Morning After (A Reynolds Security Novel) by Melissa Hale

the tattoo on his upper left biceps in the small video screen.   
    "Oh it's a bulldog, that's so cute."
    "It's a devil dog, and it's not supposed to be cute."
    "Sorry, it's very manly." she laughed.
    "It's a Marine Corps tat. It is manly." The indignant tone of his voice made her laugh again.
    "Do you have any others?"
    "I thought you didn't want to know about the parts you couldn't see." He wiggled his eyebrows at her and she laughed again. It felt good, her earlier apprehension completely forgotten.  "No that's the only one. On my eighteenth birthday I got the tattoo and I enlisted.
    "How long were you in for?"
    "Eight years. I fully intended to do twenty."
    "What made you change your mind?"
    "Got shot."
    "Really?" Erica gasped.
    "Yep, lost my spleen." He moved the phone so she could see the scar on his side and she couldn't help but notice the sculpted chest and abs on the way down. She had never spent much time mooning over the male body but his was impressive enough to make the warmth in her stomach turn into a full tingle.
     
    Ethan barely concealed his nervousness as he waited for her to answer the door. He couldn't hide the smile when she opened it. She was wearing a white shirt and a pair of khaki shorts, her hair was pulled up into a pony tail. She was completely makeup free and absolutely beautiful.
    "Ethan." There was a question in her voice even as she held the door open to admit him.
    "I am concerned about your conscience."
    "My conscience?"
    "Yeah, you're worried that I am doing too many favors for you. So I have come up with one you can do for me."
    "Does it involve that outfit?" She asked eyeing his baseball pants and untucked jersey.
    "It does as a matter of fact. I need a cheerleader."
    "I hate to break it to you but I was never a cheerleader." she laughed, "If you need a girls fast pitch softball catcher, I'm your girl. But I'm not a cheerleader."
    "Ah come on it's not like you have to actually lead any cheers. My buddy Jace is the first baseman on our team and he has a personal cheering squad, I catch a ration of shit from him after every game."
    "So you want me to come and cheer for you?"
    "Yep."
    "Are you any good?" She crossed her arms and cocked an eye brow.
    "Nope, I hope you have some acting skills."
    "All right, let me change and put some makeup on."
    "No time. Besides you look perfect, beautiful. Let's go."
    Erica fidgeted restlessly in the truck on the way to the park. She was more nervous about being around his friends than she had been about being alone with him.
    "Tell me about the team."
    "It is a coed team, made up mostly of people who work for my company, there are also some spouses and friends. We're not very good." He laughed. "Which is why we need all the cheering we can get." He laughed.
    He wasn't kidding when he said she didn't have time to change. The game was about to start when they got there. He grabbed a bag of gear out of the back of the truck and she headed for the bleachers. She felt a little odd not knowing anyone but it was nice to have a reason to stare at Ethan. He was certainly a fine specimen. He had talked to her and kept her laughing until she could barely keep her eyes open. Once they finally got off the phone she fell into a deep sleep, her apprehension about being alone forgotten. 
    Ethan's team was up to bat first. She assumed the first guy up to bat must be Jace because three women in the top row began to cheer enthusiastically when he stepped up to the plate.  She glanced up over her shoulder as casually as she could muster. There were two brunettes and a blond. All perfectly put together. It would appear than none of them had been drug out of the house without makeup.  She tugged self-consciously at the hem of her shorts. At least she had shaved her legs that morning.
    "Just ignore them." Erica turned and saw an older woman to her right. "They get a little rowdy but they are more nuisance than anything else." She said when Erica met her gaze. Jace hit a