Unlikely Lovers Read online

  Unlikely Lovers

  Written by Anna Kristell

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  Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. All characters, places, businesses, and incidents are from the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual places, people, or events is purely coincidental. Any trademarks mentioned herein are not authorized by the trademark owners and do not in any way mean the work is sponsored by or associated with the trademark owners. Any trademarks used are specifically in a descriptive capacity. Final edits rest with the author of this work. We give them a bit of space. They are Rebels after all...

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  First Edition

  ©2013, Rebel Ink Press, LLC

  www.rebelinkpress.com

  Dedication

  To Dad, I know you are looking down from heaven and smiling about all this.

  To Breanah, you will always be Nana’s angel.

  To Alexandra, Kira, and Kolten, you light up my life. (But you still can’t read my books.)

  To Susan, it may not be ‘your’ story, but you were the inspiration.

  To the entire Rebel Ink Press staff for making a dream come true. Words can’t begin to describe the feeling when that first email finally arrives with the words “Contract” in the header.

  Chapter 1

  It was late fall in southwestern Oklahoma, the time of year when the air is crisp in the evenings and the leaves have just started to turn their annual shades of red, orange and yellow. Late one Friday morning, Army Major Jessica Walsh noticed the leaves on the tree outside her window and sighed knowing winter was just around the corner. She looked away from the window and glanced distractedly at the mound of paperwork piled high on the gleaming wood of her well-worn, cherry desk. She’d been staring at it without actually seeing it for most of the morning. As she wearily pushed it aside and looked at her watch, the door to her office suddenly swung open and Major Melissa Roberts poked her pretty blonde head in. They’d been friends a long time and were currently stationed at Fort Sill.

  “How about breaking for lunch, Jess?” Missy asked a little too cheerily for Jessica’s sour mood.

  “Sure, I’m not getting much done here anyway. Maybe a break will help.” She sighed. Stopping at her assistant Karen’s desk on the way out, she informed her, “I’ll be at the commissary having lunch.”

  “Okay, Major Walsh. I’ll see you later,” Karen replied with a smile as she looked up from her filing.

  The women strolled the distance from their office building to the post commissary. There was a small café there that served the best blackened chicken salads in town.

  “What’s up with you, Jess? Something is definitely off,” she asked in a concerned voice.

  Missy and Jessica had been friends since they joined ROTC years ago in Spokane, Washington. Jessica hailed from Vancouver and Missy had been raised in Portland. They managed to follow each other to the same posts throughout their careers, even doing a tour of Iraq at the same time. Missy usually arrived at the new post a few months ahead of Jess, so was able to fill her friend in on the hottest men in the area by the time Jess arrived.

  Jessica took a sip of her iced tea and pushed back a strand of her brunette hair before answering. “Dan cheated again. I’m done this time. I see no future for us.” Her green eyes flashed with anger as she looked at Missy.

  Missy looked at her friend with understanding. “I don’t blame you and I know it’s taken a long time for you to realize it.”

  “The first few times I told myself it was no big deal because we weren’t serious, now it’s different. Every time he swears it won’t happen again, but it always does. I pity the poor girl who marries him. It won’t be me. I’m just glad we’re at different posts so I don’t have to run into him every day.”

  “Good girl,” Missy said as their salads were served. She thanked the young waitress and poured a generous serving of honey mustard dressing on her salad while listening.

  “I’ve made it this far without a man. And I always have my career.” Jessica’s defiance was a bit lacking in conviction as she dipped a forkful of chicken into a cup of vinaigrette and took a bite.

  “Tell yourself that on a cold winter’s night when you’re all alone in your bed, my friend.”

  “Good morning, Majors,” Colonel Rachel Lindsey interrupted as she walked by.

  “Good afternoon, Colonel.” Jessica forced a smile as she saluted her superior.

  “Good afternoon, Colonel,” Missy piped up as she too saluted the other woman.

  “Enjoy your lunch. It’s good to see both of you.”

  As she walked away on the arm of her handsome husband, Jessica remarked, “Now there’s a woman who has it all. She’s moved up the ranks, well respected, great husband, and two adorable kids. How’d she get so lucky?”

  “We just haven’t met Mr. Right yet.”

  “I guess not.” Jessica wondered if she’d ever meet Mr. Right. “And you know the sad thing about Dan and me is that I’m beginning to doubt I ever really loved him. I think he was, how should I say it, a suitable prospect for a husband.”

  “Really, and you put up with his little affairs all this time anyway?” Missy asked in awe. “I just thought it was because you were so much in love that you chose to overlook the other women.”

  “Like I said, he was a suitable choice. We’re both career oriented, both Army, I don’t know. I’m mad as hell he cheated again. I’m sick of his little guilt gifts and I just think I’m ready to move on. It’s the same old scene, time and again, he cheats, he either gets caught or he confesses. Then he’s all lovey-dovey for a while, begs me to forgive him and its wine and roses until the next fling.”

  “And if you marry him, nothing will change,” Missy rem
arked, taking a sip of her Diet Coke.

  “Exactly right and I’ve decided I deserve more. I deserve someone who loves me and only me, if someone like that even exists. In the meantime, I have my career.”

  “Your career won’t keep you warm on a cold winter’s night, Jess.”

  “I know, but I won’t settle for less. My mind is made up. Colonel Dan Anderson and I are finished, once and for all.”

  “What are we doing this weekend, then? You’re not staying in if I have any say in the matter.” Missy informed her friend.

  “I don’t know. What would you like to do?” Jess was uninterested as she pushed her salad around on her plate.

  “We could go bowling, we haven’t done that in a while.”

  “Okay, call me tomorrow. I’d better get back now if I want to go home sometime tonight.” Jessica honestly could have cared less if she went out or stayed home that weekend.

  She walked back to her office to face the never-ending stack of paperwork once again. Stopping at Karen’s cluttered desk, she asked, “Were there any messages for me?”

  Karen looked up from the stack of manila folders covering her desk and taking the pencil out of her mouth she’d been chewing nervously and said, “Colonel Anderson called again.”

  Karen’s dark hair fell just to her shoulders and with her pretty figure and constant smile, she was actually very attractive. Jessica had often wondered why she didn’t date more.

  “If he calls again, tell him I am unavailable.”

  “Yes, ma’am, I will,” Karen replied as Jessica walked into her office to face the afternoon, slamming the door behind her.

  Sitting down at her desk once again, she began to wade through the paperwork, putting all thoughts of Dan out of her mind until she glanced at the vase of red roses staring at her from the corner of the desk. She picked it up and dumped the whole thing in the trash knowing full well they were another one of his guilt gifts. The only time he ever sent flowers was after he’d strayed. It wasn’t long before his picture staring at her from the other corner followed the flowers into the trash.

  “I’m done,” she told the things sticking out of her trash can.

  At seven, she wearily locked her office door and walked to the parking lot toward her car. She’d fallen in love with it and bought it on impulse. She hadn’t regretted the decision as Dan had told her she would. It drove like a dream and came equipped with everything she needed. As she drove across the post to her quarters, she told herself she really needed to get a life.

  Letting herself into her empty apartment, she looked at the mess she’d left that morning. She hurriedly picked up the clothes strewn across the floor and threw them into a laundry basket, put the dishes in the dishwasher, and walked into the bedroom. She stripped off her fatigues and went into the bathroom. Filling the tub with warm water, she decided on lavender bath salts. She went into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of French Lick cherry wine, a gift from a friend in Indiana, stopping to water the lone plant in the windowsill before going back into the bathroom.

  She stripped out of her lacy undergarments and checked the water temperature in the tub before sinking slowly down into the warm aromatic water. Taking a sip of the wine and closing her eyes, she leaned her head back onto her bath pillow and tried to erase the tensions of the day. The enormous workload she had right now coupled with the latest dalliance of her lover was enough to stress anyone out, even the level headed, no nonsense Major Jessica Walsh.

  After the relaxing soak, she pulled a long tee shirt out of her dresser drawer and slipped it over her head, threw on a pair of shorts, and went back into the kitchen to heat a frozen dinner in the microwave. Settling herself on the navy blue sofa in her living room with the plate of steaming pasta and shrimp, she flipped through the channels settling on Pretty Woman. She loved Richard Gere and watched all of his old movies whenever she could catch one.

  When the chick flick was over, she rose from the couch and padded to the bedroom. Why do the heroines always get their man in the end? She pondered this as she folded back the blue and yellow floral comforter on her antique iron bed and slid between the cool sheets. Will I ever get my man?

  She fell into a deep sleep and began dreaming about a drop dead gorgeous man with the most beautiful brown eyes. They looked like huge chocolate drops. He was kissing her and caressing her, bringing her to a state of fevered desire. He whispered sweet nothings in her ear and told her softly he loved her just before taking them both on a journey to a destination unknown to her. She’d never felt the kind of sensations the man in her dream created. She could almost feel him lying next to her as she awoke to sheets soaked with perspiration, her body aching with desire, wondering if such a man truly existed. She’d had similar dreams about this man before but never quite as vivid as the one tonight.

  The next morning she awakened still thinking of the dream as she made a pot of French vanilla coffee. After pouring her first cup of the sweet, steaming liquid, she sat down to read the Lawton Constitution. The ringing of the phone startled her.

  “Major Walsh,” she said distractedly.

  “Hey, it’s Missy. I’ll swing by around seven.”

  “What?”

  “Bowling, remember, project get Jess out of the house?”

  “Oh, yeah, see you at seven then.”

  “Don’t sound so thrilled.”

  “Sorry, I’ll be ready and I promise to try and have fun throwing a ball down an alley.”

  “Just pretend the pins are Dan,” Missy suggested teasingly.

  “Now there’s an idea. See you tonight.” Jessica laughed as she hung up the phone.

  That evening she chose a pair of stylish straight-legged jeans and the new soft blue sweater she’d bought at Dillard’s that afternoon. Finishing the outfit with her western boots, an Oklahoma must, she looked in the mirror and decided to leave her hair down.

  Eat your heart out, Dan.

  Chapter 2

  “You look great, Jess.” Missy approved of her friend’s outfit when she picked her up as promised at seven sharp.

  “Thanks. I went shopping today, found this sweater at the mall and thought it was cute. I love the slightly off the shoulder look, just in case I meet a guy and want to look sexy.” She laughed dramatically as she added, “Now let’s go throw balls at Dan’s head.”

  “You never know, Jess, you might just meet Mr. Right tonight.”

  “Somehow, I highly doubt that.” Jessica laughed at the thought.

  The two friends arrived at the new bowling alley in Lawton. They’d been there a few times and as bowling alleys go, this one was a nice one, with modern lanes, very clean and well kept. As Jessica was tying the laces of the ugly red and blue bowling shoes she’d rented, Missy let out a low whistle.

  “Would you look at that?”

  “What?” Jessica asked, looking up. Her gaze followed Missy’s and what she saw completely took her breath away. “Wow!” She found herself staring at the sexiest man she’d ever seen. Broad-shouldered, tall and well-built with wavy light brown hair and a smile that would melt any girl’s heart. The sandy-haired friend with him wasn’t bad either.

  “I could get close to that!” Missy sighed as she watched the two men walk toward them, stopping at the next lane over.

  “Don’t stare, Missy. Act normal,” Jessica hissed.

  They pretended not to notice the two most gorgeous men in the place were bowling right next to them.

  Jessica stood up to take her turn. Imagining the pins in front of her were various parts of Dan’s anatomy, she threw the ball down the alley and yelped when all ten fell.

  “Good job!” Missy gave her the high five and walked up to take her turn.

  At the end of their first game, the two men in the next lane walked over and handed each girl a bottle of Michelob Ultra and sat down. They were by far the sexiest men Jessica or Missy had ever seen. Just sitting next to the brown haired one was making the normally calm Major Walsh extremely n
ervous.

  “Good game, girls. What do you say we bowl girls against guys this time?” the sandy-haired man asked as he sat next to Missy.

  Missy looked at Jessica, who nodded.

  “Sure.” Missy smiled her sexiest smile.

  “I’m Andy, by the way.” Andy was just as tall, muscular, and good looking as his friend, but Jessica’s gaze instantly fell back to the other man.

  “And I’m Cody,” the sexy man with the brown wavy hair said, flashing a smile that sent shivers up and down Jessica’s spine. He extended his right hand.

  She took it saying, “I’m Jessica and this is Missy, nice to meet you both.” The simple touch of his hand was enough to make her want to get closer to him, much closer. Her hand felt as though it had been scorched as she pulled it away.

  “Thanks for the beer. You two ready to get beat by a couple of girls?” Missy looked at Andy, laughing.

  “Bring it on,” he answered with a wink.

  They bowled two games, girls winning one, and guys winning the other.

  “How about a rematch to break the tie and the losers take the other team out for pizza afterward?” Cody challenged.

  “You’re on. Right, Missy?” Jessica looked at her friend.

  “Right, let’s show ‘em what we can do, girlfriend.”

  To prove her point, Missy threw three strikes in a row.

  “I think we’re in trouble, man.” Andy chuckled as he looked at Cody.

  “We’ll see about that!” Cody threw the next strike as the four of them burst into uncontrollable laughter.

  The girls won by two pins, much to their delight.

  “We’ll let you off the hook and go Dutch since you came so close,” Jessica said as she changed out of the ugly shoes and back into her boots.

  “Sounds like a deal,” Cody answered with a smile that set her pulse racing again. And then she knew. His eyes. There was something about them.