Tempt Me (Semper Fi Marines)(7)

"How about we just wait and see how this goes?"

"I'm trying to be honest here, Jesse. I can't say that I have ever used  this much honesty in the beginning of a relationship-although, I  wouldn't call this one that."

"Just dating?"

She sighed. "We barely know each other."

"Exactly. So we don't know where this is going to lead. Why put rules and regs on it right at the beginning?"

"Lord, can you ever just be. Just exist. Can you tell me we can have some fun together and not worry about tomorrow?"

Something moved over his face but she couldn't really discern what it meant.

"I can do that."

She cocked her head to the side and was going to argue with him again,  but apparently, he'd made his mind up. He pressed his mouth against  hers. Before she could react, he deepened the kiss, sucking her bottom  lip between his, then diving in. Heat shimmered through her blood and  before she was ready, he was already pulling back from the kiss.

"How about we head on down to this little German place I know of for dinner?"

"I've never had German food before, but I take it you've been stationed there?"

He shook his head as he offered her the helmet he had loaned her. "No.  But Dad was when we were younger. I graduated from high school there."

She sighed and he picked up on it.

"What was that for?"

"What?"

She shook her head then put on the helmet.

"No, stop that."

She looked at him and took note of the frustration in his voice.

"I understand we aren't going to get serious, but it doesn't mean I  don't want to get to know you. I don't just want a pretty thing on the  back of my bike and in my bed. So, tell me what that sigh meant."

Zoe crossed her arms beneath her breasts. "First of all, don't presume  that I will go to bed with you. I've never really gone anywhere."

His expression relaxed and he nodded. "If you could go one place in the world, where would it be?"

"Venice."

He rolled his eyes and laughed. "I should have known. I've never been either, but I have always wanted to go."

Helmet on, he got on the bike, waited for her to slip on behind him then started the engine.

As they sped down the winding path, she decided he was right. They might  not be serious, they might never go past dating a few times, but it  didn't mean she wouldn't enjoy getting to know him.





Chapter Six



Jesse waited all week to see her. It wasn't a plan on his part, but he  knew work would keep him busy. Weeknight dates didn't appeal to him. If  she lived closer in, it would be different. But, he didn't want to worry  about work the next day. Added to the fact it had taken him a couple of  days to convince her to go to the dinner and a movie, he knew Friday  was the only choice. It was late Friday afternoon as he made his way out  to Warrenton.

Lord, how did people live out so far? Well, they didn't work in DC,  that's how. Jesse knew a few people he worked with did live a little  further out. There were even a few who came in on a bus shuttle from  Charlottesville.

Mentally, he shook his head. Jesse would never do that. He knew there  were personal reasons people did it-he just couldn't spend that much  time away from home. He wasn't like his father. He didn't have a problem  with the job, but he didn't want all the responsibilities of being a  General. He knew people expected it of him, but seeing his sister and  brother get married, and dealing with Jack and his issues, made Jesse  think about the future. One thing was for certain. He did not want to  always live for the job. And that meant not wanting to be General.                       
       
           



       

When he had come to the realization a few months ago, Jesse expected to  panic. But he didn't. In fact, he felt nothing but relief. For most of  his adult life, he'd been working on getting a star. If he could achieve  the goal just on his work, then so be it. Somewhere along the line, he  realized he wanted something more. He wanted a wife, a family, and a  fucking life.

As he turned off twenty-nine on the way to the Santinis, he thought  about Zoe. Okay, so maybe she wasn't his usual type, but there was  something about her. It was as if all the stars aligned right for them  to get together. She was, by far, the most different woman he had ever  dated. Most of them had their eye on marrying an officer, living the  life of a high ranking Marine, and looking forward to life in the  military. Zoe had made it pretty clear she wasn't into that. He was  enough of a sadist to want to change her mind.

He didn't know where their relationship was going to go, but he knew  they had something between them. He hadn't done anything more than kiss  her good night last time, but she'd been on his mind ever since. Lord,  on his mind? He had been dreaming of her since he'd met her months ago  at Gee's wedding. Nothing too explicit at first, but that had changed  after their time in DC. Just seeing her smile made his head spin, and  his body begged to touch that happiness.

He parked his car and headed up the path to the Santinis. The door  opened when he reached the porch. It was Zoe. She was dressed in a pair  of low riding jeans and a bright blue flowing shirt with a white tank  beneath it. It was … casual but also sexy. Blue jewels dangled from her  ears.

"Hurry."

"What?" he asked, wondering what the hell was going on.

"The Santinis are out and I just set the alarm. I have to lock the door before it goes off."

He laughed and took the keys from her, locking the door and then handing them back to her.

"That wasn't so hard."

She sighed with relief. "I just didn't want to mess anything up. Gee  said he was going to have them put something like this in my apartment."

He nodded. "Not a bad idea."

"I don't like it. Sure, I have that false sense of security, but I feel  like I'm hemmed in by it." She finally noticed the car. "What, no bike?"

"Sorry. I don't like driving into work in my uniform on a bike. It's such a pain and there is a chance for rain tonight."

She accepted that. He opened the door for her and said nothing else until they were on their way.

"You don't take the Metro in to work?"

He nodded. "Most of the time I do, but I left work early. I didn't want to backtrack."

"Where do you live?"

"Arlington. Not too far from work. I like it that way. I do like living in the city."

She sighed. "I have really enjoyed my time out here, but I miss being in  my downtown loft. The vibe there stimulated my creativity. While I love  Joey's studio, I do like my own space."

Sadness tinged the Georgia in her voice. He hated hearing it. Despite what she had been through, she always seemed to be happy.

"Done any more sketching?" he asked.

She nodded as a smile tugged at her lips. "I'm so happy I came here with  Joey. She understood just what was wrong with me. Kee would have tried  to baby me and Retta would have just yelled at me. Still, I think I need  to head home soon. Joey has other ideas."

"I bet she does. So, what kind of food are you in the mood for?"

She shrugged. "Nothing in particular. There is a great place just down  the road. Well, a few great places. Home cooking or seafood?"

"Home cooking."

"Then Northside 29 is your place."

She gave him directions then looked out the window.

"Missing Savannah?"

She shrugged again. "Some. I like to see the water on a regular basis  and I miss my studio. But I am really enjoying being here for this. I  think I need to make time for more trips out of Savannah. See more of  the US if I can't afford to make it to Italy."

"I love to travel, but like I've said, I've never been to Italy."

"I guess it comes with the territory of being a brat." When he glanced her, she clarified, "Traveling, I mean."

He nodded as he pulled into the parking lot. "Makes it easier on you as a  kid if you like changes. MJ was sick of it when she graduated from high  school. Me, I love to pick up and go. I've been known to take a hop  here and there when I have time off."

"A hop?"

"The Air Force sometimes has open seats on their transports and you can  grab a seat really cheap. It's easier being near one of their bases that  do a lot of transports. So, when I have Lose or Use-"                       
       
           



       

"Speak regular English there, Marine."

He chuckled. "Sorry, when you live it every day, it's hard not to fall  into the acronyms and shortened names. Every year, we can keep up to  seventy-five days of leave. Anything over that, we lose it, so hence the  name.

"Ah. Okay, continue."

"When I have some extra leave, I look into that." She didn't say anything for a few moments, so he looked at her. "What?"