Latched (Coronado Series Book 1) (2 page)

I’ve made every smart appropriate decision in life up until now. It’s time to start making some inappropriate ones that are going to allow me to have some fun
. The most fun she’d managed to find was going dancing with James when they went to the gay club downtown. The bearded, tattooed guys she met there were not into the likes of her, but they were great dancers.
 

Shaking her head, she went back to work. Taking one last look around the room, she felt satisfied with the arrangements and called it finished. She plugged in her headphones and walked outside to check the arrangements on the tables for the cocktail hour. She listened to Andrea Bocelli’s Con Te Partiro and sang along. Her family and friends always made fun of her singing, but she didn’t care. It made her happy.

The guys were finishing up and Josh told Frisco to let Birdie know they were 15 minutes away from being done. Frisco looked over to the patio where Birdie was walking around and noticed her singing to herself. “Hey man, is Birdie still practicing her Italian by singing along to opera?”
 

Josh looked over at his cousin. “Probably, she’s the worst singer in the family and that’s saying something. She doesn’t care though. If I tell her how bad she is, she just sings louder.”
 

Blake stood next to Josh and piped up. “I was helping with her garage last month and I had the pleasure of hearing her sing along to her iPod for two days. I think she felt bad afterwards because she made me a chocolate cake and then last week I got cookies. It was completely worth it. Her chocolate cake was amazing.”
 

Frisco laughed, “Birdie doesn’t care if people like it or not. Wait till you hear her sing along to every single one of Adele’s songs, then you my friend have earned yourself an honor.”

Frisco started towards the patio and Mark stopped him, “Hey, what’s the story with Birdie?”
 

“Why? Are you interested in Birdie? Do you want to go out with her?”
 

“Why do you care what I want to do? Since when are we in each other’s business about women?” Mark looked at his Lieutenant and was confused.

“She’s a friend of mine and I’m looking out for her interest. I care what happens to her.” Frisco didn’t want him to know about Birdie’s current campaign to break her rut. He doubted Mark was the right man for the job.

Mark had heard a lot about Birdie over the last year. The guys talked about the dinners she made and the advice she offered. They never said anything about how pretty she was. The woman he saw was cute and curvy and had a very fine ass. She was also singing Italian opera really loudly and really off key. He liked that about her.
 

Mark followed Frisco as he walked over, “Just introduce me. I’m not going to do anything. I just want to get invited to those dinners you guys talk about. Hell, Blake said she made him cookies…. I want cookies.”
 

As they got closer they could hear Birdie singing. Her Italian was nearly perfect but her voice wasn’t. She had her back turned to them so she didn’t notice them coming up behind her. Frisco grabbed her and gave her a hug from behind. She whirled around, gave him a big smile and jumped into his arms. As Mark watched Birdie hug Frisco, he was struck with the thought,
don’t hug him… hug me.

 
“Josh sent us to tell you that we’re 15 minutes out on the arch.”

 
“OK thanks, I need to text James and let him know.” Birdie pulled out her phone and started texting her friend. Mark stood quietly watching her. He noticed she was cute as hell and she smelled good. He also saw that his buddy and this woman were close. Birdie looked over and smiled. It was like her whole face lit up, she had a smile that completely changed her face. She also had an amazing mouth.
 

“Sorry about that, I didn’t mean to ignore you. I’m Birdie, Josh’s cousin and resident flower lady. Are you one of the Platoon Leaders?” Mark looked at her and felt like he was hit in the chest….. her smile drew him in and sucker punched him.
That was a mouth that promised all kinds of things….. Devil’s candy, that’s what it was.
 

He shook his head and tried to clear it as Birdie held out her hand. She smiled at him, waiting for him to respond.
What the heck is wrong with this guy
?
 

Finally he took her hand, shook it and managed to introduce himself. “I’m Mark, the Lt. Commander of one of the Platoons from Team One.” He continued to stare and hoped like hell he was smiling. Otherwise she was going to think he was a creep. She tried to get her hand back and he kept a firm grip, something he never did.
 

Birdie glanced up and he felt it again, a flash of sexual awareness that jolted to life between them.
 

Finally he let her hand go and Birdie gave him a funny look. “Nice meeting you.” She turned and started talking to Frisco.
 

Mark tried to figure out what just hit him. He started to rub his chest to see if he could make the feeling go away. He knew he was attracted to her, but the jolt he experienced was different. He studied her, wondering what it was about her that had him so crazy. She was around 5’6”, curvy figure, big brown eyes and brown hair that was in some kind of crazy bun thing on the top of her head. But that mouth
, jeez
that mouth
. She had a body built for sin, but she didn’t act like it. She acted like a nice girl. Maybe it had been too long since he enjoyed the company of a woman and he was getting his signals mixed.

Mark watched Frisco and Birdie gather stuff to take out to the car. She seemed to be aware of him, but wouldn’t look at him. She was so friendly and open with Frisco, so why was she avoiding looking at him? Maybe she wasn’t interested in adding anyone to her friend group. She sure didn’t seem to be in a hurry to talk to him.
 

Frisco took her hand, “Do you want me to stay and help with the arch?”
 

“No. James is on his way. You guys have to make sure Josh gets back here in time to marry his bride.”
 

As they were taking the extra flowers to her car, Birdie stole glances of Mark. He was the best looking guy she’d ever seen. He looked like one of the guys she was drooling over yesterday, but without a beard. It felt like there might be a little mutual attraction, but she wasn’t sure. Unfortunately her radar was lousy when it came to who might be interested in her. She never picked up the right signal.
 

She was definitely attracted to him. He was a big guy and very fit as all of the team was, but he wouldn’t be considered good looking by most people’s standards. His features were a little rough. He looked very male - that was the best way to describe him. He had brown hair similar to hers and a scar running along his lower jaw. She noticed he had the prettiest green eyes and almost feminine long lashes which were such a contrast to the rest of him. The brute male power he exuded was a little overpowering but sexy as hell.
I bet that man never hesitates when he wants something.
She couldn’t decide if she should feel intimidated or turned on.
 

Birdie and Josh loaded the extra flowers into her car and Mark helped them and tried to ask casually, “So is James your boyfriend?”
 

Dead silence as Birdie and Frisco stared at Mark and started to laugh.
 

“Only in my dreams,” Birdie responded. They finished putting everything in and Birdie grabbed Frisco’s arm and started talking to him in a low voice. She had no idea he had excellent hearing. He could hear a rock roll a half a click away. She was asking Frisco if he was able to think of any candidates yet.
 

Candidates for what? I’m a nice guy. What about me?
 

 
Birdie and Frisco walked over to the group and Josh gave Birdie a big hug, “Amazing job on the flowers. Thanks for giving us this as a gift. Maryanne’s parents really appreciate it.”
 

“Of course - I was happy to do this for you both.” She hugged him back and then started talking to some of the guys. She reminded them to come by the shop during the week to get their financial statements. Mark noticed the guys were all crowded around her and he heard her laugh. The sound of her laughter rippled across the lawn and brushed across his skin and tightened his chest. He noticed how small and female she looked surrounded by all of his teammates. He rubbed his chest again, wondering what the hell was going on with him. He had barely spoken to the woman and she was affecting him in ways that had never happened before.

Mark asked Ace, the newest member of his Platoon, what Birdie was talking about. “Birdie is a CPA. She helps out the guys by paying their bills when they’re deployed. She always did it for Josh, and as she got to know the guys, she offered to do it for them as well. Birdie also does some consulting work with a firm downtown. Her specialty is forensic accounting.”
 

Mark was surprised to hear she was a CPA too. “I thought she was just the flower lady.”

“Her Grandmother passed away about a year ago and left her the house on Coronado and her flower shop. Ace added, “She decided to take a break from her life and moved down here and took over the shop. Her fiancée cheated on her with his assistant and she decided she needed a change.” Mark looked at Birdie and tried to figure out what kind of idiot would cheat on her. But maybe it was his good luck that there were so many idiots in the world.

Birdie was turning out to be a very interesting woman. He decided he needed to spend a little time with her at the wedding and get to know her. All of the guys started heading out to get ready for the wedding. Mark hung back trying to see if he could talk to her a little more before this James guy showed up. Frisco kissed Birdie goodbye and gave Mark a warning look.
 

He waved goodbye to Frisco and walked towards the woman who had his heart beating fast. She was sitting in the front row of seats looking out over the bay looking relaxed. She had on sunglasses and was leaning back with her face pointed towards the sun. He didn’t want to disturb her, so he sat next to her and was quiet. Birdie turned her head and smiled at him.
All this girl has to do is smile at me and I get a hot possessive rush. What’s going to happen when I kiss her?

“So, you’re Frisco’s Commander? It’s nice of you to come out and help the guys today.”
 

He looked down at her and smiled.
Well now she is looking at me…. keep looking at me.
“I guess I’ve been missing out on the dinners that the guys are always talking about. I hear you’re a great cook.”

As he looked at her he was thinking,
I guess I better ask her out on some dates. That is how it worked with real women. There had to be something between meeting her and having sex.
He couldn’t just say, “Let’s go to bed” or so he presumed. He hadn’t had a date since college. If he wanted sex, he would go to a bar, cast his net and it would take about ten minutes for him to find someone. But he had a feeling that’s not how it worked with this woman. He knew dating happened before sex and there probably had to be a certain number of them before she would consider it.

“Well it’s nice that they enjoy them. I always invited Josh over and then he brought Frisco and then they brought more of their friends. It has turned into a big group. How come no one ever invited you to come?”

“I think they were waiting for you to invite me. But since we never met that probably wasn’t going to happen. I socialize with my team members - I just have to leave before they get arrested. I have to maintain plausible deniability.”

“Probably a good idea because somebody has to be available to bail them out. I’ll make sure to include you next time I have a team dinner.” She smiled and he stared back at her mouth thinking how he’d like to taste her.
Dating…. Conversation…. that was how he was going to be able to kiss that mouth.

“Thank you, I can’t tell you the last time I had a home cooked meal. I’ll just hang out and wait until James comes. I don’t want you to be out here alone.”
I want you to be under me and on top of me and beside me,
he thought,
but not alone.

“James should be here any minute so you don’t have to wait.” She patted his leg, “It’s a nice gesture and very sweet.” Nobody had ever described Mark as sweet, he decided it might be good if Birdie thought he was. He looked down at his knee and felt a jolt of electricity. He smiled into her eyes,
Touch me again Birdie, you can just leave your hand right there.

Birdie turned towards the parking lot and saw James drive up in his truck. She got up and started walking towards him. James was the best looking guy she’d ever seen. By anyone’s standards, he was perfect. James got out and swept her in a hug, “Your prince has arrived to save the day.”
 

He looked over her shoulder and noticed Mark standing by the arch and quietly asked who the very fine piece of man meat was?

Birdie slapped him in the arm and shushed him. “That’s Frisco’s Commander - isn’t he the best looking man you have ever seen? I was thinking of asking him to have a short meaningless affair with me, but now I can’t. It would be wrong to ask a Lt. Commander to do that. What a shame, I wanted him to agree to let me use him for his body. He’s like the men we were looking at yesterday, except for the beard.”