Whether in trouble or in love a girl can always count on a soldier. Soldier Boys consists of four novellas that celebrate courage, honor, and appeal of Military men.
In Deirdre Savoy's Fleet Week, a sexy songstress falls head over heels for a sexy younger Marine.
In Angela Weaver's Flyboy, a woman tests her nerve and falls into the arms of handsome Air Force pilot.
In Edwina Martin-Arnold's Recruiting Dora, a feisty mom takes on a charming Navy recruiter.
In J.M. Jeffries' Going Commando, a TV star gets lost in the desert and rock's the Kasbah with a studly Army Ranger.
Chapter One
Marissa Barrow felt as if her heart would beat her chest to death while her knees shook like a washer in spin cycle.
Why did she have to stop and lean up against the side of the aluminum building that served as ground zero for the skydive school? Not because she was afraid of heights. Not because she was afraid of dying. Not because of the adrenaline laced terror that in less than two hours, she’d be jumping out of a plane with a virtual stranger tied to her back.
No, she closed her eyes and inhaled the crisp morning air. Her heart continued to hammer the mess out of her because of the tall, handsome, broad shouldered man getting out of the airplane and walking across the tarmac. It was the fear that she might spend the rest of her life, no matter how short it might be without seeing the stranger up closer and real personal.
Her tongue darted across her suddenly dried up lips while drawing in a shallow breath. She’d heard of women’s sex drives increasing after thirty, but she’d just celebrated her birthday forty-eight hours ago. It was too soon for her libido to skyrocket, wasn’t it? She continued to study the stranger and noted that he had a very nice stride. Not too confident, not too slow, but just right. And she’d bet her retirement account that he would carry the same perfect rhythm into the bedroom.
“Hey…Earth to Marissa. Girl, you can’t freak out on me yet.”
“What?” she blinked and reluctantly tore her eyes away from the chocolate covered Adonis. She had to blink a few more times before her tunnel vision dissipated and she could focus on her cousin’s frowning face.
“You’re not getting sick on me are you?”
Marissa managed a small smile as she met Robin’s concerned stare. They may have shared the same schools, grandparents, and maternal genes, but on everything else, they could have been virtual strangers. Robin was a free-spirit; she’d been born that way. While growing up she’d managed to stage the first pre-school hunger strike. Her independent nature had given both her parent’s grey hair. Only after a stint in the Peace Corp did her cousin return home and take up a career in graphic design, the only industry which could appreciate her creative talents.
Unlike Robin, who hated scheduling even visits to the dentist and tended to finish everything at the last minute, Marissa had a plan for everything. And when things didn’t go the way she wanted, she would just switch to plan B. Her decision to become a physical therapist came after she’d unsuccessfully interned with a general surgeon at the local hospital. She enjoyed helping people; it was just the blood part that didn’t sit well. Her cheeks burned at the memory of regaining consciousness on the floor after seeing observing a spinal fluid tap procedure.
“I’m alright.” Even to her own ears, Marissa’s reply sounded weak.
“Good. Cause I already paid for both of us and you know that these people have a no money back policy.”
“Along with a no liability should you have a heart attack on the ground, on the plane, or die because of a parachute malfunction?” she quipped.
Robin nodded and flashed a dimple. “All that too.”
“This idea of yours is getting better and better, cuz.”
“Wait a minute here! This was your idea.”
Marissa frowned and then through the fuzzy workings of her brain, she remembered purposing the idea between her third margarita and her second tequila shot. “Right…right.”
This was her idea. An idea that seemed to be getting more insane by the moment. She’d had small misgivings this morning when she’d woken to the possibility that she would be risking her life. But the video highlighting the parachute, equipment, and excruciating live footage of what would happen as soon as they reached fifteen thousand feet had reassured her of the craziness of her alcohol induced decision. But the book had said she needed to take life by the throat, be daring, do crazy things.
“You’re not having second thoughts are you?” Robin asked.
Marissa nodded her head slowly afraid that moving it too quickly would upset her stomach. “I’m having second, third, forth. Hell, I lost count of the times I wanted to chicken out especially after seeing that video.”
“This is perfectly safe, girl. Come on? Have you seen the statistics? We’re safer jumping out of a plane than we are driving on the expressway in rush hour.”
“It only takes one time,” she muttered and then closed her lips tight. I will not panic, I will not retreat. I survived finding out Roy was cheating on me, I will get through this. Just remembering the night when her fiancé called her up on the phone to not only announce that he would be breaking off their engagement but also that he planned on marrying his newly found Korean girlfriend, set her teeth on edge.
After spending an evening searching for the bottom of a never ending Sangria pitcher, she’d spent the next morning lying on the bathroom floor, praying to the porcelain Goddess. It was at that divine moment, she’d looked over to the pile of books she’d kept in the bathroom and found hope bound in a white cover. Getting over the Ex: Getting Good Sex and Better Life.
“Girl,” her cousin’s amusement laden voice intruded. “We’re not sleeping with anybody. Although I wouldn’t mind seeing the inside of the owner’s jeans. The man is gorgeous.”
Marissa shook her head and laughed. “Same old Robin. Only you would want to go after a skydiving instructor.”
“Hey, don’t knock it until you try it. Aren’t you supposed to be cutting loose?”
Marissa inhaled and angled her chin upward. “You are right. Cutting loose. That’s me.”
She looked toward the sky and crossed her fingers.