In Zach's Arms (Once a Marine, Always a Marine Book 1) (3 page)

It was already five in the afternoon and the caller I.D. told her it was Jeffrey Jones calling. Her agent. She was supposed to call him yesterday, but between the break-in, the cops, and Zach, it had completely slipped her mind.

“Hello, Jeffrey.”

“How’s my favorite author?” His nasal voice sounded cheerful.

“Not great. Sorry, I was taking a nap and I overslept; you woke me. I was going to call you later.”

Elizabeth valued him as an agent; he was really good. But he tended to be singularly focused. Right now, her career was his focus. He reminded her of a basset hound, with his thinning hair and limpid brown eyes. It wasn’t a kind thought, but that’s the image that popped into her mind whenever she spoke with him.

“What’s wrong? You sound terrible. Is everything okay?” He sounded genuinely concerned.

“My apartment was broken into and destroyed, again.” She leaned back against the headboard and shoved a hand through her tangled hair.

“But that’s the second time. Have you called the police?”

“Yes. I hope they catch this guy.”

“I should hope so. Is there anything I can do to help? Whatever you need, I’m here for you.”

“I’m fine and have a place to stay for the moment. So what’s up?”

“I e-mailed you the contracts for book three and four and I wanted to make sure you received them and see if you had any questions or concerns. But in light of what’s going on, we can hold off on going through them. How about I call your editor to give you some time on the book you’re working on now?”

“No, no. I’ll get them signed and back to you.”

“Great. Do you think you’ll be able to meet your deadline?”

“I’ve got my laptop with me, so I can keep working. I just need this maniac in jail and out of my life.”

“This does seem—persistent. If you need anything, please, don’t hesitate to call.”

She hung up with her agent and turned the phone off. She didn’t want to talk to anyone else. Relaxing back onto the soft mattress, she strained to hear some evidence that Zach was close by.

Nothing but silence.

She must have been completely comatose and probably snoring like a drunken sailor when he moved her from the couch to this room. Great impression after not seeing him for years.

But that was the problem.

Her best friend had been in her fantasies for a long time now. He was her dream lover. And that was why she’d been avoiding him for a while now. Not to mention how she’d treated him when he left for the Marines. She cringed at the memory.

She stretched and marveled that she’d managed to sleep for so long. She had slept at least eight hours, straight through. No wonder she felt great, it was the longest stretch of sleep she’d gotten in a week.

She needed a shower and to get out of the clothes she’d been wearing for over twenty-four hours. Once she was clean, she set out to investigate the rest of the house and find its master.

She found two virtually empty rooms and an alcove with double doors. Locked double doors. It looked like the biggest room in the house, next to the living room and kitchen area. How intriguing. Curiosity was her weakness.

Hmmm, wonder what he’s got in there?

She’d have to remember to ask Zach about it. The smell of something good cooking coaxed her toward the kitchen as her stomach growled.

“Hey Zach, what do you have hidden behind…”

It wasn’t Zach cooking, but a blond giant wielding a very large butcher knife. Letting out a startled yelp, Elizabeth took a step back, her hand flying up to her chest. Blood pounded in her ears and her heart lodged somewhere in the back of her throat.

“Hello, there. Sorry to startle you, but now that you’re awake, how do you like your steak? Dead, medium or still mooing?” His soft voice held a hint of Texas twang and the twinkle in his light hazel eyes gave away his amusement over her reaction.
 

“Um, who are you?”
 

Still eyeing the butcher knife, she knew Zach would never allow anyone but a friend in the house. God, she hoped she was right, because there was no way she’d get to the door before he overtook her. Screaming was still an option, however.

“He’s the ugliest, clumsiest son of a bitch to ever grace the Corps,” Zach said, and Elizabeth released the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.

His warm breath tickled her neck a half-second before his arm snaked around her shoulders. As he pulled her back against his broad chest, she instantly relaxed, feeling safe.

“I’ll have you know that the ladies like me just fine and, given half a chance, I’ll bet I could get this little lady to like me better than you.” The giant winked at her. “This idiot doesn’t need to come between us – you come sit with me while I finish cooking up the best steak you’ve ever tasted.”

At six foot five, Zach’s friend was wide across the shoulders, narrow in the hips, and covered in muscle. His sandy blond hair looked to be naturally curly and kept ruthlessly short. Good looking and easy with the compliments, he probably had women eating out of his hand. His gray tee was tucked into faded jeans that molded a nice butt and encased long legs ending in scuffed cowboy boots.

“Well, I don’t think I can accept a steak from someone I haven’t been properly introduced to. I was taught never to talk to strangers.” Elizabeth sounded solemn, but only managed it because she was safely anchored by Zach’s arm.

“Zach, I’m hurt that you didn’t tell her about me.” He shot a mock glare at his friend. “I’m Jesse Calhoun. Call me Jesse or J.J., but make sure you call me.”

Wiping off his hands with a towel, he reached out and enveloped hers in a handshake, giving her a slow exaggerated wink.

“What’s the other J stand for?” she asked, ignoring his playfulness.

“His mother is inordinately proud of their family’s cattle-thieving past, so she decided to name her only son Jesse James.”

Zach reached over and pulled her hand out of Jesse’s.

Jesse merely cocked an eyebrow at Zach before he moved back toward the counter and continued trimming the steaks. Elizabeth saw the amused look on his face and wondered what he found so funny.
 

“Was your family related to Jesse James, then?” she asked.

She was curious about Jesse. Zach didn’t let people close and she wanted to know more about him.

“Most of my family was quite divided after the Civil War. The side that lost went into cattle-thieving and bank robbing and the other half became Texas Rangers. My mama’s family came mostly from the thieving side, so she’s got a fondness for outlaws. Our family’s reunions usually made the papers back then, between the fist fights and the occasional hangings.”

His hearty laughter boomed throughout the kitchen, making Elizabeth smile. She could absolutely picture an all-out brawl between the different relatives of the Calhoun clan. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Zach smiling as well.

He let go of her once she was fully relaxed and moved into the kitchen. “What can I do to help?” she asked.

 
Zach pointed at a stool. “Sit.”

“Okay,” she said. She was a nightmare in the kitchen and had unintentionally used the smoke detectors in her apartment as timers in the past.

“Plus, I’m nearly done,” Jessie said, grabbing some clean plates from the dishwasher.

Elizabeth asked, “Why do you live so far away from your family?”

“It’s a long, tortured tale.”

“He’s the baby. And between his mother and six older, married, match-making sisters, he needed a place to hide.”

Elizabeth shook her head a little. Zach still had the ability to cut right to the heart of the matter, tact be damned.

“I like my version better.” Jesse clutched his heart and sighed.

“I think you’re lucky to have family that cares.” Elizabeth missed her mother more than she could say. And her father – she shied away from thinking about him. “What kind of business are you in? Zach doesn’t tell me anything.”

“You’ve been here all of ten hours and you slept most of that,” Zach defended. “And you could use another eight to ten.”

Elizabeth ignored him and turned her head toward Jesse. “As you were saying?”

“I like sassy women. You remind me of my sisters.”

“That’s really sweet.”

Jesse shrugged and smiled.

“God, you’re such a marshmallow.” Zach said it so quietly that Elizabeth shot him a quick look. Wide-eyed, she checked to see how Jesse took it. When he smiled and gave Zach a shove, she guessed he wasn’t bothered. Probably a guy thing.

“Why don’t you tell Elizabeth exactly what we do,” Jesse said.

Zach sat down and threw an arm around the back of Elizabeth’s chair. Then he turned his attention to her. The force of his intensity hit her squarely in the stomach. Warmth spread through her body. She crossed her arms on the table in front of her chest. It was embarrassing…the way her body reacted to a simple look.

Jesse was just as good looking, but she felt nothing when he looked at her.

Zach’s thumb caressed small circles on her back as Elizabeth waited for him to speak. “It’s a security business.”

“Like bodyguard stuff?”

“More like home and business security systems. Jess designs the systems, so they are unique to each business or home.”
 

“Oh sure, tell her all the boring parts. Zach gets to have all the fun while I’m forced to work in the office all day. He gets to act like a burglar.”

Elizabeth flinched at the wording, but tried not to show it. Zach frowned at Jesse, but when she shook her head, he didn’t say anything. She thought she could guess what they were doing from some of Zach’s cryptic letters. Not that he was ever intentionally cryptic, just not explanatory.

“So, Zach breaks into the home or business to assess the weak points and then you build a system to make sure he can’t do it again without tripping the alarms. Is that right?”

Jesse smiled and saluted. “Sassy and smart. That’s exactly right. He gets the adventure and I go blind programming the systems.”

She liked the banter, even when Zach glared at his friend.

“I got the looks at least, and I laugh more often. He just makes grunting noises.”

Elizabeth bit the inside of her cheek. Jesse’s outrageous comments almost dragged another smile out of her. “You’re so full of shit.”
 

She was amazed at how comfortable she was with Jesse in the house. He was light and fun, where Zach was dark and serious; they complimented each other. They made her feel like she belonged. It was a rare experience and she savored it.

 
“I’m not an invalid,” she muttered, as Zach shooed her into the living room after dinner.

“You are my guest,” Zach said.

“Jesse’s a guest too, and he’s allowed to help.”

“You can come over to my place tomorrow and cook and clean to your heart’s content.”

Zach moved from the kitchen to the living room, standing with his back to the fireplace. “Go home, Jess.”

“Stop being rude to your friend,” Elizabeth said.

“Zach’s being more social than I thought he’d be, given the circumstances. I need to get home anyway. It’s a three mile hike to my place.”

“You live that close?”

“Zach and I bought neighboring patches of land.”

Jesse walked to the door. Elizabeth went to shake his hand. “It was really nice meeting you.”

“You too. Don’t let Zach scare you away. I’d like to see your pretty face again soon.” Jesse reached out and, instead of shaking her hand, he enveloped her in a bear hug. When he let go, they were both grinning from ear to ear.

Then, Zach shoved him out the door.

Chapter 4

“Can we have a fire?”

“Sure.”
 

Zach knelt by the fireplace, placing logs and kindling in a pyramid. When he struck the match and tossed it inside, the wood caught and blazed, casting his face in flickering shadows. Such a grim face. Elizabeth wished he would smile more. He was handsome, but when he actually smiled – then he took her breath away.

“What did you find out this afternoon? About the break-ins?”

The heat coming off the fire couldn’t dispel the chill her question caused. She hated that she was still so freaked out, but couldn’t stop the dread.

“What makes you think I know anything?”

“Because you are who you are.”

Zach moved to the couch and sat on the floor, his back reclined against her knees. With a blanket over her arms and lap, and Zach’s warm back against her legs, the frosty feeling of dismay that had been with her all week slowly gave way.

It was safe here.

As he stared into the flames, Zach rubbed his back against her. It was like a large bear trying to scratch an itch against a tree. Smiling, Elizabeth untangled her arms from the blanket and scratched the middle of his back. A rumbling grunt of approval reached her ears as he leaned his head forward and goose bumps spread over his skin.