Their Blue-Collar Girl (The American Soldier Collection 4)

Carl would hire Lori. One look at the way the man eyed her body over and she already had the job. She smiled so sweetly toward Carl, too. Maybe he was right and maybe Lori was full of shit, just like most women and most people. With an ulcer beginning to start in his stomach, Charlie headed out of the party and back to his place to be alone. It was safer than dealing with emotions brought on by strangers.

Chapter 7

Sunday morning rolled around and it was Lori’s day off from jogging. Maggie and Ben were going to have lunch with Jasper in town at the local diner. They invited Lori but she had plans of her own. Their parents were invited for lunch to a friend’s house and they would all meet back home later for dinner.

Lori packed her lunch and a few bottles of water into a red insulated bag. She added the ice packs and finally a container of fresh, plump strawberries. She took along a towel and a blanket to lie on along with a book and some college reading materials.

The sun was beating down hard and Lori was glad she brought some extra suntan lotion. She was determined to work on her tan especially if her interview at Carl’s later today went well. Michelle told her the workers wore very short black skirts and tight-fitted T-shirts. Lori was used to those types of revealing outfits. She didn’t mind as long as no one touched her or asked her to remove her clothing. She remembered the first time some guy, an owner of a bar she worked off the books for, approached her after work. He was older, kind of attractive but a complete pervert. He started off flirting with her and then hinting about fooling around. When she declined, he offered to pay her. What a creep he turned out to be. From there on out he harassed her and then she, Maggie, and Ben needed to take off because Derrick was on their trail.

She swallowed hard. There wasn’t a day that passed by where she didn’t think about that night he attacked. She swallowed hard then shook her head. Don’t think about him. Focus on the future and on going to college.

She found the stream Andrew mentioned and she set up her little spot by the water. There was no one in sight. It was quiet and peaceful, exactly what she wanted.

She lay down on her back a while and could feel her stomach burning as she rolled over to change tanning positions.

Lori opened the college course book and began reading the information below each class she needed to achieve her teaching degree. She would finally be able to start college and pay for it herself if she got a good job. She had saved a lot already but still needed more. She also wanted to make her own money to decorate her loft in the barn house. Next week she would take a quick trip into town to one of the local boutiques or perhaps head into Houston.

Lori was engrossed in the descriptions of the courses as her stomach churned and she felt a pain in her wrist and arm. She was getting nervous about finally attending school and all the hard work

and time it would take to achieve her dream.

“You found the place all right, huh?” Trevor interrupted her thoughts, startling her as she quickly sat up. She stared at him, sitting atop a huge horse that blocked the sun and cast a shadow over her body. He wore his Stetson low and had on dark sunglasses. She couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable about him finding her here and nearly naked.

* * * *

Trevor was delighted that Charlie had been right about seeing Lori heading toward the water hole. He didn’t know why his brother hadn’t come down here, too. In fact, he seemed kind of pissed off at Lori. Well this was Trevor’s chance to get to know her better. Since the barbeque, he couldn’t seem to stop thinking about her.

Lori quickly grabbed her towel and covered the black bikini she was wearing. Damn did she have a great body.

“You scared me!” she scolded him as he got down off his horse.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to. You were so into what you were reading. What’s this?” he asked as he picked up the folder Lori dropped, and looked at its contents.

“College courses, huh? That’s great. What are you taking?” he asked nicely, but Lori appeared ready to bolt. He cleared his throat as he took off his sunglasses.

Lori pulled the folder from his hand. “I’m interested in becoming a teacher. I was just reading about the courses I need to take, that’s all,” she told him as she started to tuck the folder back into her bag as if preparing to leave. Then she pulled the towel tighter around her. Trevor immediately picked up on her uneasiness.

“You don’t have to leave. I was just coming down here for a swim. I promise not to disturb you.” He tipped his hat toward her and began walking his horse over to a nearby tree.

Trevor found it interesting that Lori was sitting in his and his brothers’ favorite spot. Out of all the different places she could have picked, she had chosen theirs. Now he would have to sit somewhere else.

He glanced back toward her and she was still holding the towel against her body. That perfect body he had the opportunity to see, even from a distance. Her long blonde hair was French braided and hung down to the center of her back. Most women who had a figure like Lori’s would flaunt it, or try to tempt him with it. Not Lori, she was shy, refined, and the way those green eyes looked up at him full of fear and embarrassment as she blushed, instantly attracted him to her. It was so odd for him. Trevor was a hard man, just like his brothers Charlie and Dante. Life had thrown him, them, some heavy shit and it weighed its toll on each of them. He was shocked at how nervous he felt. Me, nervous around a woman no less? Being out of the service must be turning me into a pansy.

His stomach grew sour and he felt the annoyed expression take over. Now he was just plain old pissed off.

* * * *

Lori glanced toward Trevor who was presently removing his jeans. Her heart dropped at the sight. She nearly gasped for air then glanced back and saw a pair of navy blue swim trunks that were hidden beneath.

Trevor couldn’t help but tease her. “Sorry to disappoint you, no skinny-dipping today. I didn’t wear my sunscreen,” he said in his sexy thick Texas accent. Then he jumped into the water.

Lori was even more embarrassed and annoyed at him. The nerve of him. The man obviously knew he had a great body. Those damn muscles and tattoos covering his arm and shoulder were a sight. She was intrigued by them and by his perfect physique.

Stop drooling, you idiot. This man is experienced and playing you.

She was getting herself all riled up as she removed the towel, rolled back onto her stomach, and grabbed her bag to find the folder. Turning her back toward him should have given her the reprieve her heart and her libido needed to get a grip. But instead she hoped that her ass didn’t look too big as she tightened it then tried to refocus on the brochure in front of her.

It was getting hotter and she wanted to take a swim but not with Trevor in there. She stayed put as the sweat pooled at the center of her back and dripped down her forehead to her cheeks. When it started dripping onto the brochure, she grew impatient for some cold water.