Her Rebel Heart Page 24

  A tall, lanky, dark-haired captain in a flight suit and aviator sunglasses.

  Her heart skipped a beat.

  No, it skipped about six beats, and then it tripped over itself catching back up.

  “I’ve always wanted to fire a cannon,” she whispered.

  The Civil War soldier grinned. “That’s what that young feller over there said when he asked us to come out and practice today.”

  No.

  Oh, no no no.

  He was not using her redneck nature to get to her heart.

  She’d kill him. She’d stuff him in that cannon and see how far he could fly.

  Why couldn’t he just let her go?

  “Man just got back from war,” the soldier said. “Can’t leave him hanging, miss.”

  Whispers went up among her students. “Is that your boyfriend, Dr. Boudreaux?”

  “Are you dating one of the cheaters?”

  “Oh, wow, military guys are seriously hot.”

  Kaci shushed them. “What’s it matter to him if I fire your cannon?” she asked the Confederate soldier.

  “Man seems to have his heart tied up in it, miss.”

  Lance stood at parade rest, legs spread, hands tucked behind his back, straight-faced. A well-trained specimen waiting.

  Waiting for what?

  For her to kick a boot up his rear end?

  Or for her to launch herself at him and never let go?

  Because if her heart could’ve laid out her future and written her destiny, she’d be in his arms, breathing him in, touching him, tasting him, never letting him go again.

  But he was still in that danged flight suit, still in his military uniform, still acting every bit the military man.

  She was stuck in a tug-of-war between her heart and her self-preservation. And by the way that swollen organ was knocking around her chest, she was pretty sure her heart was winning.

  “I’ll fire it for you, Dr. Boudreaux,” Zada whispered.

  Kaci’s legs moved on their own. She wasn’t marching—no, this time, she was wobbling.

  He wasn’t here just to torture her.

  Was he?

  The closer she got, the more clearly she could see that Lance wasn’t in his military best. His blue hat was crooked. Out-of-regs stubble dotted his cheeks and chin. And his uniform wasn’t entirely right—was it his rank? Or was he missing a patch somewhere?

  He pressed his lips together.

  She couldn’t see his eyes, but she felt his gaze.

  Oh, she felt his gaze. Seeking her. Demanding she come closer. Pulling her in.

  When she stopped in front of him, she could barely breathe. Her chest was tight, her heart defying some laws of physics, her eyes hot and wet.

  He’d left.

  Miss Higgs had died, he’d left, and she’d had to get on that airplane by herself.

  And she’d survived all of it.

  But she wasn’t sure she could survive finding out why he was here.

  He licked his lips. Ducked his head. Looked at her again. “Don’t think the cannon can put them into orbit, but I was hoping you’d help me chuck some MREs anyway.”

  Her pulse tripped. If he wanted to chuck military rations out of a cannon, did he mean he wanted to get out of the military? Or just that he was tired of eating bad food while he was gone?

  “Don’t play with me,” she whispered.

  “Volunteered to be an IP. Here. Got three years without deployments while I teach new officers to fly 130s, and I can ask to stay another four back in the 946th after that.”

  Seven years.

  He could stay here, at Gellings, right down the road from James Robert College, for the next seven years.

  She curled her arms around herself. “And then?”

  “Then you name it, Kace. Anything.” He started to reach for her. She veered back. He yanked his sunglasses off and dropped his hands. “You want me to get out, I’ll get out. You want me to pull strings and get us to Germany so you can go teach and research over there, I’ll pull every damn string I can. I’ll take a year remote in Korea so I can come back here to Gellings again. Anything. I just—I miss you. I want you. God, Kaci, I need you.”

  He needed her? “Nobody needs me,” she whispered.

  Suddenly she was wrapped up in him, a capable hand cradling her head against his shoulder, his viselike grip a steel beam holding her against his hot, hard body while his voice resonated in her ears. “Kaci, so many people need you. Your friends need you. Your students need you. I need you. You’re everything missing in my life. You’re my light. You’re my laughter. You’re my love. You’re my home. I didn’t want to be in the sandbox. I didn’t want to be at my house. I didn’t want to be back here at the squadron. I wanted to be with you. The last four months, all I’ve wanted is to be with you. Wherever you are. I want to be with you.”

  This. This was everything she’d ever wanted. Everything she’d ever needed. She couldn’t have let him go if her life depended on it. “Did you fall and hit your head over there?”

  His chuckle rumbled against her body, and her long-dormant feminine parts stirred to life.

  “God, I’ve missed you,” he whispered into her hair.

  “Maybe I’m still mad at you.”

  His fingers trailed down her neck. “I hope so. I have a lot of groveling and apologizing and making amends to do. I should’ve told you I was leaving. I should’ve told you how much I cared. I’ll make it all up to you though. Please, Kaci. Please let me love you.”

  As if she could tell him no for anything. He could’ve asked her to go with him to the moon.

  He was here.

  He’d missed her.

  He knew her, and he still wanted her.

  He loved her.

  “Is this good quiet or bad quiet?” he whispered.

  “I missed you too.” She lifted her face to his. The worry and vulnerability and just plain exhaustion etched in his expression tugged at her soul. “Oh, Lance.” She cupped his cheeks, went up on tiptoe, and pressed her lips to his.

  She couldn’t not kiss him.

  A low groan rumbled out of his chest. He sucked her lower lip into his mouth, and she forgot where she was, forgot what day it was, forgot her own name.

  Her name didn’t matter.

  All that mattered was that she was his. And time and distance and airplanes couldn’t change that.

  Cheers went up all around them.

  She reluctantly pulled out of his kiss. “My students,” she whispered.

  He grinned, then pressed another kiss to her cheek. “And the cannon.”

  She laughed and wiped her eyes.

  He knew her too well.

  She might not have wanted another military man in her life, but she was keeping this one.

  And she wouldn’t want him any other way.

  * * *

  Six months ago, the last place Lance would’ve expected to find true contentment was on his couch with a fully clothed woman talking his ear off. But tonight, despite his body being tired from the long flight home, he couldn’t stop smiling, and that sassy twang was utter music to his ears.

  “And when we landed in Germany, that pilot had the nerve to ask everyone to come back and fly their airline again. Like the dang man thought we all should’ve liked it as much as you crazy people do.”

  He slid his fingers through her silky hair and lost himself in her unique Kaci scent. “Can I go with you in May?”

  She arched a brow at him. “Oh, I see what’s going on. You’re thinking you found yourself an easy way to go on fancy vacations.”

  “I see right through you, Dr. Boudreaux.”

  Her blue eyes sparkled, and she leaned up to nuzzle his cheek. “Don’t go telling anybody else,” she whispered.

  “I’ll keep your secret,” he whispered back, “but it might cost you.”

  She wasn’t an easy woman by any stretch of the imagination, but she was his woman. She’d keep him on his toes. She’d pull crazy
shit. She’d probably frustrate the hell out of him some days.

  But this woman had more love hidden in that big ol’ heart of hers than the world would ever know.

  And when she shifted on the couch to straddle him, that beautiful smile glowing, her eyes full of mischief, her fingers igniting a trail of anticipation across his skin, he knew he was the luckiest man in the world to have all of her love.

  Epilogue

  Three months later…

  If Kaci had to be running late to meet the high school student group she was mentoring for summer semester, at least she had a good excuse. “My shoe!” she called to Lance. “I can’t find my danged shoe.”

  He hopped around the bed, tugging his jeans back up. “Did it go in the bathroom?”

  “Looked there.”

  “The closet?”

  “Sugar, think harder.”

  He barked out a laugh. “This shoe?”

  Sure enough, there was her sandal sitting right on top of that danged stuffed Alabama elephant he kept on his dresser just to torment her.

  Or maybe in retribution for her putting Rebel, the Ole Miss black bear, on her dresser.

  Her Lance was a mighty fine sport, all things considered. “Hand it over. I gotta get going.”

  “Nope. You know the rules. If Big Al has it, he gets to keep it. Unless…”

  “I think I just paid that debt, thank you very much.” They’d had a houseguest the past few days—one of Lance’s old college buddies was moving to town, and he’d crashed with them while he was house-hunting—and between the boys sitting out back catching up late into the night and Kaci’s schedule at James Robert with the summer semester starting this week, she and Lance hadn’t had much opportunity to talk.

  Or kiss.

  Or make love.

  Until about an hour or so ago.

  And now Kaci was late to meet her group. “Can I pay you back later?”

  Lance plucked the shoe off his elephant’s trunk. “Promise?”

  “You know I can’t tell you no for anything.” She’d even let him put a diamond ring on her finger a few weeks back. Dang man had used her fears against her and proposed on the airplane ride to Sweden.

  Not that she could’ve told him no for anything, even if they’d been safely on the ground.

  Plus, he’d let her touch his catapult.

  This man was her everything.

  Tara was afraid they were moving too fast, but Kaci’s heart knew what it wanted, and Lance knew what he was getting himself into.

  She’d never known anyone who loved her so much just for being her.

  And she loved him more than she’d ever known she could love another person. So much so, in fact, that she’d promised him she’d be open-minded about his career and where he needed to go when his seven years at Gellings were up.

  For all that he’d been willing to sacrifice for her, how could she not?

  He handed over her shoe—and stole a kiss in the process—but the doorbell rang before they got too distracted.

  Lance tossed a T-shirt over his head. “Go easy on those kids tonight.” He gave her an affectionate tap on the butt, then strolled out the bedroom door.

  She slipped into her shoes and grabbed her bag. She had twenty high school kids to entertain tonight as part of a summer program for teenagers interested in STEM careers, and she was looking forward to it. As she breezed out of the bedroom, Lance’s snort of laughter stopped her.

  His buddy Jackson, their recent houseguest, was back. Dark-haired and slow-drawled, he was the very epitome of the perfect military gentleman. “Thought you were headed over to Alabama by now,” Kaci said.

  He flashed her a dimpled grin. “Won’t be in your hair long, Miss Kaci. Just forgot to leave y’all a thank-you gift for letting me crash here.”

  “He means he forgot to leave you a thank-you gift,” Lance said.

  Kaci glanced at the clock.

  She was seriously late.

  But that plastic bag Lance held out for her was clunky and bulky, and that box sticking out the top—“Did you bring me firecrackers from over the border?”

  Firecrackers were illegal in Georgia, but plentiful in Alabama.

  Both men were grinning now. “Heard tell you might could use some,” Jackson said.

  “Jackson Davis, it’s a good thing I’m an engaged woman, or Lance might have to fight you for me.”

  “All his idea,” Jackson said. “I would’ve messed up and brought you flowers.”

  “Owe me really big now, Kace,” Lance said.

  She certainly did. “Y’all come back anytime,” she said to Jackson. “Bring your pup with you next time. Can’t wait to meet her.” She gave Lance one last quick kiss, then darted out the door.

  And two hours later, she was sitting in Jimmy Beans, wishing Tara still worked the night shift instead of at her new accounting day job. Because after Kaci sent her high school program students off on a physics-themed scavenger hunt, guided by Zada and a few of the other girls here for the summer, she saw a sight she recognized all too well.

  A young woman with light honey-brown hair and professional clothes, a backpack at her feet, and an untouched drink at her table, darting glances around the shop as though she were looking for someone. Bleak loneliness was etched in her pretty eyes.

  Kaci snagged her phone.

  Hope you know I meant it when I told you I was fixin’ to keep up my Officers’ Ex-Wives Club, she typed to Lance. Because I think I just found a girl who needs a friend.

  She sipped her latte and watched her potential new friend.

  The woman had nontraditional student written all over her. She was older than most of the students on campus, and she kept grabbing her ring finger, then glancing at it as though she’d forgotten a ring wasn’t there.

  Kaci’s phone buzzed in her hand. Go use that big heart of yours. But don’t go getting any ideas about leaving me. I need you too much.

  She smiled as she stood and made her way to the other woman’s table.

  That man didn’t need her.

  But being loved by Lance Wheeler was better than fireworks, potato guns, and catapults combined.

  And even her redneck heart agreed.

  The End

  For news and updates from Jamie Farrell, including notification when the next Officers’ Ex-Wives Club novel is available, subscribe to Jamie’s VIP Reader Newsletter HERE!

  The Officers’ Ex-Wives Club Series:

  Her Rebel Heart (Lance and Kaci)

  Southern Fried Blues (Jackson & Anna Grace)

  Moonshine & Magnolias (Zack & Shelby)

  The Misfit Brides Series:

  Blissed (CJ and Natalie)

  Matched (Will and Lindsey)

  Smittened (Mikey and Dahlia)

  Sugared (Josh and Kimmie)

  Merried (Max and Merry)

  Want to see what Kaci’s up to next? She’s playing matchmaker for her new friend (and those fireworks Jackson brought might play into her plans) in SOUTHERN FRIED BLUES (Officers’ Ex-Wives Club), available now!

  Anna braced herself, scooted into the car, and cranked the engine. Steam flowed out of the air vents. She tilted them away while the AC system caught up. After buckling in, she gave her rearview mirrors a quick check. The gearshift seared her palm, but she gritted her teeth and put the car in reverse anyway.

  Something tickled her finger. She absently scratched it and gave the car a little gas. Something else tickled the back of her hand.

  She frowned.

  Sweat didn’t usually tickle. Not like that.

  She moved to shift the car into drive and something dark scurried over her windshield. “What the—”

  A line of fire ants marched across her steering wheel.

  Anna shrieked. She threw the car into park and tumbled out of it. “Get off! Get off!” She raked her hands over her arms and hopped on her clogs to shake the little buggers off. The prickles moved to her back, up her neck, into her hair. She knew the ants co
uldn’t be up there, there’d only been one or two, but she scrubbed at her scalp anyway.

  “Ma’am? You okay?” A guy leaned out the side of a red car behind her. She was blocking one of the exits.

  “Oh, yeah, sure, you betcha.” She wiggled her itching toes. “Sorry. It’ll just take me a minute to get out of your way.”

  Her car’s engine whined. Heat radiated off the hood and wrinkled the air. The backs of her knees tingled as if a hundred ants had gathered there for an impromptu Riverdance.

  A car door shut behind her. “Need a hand?” he drawled in a local-boy kind of way.

  “Everything’s fine. Thanks.” Because she carried insect-killer in her car all the time in case her car came down with a case of the ants.

  It took some effort to not reach for her phone. This was the kind of thing Neil would’ve taken care of for her. And it pissed her off that she wanted to let the man approaching solve her problem.

  She was an independent woman, dammit. She’d fix this herself. She squared her shoulders, marched to the edge of her door, and hit her trunk release. She scooted around the car to survey the potential ant weapons in her trunk. She had to have something useful. Maybe she could club them one by one with her jumper cables. Shoot her emergency flares at them. Drop the box of Neil’s junk on them. Label them to death with the label maker.

  It’d worked on her marriage.

  And there was that stingy feeling behind her eyeballs again.

  Long runner’s legs ending in flip-flop–clad feet entered her blurred vision. “You got some friends there.”

  If Neil had to leave her, he should’ve done it somewhere else. Somewhere without fire ants, somewhere more hospitable to her Norwegian coloring, somewhere with halfway intelligent locals. She shot her audience a look she should’ve tried on the ants. “Where I come from, they’re called a nuisance.”

  Instead of shriveling up and dying, he flashed her a goofy grin. His dark-lashed eyes creased in the corners.

  Those lashes and the mass of just-long-enough-to-be-curly hair on his head were proof positive a man could have brains or looks, but not both.

  And that tingly sensation along her breastbone was proof positive she had no business being single. First she agreed to a date with Rodney, now she was getting hot over a redneck.