The Marine Cowboy(14)

“Ohhh….” She dragged the word out and tears sparkled in her eyes. “Did they?”

“Don’t know. But they can. Kid didn’t have to help us—we’re just the guys driving past every few days or so. He could have gotten shot, blocking our truck that way—but he took a chance and did what he thought was right. Kids like him—and his family—they make it worth it.”

“You’re amazing.”

A little uncomfortable with the praise, he shrugged it off. “I’m just a Marine who did his job.”

“No one in my family served, I don’t think. I didn’t know my dad’s parents, but my mom’s dad had a club foot. He worked as a machinist, built equipment, provided supplies, and volunteered. My mom spent time studying to be a nurse, but then she got married and preferred popping out babies.” Sheri made a face, letting go of his hand to swipe at the trace of tears on her cheeks. He hadn’t meant for the story to make her sad.

“Nothing wrong with babies.” He couldn’t resist trailing a finger over her thigh. He liked the flush pinkening her cheeks.

“I know. I was just thinking that it’s a great legacy and I don’t have anything like that. Just plain, vanilla, stay-at-home folks.”

“Hey, we like the vanilla stay-at-home folks, they give us something to defend and better—someone to come home to.” He squeezed her leg.

“I can’t believe you’re real.” She dropped her gaze to the sandwich in her hands. “And that you’re here…in Freewill…with me.”

“Why?” He drew a pattern against her skin, just lazy circles, swirling over and over on her thigh.

“I told you I was divorced.” Her smile turned self-deprecating. “Well that marriage was definitely not one of my proudest moments. I married him while we were still in college, but we were both busy. I wanted to be an attorney, so did he. When I got accepted to Stanford Law, and he didn’t, I should have seen it coming—but I didn’t. We lived apart, visiting only on weekends all the way through law school. I hit the books, he hit the sheets.” She shifted, her expression darkening, and A.J. had the urge to go and punch the son of a bitch.

“It’s stupid, I mean all the signs were there, but I didn’t want to believe them. It’s easy to be blind to someone else’s faults—especially if admitting they have them makes you question your own judgment. Course, I couldn’t it ignore it when the paternity suit came in and he didn’t try to deny it.” Her mouth twisted. “What’s worse, not only did he have one woman suing him because she had his kid, but he’d knocked up two others. I think he had affairs on his affairs. I didn’t think I’d been so humiliated in my life—only I was wrong. Because one of the women he knocked up worked in my law office. She was one of the investigators I used and hung out with all the time.”

“I’m sorry. He sounds like a real jackass.” A.J. was glad she’d unloaded that waste of air.

“He was—hell, he probably still is. He didn’t actually want a divorce. He thought we had an ideal situation and actually looked surprised when I had him served. But as soon as the divorce was finalized, I just couldn’t stay there anymore. I needed a fresh start. A clean one, away from all the lies I told myself to get through the days.”

“And now you’re here, in Freewill.” He could wish her ex hadn’t done that to her, but he couldn’t fault the result. If she hadn’t come to his Wyoming town, he might not have met the sexiest librarian he’d ever seen.

And that would have been a crying shame.

“Yep, now I’m here with you…on a one-night stand.” Her smile chased away the shadows lingering in her eyes. “And I have to ask, maybe it’s not PC, but why did you sign up? I mean—you’re gorgeous, sweet, and a fabulous kisser. Why would you need a service to find a woman?”

“All the single guys in my unit signed up. Not everyone made the transition home easily and they had a hard time reconnecting with their civilian life. So, the captain encouraged us all to commit to a one-night stand. It helped out our buddies who really needed the assistance to just go for it. I kind of forgot that I did it.” His turn for confession. “It’s why the Captain had to nudge me.”

“Oops.”

“Yeah. Oops. He probably won’t let me live that one down, but it’s all right. I deserved it.” He didn’t mind friendly ribbing and he owed the man a case of beer for taking the time to send him that note. “But I planned to ask you out after church on Sunday anyway.”