Tempt Me (Semper Fi Marines)(5)

"So, I didn't know you were seeing anyone."

McWilliams voice brought him back from his thoughts. "I'm not."

He stood there for a second. "But, I thought that Zoe-"

"I was doing a favor for the Santinis. She's the sister of one of their daughter-in-laws and I was showing her around."

"Oh." After a brief pause, he apparently realized Jesse wasn't going to  give him any more information. "Well, I'll let you get back to it."

Then he left. With a sigh, Jesse tried to get back to work. But, just  the mention of Zoe's name had him thinking about her. She was kind of  hard to forget, especially how excited she'd been when he agreed to go  to the National Museum of Art. She was sarcastic and funny, not to  mention sexy. In fact, those two qualities made her even sexier.

He hadn't asked for her number on purpose. She was a woman who was  trying to heal, trying to get her life back on track. She had been  pretty clear about not wanting to get involved or even date. Plus, he  didn't need the distraction at the moment. With all his TDYs and work,  he barely had time for himself.

But it would be fun to play every now and then, a voice whispered in his ear.

He shook his head, even as he reached for the phone. Before he could pick it up, it rang.

"Major Johnson."

"Well, hello there."

He smiled at the sound of his sister's voice. "How's the new mama?"

"I will never get used to being called Mama, but I am fine. As is Anna."

"But there has to be something if you are calling me in the middle of the day."

"Not much, just checking on you."

He heard the tone in her voice and realized that Joey must have called  her to tell her about his outing with Zoe. "Let's get this over with."                       
       
           



       

"What?" she asked innocently.

"You called to check on what went on with Zoe."

There was a long pause. "Okay, yes, I want to know what went on."

"I took her to see the monuments, plus the art museum, and then we parted ways."

Another long pause. "So, you haven't called her since?"

"I don't even have her number." He left out that he was about to pick up  the phone when she'd called. Telling his baby sister about his  preoccupation with Zoe wasn't something he wanted to do. He knew he  could get a hold of her at the Santinis. As the oldest of the four  siblings, he wasn't accustomed to explaining himself to anyone, but the  General.

"Why don't you have her number?"

There was a deep male voice in the background, which told him her husband, Leo Santini, was home also.

"No, I am not going to tell him he can call you for advice about picking  up women. And no, I will not repeat what you just said. First of all,  I'm not going to cuss in front of the baby and second of all, I refuse  to start an inter-service fight between the Army and Marine members of  the family."

"I just heard all of that," Jesse said.

She sighed. "You really don't want to know what he said about the Marines. Anyway, why didn't you ask her for her number?"

"Because I didn't."

"I know you, Jesse. You only get defensive when you are trying to hide something."

That much was true. Even now, his fingers itched to dial the phone to call Zoe. "I just didn't think of it, MJ."

"Don't you find her attractive?"

Almost too much for his own good. "Yes. But Zoe's just been through a  lot and she's not looking to date. She pretty much told me that."

"Still. I think she might relocate there from what Gee said."

"She mentioned doing that if Gee retired here." But of course, now he wanted to ask her if she was going to move.

She sighed. "You're no help."

"You can report back to Mama Joey that you tried to figure out what went on."

"That's rude."

"It's true."

"Doesn't mean you should say that to me."

"Love you."

"You suck."

"Kiss that baby girl for me."

"I will. She already misses you."

He smiled thinking of his niece. "I miss her, too."

When he hung up the phone, he realized that the trip to San Antonio was  what had been nagging him. Spending time with Leo, MJ, and his niece had  him thinking of the future. He truly hadn't thought about getting  serious with anyone, but his niece had him wanting kids. Nothing like a  pretty little girl with dark hair and those Johnson blue eyes. He had  never really experienced a yen for fatherhood until lately.

He shook himself out of his funk and got back to work. He had enough on  his plate at the moment. Daydreaming about a family could come later.

* * * *

Zoe wanted to scream. She couldn't sculpt and could barely draw. While  she was left handed, the brace she had to keep on her arm hindered her  ability to create. And made her a raving bitch.

"Maybe we can come up with something."

She looked at Joey and shook her head. It was nice to know there was  someone who at least understood what she was going through. Joey was an  artist and one who taught. Other people just didn't understand what she  was going though. Not being able to create things made her feel as if  she had lost one of her senses.

It was also giving her too much time to think about that Marine.

"I don't think so. They really want to keep my wrist stable and I don't  want to mess it up. If I do, it won't heal right and they could have to  do surgery. That is something I don't think I can handle."

She nibbled on her lip as she looked over her options. It wouldn't hurt  to work in another medium. Sometimes she found taking a break from her  preferred medium helped sharpen her skills. She glanced at the charcoal  that Joey had suggested earlier and reached for it.

"I think I'll go out back."

Joey nodded. "Let me know if there is anything I can help with."

She left, her mind already on ideas for work. Hopefully, it would help her from obsession about Jesse.

* * * *

Joey watched Zoe as she sat on their swing in the backyard.

"Your worries are starting to make my head hurt."

She sighed and leaned back against Stewart. Her husband always seemed to know what she was thinking before she said anything.

"Sorry. She's just so unhappy."

He started to massage her shoulders. "I know, but you have to let her  be. She's been through a bad experience. And admit it, she's better than  she was a few weeks ago."                       
       
           



       

They said nothing as they both watched her through the kitchen window.

"I thought Jesse would call."

Stewart chuckled. "Of course you did."

"I just thought it would do her good to be … " she shrugged.

"Baby, you need to let things be. Not everyone is looking to be matched  up. And, I have a feeling those two would drive each other crazy. She  has no sense of time or structure. You know how those dippy artists  are."

She didn't take offense because he said it in admiration. Turning  around, she slipped her arms over his shoulders. "Well, he could be a  little more flexible. Marines do have hard heads."

He chuckled again and her heart warmed. To this day, all he had to do was smile and she melted.

"You know I take that as a compliment." He dipped his head and brushed  his mouth over hers. Before he could take it too far, the doorbell rang.  With a sigh, he pulled back. "And, I have a feeling I know who that  is."

"What do you mean by that?" she asked as he started down the hall to the front door.

"You just need to let things go and work their own course."

She frowned. "Stewart Santini."

He glanced over his shoulder at her. "Just trust me. I saw that boy the other night and I knew he'd be back."

With that he went to the front door and opened it to reveal Jesse standing on their porch.

"Hey, Papa. I was out this way for a drive and thought I would stop in for a visit."





Chapter Five



Jesse didn't know what had compelled him to drive to the Santinis.  Scratch that, he knew what-or rather who-but he didn't know why. He  hadn't called her when he had thought about it, and he'd done his best  to ignore the little voice in the back of his head that told him he  should. Now that he stood in the Santinis' kitchen, he thought maybe he  should have continued ignoring it.

"So, you were out for a ride?" Papa said. Jesse knew the older Santini  was taking pity on him, and usually it would irritate him. Today, he saw  it for what it was: a lifeline.

"Yeah. Kind of hard to ignore the weather after the winter we just had."

"Wanna a beer?"

Jesse shook his head. "I better not. I'd love some water though."

Papa gave Joey a look but just like usual, she did what she wanted. She  sat down at the table and gave him a pointed look. He knew better than  to say no.