Corpsman and the Nerd (8 page)

“
I see.” Max leaned back
against the counter top. He spread his hands out, not sounding
worried. “Your wish is my command.”

“
Um-hmmm.” KC didn’t believe
that, although it did conjure up some rather naughty images, which
didn’t have any place in her perception of Max. “I need a bowl, a
whisk, cinnamon, vanilla, and you’ll need to select a meat. Ham,
bacon, or sausage are your choices.”

“
I can handle that.” He
nodded and moved to several different cupboards. KC watched as he
removed the items she needed so she would know where to find
everything again. He pulled some sausage links from the fridge and
he and Ryan made a game of rolling them on the griddle.

She mixed the ingredients, and then
had them move the sausages so she could start placing the bread.
Ryan enjoyed helping so she let him put each slice down. Max
watched with a faint smile on his face and helped keep rogue
sausages from rolling under the bread.

He also set the table, with help from
Ryan, and before long she dished everything up before they sat
down. Max gave thanks for their food before they dug in. He
especially seemed to appreciate their meal.

“
Don’t you cook breakfast?”
she asked, feeling a bit bemused.

“
Nope, I always just have
cereal.” He reached over to help Ryan cut his slice of toast as
though he had been doing so for years.

“
Oh, well, I usually cook
something for us, so...” KC trailed off.

“
So, I’m gonna be pretty
lucky for a little while,” he finished and flashed that killer
smile again. KC blinked, hoping the action would counter some of
the effect, but it didn’t. What was wrong with her? Sleep in a
guy’s house for one night and she started having lustful, totally
irrelevant, not to mention inappropriate, thoughts about
him.
Why
?

Next thing he knew, she’d jump his
bones. Like she had any experience doing that. When one became a
mother as early as she, soon after she left medical school, while
in the Navy, there hadn’t been much opportunity for dating. She had
next to no experience. With a start, KC realized she hadn’t kissed
a man since college, and that had been the summer between her
sophomore and junior years.

She took a sip of coffee and
tried to fathom where this conversation she was torturing herself
with came from. Very soon she was going to a military base, to live
with a bunch of other women. She did not have time, or any
business, thinking thoughts like these. KC especially didn’t need
to be thinking about Max in this way. Like he would welcome her
attentions anyhow. He might be a nerd, but he was an amazing man
with a large, wonderful family, more money than he needed, and a
genius IQ. He could do a lot better than her. With her mixed up
family, reversal of fortune on top of medical school bills, and a
son.
Puh-leeze
.

Fortunately, the chaos of trying to
prepare for church waylaid any other stray thoughts. Max helped,
again so he would know the ropes and they climbed into the car on
time.

The morning passed and Max’s mom
invited them back to her house for lunch. Max leaned over and
whispered into her ear that the invitation was common, so not to
feel uncomfortable. The brush of his lips against her ear set those
naughty thoughts coursing through her again and KC just nodded
dumbly, afraid to speak.

She took Ryan’s hand and buckled him
into his booster seat before she strapped herself in and Max
started the car. They drove the short distance to his parent’s
house, with Ryan’s excited questions keeping the conversation
rolling in the small space.

When they arrived at Max’s parent’s
house, Ryan shot out of the car nearly before she could unbuckle
him. Swarms of nieces and nephews were already busy in the yard,
and Ryan joined the herd. Her skirt hem caught on her high heel and
she held onto Max with one hand and used the other to unhook it. He
held onto her with surprising ease.

“
I don’t think there’s a kid
here he doesn’t know,” Max commented.

KC laughed. “Of course not.
The bigger question is - are there any kids here
you
don’t
know?”

“
No. I’m happy to report I
can tell you which parents go with each kid. I can even tell you
their names,” he said with a fake sniff, but his grin totally
ruined the haughty effect.

“
Good for you.” She patted
his arm. Which he then offered her and she took because the ground
looked a bit precarious for someone in high heeled sandals. “Thank
you, kind sir.”

“
You’re welcome. Sophy, not
so high!” he called to a little girl who was climbing high up a
tall tree.

“
She’s going to fall,” KC
said worriedly as they watched. Max nodded and she gasped when
Sophy turned, looked down, and shrieked. Max covered the distance
between them and the little girl in a matter of seconds.

“
It’s okay, baby, I’m here,”
he assured her and reached his arms up. She’d climbed so high, he
still couldn’t reach her. KC kicked off her shoes before crossing
to stand beside him.

“
Can you pick me
up?”

Max looked her up and down and rolled
his eyes. Then, before she had time to assimilate what he was about
to do, he grabbed her around the waist and held her above him, like
she was kid-sized. She reached up and caught the little girl, who
was shaking and crying.

“
It’s okay, sweetheart,
we’ve got you,” she crooned and when she had a good grasp on Sophy,
tugged. The little girl tumbled into her arms with a shriek and KC
folded the sobbing child against her chest while Max lowered them
to the ground.

He put his arms around them and added
his reassurances to KC’s. Then he bellowed “Melly!” to come for her
daughter. Which was a moot point because at Sophy’s first shriek,
one of the women and a man clustered in a small group had turned
and sprinted across the lawn toward them.

KC saw the woman was Melly, Max’s
sister and her husband, Rick. They took their daughter, who clung
to them and both smiled thanks to her and Max. “I have a kid too,”
KC said with a smile.

“
Yeah, and I think we’ve
rescued him a few times.” Melly grinned and then her daughter
wrapped her arms around her parent’s necks and they held her
close.

KC laughed. “I’m sure you have and
that probably won’t be the only time. He’s definitely all
boy.”

“
Yes, and fortunately, we’ve
got lots of experience with kids. Thanks for rescuing Sophy.” Melly
hugged her daughter.

“
So, Sophy, why were you in
the tree?” Rick asked his daughter when she looped her arms around
his neck and nestled against him.

She shrugged and father and daughter
moved off, Melly’s hand entwined in her husband’s.

KC smiled at them and then looked out
over the yard until she located her son.

“
He’s fine,” Max said in her
ear. She glanced up at him.

“
You’ve been watching
him?”

“
Yep. They’re having
fun.”

“
Max and
KC.
” They turned to see Lainy lope across
the lawn. “How are you both?” They exchanged hugs and KC marveled
again at Lainy’s glow. Oh if only...

“
We’re fine,” Max answered.
“Where’s Mitch?”

A frown crossed Lainy’s face as she
turned to look behind her. “He was right behind me,” she
muttered.

“
Ah, he’s been spotted.” KC
pointed. Ryan and some of the other boys were crowded around him.
Uncle Mitch had hunkered down to their level and was
laughing.

The sweetest smile spread across
Lainy’s face and she turned from them with a wave and hurried
across the yard to his side. He looked up at her and grinned. It
looked like a secret grin of sorts, one of intimacy, and even
though Lainy’s back was to them, KC figured she grinned from ear to
ear. KC’s heart ached for a relationship like that. That’s exactly
what she wanted, preferably with someone hot.

“
You know, sometimes they’re
sickening to watch,” Max commented blandly as they watched the
couple.

“
Agreed. Does your mom have
any cookies out yet?” KC felt a decided ache in her abdomen. Maybe
it was hunger.

“
Good question. Let’s go
see.”

They grinned at each other, in perfect
accord, before making their way into the house to check out the
cookie situation.

Chapter 9

Max was worried. After only five days
of having KC and Ryan in his home, he wanted to keep them
permanently. He had the care of Ryan for at least eight months, but
he also wanted Ryan’s mom. KC was everything he wanted in a woman,
and she was living under his roof.

All of her things filled his house,
mingling with his belongings perfectly. Her dishes graced his china
cabinet and her table graced his dining room. They used her sofa in
the living room, and her everyday dishes uncannily matched his. Her
baking things crammed the nooks in his kitchen. Her toiletries and
bathroom essentials occupied the second bathroom and she and Ryan’s
beds completed the last two bedrooms upstairs. Her car looked great
in the second stall of his garage.

More than just those simple
possessions, he especially enjoyed sitting across from her at the
breakfast table. He loved how her eyes met his when Ryan said
something funny. Now, more and more they were connecting optically
and he treasured those intimate moments.

He loved coming home at night, with
her, knowing she planned a meal for them. Ryan began to blossom
too. Seemed he was at an age where he needed a male in his life.
Filled with gratitude that Ryan had chosen him, Max Morrison, for
that coveted role, Max savored the nearness with this little family
who included him in their lives.

And he was a healthy man, so he
certainly enjoyed KC walking around in the tiny clothes she
considered exercise wear. She also wore such clothing to bed, and
twice now, she forgot to throw a T-shirt over the halter top and
little shorts she wore. He ended up drooling all during breakfast
both times. And hoped she figured it was because he really enjoyed
the delicious food she prepared.

He enjoyed excellent conversation with
a woman he admired and respected. A little boy who was wondrous and
had long ago pierced his heart. Max finally saw the merits of
marriage for himself. If only...

“
Hello
, Max,” KC said and waved a hand in front of his
face.

He blinked and looked at her, hoping
the lust he just encountered hadn’t shown in his eyes.

“
Yes?”

“
Did you hear anything I
just said?” Exasperation rang with stark evidence in her
voice.

“
Nope,” he said cheerfully
and ducked to avoid her swing. He laughed too because that was
something else she made him do. Laugh. A sense of humor was
vital.

“
Well, pay attention.” She
sent him that you’d-better-listen-now look she had perfected long
ago.

Max’s lips twitched as he tilted his
head to the side, widening his eyes. “Of course, your highness, I’m
all ears,” he said solemnly, enjoying how the left side of her lip
rose in disgust. She glared at him in dislike and he upped his
grin. Like she could stay mad at him.

“
I hate you,” she said, but
with little heat.

“
I know,” he answered,
complacent in the fact she didn’t. “But since you have my undivided
attention now...” and he cleared his throat.

She glared at him for a few more
moments, but he kept his smile in place, something she hated,
before she returned to their discussion. “About the Alverson
contract, don’t let them ship you any more of those substandard
needles. That’s why we lost that one you found on the carpet. Ask
for this stock number,” she highlighted a number at the bottom of
the page, “and make certain QC checks those numbers after each
shipment.”

“
It was substandard junk
that caused those needles to fall out?” This news fully engaged Max
in the conversation.

“
Yes. Watch them
carefully.”

“
Why don’t we just drop them
as a supplier and pick up someone else?”

“
That’s the next item on my
agenda. Sara in Quality Control is looking for someone else to
supply our needles and syringes, and once she’s found some
promising leads, she’ll perform the necessary testing,” KC paused
and looked at him. “Give her whatever support she needs on this.
Normally I’d do that, but since I won’t be here,” she trailed off
and her lips turned down.

He placed a couple of fingers under
her chin, hating to see her looking so sad. “KC, you know this is
only for eight months. You’ll be back before you know it,” he
declared, wanting to reassure her. Wanting to hold her. Wanting to
kiss her.

But then, those were all normal
desires.

“
I know. I just hate
everything I’m piling on everyone, especially you.” Tears welled up
in her gorgeous aqua eyes.