JoJo was wearing her tight skinny jeans and a super-cute white baseball jersey. I would probably look like a complete idiot in it, but somehow she made it work. Her black hair was in luscious waves and her oversized sunglasses sat perched on her nose; she looked cute and fun. Then there was me. My blonde hair piled in a high ponytail and my skin looking rather pale against my dark navy t-shirt. At least I was able to pair my volunteer shirt with my best jeans. I had that much going for me.
“There’s my number one fan!” Ryan exclaimed, sweating profusely as he jogged over to the table. I looked around the field and realized the baseball gods had finally answered my prayers. The game was officially over. I was ready to get the hell out of here and back to my cozy home so I could throw on some sweats and put on Netflix, while casually drinking a glass of wine…that would no doubt turn into the entire bottle.
Right as I was putting the water bottles back in their case, someone snatched the very one I was holding right out of my hand. Its plastic casing crunched as it was jerked out of my grasp, and I was ready to smack whoever it was for being so incredibly rude.
A cool voice flooded my ears.
“Hey, Cammie.”
I rolled my eyes and stared right into his clean-shaven face. Sweat was dripping down his forehead, all the way down to his grinning mouth.
“Luke! Here’s some water to quench that thirst of yours.” I pretended to hand him an invisible water bottle. “Oh, that’s right. You just snatched it out of my hand without so much as a grunt of appreciation.”
He ignored my comment.
“Soooo, whatcha got planned for tonight?”
I stared at him in disbelief. What?
He looked up at the sky, tilting his head back.
“I was just wondering because, I’m concerned.”
“Concerned?” I placed my hands on my hips.
He looked down, gracefully, then back up at me.
“It’s just, I’ve noticed you don’t have much of a social life, and that’s not healthy for a woman your age…”
“What are you doing? Peeping out your windows at me?” He was totally embarrassing me, on purpose. Concerned, my ass.
“Nope, it’s just pretty obvious that you don’t really do much other than sit out on that porch of yours and watch me and my dates every single night.”
“I do not!” I yelled defensively. It was pretty freaking hard not to notice. “Just because my eyes happen to wander over to your annoying, squealing little minions doesn’t mean that I willingly do it. It’s hard not to glance over when it sounds like there’s a hyena next door.”
I heard a few laughs from around us and noticed out of the corner of my eye that a crowd of sweaty men in their camouflage uniforms had gathered. I didn’t dare let my gaze waver from his, though, because I knew if I did, I’d see that his uniformed sleeves were rolled up to his round biceps, and it would make my mouth go dry. Once you saw a man as attractive as Luke wearing a uniform that only enhanced his already impressive muscles, you were doomed for life.
I scowled.
“You’re a pig! You have a different girl at your house every night; it’s disgusting.”
I stifled a laugh when I heard grunting and oinking from some of the younger Marines. Luke whipped his head in their direction and glowered, causing me to laugh out loud.
Luke’s gazed landed back on mine.
“Well, apparently women love it when I act like a pig. They certainly do while they’re in my bed…”
Then he winked at me. My core went into flames. Goddammit. I clenched my teeth so hard that they might have cracked.
I felt a small flush creep up from my neck, and I retaliated, “Well, I have a date tonight anyway. So thankfully, I won’t have to hear any of your snorting!”
I briefly heard JoJo whisper, “You have a date?” And then to Becky, “Who does she have a date with?”
Becky answered, “Some really hot doctor,” just loud enough for Luke to hear. Thank you, Becky, for being on my side.
“Well, I can’t wait to meet him tonight!”
“Wha