Seven Letter Words #Wattys2016

Part 5

"No, sweetheart. Lust and male only have four each. Where are you parked? I'll meet you there if the guys don't try to remove my dick for even thinking I'm getting in a car and going anywhere with Pines' younger sister." I adjusted my cover, lifting it slightly and letting in fresh air. It wasn't much cooler, but at least there was a little relief.

"I'm in the parking lot behind the chapel. White Toyota." She grinned and pointed to the small chapel in the distance. Between us and the lot there were at least three small hills and forty or so grave markers. I couldn't chance her tumbling again. The last time nearly gave me a heart attack. I extended an elbow and she took it. It was a tradition not all females were familiar with, but anyone who had known a Marine would know it was the proper way of walking a woman somewhere while in uniform.

"I don't want you falling again. I'll walk you to the driveway and then meet you back over there if I'm still able to walk after giving the boys a heads-up." Her body brushed up against mine as we started walking and my skin heated where we touched. Pines was smart. I wasn't going to be able to think around his sister, let alone fight the urge to feel her against me. If she was really against getting to know a Marine, this road trip was going to be a lesson in torture. At the end of the day, I'd do anything for a fellow Marine, even if that meant keeping my hands to myself and making sure his tags got to his father.

When we finally reached the road, I could see Garver standing with the other Marines as they smoked. Unlike them, he had his arms folded across his chest and was staring at me as I escorted Juliet to the edge of the grass. I kept my eyes on him as I told her, "I'll see you in just a minute." Garver took a step in my direction. I dropped my eyes back to hers, "Go now, before you hear any of this." I smiled and she returned it. Before she stepped into the road she looked down the way towards Garver and offered a small wave.

I took a big deep breath and headed over to where they were standing. "Don't be an asshole," Garver said immediately. "We are leaving here right now. We're going back to the hotel, packing our trash and leaving this town. Don't do that to her. I won't fucking wait for you if that's your plan. She's grieving you asshole. If you think your dick can fix that, you're either stupid or a fucking narcissist." He was pissed, and instead of it making me mad, I appreciated it. I knew that he'd be acting the same way if this was my funeral and some other jarhead was trying to move in on my sister. Only I wasn't trying to have sex with Juliet. I was helping her do something for Pines. Now, if we found each other irresistible along the way—I wasn't going to share that thought with Garver.

"I get it. You're protecting his sister. You don't have to. We're both adults. Pines was my friend too. I'm not going to deny that she's smoking hot, but this isn't just about my dick. She promised Pines she'd deliver his tags to their father in California." Garver immediately looked over my shoulder to check that she was in fact alone. He shook his head.

"She's going to go to California by herself? She's barely fucking legal." He cursed.

"No, she's going with me." His gaze drifted back to mine. He stared at me for a minute, but I wouldn't look away. I was doing the right thing, even if there definitely was a little devil on my shoulder reminding me of all the wrong things I also wanted to be doing with her. I could get her to California and back safe. Garver knew that. He finally nodded his head.

"Fine, but if you fucking touch her Smith," he threatened and didn't need to finish it. I knew what would happen if these guys thought I'd messed with her or hurt her in anyway. We looked out for each other's family like they were our own. Sisters were just a delicate, tricky limb, on the family tree when it came to hormones and our twenty something male brains.

He turned to the guys, "Put those out. We've got to go." He reached into the car and handed me the card key to the small hotel we were staying. "We're going back to get our trash and then heading to the airport. We all have places we want to be. Drop the key at the front desk on your way out. The room is paid for until tomorrow morning." I took the key from him and nodded my head. "I have to turn in the car. Will you have a way out of here?"

"Pines' truck is in her garage." He shook his head at my words.

"He knew one of us would take her." He smiled a little, "Bet that fucker hoped it was me." He reached his hand out and I put mine in it for a shake. We did a one-armed man hug and then took a step back. "See you in a few, brother."

"Be safe." I told him. He might have hesitated before he'd met Bailey, but we both knew that on some level he was happy I could take care of this final request for Pines so he could get home to his new bride.

"Always," he answered just before they all climbed into the car.