Jack: A Second Chance Marine Romance Read online

  Oh no, they were walking in her direction. Must escape.

  Where to? The ballroom was full of white-covered tables, not escape pods. She couldn’t very well duck under one despite the odd urge to do so. And she couldn’t abandon her station and run away, reacting like a cat spooked by a cucumber.

  Oh great, she’d resorted to cat videos on YouTube to describe her discomfort.

  If she turned her head, he might pass by without noticing her.

  “Vivi? Vivi Parker?”

  She knew that voice. That deep velvet baritone.

  There was no escaping now.

  Chapter 2

  Vivi

  Jack pronounced Vivi’s last name as Pah-ka, sounding so damn rough and sexy in his Boston accent. It had never failed to send tremors of heat rushing through her.

  She turned in what seemed like slow motion, fighting to keep her expression neutral as the bright lights and champagne colors of the ballroom swirled around her. Her gaze locked with the beautiful blue-green eyes of the man that had consumed her thoughts while she’d been stationed in Okinawa. If she was honest with herself, several times since then. She’d wondered where in the world he’d ended up.

  Turned out, it happened to be closer than she’d guessed, and at a place she’d never expect—while she stood next to an arrangement of cat photos.

  “Lieutenant Conroy.” She forced a pleasant smile to mask her discomfort.

  “Just Jack.”

  He grinned, and she was dazzled. His white teeth. That crinkle at the corners of his eyes. It was truly him.

  “I’m surprised to see you here, Vivi. The last time was on an island in the Pacific.”

  “Small world.” What she wouldn’t reveal was that after her discharge, Boston had a new appeal for her. It was where Jack was from, which had intrigued her. She grew up a couple of hours north in Portland, Maine. She’d told herself Boston was a way to get a stellar education in a college town, yet be close to her family.

  Since she’d moved to his home turf, there was a sliver of a possibility that she’d run into him while he was home on leave at some point. Hoping might be the more appropriate description.

  But here? Now?

  “What are you doing here?” Jack furrowed his brows.

  “Helping out.” She shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

  He raked over her body with a slow, appreciative eye. He’d never seen her dressed up like this. Hell, she’d never even seen herself dressed up like this. At least, she looked good tonight.

  Jack showed no sign of noticing her injury, such as a surprised or worried expression. Of course not. Why would he? She was being self-conscious for no reason. He wouldn’t see her scars under the long dress or notice her limping while she stood still.

  Good, she didn’t want to explain the cause of it. Hated when people asked about it or worse, seeing that look in their eyes. She could tell when they were speculating about what might have happened. As long as she didn’t walk, he wouldn’t notice her limp. But Jack was sharp. Nothing would get by him, no matter how much time had passed.

  His gaze returned to her eyes. Damn, that appraisal was bold. After all, he was here with a woman at his side. Vivi exchanged a quick glance with the woman, expecting fury or jealousy.

  Instead, the woman smiled. “I’m Carrie.”

  Odd. If Vivi had a man and caught him checking out a woman that way, she couldn’t promise she wouldn’t make a scene.

  “Jack’s sister,” the woman added in a deliberate tone. The way her eyes darted from Jack to Vivi indicated she suspected something had gone on between them.

  “Yes, Carrie, my-uh-sister,” Jack stammered.

  “Vivi. Nice to meet you.” Vivi shook her hand.

  “I’m guessing you know each other from Okinawa.” Carrie arched a brow. “Unless you were deployed to another island I don’t know about?”

  Jack turned to his sister in a sort of daze. “Island?”

  Carrie laughed. “You okay, Jack? You said you hadn’t seen her since you were on an island.”

  “Oh, yes.” Jack shook his head and added, “We did. We met over in Japan.”

  That was it. No further comments. No explanation about how they’d met, when they’d met, and why they’d lost touch.

  Probably because it was better that way…

  Jack

  Vivi is here? In Boston?

  Jack blinked when he first spotted Vivi. It wouldn’t be the first time he thought he’d spotted her. Hoped.

  Dreamed.

  This time, there was no doubt. Even with her head turned, he recognized her. He knew her profile; he’d stolen glances at her countless times in the past and had committed her face to memory. She looked different tonight with her chestnut hair pinned up in a soft style and that dress showing off her knockout body.

  It wasn’t until after he’d called out her name that he second guessed his action. When she’d turned to him with vivid, wide eyes, signaling fear, his heart had pounded in his ears, drowning out the sound of the music in the ballroom.

  His hands turned clammy, and he squeezed his glass of whiskey and soda more tightly.

  Approaching her might not have been a good idea.

  Too late now. They faced each other and had started a conversation, although he sounded like an idiot, a fact confirmed by his sister’s smirk.

  “So, Jack.” Vivi rearranged jars with cat pictures on the round table beside her, only to put them right back where they started. “You’re home on leave?”

  She was nervous, too. He read the signs. She was searching for something to do with her hands, while giving her a reason to avoid looking at him.

  Not a bad idea. It gave him a chance to regroup without her eyes scrambling his brain, so he could converse like a normal person again. He took a deep breath and focused on their surroundings—the hum of people in small groups chatting and Peggy Lee singing Fever over the speaker.

  “No. I’m home. Home for good.”

  She knocked one of the jars over, spilling a few dollar bills from it. While she fumbled to stuff the money back in the jar, he stepped closer to help her. Instead, his hand landed on hers. In that moment, his fingers seemed to ignite, sizzling with the heat from the slightest touch. He hadn’t touched her soft skin in so long.

  “I got it,” she said, placing it shakily back onto the table. She backed into his chest. “Oh, I’m so sorry!”

  He placed his hands on her upper arms. “It’s okay. I’ve got you.” He breathed in her fragrance—some delicate floral scent.

  She stepped to the side and glanced away. “I don’t know why I’m so clumsy all of a sudden.”

  From the corner of his eye, Jack caught Carrie’s smile widen.

  “I’ll let you two catch up,” Carrie’s tone edged up a notch in a knowing tone. “Coming from a military family, I’ve heard one too many war stories over the years. Right, Jack?”

  “Right.” He squared his jaw. His nosy sister would definitely skewer him for details later.

  “But first, I need to look at these kitties.” Carried circled the table and examined the photos.

  Jack caught Vivi’s brilliant amber gaze and swallowed hard. “What do we do now?”

  “About?” Her eyes sparkled with wonder.

  That look did nothing to help calm his rapid heartbeat. He gestured to the table. “About these jars. Are you the big, bad security detail here?” He winked.

  So much for acting neutral. He’d slipped from being unable to speak coherently to flirting. Smooth. How was he supposed to act after all this time?

  “Oh.” She shook her head and touched her cheek. “Kind of.” Her lips curled with a whisper of a smile. “I’m fending off any big, bad wolves that come near these kitties.” She tilted her head and studied him with a curious glint in her eye. “But more like convincing people to vote for the cat to be featured on next year’s calendar. One dollar per vote. Vote as many times as you wish.”

  Carrie stu
ffed a few bills in some jars and then walked away.

  “Who’s your favorite?” His voice sounded husky and flirtatious, like he was trying to seduce her.

  That wouldn’t be a bad idea. It would be a fantastic idea, in fact. Before he could censor himself, he pictured some of the things they could do if they were alone. All the things they were forbidden to do when they’d served together.

  She spread her arms to her sides. “I’m moderating the table, so I need to remain neutral.”

  He laughed. “I see. Can’t play favorites.”

  As he scanned the photos, tiny mugshots of kittens, fat cats, tabbies, tuxedos, calicos, and more, he considered the possibilities of anything happening between them now. Things had changed. He was a civilian now, and nobody would care if they got together.

  Well, maybe he was jumping eight steps ahead. Someone might care. She might have a boyfriend.

  Time for him to settle his imagination down and take things more slowly. Besides, he had no idea what was going on in his life. Getting involved with anyone was far from his list of priorities. And getting involved with a woman from his past—even if she was someone he’d never forgotten—would add more complications to all of the uncertainties in his life.

  A photo of a black cat with green eyes caught his attention, and he stuffed a twenty in there.

  “Stella?” Vivi asked.

  “I’m a sucker for black cats. Always so misunderstood, you know?”

  She replied with a slow nod. “Maybe because they look so mysterious.”

  The way she glanced at him made his throat tighten. With that curious look, all he could think about was how she’d look at him in bed. He cleared his throat and forced the image aside. “We had a black cat when I was growing up, named Bam-Bam.”

  “Bam-Bam?” she repeated.

  “We named him Rocky, but he was a master of disaster. We adopted him when I was young, and he was a kitten. After he broke yet another glass, I called him Bam-Bam. The name stuck.”

  She laughed, a sound that sent warm ripples through his chest. “You must be a cat lover?”

  He shrugged. Definitely not one of those crazy cat people. “I don’t know about that. My mom and sister are, for sure. Not only did we have five when I was younger, but we fostered pregnant females and tended countless litters of kittens.”

  She gazed at him with an appreciative glint in her eyes. “I never knew that about you. That’s pretty admirable.”

  His heart thumped quicker. Her thinking positively of him meant something.

  He laughed to brush it off. “I didn’t have much of a choice. Nor did I have much of one coming here tonight.” He gave her a full glance once again, taking in the soft curves of her body. Being alone with her had a tempting appeal. He’d like to see her out of that dress and in his arms. “Now I’m glad I came, since I ran into you.”

  Her eyes brightened as she glanced away and a hint of a smile teased her lips. “It’s good to see you, too, Jack”

  When she faced him again, their eyes locked once more. The space between them turned palpable with heat that seemed to swallow all the air. All those things that he couldn’t say back then came rushing forth.

  The past. It was usually best to keep things back there.

  So, he surprised himself when he touched her hand and blurted out, “Vivi, save a dance for me tonight?”

  Chapter 3

  Vivi

  As Jack walked away, Vivi stared at his back disappearing into the crowd, ogling him like he was a gelato on a hot summer day. A dance with Jack Conroy. Sparks of anticipation lit her up inside, making her liquefy all the way into her core.

  It shouldn’t have meant so much. After all, it would just be a dance. Several older couples had already started to dance to a Frank Sinatra song.

  But it meant so much more to her than just a dance…

  At another ball in another country on the other side of the world, their first dance had been prevented when they’d discovered they had no chance of a relationship.

  She exhaled and rubbed her hands down along the satin of her dress.

  “What do we have here?” A woman who appeared to be in her fifties who’d applied perfume with a strong squeeze stepped before the table.

  “It’s a contest to vote for the cutest cats,” Vivi replied. “One dollar a vote. You can vote as many times as you like,” she encouraged.

  While the woman examined the options, Vivi searched for another glimpse of Jack through the crowd. The woman inserted a few dollars and smiled at Vivi before walking away.

  “Thanks,” Vivi said. “Have a great night.”

  Within seconds, her mind returned to the forthcoming dance with Jack. Since they were now out of the military, she shouldn’t sweat this. But three years of structure and discipline about doing things a certain way had a way of sticking. While she tormented herself in debate, more anxiety twisted its way in. It slammed into her with the impact of a tsunami.

  Could she even manage to keep up with him on her injured leg? Her muscles clenched, but she forced herself to breathe through the discomfort of dancing on it for the first time since the accident—and who she’d be dancing with.

  After all the physical therapy, she might be able to pull off a dance. It would be slow, not some highly choreographed number. Still, she didn’t want to be seen as fragile, helpless, or handicapped—especially in front of Jack. She hated the pitiful looks people gave her when they heard what had happened. She was still Vivi, damn it. Her heart still beat, her brain still functioned. It was only her leg preventing her from doing the things she’d once loved.

  Like dancing.

  But she was still alive. Not like some of the others who hadn’t made it back. The familiar shadow of survivor’s guilt returned, one that had haunted her since the accident, leaving her short of breath. She didn’t want—or deserve—the pity.

  She continued to focus on breathing exercises she’d learned to help with stress until the tightness in her chest eased. She glanced at the clock. Only twenty more minutes until the voting ended, and she’d be free to mingle.

  And dance with Jack.

  Bad idea. Bad, bad idea.

  Of course it was. Why get so excited about something this minuscule in the scheme of life? It was a dance with a guy she once knew, that was all. Nothing earth-shattering.

  It’s nothing to do with him. It’s simply testing myself. Another step moving forward with adjusting to my new normal.

  Too bad her eyes rebelled against her rationalization. How many times did they scope him out across the crowded ballroom. He met up with his sister and spoke to other guests.

  Dollars flew into the jars, raising much needed funds for the shelter. She smiled and thanked voters, but her attention kept drifting to him. He stood a head taller than most of the crowd and held himself with the proud bearing of a military officer. He looked good in a suit. Too damn good to ignore.

  Several other women gave him appreciative glances.

  Bitches.

  What was wrong with her? She had no claim on Jack. He was free to talk to any woman he wanted. Or dance with them. Her stomach tightened into knots.

  Jack caught her stare from across the room. Her body froze yet sizzled by that searing connection. Her heart pounded, echoing in her ears.

  She thought her leg might be the obstacle in a dance. Maybe it was more than that—something terrifying to consider. What else would describe such a strong emotional response to him after all this time?

  Had she ever truly gotten over him?

  Jack

  While Jack’s mother and Carrie introduced him to people at the ball, his gaze often returned to Vivi.

  Carrie directed them a few steps away from the latest conversation where they accepted a bite of basil, tomato, and mozzarella on toothpicks from catering staff.

  The combination of flavors mixed with delicious perfection in his mouth.

  “You have a thing for her?” Carrie asked.
/>   After he swallowed, he forced a neutral expression. “Why do you say that?”

  “You’re going to burn a hole right through her blue dress with the way you’ve been staring at her,” she teased with a knowing grin.

  Was he that obvious? Clearly so. “I’m surprised to see her here tonight.”

  “And…” Carrie prodded.

  “And nothing. That’s it,” he declared.

  “Bullshit. I was there. I almost got scalded by all the sparks flying between you two. You must have had something going on over in Okinawa.”

  How the hell could he describe what had happened over there? No way was he going to tell her about his clumsy pursuit of Vivi that might have cost them both, big time. Glancing at his sister, another thought struck. Carrie had often argued with him when he played the big brother role, saying he thought he knew what was best for people and pushed them too hard, regardless of what they wanted. But he was her older brother—of course he’d look out for her. And yes, he did think he knew what was better for her, at least most of the time.

  Had he made a mistake with Vivi? He didn’t know. What he’d said was the right thing for them to do at the time and how he’d felt about that decision were two different beasts. “Doesn’t matter. It was years ago.” It might as well be a lifetime.

  “All right, Jack, if you don’t want to tell me, fine.” Although her tone was nonchalant, he knew his sister. She was dying to hear the entire story.

  Carrie steered him toward their mom, who was speaking with two guys in suits who were around Jack’s age. One stood a few inches shorter and had a beard, and the other was clean-shaven.

  “Jack,” his mother said when she spotted him. “This is Ryan.” She gestured toward the bearded one. “He’s the manager for the shelter. And his partner, Steve.”

  After they shook hands and exchanged greetings, Ryan noted, “I’ve heard plenty about you from your mom. I don’t know what we’d do without her. She’s always been a big supporter of the shelter.”