One E-mail: (BBW Romance) (One Soldier Series) (2 page)

BOOK: One E-mail: (BBW Romance) (One Soldier Series)
12.39Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

I’m off to bury my nose in a good book, preferably one
without
a military love theme. One positive about this week? I’ve lost five pounds. I don’t know whether to thank you or curse you for filth. Lol

Can’t wait to hear that you’re
alive and well.
Maddie

Chapter Eight

From:
[email protected]
To:
[email protected]
Sent: March 17, 2014 11:58pm
Subject: RE: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Thanks For Your Service

 

Hi Maddie,

It was nice to return to your package on my sleeping bag and your e-mail in my inbox. I hope you didn’t age too much or lose too many of your curves while I was gone. It was a hard mission with a few losses. There are days where experience helps, but others where it does nothing. This is one of those times when it does nothing. You never get used to death surrounding you.

Distract me, please.
Tay

Chapter Nine

From:
[email protected]
To:
[email protected]
Sent: March 1
8, 2014 10:47am
Subject: RE: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Thanks For Your Service

 

Your last e-mail broke my heart. I imagine a big heartfelt sorry wouldn’t make you feel better either. If I were there, I would squeeze you like a mama bear squeezes a honey pot. We all need a hug sometimes, and a good laugh at others. I’ll do my best to provide the laugh portion with a BC update.

Soldier Letter Updates:

The one who has a girlfriend is getting quite flirty in his e-mails, and continues to e-mail period, despite having a girlfriend. That’s not suspicious. (Yup. I just rolled my eyes.)

Of the two whose e-mails were made public, one has dropped off the planet and the other one has been chummy but distant. It’s driving Amber crazy. She’s treating him like a locked safe she has to crack.

Sandra, with her conniving curves, has managed to wrangle a soldier – the second time around I’ll remind you – who is either desperate or a big flirt. I haven’t decided. She’s been reading parts of their e-mails, claiming the others are too steamy to share…to a group that reads erotic ménages and discusses them openly, sex scenes and all.

Yeah, I don’t get that one either. Lol

One of the two who hadn’t responded as of my last update did finally write. He’s married, but Lucy has made the best of it. She’s actually begun talking to his wife. The new conspiracy gossip in our tight circle is that, since we read so many ménages, why couldn’t Lucy, her soldier and his wife have one? I’ll admit; she’s the best looking one in our group. (She’s the tall, slender brunette with a rack most men - and women - would kill for.) But, while most men I’ve met would jump at the chance for a threesome with two women, most women wouldn’t. So, I’m not holding my breath.

While I read a lot of ménage romances, truthfully, I think one man would be plenty for me. What woman wants twice as much laundry, twice as many dishes to clean, and twice as many sex drives to satisfy? Perhaps that’s my issue though. I haven’t found a man to rev my engine like my book boyfriends do.

One day, Tay. One day, you will get your luscious lady and I’ll get my handsome hottie.

Until then, keep your head up, your butt covered and your inbox open. I don’t think I could survive that long again. I nearly shredded my Starbucks card. Thank God I work from home. I look frightening without coffee.

Love,
Maddie

Chapter Ten

From:
[email protected]
To:
[email protected]
Sent: March 20, 2014 9:57pm
Subject: RE: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Thanks For Your Service

 

You definitely distracted me. Grayson too.

One thing I want to make clear before we continue though is that I am a man. Not a woman or a lesbian. And I like you, Maddie. I like you a lot. I hope this bit of information doesn’t change anything for you.

Take care.

Love,
Tay

Chapter Eleven

From:
[email protected]
To:
[email protected]
Sent: March 27, 2014 10:18pm
Subject: RE: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Thanks For Your Service

 

If I’m honest, in my heart of hearts, I think I already knew that. I wanted you to be something that you’re not, but that was wrong of me. You can’t change who you are or the fact that your parents gave you a name that is unisex.

I’ve had to do a lot of soul searching this week. I’ve made a minimum of three Starbucks runs a day and have made only one blog post and completed one journalism assignment. You’ve distracted me now!

Originally, I was only looking for a penpal. But then you replied to me, and within the first couple e-mails, I kept thinking you would make a great friend. But then I started sharing little snippets I don’t even share with my best friends, and that made you different. I even worried momentarily that I had switched teams, believing you were a woman.

But now I can see this for what it is; and by
this
, I mean our connection.

I suppose in my very roundabout way, what I’m trying to say is I like you too, Tay. I enjoy our e-mails and I enjoy you. And I enjoy the fact that you’ve seen a pic of me at my not-so-best and you’re still saying that.

So, I raise my cup of iced coffee to whatever this is and whatever this becomes.

Stay safe. Stay sweet. Stay sexy, because I just know that you are.
Love,
Maddie

Chapter Twelve

From:
[email protected]
To:
[email protected]
Sent: March 29
, 2014 6:17am
Subject: RE: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Thanks For Your Service

 

You had me sweating bullets over here. I’ve snapped at every soldier sharing cover with me a minimum of three times this past week. They’ve been ready to cast me out and make me sleep in the dirt under the stars, Grayson included. It was even worse when I received another package from you. I nearly cried into the tin of cookies.

Not really. But you did have me worried. It’s hell not being there. I wouldn’t have thought twice about driving down and demanding an answer in person. You were saved by the Army’s ownership of me.

You’ve never told me what you do. For all you’ve told me, I don’t know that much about you, and I want to know everything.

Can’t wait to hear from you, beautiful girl.

Love,
Tay

Chapter Thirteen

From:
[email protected]
To:
[email protected]
Sent: April 2, 2014 3:28pm
Subject: RE: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Thanks For Your Service

 

That last line had me melting. It was better than any of my book boyfriends have delivered and made my day.

As for me, where do I even begin? We could do the whole profile stats bit or I could summarize my life story. I’ve never been put on the spot like this. Lol

Okay. So, I am a single child to a single mother who drops by unannounced regularly. I love my mom dearly, but she’s obsessed with me; the obsessive part really shows when you learn how many blind dates she’s set me up on. I had to put my foot down for good last year. She was getting out of hand. But I absolutely adore her. I can talk to her about nearly anything without fear of judgment. She’s always been a safe haven and someone I look up to.

Seeing her work endlessly to provide for us gave me a strong drive. It’s why I’m so dedicated to working where I am. I have my own plus size fashion blog and I write articles for
a popular women’s website. I get to do what I love – writing – from the comfort of my own home – well, apartment - in my pajamas if I want. Better, when I finally do have a family of my own, I won’t have to miss out on so many of the things my own mother did. This gives me the best of both worlds.

My favorite color is teal, my favorite food is Mexican, specifically enchiladas, and I listen to a little of everything when it comes to music. I enjoy action movies, girlie TV shows like
Hart of Dixie
, and I have spent half of my life with my nose in a book.

Now it’s your turn. Tell me all about SFC Taylor Russell and what makes him tick.

Can’t wait to hear from you.

Love,
Maddie

Chapter Fourteen

From:
[email protected]
To:
[email protected]
Sent:
April 4, 2014 6:19am
Subject: RE: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Thanks For Your Service

 

I got another package from you yesterday. I was not expecting that one. How long did it take you to bake all of those? The guys almost forgave me for being such a dick with that dessert buffet. Everything tasted amazing!

My mom has never been a baker. She’s great at the motherly stuff, but only outside of the kitchen. We grew up fending for ourselves food wise most nights. In some ways, that prepared me for the Army at a young age. We can go days without a meal when we’re on missions. It’s why I have her send me endless pounds of jerky and protein bars. It’s what we live off of
between mess hall trips.

Myself and ten others are stationed at a small building
just outside the city with limited power. Sandstorms tend to knock out the electricity fairly easily, which makes our tiny college-dorm sized fridge useless. And while we have a coffee maker, we don’t always have coffee, so that’s pretty useless too.

I didn’t grow up with a lot though. My parents are third generation dairy farmers. We have hundreds of cows, chickens and goats across over
ninety acres of property. While we always had milk, eggs and cheese growing up, there were many times when we didn’t have much else. Like most industries, farming and ranching - of any kind - has its good years and bad years. I can’t complain though. We always had the basics and never went hungry.

I have three brothers that drove me crazy growing up. I’m the seco
nd oldest. My older brother, Travis, put me through hell and my younger brothers pestered the shit out of me. I couldn’t wait to get away. When the recruiter came around to our high school when I was sixteen, I signed up to be contacted. On my eighteenth birthday, I enlisted. Less than a month later I was on my way to basic training. I’ve been in the Army now for ten years. This is my sixth tour. I’ve got two years left on my contract and I think I’m done after that. You’ve got me thinking about something other than the military for the first time since high school. My mom will love you for that. She still hates that I ever joined.

My favorite color is green and my favorite food is steak; I like action movies too, listen to mainly rock music and, believe it or not, I read on occasion. I stick to mystery and thriller books without the mush though.

Damn. I haven’t written this much since high school. You’ve got me breaking my mold.

Take care, beautiful girl.

Love,
Tay

Chapter Fifteen

Three Months Later

Madelyn

My heart pounded in my chest. My palms refused to stop sweating. I was a fat girl in summer, swollen from the three-hour flight to the
closest Kentucky airport and sweating faster than a greasy burger on a hot grill.

It all happened so fast. Six months ago I didn’t even know who
Sergeant First Class Taylor Russell was. Now, I couldn’t function without knowing he was alright. There were many days I simply stared at my inbox, impatiently waiting for his e-mail to calm my worried soul, to assure me that, despite being in a political war zone halfway across the world, he was okay. His e-mail meant that I could carry on a few more days without buckling under the fear. Each one carried me through to now.

My flight
landed six minutes ago, a little more than twenty-four hours after he arrived home. He knew what I looked like from that one lone picture I’d sent, but I didn’t know who I was looking for. He was always so coy. He was open, yet remained a mystery on many levels, which only made him more attractive.

My stomach knotted tighter as I glanced down at my ensemble. I wore thin, stretchy, light-
wash skinny jeans, neon coral sandals with touches of yellow gold that buckled around my puffy ankles, a white tank top, simple yellow gold stud earrings, a delicate necklace and a light-handed brush of make-up to even out my skin tone. I’d considered getting a prescription for contacts this past month, the length of time I’d known about this trip, but decided against it. This was me. I had unruly dark brown hair, extra curvy curves, nerdy glasses, a penchant for book boyfriends, and now, a penchant for a certain military man. Taylor brightened my days. He meant more to me than I ever anticipated. And that drove my nerves sky-high.

BOOK: One E-mail: (BBW Romance) (One Soldier Series)
12.39Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

Other books

Very Private Duty by Rochelle Alers
Judy Moody Gets Famous! by Megan McDonald
Lord of Capra by Jaylee Davis
Upon the Threshold by April Zyon
Nefertiti by Michelle Moran
Murder on Stage by Cora Harrison
Two Wolves by Tristan Bancks
None to Accompany Me by Nadine Gordimer