automatically shook it.
Surprised at the solid strength of Mortys grip, Travis shook hands a second time. Either Tess wasnt the only Ashton resident whod gone through a few changes since hed been gone, or he needed a mental evaluation to go along with the physical hed flunked last week. Thanks, man. Appreciate the invitation.