Crystal Coast Love Connection (Crystal Coast Romances Book 3) Read online

  “You coming out for a few beers with us tonight, Livingston?” Baxter asked.

  “I don’t drink alcohol,” the new guy, Sergeant Steve Livingston, replied.

  “No way? Like not even beer?” Baxter asked.

  Airman Tanner Tolsten, the youngest in the crew, snorted. “It might come as a huge shock to you, but beer actually does contain alcohol.”

  “I don’t consume any drugs. I’m a Mormon,” Livingston replied matter-of-factly.

  Baxter’s eyebrows lifted, and his lips parted. “Ohh, well, then that makes sense. So, you wear those special Mormon chastity panties?”

  Chase’s eyes bulged, and his nostrils flared, but he resisted the urge to smack Baxter across the back of the head. “Damn it, Baxter! You can’t just ask someone personal questions about their religious beliefs and/or undergarments.” Mortified, Chase turned his attention to Livingston. “Sorry about that. Baxter’s an acquired taste, but mostly harmless.”

  Livingston shrugged. “I got enough crap in basic training to toughen me up. I’m way past anyone being able to embarrass me.”

  “Good deal, Sergeant,” Chase replied.

  Baxter piped up again. “I wasn’t trying to diss. I was generously curious.”

  “The fact that you actually don’t know any better is the saddest part,” Tolsten quipped. “And I think you meant to say genuinely.”

  “At least come out with us and have some grub, Livingston. You don’t have to drink,” Baxter offered.

  Livingston chuckled and lifted his left hand, pointing to his wedding band with his other hand. “Some of us have a beautiful wife at home to eat dinner with.”

  The group shared a laugh, and the quietest member of the group, Airman Derrick Rains, said, “He’s got ya there, Brent.”

  “For sure, for sure,” Brent agreed as everyone except Tolsten, who was driving the truck with the ammo that needed to be stocked, piled into the passenger van to drive back to their next destination.

  “Why is the loading area so far away from the office?” Baxter, who had jumped in the front passenger seat beside Chase, mused aloud.

  Chase did a double take, glancing toward him, slack-jawed with disbelief. “You kidding me?”

  Baxter shook his head. “It always seemed crazy we had to come all the way out here to unload the ammo boxes and haul them back. I mean I understand why we put the explosives on the truck and send them miles away, but—”

  Livingston and Rains had already started howling with laughter when Chase cut Baxter off. “You do realize we unload the explosives from the same place we unload the ammo—same truck.”

  “Yeah…” Brent paused, and Chase was certain some little hamster on a wheel in his head had started to slowly schlep until Baxter added, “So?”

  Chase gave up on trying to get Baxter’s brain to jump start and simply explained, “If there’s an accident unloading, we’re the only ones who get blown to bits instead of everybody in the admin offices.”

  “Ohh, we’re protecting the hot secretaries.” Baxter smirked like a doofus and nodded.

  “Wow, that’s really sexist.” Livingston spoke up. “Plus a lot of the administration workers are dudes, if you haven’t noticed. I mean I’ve been here three days, and I know. How long have you been working here?”

  Baxter just shrugged and laughed off the ribbing. “I knew all that. I was just testing you guys.”

  “Thanks for keeping us on our toes,” Chase replied sardonically.

  After they got back to their unit, they stopped beside the truck Tolsten parked by the warehouse annex. As everyone started hauling heavy containers of ammo to catalog and stock, Baxter asked, “How ’bout you, boss? You wanna come out with us tonight?”

  “Dude, you’re putting him in an awkward situation. He’s not supposed to fraternize with enlisted guys,” Livingston interjected.

  “Seems prejudiced. If I’m sexist, what is that?”

  “Military regs,” Chase answered without much inflection. Truth was he wouldn’t mind going out for a beer with the guys. These soldiers were all only stationed at the ocean terminal temporarily. Except for Livingston, who was a bit out of sync as a staff replacement, they would be leaving right after Christmas. Then a new group would cycle through.

  “Would it just be us four?” Chase wanted to make sure it wouldn’t just be him and Baxter.

  “Nah, Tan Man’s bringing his boyfriend, and Ryan will want to bring his hag.”

  Chase glanced toward Airman Tanner Tolsten. The poor kid was turning bright red.

  “Could you refrain from broadcasting my personal business?” Tolsten mumbled, elbowing Baxter.

  “You know, I think it would be okay as sort of a going-away celebration. I’d be happy to hang out with you guys tonight.”

  “Well, all right, all right!” Baxter replied, pumping his fist like he’d won something.

  Chapter Two

  Jessica pulled on a pair of black skinny jeans with her silver long-sleeved satin crop top and finished the look with a pair of black ankle boots. She stepped back into the tiny bathroom she shared with Ryan and examined her reflection in the mirror over the counter. She placed a dab of styling gel on her fingertips and then touched up her chin-length hairdo. The sun had brightened her locks with some platinum highlights. After brushing her teeth, she put on some lip gloss and mascara. I guess this will do.

  She hadn’t really had a night out since her break-up, but Ryan and Tanner insisted she come out with them and their friends tonight. She grabbed her red patent-leather purse and stepped out into the hallway. “I’m ready,” she said as she peeked around some of Ryan’s boxes and took a gander at him.

  Her eyes widened as she examined Ryan’s whole dapper-in-denim-and-jacket look. He’d paired his well-fitting stretch jeans with a classic white button-down and topped it off with a casual gray cotton-blend sports coat, finishing the outfit with white low-top Converse. The man definitely had flair. “Well, you look great.”

  He turned to the side and ran a hand through his light brown mane, smirking as he asked, “Do I?”

  She rolled her eyes and laughed. “Your former roommate warned me about your cocky side.”

  He snickered. “I just like to look nice for Tanner.”

  “I’ll bet. Well, you’ve definitely accomplished that.” About that time, there was a knock at the door, and she added, “Well, speak of the devil.”

  Ryan opened the door, and Jessica did a double take. Dressed in his tan jeans, chambray dress shirt, and a burgundy cardigan, Tanner presented every bit as amazing as his lover. Apparently, Ryan agreed, because as his gaze roamed down Tanner’s body and back to his face, he looked as if he wanted to eat him up.

  Tanner smiled at Jessica. “You are so pretty!”

  It had been so long since a man gave her a sincere compliment, she couldn’t help grinning. “Thanks.”

  “Hey! What about me?” Ryan put his hand on his hips, scowling as his lips contorted into a pout.

  Tanner leaned in and nuzzled his cheek. “You’re too sexy for words.”

  Ryan’s childish jealousy seemed to melt off his face, replaced by lovestruck glee as he smirked. “That’s more like it. Let’s go.”

  After hopping up into the backseat of Tanner’s king cab, Jessica fastened her seat belt. “So where are we going?”

  “Lono’s,” Ryan replied, looking over his shoulder at her from the front seat.

  “Yum! I haven’t been there in a while,” she replied.

  “I’ve never been. Is it good?” Tanner asked.

  “Oh yeah, it’s delicious, but not especially fancy. Nothing around here is. It’s more down-homeish,” Jessica replied, recalling the many times she’d visited the joint with her friends from high school.

  “So you grew up around here?” Tanner asked.

  “Umm, not exactly. Aunt Britt took me in when I was fourteen, and I stayed with her until I graduated and went off to college,” she replied, the old anxiety coiling up
in her tummy as she remembered the events leading up to her parents splitting up, her mom taking off, and her dad drinking himself nearly to death.

  Jessica noticed Ryan reach over toward Tanner, and then witnessed the look Ryan gave him in the rearview mirror, and she immediately understood her cousin, Caroline, who was Ryan’s close friend and former roommate, had already filled him in on the details of her sad, pathetic history and abandonment issues.

  “We’re here,” Ryan said as they pulled into the gravel parking lot. Tanner opened the door for her and helped her down from the truck.

  The restaurant’s Polynesian aesthetic, particularly the illuminated Tiki lanterns that had been strung up above the wooden deck patio and were swaying with the wind, gave off a nostalgic sense of comfort. How long has it been since I held my head up and allowed myself to notice the little details…? Tonight the outdoor eating area’s railing had been wrapped in garland with flashing white minilights, and the hula-girl statue by the front entrance had a Santa hat on top of her head. Jessica resisted the urge to snatch the festive stocking cap off by its little white poof ball.

  “We have a big group tonight; I called ahead,” Ryan added after walking around the front of the truck to their side.

  Tanner smiled, eyeing Ryan with dilated pupils and blushing cheeks. “You just think of everything, baby.”

  Jeez, these two are killing me.

  * * * *

  Chase sat at a long wooden table for eight with Baxter at his left while Rains sat to the left of Baxter. Chase looked around at all the beachy decor, noting the place seemed more South Pacific than South Atlantic. The huge bar made of bamboo and grass cloth had been decorated for Christmas with blinking colored lights. A Christmas tree near the hostess station had been adorned with small tiki mask and pineapple ornaments and topped with a hula-girl ornament with a lei crown and angel wings fashioned from little scallop shells.

  The small touches of holiday cheer struck him as bittersweet. He always enjoyed the holidays growing up, but he wasn’t up for a drive home, nor did he have the spare cash to spend on a flight to New Jersey just for a day or two.

  Just as he began admiring the tapa cloth wall hangings and larger tiki god masks, he saw Tolsten walk in and lifted his hand to wave him forward. Tolsten nodded, acknowledging he’d seen him, and started walking their way.

  He noticed the smartly dressed brunet man just behind Tolsten and assumed it was Tolsten’s boyfriend, but when Tolsten stopped and motioned for the third member of their party to go first, Chase nearly lost his breath. It’s her!

  As she approached the table, the pretty, petite blonde met his gaze and stopped short. Her eyes widened, and her mouth opened slightly. “What are you doing here?”

  He wasn’t sure how to answer but had learned it was good form to stand until a lady was seated, so he got to his feet. “Hi.” He pulled out the chair beside his for her. She looked back at Tolsten and his boyfriend, but they quickly filled the other seats, making it so she’d have to walk all the way to the other side of the table if she refused to sit beside Chase. Slowly she took her place next to him.

  “So you two know each other?” Tolsten asked, pointing back and forth between Chase and the blonde.

  “No,” she replied bluntly.

  “Not exactly,” Chase answered at about the same time.

  Tanner scrunched up his nose and tilted his head, lifting one eyebrow. “Um…okay, so this is Jessica. She’s Ryan’s roommate for a couple of weeks until we move. Jessica, this is Derrick, Brent, and Captain Culpepper, and I think everyone knows Ryan except for the captain.” Tanner pointed at the brunet.

  “Nice to meet you,” Jessica said in a near whisper while not looking at anyone in particular.

  “Oh, it’s very nice to meet your acquaintance, Jessica,” Brent replied.

  “It’s make, stupid, very nice to make your acquaintance,” Tolsten said, shaking his head at Brent.

  “Oh, my bad,” Brent replied, shamelessly making eyes at Jessica. Somehow his flirting didn’t sit right with Chase even though he had no particular claim to her.

  “So, Jessica, is it?” Chase said as she stared at her menu.

  “That’s right, Captain.” She didn’t look up.

  “Call me Chase. I’m really sorry about this morning. Please, let me buy you dinner to make it up to you?”

  She turned the page of the menu, still not meeting his gaze as she answered, “That’s okay. I can buy my own dinner.”

  His shoulders slumped, and the sides of his mouth turned down as he looked away. Then another idea came to him. “Okay, but how about letting me buy you a drink?”

  She sighed as she looked up from the menu and turned her head his way. “Fine, one drink, and then we’re even.”

  He grinned. “Sure thing.”

  AS JESSICA STARED into the dark onyx eyes of the handsome stranger sitting next to her, apprehension sat on her chest so heavily an ocean liner might as well have dropped anchor on her. Every brain cell was screaming for her to bolt out of that restaurant. Straight men were trouble. Still, Captain Chase Culpepper was crazy sexy with his broad shoulders and muscular form. She’d noticed that much at their first ill-fated meeting.

  His face was nothing to shrink away from either—strong jawline, dimples. He was hot. Her stomach simmered, anxiety crackling as much as soda on Pop Rocks, but still she opened her damn mouth and answered, “All right, please order me a mai tai.”

  “This place has great crab dip,” Brent said.

  Jessica glanced up at him. He was a stocky concrete slab of pure muscles. Even though he had a square-shaped head a la Sponge Bob, he was sort of attractive except for the goofy look he kept on his face.

  “I want to try their calamari,” Tanner said.

  “I gotta taste these shrimp hushpuppies,” Chase replied, tapping a finger on his menu.

  “They have a coconut shrimp appetizer too,” Brent added.

  “Yuck, that’s all you,” Chase answered. “I can’t stand coconut.”

  Clearly, Jessica was in the company of some hearty eaters. When the waitress, an attractive middle-aged woman with short brown hair, came to take their order, both Brent and Derrick hit on her shamelessly, seemingly oblivious to the wedding ring on her finger. True to his word, Chase ordered Jessica’s mai tai, but she also asked for a glass of water. A beach girl like her could hold her liquor, but she had to work in the morning and didn’t want to wake up with a hangover.

  “So are you a schoolteacher too, Jessica?” Brent asked, turning his flirty behavior on her as soon as the waitress walked away.

  She smirked. “Too?”

  “The other chick Ryan was living with was a teacher, and so is Ryan.” He stared back at her like a puppy holding a bone.

  She snickered. “The other chick was my cousin, Caroline, and no. I work at the Fort Merryweather Aquarium.”

  “Really?” Chase piped up. “What do you do there?”

  Jessica was shaken by how genuinely interested he sounded. She met his gaze but quickly averted her eyes. “Lots of stuff. I’m a marine biologist, so my duties run the gamut, but I specialize in the educational tours.”

  “Yeah?” Chase’s eyebrows lifted, and he tilted his head, staring at her as if he was hanging on every word and expecting more.

  Insecure about the amount of attention on her, Jessica played with a strand of her hair. “Um…tomorrow I’m heading up a canoeing tour of Creech Island. If you like bird-watching and crabbing, I think we still have a couple of openings.”

  “What an awesome job! I’m jealous,” Tanner said, drawing her attention away from Chase.

  “I love it,” Jessica admitted, a teasing smile curling her lips as she added, “You know, the aquarium is a great place for a date; you two lovebirds should check it out.” She wagged her index finger between Tanner and Ryan.

  Poor twenty-two-year-old Tanner blushed brightly while Ryan played things cool. “We just might have to do that.”

&nbs
p; Jessica winked at him, and Ryan smiled.

  Just then the waitress set Jessica’s drink down on the table. Her mouth watered over the smell of fresh pineapple juice and rum. She’d forgotten how much she enjoyed the drinks this restaurant served. It had been ages since she was here, and in truth it had been even longer since a man treated her. David hadn’t taken her anywhere that didn’t have a drive-through window in over a year, and even then, most of the time, he expected her to pay. She picked up her beverage and glanced at Chase. “Thanks.”

  He lifted his frothy mug of beer and clanked it against her glass. “Cheers!” His lower eyelids contracted, creating tiny crow’s feet as his eyes crinkled and the corners of his mouth curved upward—now that was a genuine smile that couldn’t be faked. Jessica’s heart pitter patted for a split second, but she slammed it behind a steel door of mistrust. No! No! No! All men switch on the charm at first. It’s when they’ve got you that they start the lying, cheating, and nasty name-calling.

  Jessica turned her attention toward the waitress, reading her nametag. Amelia, that’s a pretty name. She waited her turn as Amelia took the orders. Chase, Brent, and Brent’s redheaded sidekick, Derrick, all ordered the Calabash platter, which included a combination of shrimp, flounder, and oysters served with fries, slaw, and hushpuppies. Must be nice—I wish I could eat like that and not worry about my gut busting.

  Ryan ordered the crab bisque and a shrimp roll while Tanner ordered broiled shrimp and steamed oysters. When Amelia turned her attention toward Jessica, she ordered a Caesar salad and the grilled mahi-mahi sandwich. After handing her menu back to the waitress, Jessica removed the garnish from her glass and took a bite of rum-soaked pineapple, closing her eyes as she savored the sweetness.

  As she blinked her eyes open, she noticed Chase staring at her face. Her cheeks flushed, warmed with embarrassment, as he said, “Good, huh?”

  His expression was sort of adorable. Maybe I could be a little nicer to him. “Delicious. Wanna try?” She lifted the cherry from the glass by its stem, and he leaned over, then dipped his head and took the ripe red fruit between his lips. Jessica’s pulse quickened as he yanked away, leaving the stem between her fingers. Shit! She’d been half joking and hadn’t expected him to go for it. Now she’d seem like she was leading him on.