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There was a guy code. A Marine code .
Fucking her was not an option, no matter how gorgeous and plump her lips were. Or how innocently and sweetly she looked at me with those green eyes. She wasn’t the cute kid sister anymore. She was a sexy knockout that blew me away .
I rubbed the back of my head and looked around the office. She probably thought this place was a shit hole. I know I did. But it paid the bills, and right now I needed to give Grayson stability .
Amber was all over the place. This might be the only thing I could give my son and I was going to work my ass off to make it perfect. It was going to take time. But I wasn’t going anywhere. He needed me .
When I found out Amber was pregnant I knew I had to leave the Marine Corps. Ryan had tried to convince me to stay in. But he didn’t know Amber the way I did. I couldn’t leave my son with half a parent while I fought a war on the other side of the world .
He said he understood, but I always wondered if he’d forgive me. I left my brothers for my son. I didn’t regret it, but it didn’t mean the guilt didn’t keep me up at night .
I tried to remember if Kaitlyn’s room had everything it should. Did I put enough towels in there for her? I imagined her curvy body undressing in the pink-tiled bathroom. Damn, she had perky round breasts. I knew she caught me checking her out .
I thought about stopping by her room. But just the idea made my cock twitch and I knew I needed to head in the complete opposite direction .
I needed a cold beer and a cold shower .
Seven
Kaitlyn
T he Dune Scape was divided into two rows of rooms angled toward the beach in a V, like a seagull with its wings fully spread. All the odd-numbered rooms were on the right and the even-numbered on the left. Mine was at
the farthest end, closest to the beach. It looked as if guests could still catch a glimpse of the ocean from their balcony even from the side closest to the highway .
I inserted the key into the rusty lock and turned the door handle. The air was musty. The kind you smell when you forget you left your wet bathing suit in the bottom of the clothes hamper .
The walls were coated in a thick paint, which was doing a miserable job of covering up the paneling. Strips of peeling paint dangled from the corners .
“Home sweet home,” I muttered .
I was still dying to know why Cole was here. What did he have to do with this place? Ryan hadn’t said much other than he left the Corps to take care of his baby .
I remember thinking how sweet and amazing that was. Ryan never mentioned anything about him taking handy man job. But I reminded myself my brother wasn’t big on details .
I flipped the switch on the air conditioner, pulled the drapes closed, and sat on the bed. It was pointless to try to clean up before I even had a shower or clean clothes to put on afterward. I had been wearing the alcohol-stained jeans so long I couldn’t smell the bourbon anymore .
Cole mentioned a place to eat within walking distance. That seemed like the best option for dinner, but first I wanted to buy a few things to make it through the next day until my luggage arrived. I stopped myself from getting nostalgic about my favorite Carolina T-shirt, or the cute pink skirt and the mini-pack of new makeup I just bought. They were all in my suitcase, and I could do nothing about it .
I headed out of the room. As I passed by the Dune Scape office, I saw Cole sitting behind the desk shuffling through a stack of papers. I wondered if he always wore a scowl on his face. His jaw was set in a line of determination. I stood in front of the window a second too long; he looked up from his work and saw me staring at him. I scurried out of view, wishing I didn’t have to be so curious all the damn time .
The surf shop was only two blocks from the motel, on the beach road. After being squeezed into small seats all day, it felt good to walk .
“Hey, honey. Welcome to Tassels.” The red-haired woman called from a nearby hat stand. She was straightening a line of visors that had been displaced. Yes, it was a surf shop, but not like any I had seen. “Can I help you find something? You look lost, darlin ’.”
I took in the Stetson hats, rows of surfboards, and rack of suntan lotion .
“Yes, I need something to wear. The airline lost my luggage and I’m here all week. I’m sure it will show up, but I need a change of clothes.” I spotted a mannequin wearing a sundress that was adorable .
“Oh, you poor thing.” The woman ditched the set of pink hats and rushed over to me. “Those airlines are so bad these days. Last year my sister, Sue, had two bags lost and she never got them back. She had everything in there. It was a mess .”
Hearing Sue’s story didn’t comfort me. I was still hoping my phone would ring any second with a call from the airport saying they were on their way with my clothes. I hadn’t itemized what was in the suitcase, but there were more sentimental things than just my school T-shirt .
“Well, let’s get you some things to wear. You here for graduation week?” She flashed a red lipstick smile .
“I am. All week.” Standing in Tassels Surf Shop, it was starting to sink in that a week in paradise was a long time to spend alone .
“Oh, wonderful. That’s so good to hear. I’m Lisa.” She reached her hand to me .
