One Year to Forever (Halos & Horns Read online

  “Oh God, I’ll keep his family in my prayers.” She sniffed before continuing. “What else, Benjamin?”

  “What?”

  “You said a couple of things happened. What else?”

  “Oh, yeah—uh, D-Dub’s girl dumped him. She found someone else.”

  “Oh. I’m so sorry for him, but you know I won’t do that to you, right? You don’t have to check up on me, even if I’m thrilled by your unexpected calls.”

  “I know that. I just needed to hear your voice.” He paused for several seconds. “Haley?”

  “Yeah, Ben?”

  He thought he heard her teeth chattering. “Ah, shit, you’re standing there soaking wet and freezing. I need to let you go.” Yeah, like before I make a fool out of myself.

  “Ben, you sound a little—I don’t know—off kilter. Are you sure there’s nothing else wrong?”

  The thought of her standing there, freezing her cute little ass off to get another minute of conversation with him, made him feel fucking awesome. “So, are you completely naked? Or half-ass wrapped in a thin little towel?” Her laughter rang out, lifting his spirits further.

  “Not naked, and yes, I am only half-ass wrapped. But at least it’s a big, thick towel.” She clucked her tongue at him. “You are so bad.”

  “I can be as bad as you want me to be.” He grinned at her nervous laughter, knowing she’d be embarrassed as hell if she knew what his mental image of her was doing to him. “God, Haley—I love y—your laugh.” He coughed, realizing what he’d almost let slip. If her lack of reply was any indication, she realized it, too. Haley finally broke the uncomfortable stretch of what-the-hell-do-I-say-now?

  “Ben?”

  “I need to go now. There are guys here waiting for the phone.”

  “I know.”

  “Will you say it for me?” He didn’t have to wonder if she knew what he was talking about. She’d be smiling as she gave him her reply.

  “What’s one year? It’s nothing compared to forever.”

  “Roger that, babe. Talk to you later.”

  January 31st – Afghanistan 06:52 hours

  I almost fucked up—I almost let those words slip out. The ones I swore I wouldn’t tell her unless it was to her face. It may sound chicken shit to some, but I can’t, I won’t say them the first time over the phone. She deserves better than that. A hell of a lot better than that. I gotta tighten up when I talk to her. Can’t be a big puss when I talk to her over the phone. Lesson learned—Do NOT call Haley unless I have my shit together.

  She must have felt it, heard it in my voice—she must have sensed I was holding back. I hope like hell I didn’t hurt her feelings. If I did, I’ll make it up to her. I know she wants me to tell her. I know she wants me to say the words first. I know she’s stopping herself from saying it because she’s afraid if she does, I’ll be gone. That’s not the case, but how the hell would she know that? She wouldn’t. Even if she said them to me over the phone, or in a text, or an email, or during a Skype session, I still wouldn’t say them back. Not that way—not until I can show her, face to fucking face, how much those words mean to me. And man, do I plan to show her.

  Valentine’s Day won’t mean shit to me over here, but I plan on making it mean something to her back home. Please God, let Haley hang in there. I promise I’ll make it up to her if she does.

  CHAPTER 10

  Throw Me Something, Mister!

  Haley sat on top of her bed with her open laptop, willing the Skype screen to activate, bringing the image, the voice of Ben to her. She pressed a hand to her stomach, wishing away the butterflies she always got while waiting for any contact from the love of her life. No, she hadn’t told him yet, but surely, he had to know. Every night she prayed he could sense her love from all the way on the other side of the world, could feel it surround and protect him over there. She chewed her thumbnail in nervous anticipation. Any minute now.

  The familiar swishing sound interrupted the thought. Her gaze practically burned a hole into the middle of the screen until Ben’s face finally appeared. He beamed at her, obviously having received the box she and his mother had sent. Mardi Gras beads draped around his neck, hanging from his ears and off of his sunglasses.

  “Happy Mardi Gras, Haley.”

  “Hey, Benjamin. I see you got the box of goodies. Did you play pretty and share with the other guys?”

  “I shared the beads, mom’s platoon cookies, and most of the hard candy. But you know I don’t share my Snicker Doodles. Thanks babe.”

  “You’re very welcome. You seem to be in a good mood. What’s going on?”

  He leaned in closer to give her a wink. “You’ll see soon enough.”

  Haley leaned back against her headboard and adjusted the laptop. “Are we going to play this game again? You know I can’t stand the suspense, so why the hell do you tell me these things?”

  His laughter sounded over her speakers. “Because I know you can’t stand the suspense.” He leaned forward again, giving her an adorable grin. “I only do it to give you something to look forward to, of course. Is it working?”

  She sighed. “I look forward to so many things where you’re concerned, it’s not even funny.”

  He sobered abruptly, sent her a look so full of promise she shivered. “The same goes for me. Some days, it’s all I can do not to think about it.”

  “Think about what, in particular?” She knew what the answer would be, but wanted to hear him say it again.

  “Kaneohe Bay—being with you in Hawaii. In your bikini, or wrapped with one of those scarf things the girls wear over there—”

  “Sarongs …”

  “Yeah, those. I can picture you, a tropical flower tucked in your hair, with one of those sarongs tied around your hips, knotted on one side.” He held up a finger. “But I can still see your belly button, you know? And it’s so fu—flipping sexy, I want to dip my tongue in it.” Her low growl had him grinning. “You want me to stop now?”

  She gave her head a brief shake, determined not to let his self-satisfied expression do her in. “Nope. If you can take it, I can too.”

  “Oh—good. Then I’ll tell you how I can already feel what it’ll be like to wrap my hands around your waist and pull you close—to dip my mouth into the crook of your neck. I’ll have to pull back all of that glorious hair of yours to do it, though. So, I’ll pull it back with one hand and hold you close with the other—and then I’ll kiss that spot that drives you crazy. You know, that spot?”

  “You mean my ticklish spot?”

  He laughed huskily. “All your spots are ticklish. I have never known anyone as ticklish as you are.” He cut off her near comeback. “But that’s okay. It’s a sign your body will be responsive in so many other ways.”

  Her breath released in a rush. “Okay, you really need to stop that now.”

  “So I guess you can’t take it.”

  She barely kept from rolling her eyes at him. “I guess you’re right. You win again.”

  “It’s not a matter of winning and losing, babe. It’s a matter of getting you so worked up you won’t be able to think of anyone but me.”

  “I already can’t think of anyone but you. You—talking to me that way—saying those things to me—it makes it …” She stopped, uncertain how to finish.

  “It makes you anticipate what I’m going to do to you …”

  “Uh huh …” she said, breathlessly.

  “And anticipation makes pleasure more intense.”

  She frowned. “Says who?”

  He sent her his signature sexy grin. “Some chick whose book you downloaded on my Kindle.”

  “Are you telling me I gave you the information you’re using to torture me?”

  “Don’t think of it as torture, babe. Think of it as …” he stopped, seemed to consider his next words. “Think of it as preparing yourself for a world of pleasure.” He leaned forward again. “Think you can do that?”

  She fanned her face. “I think I’m havi
ng some kind of thermal reaction moment.”

  He lifted both hands in victory. “Then my work here is done.”

  Her hand dropped helplessly onto the bed. “Now see. That’s just mean.”

  “Not mean. Determined—when I get you alone, you’ll beg me to do all sorts of things to you.”

  She cocked her head to the side, deciding she could give as well as she got. “How do you know you won’t be the one doing all the begging, Benjamin?”

  “Because if I can’t make you want me as much as I want you, not a damn thing’s gonna happen in there, or anywhere else, for that matter. I’m not about to pressure you into doing anything you don’t want to do. That’s not how you deserve to be treated.”

  “How do I—aw, Paisley.” She screeched as her dog chose that moment to jump on the bed and try to curl up on her lap. She scooted out of the bed and carried her laptop to her desk, never losing sight of Ben. She settled herself in the desk chair and adjusted her screen. “Now, what were we talking about?”

  “You were about to ask how you deserved to be treated,” he said, grinning at her. “And my answer would be—with respect.”

  Haley covered her mouth with one hand and blinked several times to clear the fog of tears from her eyes. “You warned me how competitive you were, but this is insane. Will you ever let me win?”

  He leaned forward, so he was close to the monitor and looked straight into her eyes. “Babe, when I finally get you all to myself, I’ll make sure you win in every way possible—as often as you want—and in as many ways as you want. That’s a guarantee.”

  Haley fanned the heat from her face, knowing her blood pressure was probably through the roof.

  “You okay over there?” he asked, wearing his typical ‘one-up’ shit-eating grin.

  “I’ll live. I keep wondering, if you can make me feel this way with your words …” She didn’t have the nerve to finish her thought. As usual, Ben had no problem finishing it for her.

  “I can hardly wait to make you feel in so many other ways …”

  Ben walked back to sniper platoon’s tent, more confident than ever in his relationship with Haley. If she had any doubts about the lengths he was willing to go to make her happy, after Valentine’s Day, those doubts would be long gone. He’d put that particular plan in motion weeks ago, without her knowledge, of course.

  He loved surprising Haley. Maybe it was because nobody had ever been able to surprise him—not even as a kid. He’d always had the ability to read people, and for the most part, knew they tended to give themselves away.

  He got a tremendous amount of satisfaction from making this particular girl’s eyes light up with pleasure every single time he did something unexpected. He’d seen it on dozens of occasions back home. From something as simple as handing her a single pansy from his mother’s fall flower garden to giving her dog, Paisley, a bath for the heck of it. She appreciated any small effort he made to make her smile. That, in turn, made him want to do anything in his power to keep a smile on Haley’s face.

  She’d made the mistake of telling him her brother, Tex, had made plans to attend the Lake Coburn Mardi Gras parade with his girlfriend and friends. He made her promise to go along, insisting it was the largest in the state, second only to New Orleans. He’d even encouraged her to participate with his siblings in what would be her very first Courir de Mardi Gras. It was the Cajun tradition of the ‘Chicken Run’—an all-day ride on horseback, culminating in a huge meal of gumbo and potato salad, along with a Cajun dance for the participants.

  “And I’ll want to see proof, so you’d better have plenty of pictures and videos of you participating,” he’d warned. Every plan he made for Haley was to keep her from sitting at home, miserable and missing him.

  Was he worried she’d have a little too much fun with some other guy? Nope. Nor did he worry she’d stand him up in May. Neither did he worry that once she left him in Kaneohe Bay, she’d go home and forget all about him. He didn’t have room in his life anymore for doubts.

  He reached the tent and maneuvered to his own bunk without making a sound. He laid there, his hands clasped behind his neck as he thought of life post the Corps, with his girl in it.

  He was damned-sure willing to put every egg he had into one basket, and that basket was Haley.

  “Throw me something mister!” Haley reached up and caught a handful of brightly colored beads. “Thank you!” she shouted and waved back at one of dozens of passing floats. She lifted Tex’s cowboy hat, and looped them around his already bead-decked neck before replacing the hat.

  “There you go, big brother.”

  “You doing all right up there, sis?” Tex tapped the boot resting against his chest.

  “I’m fine, but if you’re tired of carrying me around on your shoulders, you can let me down,” she insisted.

  “Nah. You don’t weigh a damn thing, girl.”

  “That must be nice,” Aubrey commented from beside Tex. “Nobody’s been able to say that about me since I was a little bitty baby.”

  Haley shouted over the crowd noise. “At least you’re tall enough to see the floats without having to sit on somebody’s shoulders. I’d love to be your height.”

  Aubrey danced in place, shaking her head to the tune from a passing Cajun band situated on a float. “Well, I’ve got to admit; my size comes in handy for carnival season. If anybody tries to steal my beads, I bump them outta my way and scoop ‘em right up.” She slapped one hip for emphasis.

  His sister laughed at the sweet lady he considered a ‘friend’. As wonderful as Aubrey was, he had to admit, eventually, that she didn’t come close to replacing Niki.

  “Coming down, sis.” Tex lowered Haley gently to the ground and straightened, adjusting the sizeable collection of beads around his neck. “I think this parade’s going to wrap up in about thirty minutes or so. How do you two ladies feel about going someplace for a bite to eat? I had an early lunch and no supper. I’m about starved.”

  “Sure. You want steaks, seafood, Mexican, Asian, fast food? I can name a dozen good restaurants on this street alone.”

  Haley’s head popped up. “My vote is for Mexican.”

  Tex turned to Aubrey. “You got a problem with eating Mexican tonight?”

  She shook her head. “Nope, and Casa Manana is down the street.” She nudged Haley with her elbow. “Best margaritas in town, as long as your brother’s driving, right?”

  “You got that right.”

  Fifteen minutes later, Tex had somehow maneuvered his truck on the side streets to park behind the building. The three of them piled into the restaurant, thankfully, before everyone else in town had the same idea. It was crowded, but not to capacity. Even though, they seated themselves at the bar to wait for their table. Within minutes of that, Haley was sucking up a margarita, while Aubrey sipped at a glass of chardonnay. Tex threw back a bottle of beer to quench his thirst, and then asked for a tall glass of iced tea before following their waitress into the main dining room.

  The three of them had already ordered from the menu when their hostess sat another couple at the table next to them. Tex reached for his drink, his arm freezing mid-air as Niki’s gaze locked onto his. Instead of seating herself in the chair Bo had pulled out for her, she turned to the hostess and whispered something.

  The hostess shook her head. “I’m sorry, Miss, but we don’t have any available tables by a window.”

  Bo examined the table, obviously confused by her request. “What’s wrong with this table, Niki? We were damned lucky to get it, considering the parade crowd about to swarm this place.”

  Niki looped her purse strap over her shoulder. “You know, I don’t think I feel like Mexican tonight. Let’s go back to that steakhouse you talked about. You deserve to have a steak.”

  Clearly exasperated, Bo scanned their surroundings, his gaze encompassing his neighbors seated a few feet over. He grunted and turned to the hostess. “This table is fine, ma’am. Don’t worry about moving us.” He
pulled a chair out for Niki. “Sit. You insisted on Casa, you’re damned well getting Casa.” Looking sheepish, Niki sat and began to fidget with her purse.

  Bo took two steps over to greet the three people at the next table. He reached for Tex’s outstretched hand first. “Good to see you again, Tex … ladies.”

  “You too, Bo. Are y’all coming from the parade as well?”

  “Yep, but we were parked all the way on the other end, at the starting point. I thought it would be easier to leave and avoid the heaviest traffic downtown.” His gaze followed Niki’s trek to the women’s restroom. “We bypassed several perfectly good restaurants and my favorite steakhouse to get here because she had to have Casa.”

  Tex lifted his shoulders. “Sorry man, the ladies picked it. I just do the driving.”

  Bo raised his hands. “I hear you, man.” He acknowledged his sister first. “Haley, did you catch enough beads to last you all year?”

  She nodded. “I have bags full.” She lifted one she wore from her neck. “But this one is my favorite.” The necklace boasted giant green, purple, and gold two or three inch diameter balls. “I’m going to bring it to Ben when I meet him in Hawaii in May.”

  Bo leaned over to examine it. “That’s a nice one, all right. They don’t throw many that size, so you were lucky to catch it.”

  Tex snorted at the comment. “That damn thing almost knocked me out. Hell, I may still end up with a black eye from where it slapped me.”

  “You should have negotiated for hazard pay.”

  Tex guffawed at the suggestion. “You’re right, man. I would have, if I’d known it was coming.”

  Bo turned to Aubrey. “Where are your beads? Don’t tell me little bit here, grabbed them all.”

  She waved her hand. “I donated all mine to the Haley Broussard cause. This was her very first Lake Coburn Mardi Gras parade.”

  Bo’s face registered surprise. “Don’t tell me. And how’d you like it, Haley?”