Page 9 of My All American Girl

“We were celebrating.” She shrugged, as if that explained everything.

“Sarah, do your celebrations typically involve you getting your ass kicked?”

“I didn’t get my ass kicked.”

“How serious was this fight?” I asked her.

“Bouncers broke it up before it got too carried away,” she answered nonchalantly.

“So, did she start it or you?”

“She?” she asked with confusion.

“The chick that did this to you.”

Her face lit up. “It wasn’t a chick. It was some frat boy.”

I froze, my hand with the antibiotic ointment hovering just above hers. “Excuse me.”

“What?”

“Did you just say a man did this to you?”

She smirked. “I wouldn’t call him a man. He sure cried like a little boy when I hit him.”

“But still.” Rage burned through me like wildfire. My chest felt tight. I wanted to rip this so-called frat boy limb from limb, but I forced myself to take a deep breath. Controlling my emotions was a huge part of being a fighter pilot.

She shrugged again, her smirk turning into a grin. “Don’t get all macho on me, Ryker,” she said. “I can take care of myself.”

“Sarah,” I started, my voice low and serious. “You’re hurt. A man hurt you.”

“And?” She looked at me defiantly. “I’ve been through worse. And for your information, I wasn’t the only one who walked away with a few bruises. He’ll think twice before he tries to push anyone around again.”

As concerned as I was for her well-being, admiration also swelled in me. This girl was something else. Stubborn, fiery, and dangerous. Dangerous to herself and anyone that fell for those freckles that made her look far younger than she was.

I shook my head at her and smiled. “Your father warned me you were trouble.”

She laughed, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Her eyes were hazel, but I saw more green than blue. Her long auburn hair was hanging loose around her shoulders, unlike the sharp bun she had worn at graduation. She was a beautiful woman. Petite with a natural shine that sparked something within me I had no business feeling.

She was Mo’s daughter. Period. Full stop. I didn’t get to think she was beautiful or sexy or mine. She was also a graduate on the brink of a bright future in the Air Force. I shouldn’t get involved with her even if she wasn’t Mo’s daughter.

“This kind of thing won’t fly in Columbus,” I warned her. “You need to put your best foot forward. You can’t wear the uniform and run around getting in bar fights.”

She shrugged, brushing off my concerns. “And how will you know if I don’t?”

I gave her a pointed look. “Oh, I’ll know,” I assured her.

She rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed. “Uh huh, sure,” she muttered. “A big shot like you will know what a peon like me is doing in Columbus.”

“I’m serious, Sarah,” I pressed further, ignoring her sarcastic comment. “Your future is at stake.”

“Sure thing, mom,” she replied in a singsong voice that had my blood boiling.

“It’s not funny,” I said. “You could get seriously hurt.”

“I can handle myself, Ryker”, she said.