her
need to wander had never been more than her need for the love of a good man.
She knew she was a throwback to women of earlier times, but she couldn’t help
it. A career, travel, and expanding her horizons had never been very important
in the grand scheme of things. To Maria, family—her heart—meant everything.
Her mom walked behind the counter and let out a sigh of
pleasure. “Oh yes, I missed this. And you, young lady,” she said before Maria
could a-ha her. “How are things with
you?”
As if her mother had summoned him, in walked two hundred
plus pounds of muscle and testosterone. Mike spotted her and immediately
grinned. “Hey, baby, I was thinking tonight maybe we could— Oh, er, hi, Mrs.
Thompson.”
Her mother knew well of Maria’s long-standing crush. “Michael
Cava. I haven’t seen you in two years. Come give me a hug.”
He recovered without a hitch and walked up to her mother
then swept her off her feet. “Good to see you again.” He put her down. “How was
Charlotte? Maria told me you had a conference or something.”
Laura smiled. “The conference was amazing. I made new
friends, got some terrific new promotional ideas and financial tips. I’ll go
again next year when they have it in Orlando. A good enough excuse to visit
Disney.” She stepped back and studied him. “But how are you? You look
wonderful.”
Mike blushed. So friggin’ cute. Maria laughed at him behind
her mother’s back. “Nice blush, Cava.”
“You, zip it.” He glared at her then turned his charm on her
mother. “Thanks, Mrs. T. I’m back for a three-year duty, stationed at Lejeune.
It’s great timing because Brad’s still here and Dad just retired. And of
course, I get to see Mom and Olivia…and Maria.” He winked at her.
“Really? Maria too? What a bargain,” her mother teased. “So
where are you living? Have you found a place yet?”
“I’m staying at my parents while I house hunt and…”
The rest of what he said escaped Maria as she stared at him.
His mouth moved, but she could only feel. Confused, excited, in love .
Why had she never been able to see anyone but Mike when it
came to hearts and happily ever after? She’d tried— oh how she’d tried —to put him out of her mind. But other guys
didn’t do it for her. And just when she’d thought she could finally get over
him, he had to come back to stay then give her the best sex she’d ever had in
her life.
Don’t blow it, girl.
Remember, take it slow. Casual. Right now you’re just fuck-buddies who like
each other. He’s a big fish, and he’s slippery. Reel him in slowly…
“Well, Maria?” her mother asked.
Maria blinked at the pair of them. “Um, what?”
Mike sighed. “So cute, but her mind tends to wander. Must be
the blonde hair,” he said with a grin.
Her mother, a blonde herself, narrowed her eyes on him.
“Watch it, Major Cava.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He gave her a mock salute.
“Anyway,” her mother continued and turned to her, “Mike was
asking you to the movies. I’ve got the store if you want to head out now.”
Going against every instinct that demanded she glue herself
to her man’s side, Maria shook her head. “How about later tonight, Mike? I want
to visit with Mom for a while.”
“No problem. I can pick you up at seven.”
“Where’s the movie?”
“Emerald Isle.”
Nearer his place. “Why don’t I drive to your house and we
can go from there?”
His eyes gleamed, and his grin widened—she could just
imagine what he had planned after the movie. “Sure thing. See you soon.” He
turned to her mother. “Great seeing you again, Mrs. T.” He waved and left.
Maria stared after him, wanting him with every fiber of her
being.
“So.” Her mom cleared her throat. Maria turned to see the
woman’s brow arched in question. “You and Mike, eh?”
Then, because she’d always been able to tell her mother
everything, Maria filled her mother in on her plan to nab Mike. The G-rated
version,
need to wander had never been more than her need for the love of a good man.
She knew she was a throwback to women of earlier times, but she couldn’t help
it. A career, travel, and expanding her horizons had never been very important
in the grand scheme of things. To Maria, family—her heart—meant everything.
Her mom walked behind the counter and let out a sigh of
pleasure. “Oh yes, I missed this. And you, young lady,” she said before Maria
could a-ha her. “How are things with
you?”
As if her mother had summoned him, in walked two hundred
plus pounds of muscle and testosterone. Mike spotted her and immediately
grinned. “Hey, baby, I was thinking tonight maybe we could— Oh, er, hi, Mrs.
Thompson.”
Her mother knew well of Maria’s long-standing crush. “Michael
Cava. I haven’t seen you in two years. Come give me a hug.”
He recovered without a hitch and walked up to her mother
then swept her off her feet. “Good to see you again.” He put her down. “How was
Charlotte? Maria told me you had a conference or something.”
Laura smiled. “The conference was amazing. I made new
friends, got some terrific new promotional ideas and financial tips. I’ll go
again next year when they have it in Orlando. A good enough excuse to visit
Disney.” She stepped back and studied him. “But how are you? You look
wonderful.”
Mike blushed. So friggin’ cute. Maria laughed at him behind
her mother’s back. “Nice blush, Cava.”
“You, zip it.” He glared at her then turned his charm on her
mother. “Thanks, Mrs. T. I’m back for a three-year duty, stationed at Lejeune.
It’s great timing because Brad’s still here and Dad just retired. And of
course, I get to see Mom and Olivia…and Maria.” He winked at her.
“Really? Maria too? What a bargain,” her mother teased. “So
where are you living? Have you found a place yet?”
“I’m staying at my parents while I house hunt and…”
The rest of what he said escaped Maria as she stared at him.
His mouth moved, but she could only feel. Confused, excited, in love .
Why had she never been able to see anyone but Mike when it
came to hearts and happily ever after? She’d tried— oh how she’d tried —to put him out of her mind. But other guys
didn’t do it for her. And just when she’d thought she could finally get over
him, he had to come back to stay then give her the best sex she’d ever had in
her life.
Don’t blow it, girl.
Remember, take it slow. Casual. Right now you’re just fuck-buddies who like
each other. He’s a big fish, and he’s slippery. Reel him in slowly…
“Well, Maria?” her mother asked.
Maria blinked at the pair of them. “Um, what?”
Mike sighed. “So cute, but her mind tends to wander. Must be
the blonde hair,” he said with a grin.
Her mother, a blonde herself, narrowed her eyes on him.
“Watch it, Major Cava.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He gave her a mock salute.
“Anyway,” her mother continued and turned to her, “Mike was
asking you to the movies. I’ve got the store if you want to head out now.”
Going against every instinct that demanded she glue herself
to her man’s side, Maria shook her head. “How about later tonight, Mike? I want
to visit with Mom for a while.”
“No problem. I can pick you up at seven.”
“Where’s the movie?”
“Emerald Isle.”
Nearer his place. “Why don’t I drive to your house and we
can go from there?”
His eyes gleamed, and his grin widened—she could just
imagine what he had planned after the movie. “Sure thing. See you soon.” He
turned to her mother. “Great seeing you again, Mrs. T.” He waved and left.
Maria stared after him, wanting him with every fiber of her
being.
“So.” Her mom cleared her throat. Maria turned to see the
woman’s brow arched in question. “You and Mike, eh?”
Then, because she’d always been able to tell her mother
everything, Maria filled her mother in on her plan to nab Mike. The G-rated
version,
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